Braeden Bowman did not have far to travel for his first NHL call-up. The 22-year-old forward from Kitchener, Ontario, had been playing just over seven miles away with the Henderson Silver Knights, close enough that the two rinks almost share the same stretch of desert. Even with the short trip, the moment still felt enormous for a player who spent last season battling for a regular spot in the AHL.
He learned the news after practice in Henderson. A video coach asked him to head into the office, where he was told he would be joining the Golden Knights.
