Golden Knights return focused after first-round playoff ouster

As the Golden Knights reconvene before training camp begins Sept. 12, it’s hard for the team not to reflect on what split them up in April.

Mainly because players keep getting asked about it. “It” being Cody Eakin’s major penalty that led to a San Jose Sharks rally in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.

“It never really goes away,” said defenseman Brayden McNabb, one of 16 players who attended a team charity golf event Wednesday at TPC Summerlin. “It’s a conversation a lot of people bring up. It still lingers. It’s good motivation.”

The call caused the Knights’ second season to end much earlier than the first and led to the NHL reforming its replay reviews over the summer. That doesn’t change the past, but the team is still optimistic about its future because 18 of the 19 players that appeared in Game 7 remain on the roster.

“(There’s a) chip on everybody’s shoulder,” right wing Ryan Reaves said. “The way it ended last year, the way it ended two years ago, I think we obviously want that Cup. We got a taste of it, and we got close. We know we have the team in here, and the confidence is building. We’re ready to run right away.”

Golden Knights rookies report to camp Thursday.

Marchessault disses himself

Left wing Jonathan Marchessault was his own biggest critic Wednesday after scoring 59 points last season, a dip from 75 in 2017-18.

“It was a bad year,” said Marchessault, even though the 59 was the second-highest point total of his career. “I showed up in February or March. That’s not good enough for me. I wasn’t consistent.”

Marchessault had high praise for his center, William Karlsson, who signed an eight-year contract worth $5.9 million annually in June. Karlsson had 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) last season after scoring 78 (43 goals, 35 assists) the previous one, which caused him to be left off NHL Network’s list of the top 20 centers in the league.

“He should be up there in underrated players,” Marchessault said. “He had a good year still. Obviously, 43 goals is something that’s hard to do every year. There’s only one guy (Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin) that does it every year.

“He brings so much more than just goals.”

Golf games

Marchessault said two of the best golfers among the Knights are McNabb, who admitted he played a lot this summer, and right wing Mark Stone, who played Pebble Beach Golf Links in June and has a 4 handicap.

The worst golfer on the team? Marchessault nominated goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and Reaves agreed.

“He doesn’t have a very good stroke,” Reaves said.

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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.