Pro Tips with Spencer Knight ‘You’re Not the Only One that Goes Through This’
- Spencer Knight credits Rob Tallas, Roberto Luongo, and Sergei Bobrovsky as key mentors who normalized adversity during his early NHL career with the Florida Panthers.
- After bad games, Knight felt his 'world was caving in' — but learning that Hall of Fame goalies faced the same doubts helped him reset his perspective.
- Seeking out experienced teammates or coaches after tough outings is a proven mental strategy used by NHL-level goaltenders.
- Knight is posting a 0.920 save percentage through 20 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, ranking third in the NHL, showing the long-term payoff of that early mentorship.
- Roberto Luongo's career — spanning adversity, trades, and a return to excellence through age 40 — is a concrete example that setbacks do not define a goaltender's career.
Spencer Knight is currently starring for the resurgent Chicago Blackhawks, with a 0.920 save percentage through 20 games that ranks third in the NHL, but the talented 24-year-old has already had significant ups and downs in his NHL career.
When Knight appeared on the InGoal Radio Podcast in 2022, he was the heir apparent to Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida and talked about how it feels to leave the rink after a bad performance.
“You always think you’re like, ‘oh my gosh, like my world’s caving in,’” Knight said.
But in Florida, with a brain trust that included goalie coach and NHL veteran Rob Tallas, Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo and guaranteed-to-join-him Sergei Bobrovsky, Knight learned, over and over, that he wasn’t alone.
“Getting here and having all these people around me that I can lean on has been really helpful for me in the start of my career,” he said. “Every time there’s a situation where I’ve been put in a little adversity or whatnot, I talk to Bob or I talk to Lou and they’re like, ‘Yeah. I mean, I remember when that happened to me.’”
“Then you realize that, you know what, you’re not the only one that goes through this. And, you know, it’s not the end of the world.”
Join thousands of goalies, parents, and coaches who train smarter with InGoal.
15+ years as the #1 goaltending resource
Already a member? Log in