Golden Knights Nick Holden, Jonathan Merrill bond over fatherhood

BUFFALO, N.Y. — It didn’t take long for Nick Holden and Jonathan Merrill to discover a shared bond: a lack of sleep.

The Golden Knights defensive partners both added to their families in training camp, giving them something easy to talk about as they try to build chemistry. Holden’s wife Angela gave birth to son Ryer on Sept. 19 while daughter Jolie joined Merrill and his wife Jessica on Oct. 2.

“It’s nice you can relate to each other and connect,” Holden said. “We both talk about how much sleep we’re getting and how the kids are doing. It’s good. It builds more friendship and more camaraderie.”

The two blue liners have worked quickly to get to know each other after Holden joined the Knights in free agency and found they have plenty in common.

The new fathers have similar strategies for staying in touch with their families on the road, which are now being implemented on the Knights’ five-game trip. Holden tries to FaceTime his four kids in the morning and before they go to bed, while Merrill attempts to talk to his three daughters whenever he can.

“The older two are pretty good at FaceTime,” Merrill said.

They also both have reinforcements helping their wives while they’re on the road. Some of Merrill’s family members traveled from California to aid his wife while Holden’s mother-in-law is staying with his family.

The extra assistance can pull some of their attention back to hockey as they try to strengthen their on-ice partnership. Oh, and catch up on sleep.

“You get a little more rest on the road,” Holden said.

Merrill and “The Fonz”

Merrill had a star-making turn in the Knights’ video “Hockey Days,” twirling his mustache as part of the team’s parody of the opening credits and theme song from the television show “Happy Days.”

He admitted he doesn’t know much about the show other than its famous character Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli.

“I’m sure I’ve seen a few minutes of one of them,” Merrill said. “I can’t say I know the backstory or the plot.”

Injuries

— Center Cody Eakin, who is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, skated with a non-contact jersey but did some physical work in the corners at Sunday’s practice.

“He’s getting closer,” Gallant said. “I don’t think he’s going to play tomorrow (against Buffalo) or nothing but he’s getting real close.”

— Forward Alex Tuch, who is also on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, was not at practice after not traveling to the team’s game in Minnesota on Saturday. Gallant did not have an update on if or when he’ll join the Knights on their road trip.

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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.