Katy Boettinger’s versatility helps keep Golden Knights in order

She hasn’t scored a goal, drawn a penalty or checked anyone into the boards. But ask anyone in the Golden Knights’ hockey operations department the value of Katy Boettinger to the organization and she’s James Neal, Marc-Andre Fleury and Deryk Engelland rolled into one.

Her official title is Director of Hockey Administration. But Boettinger does a little bit of everything. The 42-year-old former high school English literature teacher from Maryland is part concierge, part trouble-shooter, part mother confessor and totally loyal to general manager George McPhee and the Knights.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for George,” Boettinger said. “When you work with someone who has the vision and the drive to do what he does and you believe in the person, it’s an easy decision to move across the country and come work for him.”

When McPhee was hired by the Knights on July 13, 2016, his first call was to Boettinger, who had been his assistant when he was GM of the Washington Capitals.

“Actually, it was before I accepted the job,” McPhee said. “We needed someone with Katy’s organizational skills and people skills. We were starting from scratch and it was important we had someone to help with all the things that need to get done.”

It can be arranging travel for someone to go to Europe to scout a tournament. It could be making sure a player’s work visa is in order. It could be just about anything. If someone in the organization needs something, the watchword is, “Go see Katy.”

“It’s a great responsibility,” said Boettinger, who has come to know all of the facets of the team’s operation, from business and marketing to tickets and promotions, to suites and corporate sales. “You have to be able to spin a lot of plates.”

But before Boettinger could help the players, coaches and executives get comfortable with Las Vegas, she had to learn the lay of the land. She and her husband David were in Las Vegas within two weeks of accepting McPhee’s offer and she quickly started calling and emailing people.

“I felt I was prepared for Las Vegas,” said Boettinger, who was teaching in Tampa, Florida. “Tampa is similar in that everyone knows everyone. It’s got a small-town feel to it.”

Deryk Engelland and his wife Melissa were invaluable to Boettinger, turning her on to real estate people, school officials, churches, youth sports leagues.

“They were great,” she said of the Engellands, who have called Las Vegas home going back to Deryk’s days with the ECHL Wranglers 12 years ago. “Anytime I had a question, Deryk or Melissa were there.”

Of course, by the time Engelland was selected to play for the Knights, Boettinger was well on her way to running things. But the assistance was welcome.

On most game nights, Boettinger can be found with the team’s wives and children. The team has a family area as a place to congregate and relax that is fully catered.

“We love it here,” Boettinger said. “We like being close to California, having the mountains nearby. The people in Las Vegas are so nice. Everyone is so friendly.”

Boettinger got into sports while an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland. She did an internship with the Capitals and it was there she learned to do a little bit of everything. McPhee, who knows everything and everybody in his organization, saw how Boettinger was organized and competent she was.

Eventually, she became his right-hand person and she stayed with him until just before the Caps let McPhee go in 2014.

“I love all sports,” Boettinger said. “I love the culture of sports and being part of it.”

But as experienced as she was, she was still dealing with a plethora of unknowns when the Knights prepared to draft their team in June. And in the aftermath with several side deals and trades, she was a busy person.

“The chaos is more predictable in the season,” she said. “But we were organized and we were ready. We processed over 40 players and all but five guys we acquired required some sort of immigration, like a work permit.”

She also helped oversee the team’s move in September to its offices at City National Arena from the Village Center Circle office it had been using since before Bill Foley had acquired the team.

“There’s a level of stress involved,” she said of her job. “But I find it rewarding handling it.”

McPhee said not everyone can do that.

“She’s too important to us,” he said. “She never has a bad day and I never have to worry about her. Basically, she’s the base of our spinal column.”

Boettinger has been so vital to the Knights that Foley wanted her for himself. But McPhee quickly nixed that idea.

“I told (Foley) Katy has a no-trade clause in her contract,” he said with a laugh.

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