“Small hockey world” binds Knights coaches, defenseman together

Pete DeBoer’s archetypal scouting study connected defenseman Nic Hague wasn’t excessively kind.

The connection “gangly” whitethorn person been utilized by the Golden Knights coach. He wasn’t definite helium was seeing an NHL regular.

Luckily, Hague had plentifulness of clip to improve. He was lone successful simple school.

Hague’s section inferior hockey squad increasing up, the Kitchener Rangers successful Kitchener, Ontario, was coached by DeBoer from 2001-08 with Knights adjunct Steve Spott besides connected staff.

The trio reunited much than a decennary aboriginal erstwhile DeBoer and Spott were hired by the Knights successful 2020. The 23-year-old Hague has shown since past he’s grown past DeBoer’s expectations.

“To spot his improvement done insignificant hockey, past done inferior and evidently done the American League and with us, it’s a large story,” Spott said. “He’s a grassroots subordinate from Ontario and for Pete and I selfishly, it’s large to spot the improvement into the National Hockey League and helium truly has go a mainstay connected our bluish line.”

Hague’s Friday nights arsenic a kid were spent astatine “The Aud” — Kitchener Memorial Auditorium — watching the Rangers play with household and friends. He had play tickets.

Hague besides attended section hockey camps tally by DeBoer and Spott. And done a transportation with a section skills coach, the Rangers coaches ran a fewer practices for his team.

“I conscionable retrieve reasoning it was the coolest happening ever,” said Hague who has missed the Knights’ past 5 games with a wrist injury. “The Kitchener Rangers were players that I astir idolized much than NHL players due to the fact that they were guys I’d ticker each week. To person their manager travel out, I retrieve I was blown away.”

DeBoer near Kitchener aft the 2007-08 play erstwhile helium was hired to manager the Florida Panthers. Spott took implicit arsenic manager and stayed until 2013, erstwhile helium near for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies.

Hague’s hockey vocation came afloat ellipse erstwhile the Knights hired DeBoer connected Jan. 15, 2020. Spott came excessively arsenic an adjunct coach.

“Small hockey world, the mode it turned out,” Hague said.

Despite the acquainted faces, the coaching alteration didn’t wage contiguous dividends for Hague.

He played 38 games arsenic a rookie but lone 3 aft DeBoer arrived. He didn’t play successful the postseason, either. That led to DeBoer gathering with him successful the lobby of the JW Marriott successful Edmonton erstwhile the Knights near the playoff bubble to archer him to support his caput up.

“I said I’m a large believer successful your game,” said DeBoer, who told Hague his benignant acceptable with what helium wanted from the team’s defensemen. “Come backmost to campy acceptable to go.”

Hague played successful 52 of 56 games his 2nd twelvemonth arsenic a Knight and has lone travel retired of the lineup due to the fact that of his wounded this season. His responsibilities person besides increased. He’s averaging 18:19 of crystal clip — compared to 16:05 arsenic a rookie and 16:00 past twelvemonth — playing mostly connected the apical brace with Alex Pietrangelo.

The “gangly” kid from Kitchener is increasing up. It’s been a singular emergence for 2 coaches that person seen that maturation up close.

“I ne'er saw this retired of him erstwhile helium was a 9- oregon 10-year-old,” DeBoer said. “But you emotion to see. Great family, large kid. Wants to get amended and truly the sky’s the bounds with wherever he’s astatine and wherever he’s going.”

Contact Ben Gotz astatine bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz connected Twitter.