Golden Knights struggle with thought of leaving families

Robin Lehner kept driving home one point as the NHL Players’ Association hashed out the league’s return-to-play protocols: Wherever he went to chase the Stanley Cup, he wanted his family with him.

The Golden Knights goaltender didn’t quite get his wish when the NHL’s Phase Four guidelines were approved last week. His wife and two kids will be able to join him in Edmonton, but not until the Western Conference Finals if the Knights make it that far.

That separation — especially during a time when most families are staying home together more than ever — is going to be a challenge for players. Lehner and his teammates aren’t thrilled about it, but it’s the price they have to pay to chase a championship.

“It’s not just about the players’ mental health, it’s about the families’ mental health, too,” said Lehner, who has been open about his struggles with mental illness and has become a mental health advocate. “A lot of players have young kids and wives, and we’re going to leave them at home alone, quarantined in the house with the kids. It’s going to be equally as tough for them as it is for us. I wasn’t very happy we couldn’t bring them from the get-go, but if we get to see them in the conference final, I think that’s big at least, and we’ll go from there.”

There’s no shortage of children among players, and their numbers are only growing. Left wing William Carrier welcomed daughter Stella in March. Left wing Max Pacioretty and his wife, Katia, said in April that they’re expecting their fifth child and first daughter.

Leaving their kids behind — and asking their wives or partners to pick up the slack — is going to be difficult for players. Right wing Ryan Reaves said it’s going to be extra hard after spending so much time with his son and daughter during the league’s pause because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s going to be tougher on the kids,” Reaves said in June before the return-to-play guidelines were set. “My boy, he’s 4 years old. He just loves spending time with dad and playing with me. To go from me being home every single day for four months to potentially being gone for two months, it’s going to be hard for him.”

Left wing Jonathan Marchessault chose to look on the bright side of the situation.

If the team reaches the conference finals, players’ families essentially will get a vacation in Edmonton.

“I’m sure if we get there, it’s going to be a fun experience for the kids and the families,” Marchessault said.

Players’ spouses/partners and children will get their own rooms in Edmonton, but they will be allowed to stay together once testing and quarantine requirements are fulfilled.

That means, for families flying commercial, testing negative for COVID-19 three times the week before departure and testing negative four times in Edmonton over a four-day period. Knights personnel will make their “best efforts” to help families in Las Vegas get tested, according to the Phase Four protocols.

Getting to experience the final stages of the playoffs with their families should be a healthy incentive for players to go far in the postseason. And even though being apart from their loved ones at the beginning of the playoffs isn’t anyone’s first choice, Marchessault said it’s the hand players have been dealt.

“It’s not an ideal situation, for sure,” Marchessault said. “But, I mean, the whole situation is not ideal. Not just for us but for everybody. It’s just the new world that we’re living in, and everyone needs to adapt. We’re professional hockey players. We signed contracts, and we have to earn our paychecks. At some point, when it comes to playoffs, it’s all about winning and getting your name on the Cup.”

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