LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Five years after the 1 October tragedy, former Vegas Golden Knights player Deryk Engelland reflects on his speech during the Golden Knights' first game inside T-Mobile Arena.
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Tina Nguyen: This year is the five-year mark of 1 October. When you reflect back on October 1st, 2017, what do you think of?
Deryk Engelland: I remember the game a little bit, but not a whole lot. I remember we were supposed to drop our family off at home and then head down to the concert. We got home, changed and I just ended up sitting on the couch and not going. I remember waking up to a phone call from one of Melissa's friends, and then I was up all night trying to call people and see if guys were okay.
Tina: Many people will remember that incredible speech that you gave. Talk a little bit about that speech. How did that come about?
Deryk: The team came to me and thought it would be a good idea to speak. I'm not a big public speaker, so I'd wake up in the middle night and just be up for 2 hours just because it was on my mind. I was trying to make sure I didn't mess it up because it meant a lot.
Tina: What do you remember from that game on that day, especially with all the first responders there?
Deryk: Yeah, that game was great for me. Right up there with my first NHL game. Not from the same emotional standpoint, but it was still the first Knight's game here in Vegas. After what happened on 1 October, getting to go out with the first responders was an honor for me.
Tina: That was the year you guys gifted this town with a run to the Stanley Cup finals. You know, as someone who is a Las Vegas resident, what was it like to help this city heal?
Deryk: You don't know how much sports actually help. As the year went on, you went to the rink and see the atmosphere in there for games. That 3 hours where people can just shut off and not think about what's going on outside the rink or their TV was helpful. You see how much it's helping people get through what's going on.