Golden

It has been a hell of a ride covering Las Vegas’ hockey team

First off: My apologies for the lengthy time between posts. After you read this, it will all make sense.

I’m exhausted. But it’s been worth it.

I logged a ton of extra hours recently as the Vegas Golden Knights, just six years into the team’s existence, took home the Stanley Cup. Before moving here, I did not accurately anticipate how crazy this town is about their hockey team. I grew up in Original Six territory, where Bruins hockey is something that has always been a part of the fabric of living in the area. Hockey in Vegas?!? The team reached the Final in its first year, but as a casual hockey fan, I honestly never paid much attention to them recently after that.

This all changed drastically due to my new job.

Vegas LOVES their Golden Knights. It was the city’s first major professional sports franchise, which is key. But they also debuted shortly after the horrific shooting at Mandalay Bay in 2017. I wasn’t here for any of that, and I was completely oblivious to the way that the hockey team helped the community heal. VGK was immediately embraced by the city, and it’s a joy and a privilege to see that and participate in it in some small way.