from Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal,

The Golden Knights opened training camp Thursday, and a few things were immediately evident about the coming season:

1. Coach Pete DeBoer won’t have to answer as many questions about who will be in goal on a particular night.

2. There is a great chance the Pacific Division is so bad that the Knights will resemble the ’27 Yankees and could start a third line of Ruth, Gehrig and Lazzeri and still win in a skate-over.

3. The expectations to lift a Stanley Cup are as robust as ever.

“Good to see you in person,” DeBoer told assembled media. “You look better in masks.”

It felt normal again. City National Arena was packed with fans for the team’s initial workout, conjuring memories of those pre-pandemic turnouts. The dude waving his giant flag was there. So was the one who periodically breaks into loud cheers … by himself.

It was also different. There was no Marc-Andre Fleury in net, the Vezina Trophy winner now making windmill saves in Chicago. A slimmed down Robin Lehner is firmly supplanted as the starter in Las Vegas. There was no Ryan Reaves joking with teammates, although you can still find his signature 7Five beer inside adjacent MacKenzie River Pizza. But only in cans.

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