Deryk Engelland Explained

Deryk Engelland
Birth Date:3 April 1982
Birth Place:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:214
Position:Defence
Shoots:Right
League:NHL
Played For:Pittsburgh Penguins
Calgary Flames
Vegas Golden Knights
Draft:194th overall
Draft Year:2000
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils
Career Start:2003
Career End:2020

Deryk Engelland (born April 3, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. Engelland played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights over his eleven-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL). Throughout his career, Engelland was best known for his physical play and fighting abilities.

Engelland was selected in the sixth round, 194th pick overall, by the New Jersey Devils at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Penguins in 2009 after six years in the minor leagues.

Playing career

Early career

Engelland played five seasons of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Moose Jaw Warriors. He appeared in two games in 1998–99 before establishing a place as a regular defenceman for the team in the following four seasons where he peaked at 17 points in 2001–02 and 199 penalty minutes in 2002–03.[1] The New Jersey Devils selected Engelland in the sixth round, 194th overall at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft,[2] but never played with the team. He turned professional in 2003–04 and split that season between the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL and the Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL).[3]

Returning to Las Vegas, Engelland played the entire 2004–05 season in the ECHL where he scored 5 goals, added 16 assists and recorded 138 penalty minutes. He then spent the following several seasons shuffling between the ECHL and AHL. 2005–06 was split between the South Carolina Stingrays and Hershey Bears, and the following year between Hershey and the Reading Royals. His play with Hershey in the 2007 Calder Cup playoffs caught the attention of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins who signed him to a contract. Engelland joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the 2007–08 AHL season where he played all 80 regular season games then added 23 more in the playoffs as the team reached the Calder Cup final.[4] He again played all 80 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2008–09. After starting the 2009–10 season with the AHL club, Engelland reached a consecutive games played streak of 171 that was broken following a game played November 6, 2009, when he earned his first recall to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2007–2014)

After more than six years in the minor leagues, the 27-year-old Engelland made his NHL debut on November 10, 2009, against the Boston Bruins. He played a total of nine games with Pittsburgh and recorded two assists. With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he appeared in 71 games and scored 11 points.Engelland praised the Penguins for their efforts to develop his skills as a physical defenceman; he played his first full NHL season came in 2010–11. Engelland appeared in 63 games for the Penguins and scored his first NHL goal on November 12, 2010, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.[5] During the season, the Penguins signed Engelland to a three-year contract extension through the 2013–14 season and which paid him an average of $566,700 per season.[6]

On December 20, 2011, Engelland delivered a hit to the head of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marcus Krüger, who suffered a concussion as a result, resulting in a three game suspension for Engelland.[7] He ended the 2011–12 playing in 73 games for Pittsburgh and improved to 4 goals and 13 assists for 17 points.

When a labour dispute delayed the start of the 2012–13 NHL season, Engelland opted to sign with Rosenborg IHK in Norway's GET-ligaen.[8] He played 15 games for Rosenborg where he recorded 9 points before returning to Pittsburgh when the NHL resumed operation. In 42 games with the Penguins, Engelland had 6 assists.

In his fourth NHL season, 2013–14, Engelland posted a career high of six goals (and added six assists) in a campaign where the Penguins occasionally played him at forward.[9] Though a regular in the Penguins line-up, Engelland was typically used in limited role.

Calgary Flames (2014–2017)

Engelland opted to leave the Penguins following the season and signed a three-year, $8.7 million contract with the Calgary Flames, where he hoped to earn expanded responsibilities with the rebuilding team.[10] The contract was for $2.9 million per season, a five-fold increase over his previous salary which was criticized as being among the worst value contracts signed during the 2014 free agency period.[11] However at the start of 2017 Engelland was made alternate captain of the Flames during the absence of Troy Brouwer, who was on injured reserve with a broken finger.[12]

Vegas Golden Knights (2017–2020)

As an impending free agent following the 2016–17 season, his third season with the Flames, Engelland was left exposed at the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Engelland, a resident of Las Vegas, was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights on June 21, 2017. Engelland immediately signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Golden Knights, marking his return to professional hockey in the city.[13] On January 15, 2018, the Golden Knights signed Engelland to a one-year, $1.5 million extension through the 2018–19 season.[14] On April 23, 2018, Engelland was nominated by the Knights for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as a player who best exemplifies leadership qualities and gives back to his community.[15] The following day, Engelland was also named a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award,[16] which he won on June 20.[17]

On July 23, 2019, the Golden Knights re-signed Engelland to a one-year, $700,000 contract extension.[18]

As an original member of the Golden Knights for three seasons, Engelland announced his retirement from professional hockey after 11 NHL seasons on December 22, 2020. He remained with the Golden Knights, transitioning to the club's Foundation and serving as the Special Assistant to the Owner.[19]

Personal life

Engelland was born April 3, 1982, in Edmonton, Alberta.[10] His father is a welder by trade, and the family moved frequently in his early life as he lived in the Edmonton-area communities of Leduc and Mayerthorpe before settling in Chetwynd, British Columbia.[20] He met his wife Melissa while playing in the minors in Las Vegas, where the couple continue to live with their sons.[21] He currently talks about the Knights during intermission and post-game shows on television.

