Why the Blackhawks are amazed by Spencer Knight’s off-ice habits: ‘It just makes you have so much respect’

When the Blackhawks flew from Calgary to Detroit to reach the final stop of their grueling six-city road trip earlier in November, U.S. customs officials identified something suspicious within the team’s luggage.

It was Spencer Knight’s red-light therapy mat.

Knight tried to explain that the sleeping bag-like item with thousands of tiny infrared bulbs is designed to repair tissue and support whole-body health, but the bewildered official never quite figured it out. Connor Bedard still laughs about the scene weeks later.

“Stuff like that is funny, but it’s awesome to see [his routine],” Bedard said. “When guys are playing so well, you appreciate that. But when you see, behind the scenes, why they’re playing so well — their approach every day — it just makes you have so much respect.”

In less than a year on the Hawks, Knight has not only cemented himself as a franchise goalie — his .920 save percentage and plus-11.5 GSAA both rank among the top three in the NHL — but also amazed his teammates with his precise off-ice routines and habits.

The ways in which the 24-year-old Connecticut native carries himself and manages his health and stamina have already made him something of a legend.

“He tells me a bunch of different stuff, and I don’t fully understand it,” Frank Nazar said. “But it’s a lot [about] taking care of his body.”

A ‘very adult person’

Getting sleep in the NHL isn’t easy. Teams fly immediately after every road game, which often equates to middle-of-the-night flights landing at 1 or 2 a.m. at their destination. That, in turn, equates to some wacky sleep schedules for everyone.

For everyone but Knight, that is.

“I’m shocked by it, to be honest,” Landon Slaggert said. “It takes me a long time to wind down after a game with caffeine, adrenaline, all of that. … He’s eye-mask on, right to bed, trying to maximize his recovery in any way that he can.”

Said Louis Crevier: “It’s crazy, but I’ve got to respect that. You’ll ask him why, and he’s like, ‘What else am I supposed to do?’ Instead of maybe going on social media or watching a movie, he’ll just sleep.”

Knight’s ability to instantly turn off his brain and slow his heart rate after games might stem from the fact he never gets too worked up during games.

“He’s a very adult person,” Alex Vlasic said. “[He’s] very well-spoken and very calm. Even in the game, he’s just [staring blankly] the whole time. I’ve talked to him about it; I think he just likes to stay very level-headed. He doesn’t want to get too high or too low.”

Knight isn’t exactly superstitious, but he does follow a set routine on game days that his teammates have learned not to mess with. An unflappable, hyper-focused air surrounds him all afternoon leading up to puck drop.

“You let him do his own thing,” Nazar said. “But it’s fun talking to him on a day off on the road, or even after a game [when] you see him in the shower and he’s laughing. He’s a funny guy. He makes jokes, and he enjoys that stuff. It’s good to see both sides of him.”

Said Matt Grzelcyk: “He’s very mature for his age. You can tell just talking to him. Especially the way he’s playing this year, you don’t want to let anything screw him up. But he’s very in-the-moment. He’s not like, ‘It’s game day, you can’t talk to me.'”

Said Knight: “There’s some days I won’t do anything specific. It just reminds me that I’m in control of my routine.”

Quirks from Florida

Knight’s years of watching Sergei Bobrovsky tend the net for the Panthers influenced him tremendously. The future Hall of Famer became a role model whose advice Knight still cites frequently.

But Knight has also picked up quirks from countless other goalies around the league (and beyond).

“The way he sees the games, he’s always trying to grasp some knowledge,” Wyatt Kaiser said. “He’s like, ‘I like this part of this guy’s goalie game, and I’m going to put that into my game.’ He’s always trying to learn the process, which I like. I look up to it.”

One habit that remains from Knight’s Panthers tenure: eating meals during intermissions when he’s not the starting goalie.

It provides a prime opportunity to maximize his caloric intake during times when he’s not burning many calories. Plus, Knight explains that he simply gets so hungry if he waits until after the game (around 10 p.m.) to eat at the same time as everybody in the lineup.

“I have a well-balanced diet between protein, vegetables and carbs,” Knight said. “I don’t track anything; I just pay attention to how I feel and what I think I need. I also do appreciate once a week…having a day where I just have pancakes or pasta and eat what I want to. I’ve been better at that, knowing when to be dialed in versus when to step away.”

Slaggert disagreed somewhat: “His pregame plates are the most dialed thing you can think of.”

The red-light mat also came with Knight from Florida. He and Ryan Donato are both owners of mats from SoleilWell, which retail for $2,800.

Thirty minutes of laying in it per day supposedly boosts blood flow (to heal wounds and injuries faster) and balances circadian rhythm (for better sleep).

“Just having a 1% better recovery for me is ideal,” Donato said. “Even if it’s a placebo, if you can bring it on the road with you, why not try it? See if it makes a difference. It gives me the feeling I’m going the extra mile in my recovery.”

That extra mile, unsurprisingly, is music to Knight’s ears.

“Every year I try new things — one or two new things — to see if I like them,” Knight said. “I consider that almost re-investing in myself. I’ve been trying this for the past couple years, and I like it.

“It almost gives a little energy. It’s something I’ve been trying out, and I like the way I feel — not instantly after, but three to four hours after I do it.”

His relentless pursuit of strategies to maximize his health and performance must be restrained to an extent, though. The things his teammates find impressive and funny could become overwhelming otherwise.

And this season, at the grizzled age of 24, he seemingly has nailed down the perfect recipe. That balance is paying dividends on the ice.

“The one thing I’ve realized: It’s not always [about] trying to be healthier and trying to always add, add, add,” Knight said. “Sometimes you have to subtract. That’s important, too.”