LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After playing parts of 11 seasons and appearing in 671 National Hockey League regular-season games with three teams, Deryk Engelland will announce his retirement from the NHL on 2 p.m. Dec. 22 via Zoom.
For your service on the ice. For being a hero in our community.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 22, 2020
Congratulations on your retirement and thank you Deryk Engelland for a great hockey career! #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/hsQr16Kass
With the announcement of his retirement, Engelland will transition to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, serving as the Special Assistant to the Owner. In his role with the foundation, he will support the Golden Knights, VGK Foundation and Bill Foley’s other charitable efforts through community outreach. Engelland will attend events with Foley and serve as his representative when he is unable to attend. He will also work with different business units to help further their specific goals.
“Deryk Engelland epitomizes what it means to be a Golden Knight. A no-ego, selfless, hardworking player who has an unwavering commitment to protecting those who are unable to protect themselves,” said Vegas Golden Knights Chairman and CEO Bill Foley. “Since he joined our organization in 2017, Deryk’s service to our community has been exemplary. On behalf of the entire Vegas Golden Knights organization, we would like to congratulate Deryk on an outstanding career. He has made an indelible mark on our city and we are excited for this next chapter, as he stays with the Golden Knights family and continues the outstanding work he has done in our community.”
Fun to play with 😃
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 22, 2020
A pain to play against 💪
Deryk Engelland has always been the ultimate teammate at every step along the way #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/1QGIiCbadc
Engelland played three of his 11 NHL seasons with the Golden Knights and finished with 41 points (8 G, 33 A) to go with 79 penalty minutes in 202 games. Engelland helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup Final during Vegas’ first season. Following that historic season, he was named the winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award thanks to his speech following the horrific events on October 1, 2017 and his efforts to honor the heroes from October 1. During his time as a Golden Knight, Engelland also started Engo’s Heroes, a charitable initiative to honor those impacted by October 1 and additional first responders in the Las Vegas Valley. He was also involved in numerous other charitable initiatives during his three seasons with the team.
The 38-year-old was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 Expansion Draft. He previously played for the Calgary Flames (2014-17) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009-14). He finishes his career with 127 points (30 G, 97 A) to go with 579 penalty minutes in 671 regular season games. He also appeared in 55 Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording five assists to go with 108 penalty minutes.
Engelland was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round (194th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He started his professional hockey career in Las Vegas with the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers and also played for the South Carolina Stingrays and Reading Royals, appearing in 148 ECHL games over four seasons. He also played parts of six seasons in the American Hockey League, appearing in 338 games, split between the Lowell Lock Monsters, Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Engelland is the only player to appear in at least 100 ECHL games, 300 AHL games and 600 NHL games.
He has been a Las Vegas resident for the majority of his career, after meeting his wife, Melissa, while playing with the Wranglers. Their two sons, Cash and Talon were also born in Las Vegas.