Career statistics

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1998–99Sicamous EaglesKIJHL516212790
1998–99Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL20000
1999–00Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL550556240000
2000–01Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL6541115157400010
2001–02Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL56710171021202227
2002–03Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL6538111991311220
2003–04Las Vegas WranglersECHL35211136320000
2003–04Lowell Lock MonstersAHL2600034
2004–05Las Vegas Wranglers ECHL7251621138
2005–06South Carolina StingraysECHL353131620
2005–06Hershey BearsAHL370447710000
2006–07Hershey BearsAHL444610951400014
2006–07Reading RoyalsECHL60338
2007–08Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL80215171412313414
2008–09Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL8031114143120226
2009–10Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL71561112140117
2009–10Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL902217
2010–11Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL63 3710123
2011–12Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL734131756601114
2012–13Rosenborg IHKNOR1518943
2012–13Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL420665470008
2013–14Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL56661258
2014–15Calgary FlamesNHL762911531101150
2015–16Calgary FlamesNHL69391254
2016–17Calgary FlamesNHL81412168540002
2017–18Vegas Golden KnightsNHL7951823242002226
2018–19Vegas Golden KnightsNHL74210121870118
2019–20Vegas Golden KnightsNHL4915637
NHL totals671309712757955055108
AHL totals3381442566115416741

Awards and honours

AwardYear
AHL
Calder Cup (Hershey Bears)2006
NHL
Mark Messier Leadership Award2018

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Deryk Engelland player card . National Hockey League . 2014-09-24.
  2. Web site: NHL Entry Draft Year by Year Results. National Hockey League . 2014-09-24.
  3. Web site: Ashmore . Mike . ECHL alumni profile – Deryk Engelland . ECHL . 2011-10-13 . 2014-09-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150910021627/http://www.echl.com/echl-alumni-profile-deryk-engelland-p173414 . 2015-09-10 . dead .
  4. Book: 2013–14 Pittsburgh Penguins Media Guide . Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Club . 2013 . 48–49.
  5. Web site: Marc-Andre Fleury earns 150th career win as Penguins top Lightning . https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053518/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap/_/id/301112016/tampa-bay-lightning-vs-pittsburgh-penguins . dead . November 6, 2012 . ESPN . 2010-11-12 . 2010-11-12.
  6. Web site: Penguins sign defenseman Deryk Engelland to three-year contract extension . Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Club. 2011-01-03 . 2011-01-03.
  7. Web site: Deryk Engelland suspended 3 games . ESPN . . ESPN . December 22, 2011 . May 10, 2024.
  8. News: Finding roots, game in Norway Skille stepped into foreign land, knows how his ancestors felt . https://web.archive.org/web/20150328145910/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-320548955.html . dead . 2015-03-28 . States News Service . 2013-02-26 . 2014-09-25. Highbeam.
  9. News: Gilbertson . Wes . Added punch . Calgary Sun . 2014-07-02 . S5.
  10. News: Cruickshank . Scott . Flames sign rugged Engelland . Calgary Herald . 2014-07-02 . E3.
  11. News: Whyno . Stephen . Thomas Vanek comes cheap, Deryk Engelland a head-scratcher: The best and worst deals of NHL free agency . National Post . 2014-07-02 . 2014-09-25 . https://archive.today/20140926001153/http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/07/02/vanek-engelland-and-orpik-the-best-and-worst-deals-of-nhl-free-agency/ . 2014-09-26 . dead .
  12. News: Engelland honoured to wear an 'A' . NHL.com . 2017-01-01 . 2017-01-27.
  13. Web site: Deryk Engelland going home to Las Vegas . . 2017-06-21 . 2017-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170622080417/http://www.calgarysun.com/2017/06/22/deryk-engelland-going-home-to-las-vegas . 2017-06-22 . dead .
  14. Web site: Deryk Engelland Signs One-Year Contract Extension Worth $1.5 Million. NHL.com. January 16, 2018. January 15, 2018.
  15. Web site: NHL announces 31 team nominees for King Clancy Trophy. NHL.com. April 23, 2018. April 23, 2018.
  16. Web site: Messier NHL Leadership Award finalists unveiled. NHL.com. April 25, 2018. April 24, 2018.
  17. Web site: Engelland of Golden Knights wins Messier Award for NHL leadership . NHL.com . June 21, 2018 . June 20, 2018.
  18. Web site: Engelland signs one-year contract with Golden Knights . National Hockey League . July 23, 2019.
  19. Web site: VGK Defenseman Deryk Engelland to announce retirement from NHL . . December 22, 2020 . December 22, 2020.
  20. News: Kennedy . Kevin . Before I made it: Deryk Engelland . The Hockey News . 2011-10-22 . 2014-09-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032827/http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/42470-Deryk-Engelland.html . 2016-03-04 . dead .
  21. Web site: Kaplan. Emily. Longtime Las Vegas resident Deryk Engelland delivers goal, and hope, in Golden Knights' home opener. ESPN.com. May 12, 2018. October 11, 2017.