Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland thrives at age 35

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — At age 35, time should be Deryk Engelland’s enemy. But the Golden Knights defenseman has managed to make it his ally.

The nine-year NHL veteran is having arguably the best season of his career. He is a top-four defenseman. He’s taking a regular turn on the penalty-killing unit. He has contributed offensively and fits in nicely with coach Gerard Gallant’s fast style of play.

Off the ice, Engelland is a member of the team’s leadership group. Who could forget his stirring pregame speech at the team’s Oct. 10 home opener after the Oct. 1 mass shooting on the Strip?

On Thursday, the Knights will attempt to set an NHL record for most wins by an expansion team when they play at the Winnipeg Jets. They won their 33rd game Tuesday by scoring three goals in a 53-second span of a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, Engelland’s former team.

“It has been a lot of fun,” Engelland said. “Obviously, coming back to Vegas was great for me and my family, and we have a great group of guys here.

“Everyone’s having fun. The winning helps. But we’re like brothers. Everyone’s here early, eating breakfast together and just hanging out.”

Engelland said preparation was the key for his role with the Knights. He trained at the Philippi Sports Institute in Las Vegas during the summer, came to training camp in excellent shape and quickly won Gallant’s trust.

It’s led to a season during which he has three goals and 16 points, one point off his career best in 2011-12 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He’s been terrific,” Gallant said. “He’s a veteran guy who knows how to play, and he’s been one of our leaders in the locker room.”

Glen Gulutzan, who coached Engelland in Calgary last season and with the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers from 2003 to 2005, hated to lose him in the expansion draft. But he helped Engelland’s career by playing him regular minutes and on the Flames’ penalty kill.

“We go back a long way, and I knew I could depend on (Engelland),” Gulutzan said. “I didn’t really do anything special. He earned his minutes, and he played well. We put him on the PK, and he did a great job for us. He gets all the credit, and I’m happy for him and his family that he’s doing so well in Vegas.”

Engelland said being back in Las Vegas has helped his play. And he now has peace of mind for his wife and two sons after recently signing a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension.

“I don’t think ‘relaxed’ would be the word,” he said. “I think ‘more comfortable’ is it. We’re home. The boys are in school with their friends. They don’t have to go to a new school. Melissa is at her job. We didn’t have to move and start new roots somewhere else.”

All in all, it’s been the perfect scenario. Back in Las Vegas. Contract extension. First place in the Western Conference after 49 games.

“We knew we had a good team,” Engelland said. “But to take off the way we did right out of the gate and how well and how quick we jelled together and how soon, that’s the surprise to me.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.