Catching Up with Corban Knight

On January 9th, then Adirondack forward Corban Knight was traded to San Antonio in exchange for center Drew Shore. The trade came as a surprise to many, including Knight himself. After playing 22 games in Glens Falls with the Flames, over which time he produced eight goals and four assists for 12 points, the native of High River, Alberta has spent the past few months adjusting to life down in Texas as a member of the Rampage.

Adirondack Flames broadcaster Cameron Close caught up with Knight at the AT&T prior to Thursday’s contest.

Cameron Close: Well, Corban, down here in San Antonio you might be getting used to things by now?

Corban Knight: Yeah, I think things are starting to settle down a little bit. You know, it’s been a couple months since the trade, so yeah, things are settling in nicely.

CC: Well talk about the trade a little bit, it had to have come as a surprise for you.

CK: Yeah, definitely. I mean when I heard I got traded, it was definitely a shock. I didn’t have any idea that that was close to happening or anything. So it was definitely a shock, and at the time it was disappointing just because, you know, I really enjoyed my time in Adirondack with the guys and the team we had, but you know, it’s been a good transition so far.

CC: Well you go from the Glens Falls Civic Center, which is one of the oldest buildings in the league, and maybe one of the ones with the most character in it, to an NHL ready rink where the Spurs play in the NBA. That’s got to be a transition?

CK: Yeah, I mean, like you said, the Civic Center had a lot of character and it was fun playing there. It was loud, and talking to the guys on the Rampage here, they didn’t like coming to play us in that barn, so you know, it definitely had some character, but when you come to a rink like this, it’s an NHL type rink, so the amenities are pretty nice here.

CC: Well now you’re here in San Antonio, and your team is having a solid amount of success, and it looks like you’ll be destined for a playoff run. It got to be exciting to be a part of a solid program?

CK: Yeah, every hockey player wants to play in the playoffs and have a good chance at making a run, and I think we [the Rampage] have a pretty good chance here coming down the stretch. So, you know, it is an exciting time now, this time of year especially the way we’ve positioned ourselves, I think we’re all pretty excited for this stretch here.

CC: I don’t think people always realize all the behind the scenes stuff of how a trade works. When do you find out? Who tells you? How does that all go down?

CK: Well I don’t know if every trade happens the way mine did, but I was actually warming up for our game against Oklahoma City there, and Coach Huska came and found me and told me that I wasn’t playing. You know, I was kind of baffled and didn’t really understand. And then I got the call saying that I got traded. That night I had to pack up all my stuff, and the next morning I took a cab at I think 4:00 a.m. to Albany and played that night. It was a crazy 24 hours.

CC: Pretty funny that the game before that you came off of a win against San Antonio. I believe it was the game before, right?

CK: Yeah, it was pretty fresh in their minds too [chuckling], so it was kind of funny coming in the dressing room and shaking those guys’ hands, the guys that you played a couple nights ago.

CC: So now you get ready for two games against your former team. Maybe there’s a little extra boost for you in this?

CK: Yeah, I mean it’s always fun playing your old team, especially, you know, I’m really close with a lot of these guys still. So it’ll be fun playing on the ice, but you know there’s always a little extra motivation to do well against your old team. So I think tonight it’ll be fun, but I think it’ll be a hard fought game.

CC: Well good luck tonight, Corban.

CK: Yeah, thanks.

Knight went on to score two goals against his former team on Thursday night, helping the Rampage capture a 5-4 victory over the Flames.