On Oct. 19, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight saved 38 shots in an overtime victory over the Anaheim Ducks. It was a phenomenal showing for his 100th career game.
Was it special for him to get the win in his career century mark? His answer: “No.”
It’s OK to keep quiet sometimes. It’s better to let your performances do the talking.
It’s a motto that Knight might live by. He’s been an ace for the Hawks since arriving via trade from the Florida Panthers last season.
“You’re always evolving, changing and learning new things about yourself, whether it’s different ways to play different situations, how to handle the schedule, different stuff with gear, I don’t like to be stuck in my ways,” Knight said. “I try to always try to evolve and get better, it’s really a never-ending process.”
Whenever the Hawks win, it’s usually highlighted by the puck heroics of the 24-year-old. When the team loses, it’s rarely on the netminder’s shoulders.
In 37 starts this season, Knight has a 15-15-7 record with a 2.60 goals against average, a .909 save percentage and three shutouts. The goalie has a 64-48-16 career record with a 2.76 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
Knight was acquired by the Hawks in a trade with the Panthers on March 1 in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones. He inked a three-year, $17.5 million contract extension with the Hawks on Sept. 13, locking him up for the near future.
Chicago has taken some getting used to for Knight in his first full season with the Hawks. The 2023-24 Stanley Cup champ says he is getting acclimated to the Windy City.
“I think it definitely feels more like home, I know the area and (I’m getting) to know everyone, how they operate, and then they also get to know how I operate,” Knight said. “I love the city, I love living in Chicago, the people here are great, so it’s been fun.”
The Panthers represented the Eastern Conference in the past three Stanley Cup finals, winning the past two. With that success comes vast experience and veteran skaters like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov.
It’s a far cry from the United Center locker room Knight’s in now, where he will become one of the oldest players once Hawks prospects like Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert and others join the team. He’s seeing firsthand the difference age can have.
“Florida’s got a lot of well-established veterans that have been around, here we have a lot of guys who are younger (with) a few years in the league,” Knight said. “The similarity is that each locker room has guys that are on very similar pages in terms of where they are in their careers.
“We have a lot of guys who are learning how to become NHL players, learning what it means to play in the NHL. Both locker rooms have great energy and great people.”
The 24-year-old went from learning under the Panthers veterans to being a locker room leader for the Hawks. He doesn’t do it vocally, but he is using this position for the benefit of the team.
“I don’t try to be a vocal leader, like a hoot and holler, rally the troops all the time,” Knight said. “I like to go about my business and try to lead by example (and) be myself and support everyone the way I can.”
Knight spent part of the 2022-23 season enrolled in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to seek help with his obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnosis. He has advocated for focusing on mental health since his return to the ice.
“I was spiraling in a direction I didn’t want to be going,” Knight told The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell in 2023. “I can still be the player I want to be, and I still believe I can be one of the best goalies in this league.”
In a bloated NHL schedule due to the Winter Olympics, keeping mental health in check is ideal, especially for the young team. Knight always has a calm and collected demeanor, and he hopes that it rubs off on the rest of the Hawks.
“(Being) poised and sticking with it and not getting flustered, that’s a really important thing,” Knight said. “You play so many games, there’s so many situations, and there (are) ups and downs regardless of how good you are.
“Having that ability to stick with it and not get flustered, that’s how I try to be. Everyone in here has been a really great pro, and a lot of the young guys are very mature for their age.”