Golden Knights color voice Shane Hnidy enjoying historic ride

By Adam Hill

Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 years ago

Vegas Golden Knights’ sportscasters Dave Goucher (L) and Shane Hnidy pose during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena on September 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)

Vegas Golden Knights’ sportscasters Dave Goucher (L) and Shane Hnidy perpare for their broadcast before a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena on September 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)

Shane Hnidy isn’t playing hockey anymore, but it’s still difficult for him to hide his enthusiasm this time of year.

“You grow up dreaming of winning the Stanley Cup, not of having a really good regular season,” the fomer NHL defenseman said Monday. “It’s an 82-game grind to get here. It’s such a long season and there’s nights where you have to find motivation. When you get to the playoffs, there’s no such thing. You are so amped up and ready to go every single game.

“It’s the greatest hockey to play and the greatest to watch as a fan. The regular season has its moments, but playoff intensity is just at a different level. You can’t afford to take a shift off. You have to leave it all on the ice. There’s things you play through that you might not in the regular season. It’s all about sacrificing for the ultimate goal.”

Hnidy has seen it from both sides. His last season as a player culminated in his Boston Bruins raising the Stanley Cup in 2011. He called games for a Winnipeg Jets team that was swept out of the first round by the Anaheim Ducks in 2015.

Now he is the television color voice for the Golden Knights games on AT&T Sports Net as the team prepares for its first taste of the postseason.

Hnidy has enjoyed being part of the record-shattering inaugural season.

“This year has been absolutely unbelievable,” he said. “I haven’t had this much fun since I played. This team has been so fun to cover. To watch a team come together under unusual circumstances to break records all year long has been so fun. I think we all knew hockey would be a hit here, but to see the way the community and team bonded so quickly with everything the team was able to accomplish combined with the atmosphere in the building to where the day of the week didn’t even matter. The fans were beyond what anyone could have expected.

“Now that we’re in the playoffs, it’s the best time of year. I’m absolutely jacked up to see what’s going to happen on Wednesday night and see the kind of atmosphere in that building.”

The regular season was about exceeding expectations at every turn. Now that the Golden Knights enter the postseason as Pacific Division champions, playoff success becomes the goal.

While it’s difficult to pinpoint when the perception of this team changed from fun story to legitimate contender, Hnidy doesn’t disagree with the coach’s assessment.

“Gerard Gallant has referenced the dad’s trip to Nashville and Dallas with back-to-back games on the road in tough places to win,” he said of an early-November swing. “I think a lot of us can agree that was really a moment.

“We undervalued some of the players because they hadn’t done it before. But as an athlete, all you can ask for is opportunity. We’ve seen so many guys elevate their game and just take this opportunity and run with it.”

More Golden Knights: Follow all of our Golden Knights coverage online at reviewjournal.com/GoldenKnights and @HockeyinVegas on Twitter.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.