Just because Spencer Knight resides in his own little world — the goaltender’s crease — doesn’t mean he’s unaware of the praise that’s being heaped upon him.
The 17-year-old netminder knows that National Hockey League Central Scouting in November gave him an A rating on its Players to Watch list. He realizes this grade means he’s considered a potential first-round pick, in his case in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
But that doesn’t change a thing about his approach to his craft.
“You can’t let all those distractions get in your way,” Knight said. “For me, the biggest thing is to remember why you play hockey, because you love the game. It’s fun. So you just have to come to the rink, have a positive mindset, take each day one day at a time and not worry about the external stuff.”
He added, “Playing hockey is what I love to do, and hopefully I get to continue to do it down the road.”
One look at what the Darien, Conn., native has accomplished to this point on his hockey journey proves why that shouldn’t be a concern.
Knight is excelling in his second season with the U.S. National Team Development Program’s Under-18 team after earning a permanent call-up from the Under-17 squad toward the end of last season, his first year in the program.
In 2017-18 with the U-17 team, he went 17-3-0 with a 2.55 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and one shutout in 25 games. He then went 10-3-0 with a 2.58 GAA and .903 save percentage in 14 contests with the U-18 club.
Knight has elevated his play this season, going 12-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .922 save percentage through his first 16 games. He also earned a spot on the U.S. team at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, the latest event on a growing list of international competitions in which he’s participated.
“International hockey is great,” explained Knight, who went 3-2 in five games with a 2.42 GAA and .901 save percentage to help the U.S. capture the silver medal at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. “It’s different hockey, on a bigger ice sheet, with different teams and styles. It’s good because these are players you’re going to see at all different levels. It’s good, too, for learning experiences. You’re going to different places, seeing different cultures, getting used to time changes, and that prepares you if you’re called upon to represent your country in the Olympics, World Cups or men’s World Championships.”
No matter the level at which Knight is performing, he’ll always remember why he first stepped in the crease — his fascination with goalie equipment as a kid.
“The pads and helmet were cool stuff, and putting the gear on made me excited for my first game,” revealed Knight, who started playing the ice game at age 2 and suited up in net for the first time at 8 years old before switching full time at age 10. “That’s what got me into it. From there, goaltending’s been something that’s appealed to me. It’s fun stopping pucks. It’s a little different from scoring, but I enjoy it.”
The helmet was and remains his favorite article of equipment.
“The helmet is where you can really go into detail with designs,” Knight elaborated. “The paint jobs on them are really cool.”
Knight’s helmet at the NTDP was designed by Head Strong Grafx. Notable features include the USA Hockey shield on one side and the USA jersey crest on the other side. Below his cage is his jersey No. 30 overlapping a waving USA flag.
That’s not all.
“What I really like about my helmet,” Knight added, “is it has chrome on it, which is cool and makes it pop out.”
The goalie who popped out in Knight’s mind when he was younger was Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers. However, he compares his style of play to three other netminders: Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens), Frederik Andersen (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets).
“I think I’m a strong technical goalie who has good positioning, can skate and has athleticism,” Knight self-assessed. “But I don’t rely on my athleticism. I’m calm and collected and make saves easier, not harder, on myself.”
He also has something that can’t be taught: size.
Explained the 6-foot-3, 197-pounder: “Sometimes I’ll go out before and after practice and work on angle stuff and take videos of the puck’s perspective looking at me in net. It’s amazing how small those holes are and how little you have to move. Sometimes moving less is better.”
Knight feels most comfortable in net when his toes are at the top of the crease, although he’ll go deeper into his net depending on the situation.
“If I read a shot all the way or off rushes, I like to take a little depth and work my way back just a little bit,” he said. “I try to be a little more conservative now because as you get into higher levels of hockey guys can move the puck really quickly and go right around you.”
Knight, who trains with Jared Waimon at Pro Crease Goaltending, pinpoints his skating ability as the one skill that’s improved the most since he first started netminding. Over the years, he’s also worked on building a strong foundation in net.
Two aspects of his game — and personality, for that matter — that have always been evident are his calm demeanor and optimistic outlook, regardless of circumstance.
For that, Knight thanks his parents, Chris and Lilly.
“My mom and dad are my biggest role models,” he said. “My mom is in investment management — she’s the smart one in the family — and is the most positive person I know. Despite how work goes, she comes home every day and is always smiling, always positive. I can’t tell if she had a bad day or a good day. She’s always happy. She’s always been someone I can go back and talk to. She keeps me positive.”
Continued Knight: “My dad is a great dude. He was a police officer for 20 years in Darien and now does property management around the local towns. I spend a lot of time with him in the summer. We golf and go on the boat. He goes to all of my hockey tournaments and has been great support for me. He’s never been super hard on me and is a very calm guy. He’s who I got my calm composure from in net.”
On the rare occasions things go awry while Knight is in net, he has two more rock-solid pillars of support ready to lift his spirits: his younger sisters, Claire, 16, and Hannah, 11.
“They support me no matter what, win, lose or whatever happens on the ice,” he said. “They’re two of my best friends. When I’m at my lower points, they bring me up. They keep me grounded, and going back home and seeing them is awesome, just hanging out with them and being a normal person once in a while. You can’t forget where you came from.”
Knight chuckled when asked if his sisters comprehend the magnitude of what is on the horizon for him, particularly the NHL draft.
“They’re so funny,” he replied. “I think Claire knows. Hannah might have a little bit of an idea, but I’m not sure she knows the grand scheme of things, so it’s funny.”
What Hannah will one day fully understand — that her brother’s name and the NHL draft can be mentioned in the same breath — is what scouts discovered a few years ago, particularly during the 2016-17 season when Spencer was playing in his one campaign at Avon Old Farms prep school.
That season, as a sophomore and just 15 years old, Knight already was competing — and doing so admirably — against seniors.“It was a little bit challenging and gave me a taste of what it would be like playing against older guys,” he said.
It was there where Knight learned a key lesson: how to manage his time.
“The academics are hard, and you have hockey and lifts,” he said. “You’re always doing something — eating, skating or studying. I learned how to prioritize things, not procrastinate and just get things done.”
Knight feels that lesson has really helped him since he started playing at the NTDP.
“For how much school we miss going to internationals and other events, you’re forced to use your time wisely,” he said. “If you don’t, you’ll see results that you don’t want.”
The education will continue for Knight after the draft when he attends Boston College, which he committed to at age 14.
“I played youth games in that area and I used to go to BC games,” he said. “Something about the campus just made me like the school. The coaching staff is awesome. The history of the program is cool. And also being in Boston, a great hockey town three hours from my house, and playing in the Beanpot, I’m looking forward to playing there.”
Of course, Knight still has work to do before shipping up to Boston.
First, finish his NTDP career on a high note, and second, book a flight to Vancouver, where he’ll likely be the first goaltender taken off the board at the NHL draft in June.
