Denver – A goal, a Hockey Night in Canada towel, and a mom in tears watching her son play hockey. Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Dylan Coghlan.
The 28-year-old Coghlan opened the scoring in the Western Conference finals Wednesday night, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
Coghlan took a pass from Brandon Saad and fired a wrist shot between the legs of Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood. Vegas now leads the series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday night in Denver.
Coghlan was signed by the Golden Knights back in 2018, but to this moment, Coghlan’s road has not been easy. Vegas developed him in the AHL and then promoted him to the NHL for parts of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. From there a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes began. He went on to play with the Hurricanes, Chicago Wolves, Springfield Thunderbirds, Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose.
Coghlan has appeared in 10 NHL regular season games over the past three seasons. The Golden Knights called him up for three games this season, and he had a stellar season with the Henderson Silver Knights, scoring 14 goals and 30 assists.
In their second-round game against the Anaheim Ducks, Vegas needed a blueliner and recalled Coghlan. He stepped up, played with composure and proved he truly belongs in the NHL.
“To be honest, I don’t think I ever thought about it. My whole career, I’ve always said I was an NHL player and just needed an opportunity to prove it,” Coghlan told the Golden Knights Radio Network during Wednesday’s second intermission. “I’m very grateful that I showed that later on, rather than never. So, yeah, I’m very grateful to the coaching staff here and Kelly [McCrimmon] and george [McPhee] And all of them, and the belief they have in me, that definitely gives me motivation. “
McCrimmon signed Coghlan as a free agent this summer based on the strong relationship between the two and the general manager’s belief that Coghlan could be a major boon to his AHL team while still possessing NHL potential.
“I feel no fear when you say Dylan Coghlan to me,” Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said. “I don’t think he’s afraid to go out there. I think he’s been one of our best defensemen since he’s been with us and has been as open as possible in the lineup. He’s not afraid to step up in the game. I just think he’s game. He’s kind of calm.
“You have to be very careful about giving up [defensemen]because you never know when they will mature. Maybe this is his portal? Because he gave us some consistent playing time. I’m happy for him because he has a really good background and has been working hard. That’s a huge goal for us because the game goes both ways. They are motivated. He’s an easy guy to gravitate to,” Tortorella said.
Coghlan played his first Stanley Cup playoff game against the Ducks in the last round. His mother, Melanie, was able to fly in for the game, and a nervous Coghlan looked up at her during warm-ups and noticed tears streaming down her cheeks.
With a Hockey Night in Canada towel draped over his shoulders Wednesday night, he recalled the moment and thanked his family.
“Yeah, I mean, not just my mom, but my dad and my brothers back home. It’s been a wild ride to get here and a lot of people to thank for that. But those three guys are my rock back home. Yeah, it’s not just for me but for them, it’s so cool. Yeah, it’s a dream come true,” he said. “It’s been fun. I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve said it a few times, but this is the best I’ve ever felt in my career. I think just staying patient and trying not to get too down on yourself, those doubts will creep in and wonder if you’re going to make the playoffs again or get a spot in the NHL. Can’t really take it for granted, that’s one thing I’ve learned over the last few years, not to take any moment for granted, and I’m sure I’m not going to take that for granted.”
Coghlan was recalled for the first time this season in early January and played one game before returning to Henderson. Here’s what he said in an article posted at www.nhl.com/goldenknights/ at the time, which is pretty telling given his current performance with the Golden Knights.
From January 13thth:
Capable Coghlan
Every NHL player has his own story. From draft to undrafted, to All-Star to journeyman. Some take place under bright lights, while others last for long periods of time in less famous locations.
Dylan Coghlan is 27 years old and has competed in parts of eight professional seasons. Coghlan has been solid and reliable since Henderson briefly recalled starting the game last week. It was his first NHL game of the season and his eighth major league game in the past three seasons.
Coghlan, a former rookie with the Vegas Golden Knights, has been working in the hockey world since leaving the Golden Knights in the summer of 2022. Raleigh (Carolina Hurricanes), Springfield (Springfield Thunderbirds), Chicago (Chicago Wolves), Winnipeg (Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose) and Henderson (Henderson Silver Knights) have all been called home for the past five seasons.
But Vegas is where Coghlan always wanted to be.
“It feels good to be back in gold, and it’s good to be with these guys. There’s a lot of memories made with these guys, and it makes it easier to get out there and get to know all the players, get to know how everybody plays. It feels really good to be back in the game,” said Coghlan, who played 15:58 in VGK’s victory before returning to the AHL. “One of the things I’ve worked hard on is my confidence, and the last three years haven’t been the easiest, but I’m back here and I’m excited to be here again, to be with these guys again and just try to play my game. I know how I play and help the team win.”
Coghlan is a great skater with great hitting ability. At his best, he can push the puck up the ice quickly, find holes to pop out of, and cut on the offensive side of the puck.
This season in Henderson, he has been strong on both ends of the floor, scoring 5 goals and 16 points in 29 games.
“I think the last month or so has been probably the best hockey I’ve ever played, not just offensively but defensively,” Coghlan said. “I became calmer and more aware of what was going on. When your AHL It’s a positive when the team is in the same city with your family, so that’s a huge positive. I appreciate everything the people there have done for me to have a longer leash, and that always helps with the confidence that if I make a mistake, I’m going to get back out there and I’m doing something good. Just try not to get too down on myself or be too hard on myself, because that’s when things go wrong, so I have to keep my head down and keep working.”
Coghlan said the decision to return to the NHL with Vegas was an important moment in his hockey career.
“Yesterday, I went back to my room and was a little emotional when Ryan Craig pulled me aside,” Coghlan said. “It’s so cool to know that I’m going to be playing on this ice again for the Golden Knights. It’s just surreal. I loved my time here a few years ago and I love my time here now, so I’ll do whatever I can to help this team win.”
