Here is the first thing his Washington Capitals teammates mention about defenseman Nate Schmidt: The dude loves his Vitamin D. “Sometimes we call him the Solar Panel because when it’s sunny ...

Nate Schmidt started his summer by watching Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk lift Brad Marchand, who was hoisting the Stanley Cup, up in the air to crowd surf. The 33-year-old defenseman reached ...

Golden Knights' Nate Schmidt (88) skates with the puck in front of Columbus Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom (52) during the second period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on ...

Minnesota native Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates with his family after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) This was no impulse move on Schmidt's part.

Nate Schmidt is a renowned “vibes” guy. A quick YouTube search of his name yields an NHL network result entitled “Nate Schmidt: Best Interview in Hockey?” The day he was traded to Winnipeg ...

Winnipeg Jets' Nate Schmidt (88) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in Newark, N.J. The Devils won 4-2. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) ...

It cost them Nate Schmidt. The popular defenseman was the Knights latest salary cap casualty, as Schmidt was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2022 third-round pick.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) shoots the puck against the Golden Knights during overtime in an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Las Vegas.

Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) skates during practice at City National Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto ...

Schmidt combines hockey acumen with off-ice hilarity in a way that teammates and analysts alike can appreciate.

LAS VEGAS — Before the Washington Capitals even landed in Sin City, roughly 30 of their fans went to City National Arena for a Vegas Golden Knights practice to see Nate Schmidt. They cheered him.

For a player like Schmidt in this situation, the stakes aren’t that high. It’s Day 2 of camp. He knows he’s on the team and that he’s going to get every opportunity in his first season ...