Lawless: Storylines at Midway Mark of Training Camp

Midway through the eighth training camp in Golden Knights history and there are signs everywhere pointing to how deep hockey roots in Vegas have taken hold.

Friday night the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-2 in an NHL preseason game before a crowd of 17,561 at T-Mobile Arena.

The house was mostly full and the crowd was into the game. And they stayed until the end. This doesn’t happen everywhere in the NHL and this kind of turnout for a preseason game is enviable.

Saturday morning at 7 a.m. local rinks were already buzzing with kids practicing. The roster in Vegas is full. NHL, AHL, junior hockey, sled hockey, boys and girls travel teams, high school hockey, house leagues as well as learn to skate and play programs.

Tanner and Tanner: NHL veteran Tanner Pearson is in Vegas on PTO (professional tryout) and 27-year-old Tanner Laczynski signed a two-year free agent deal this offseason.

Both came into training camp fighting for a spot on the Golden Knights roster and their fine play has developed into the story of training camp.

Through three games, Laczynski is tied for the team lead in preseason scoring with three points. Pearson is right behind him with two points. Pearson leads Vegas with a +4 rating.

The job of a player trying to earn a spot on the team is to make it hard for the GM and coach to imagine the lineup without said player. Both Tanners have accomplished this so far in camp.

Jack-ed up: It took Jack Eichel one period to find his pace and remind anyone watching that he’s among the very best in the NHL. Eichel used the first period to find his legs and then took over the game for long stretches in the second and third period scoring a goal and adding two assists.

Eichel held the puck and made plays, shut down the opposition in the defensive zone and backed up Utah defenders with his speed in the neutral zone. Meet the new Jack, same as the old Jack.

Vic’s stick: Victor Olofsson’s stick was busy in his VGK debut on Friday. He had an assist, three shots on net and six attempts. Olofsson was dangerous all game and could easily have scored. He was inches away on a number of occasions. Olofsson’s job playing with Eichel is to get free, be ready, shoot and score. It’s just one game but all the indications of a fruitful marriage were there between these two.

What about Ivan: In all the talk about Olofsson slotting in on Eichel’s right side, left wing and constant Eichel companion the last two seasons Ivan Barbashev has flown under the radar. All the Golden Knights will want from Barbashev is to repeat what he’s done since joining Eichel’s line. Last season he had 19 goals and 45 points. Late in the game on Friday, Barbashev completed a three-pass play (Olofsson to Shea Theodore to Eichel to Barbashev) with a tidy goal from the slot. Physical, consistent and productive is the best way to describe Barbashev. Observers like to make note of GM Kelly McCrimmon trading assets for players. McCrimmon moved prospect Zach Dean to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Barbashev. Dean has yet to become an NHL regular and has no points in nine regular season games but at 21 he has lots of runway ahead of him. Barvashev has collected 61 points in 105 regular season games as well as 22 points in 27 playoff games since coming over. Oh, and a Stanley Cup, if that matters in one’s evaluation of a trade.

Kirk Brooks: Vegas lost a hockey pioneer this week as Las Vegas Ice Center owner Kirk Brooks passed away.

Brooks, proprietor of the West Flamingo Road rink and father of two kids, Kenny and Brittney, who played D1 hockey and now coach successful programs.

Brooks was also the successful owner/operator of the Tri-City Storm in the USHL for a decade.

A Vegas hockey parent texted early one morning after the news became public.

“Kirk was the godfather of Vegas hockey. Kirk would always say Hockey is for Everyone. Our kids played together from nine years old and up. Hundred tournaments, cheap flights and cheaper hotels. Took a team to the Quebec peewee tournament in 2003. Many wins and losses. Kirk was front and center taking care of everyone.”

For a hockey person, could there be better legacy? RIP, Kirk.