Malcolm Subban adds to Golden Knights’ goaltending depth

The one position the Golden Knights appeared set at was goaltender.

But general manager George McPhee couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add Malcolm Subban.

“We see something in the player,” McPhee said Wednesday during the Knights’ media day at City National Arena.

Subban, claimed on waivers from Boston on Tuesday, joins a goaltending rotation that includes starter Marc-Andre Fleury and backup Calvin Pickard.

Subban, 23, was a first-round pick by the Bruins in 2012 (No. 24 overall). He appeared in four preseason games with Boston and went 1-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average.

In 32 games last season with Providence of the American Hockey League, he posted a 2.41 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

Subban’s older brother P.K. is a defenseman for the Nashville Predators, and his younger brother Jordan is in the Vancouver Canucks organization.

“If we can get him to adjust to the way we think he should play and if he’s coachable,” McPhee said, “we think we could have a good one, which is why we made the move.”

Subban was asked about that adjustment and said he will work with goaltending coach David Prior at “calming down my game.”

“I think that I underestimate my size a little bit,” said the 6-foot-2-inch Subban. “I can use it more to my advantage to move around less and be more stationary, a little more quiet.”

McPhee said Subban will remain on the Knights’ 23-man roster, meaning the team could carry three goaltenders to start the season.

Pickard went 0-1-1 with a 4.00 GAA and .869 save percentage in two preseason games.

“There’s always people that are nipping at your heels,” Pickard said. “They always want your job, and you need good goalie depth all the way through an organization. I think it’s a good move, and it’s a great challenge for us as well.”

No ‘C’

The Knights named six players as alternate captains for their inaugural season rather than giving out the captain’s ‘C.’

The leadership group consists of Deryk Engelland, Jason Garrison, James Neal, David Perron, Luca Sbisa and Reilly Smith, with three players wearing the ‘A’ on their sweater for home games and three on the road.

“That’s definitely an honor,” Neal said. “We have a great group of guys here, and all the other guys that were named will put a great leadership group together and help the young guys and guide this team.”

Time for shave

Engelland’s beard never reached Brent Burns levels of scruffiness, but it was pretty formidable nonetheless.

The defenseman arrived at practice Wednesday with his facial hair neatly trimmed.

“Team policy,” Engelland said. “Not quite to the Yankees, but somewhere along those lines. Just so we look good as a team.”

Odds and ends

The Knights signed forward Brandon Pirri, a former 20-goal scorer, and assigned him to Chicago (American Hockey League) to start the season. Pirri had been on a professional tryout with Florida. … Forward Reid Duke will miss four to six months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder.

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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.