Trying Not to Loathe Las Vegas

We’re two rookie games into the Vegas Golden Knights tenure in the NHL and I think I’m already sick of expansion teams. Maybe social media is to blame and the ideal of blasting the hype out there, but man…the hype is almost too much. Whether it’s the league or the team itself…I’m growing tired.

And now this isn’t about their Twitter “feud” against the LA Kings— but it’s just the whole thing about it being a never ending season of “firsts” for the team and it probably becoming insufferable at some point– if that point hasn’t come for people already. That’s not to say they shouldn’t be doing such things– but at the same time, you have to wonder if the vast majority of people will become sick of it by mid-November.

The first player was cool– Reid Duke, who may only be notable on the team just for being the first player signed. Other things I’ll get is the first goal, first shutout, first win, and so on. However, knowing the climate we’re in where you need the retweets to really show off to possible sponsors– the first hooking call will be mentioned, the first TV timeout will be mentioned, the first time poker chips are thrown onto the ice will be mentioned. It might get old fast. But some people will eat it up. Then you fuel the beast and so it goes on and on because it gets likes, hits, retweets, whatever.

When it comes to creating a brand, I get why the NHL and the Golden Knights are doing what they are doing, but there’s such a thing as overdoing it. I will say I am a crotchety old man when it comes to all of this because I just don’t get how some things get so popular that it’s the guideline to make a name for yourself. There’s putting yourself out there and then there’s just acting a fool. There’s a fine line, of course. There’s committing to a bit and then there’s going to the well one too many times. Maybe it’s the fact there’s been all summer and all this build-up over the last two seasons– but I’m already ready for their first season to be over and done with.

The only poignant debate is whether a new team with a group of players who haven’t played before should have a captain in their first season. When you look up and down that list…yeah, no real leader on there that deserves the respect of the squad off the hop. It’s not like they had someone like who’s won the coveted Mark Messier Leadership Award multiple times on their roster– it’s a team that’ll grow together and shouldn’t have a captain for the first year. If they really feel the need for a captain– why not do a rotating captaincy like the Minnesota Wild had for their first seven seasons??  There’s a debate that actually as plenty to do with merit and something that could be bandied back and forth with people.

Maybe it’ll get better. Maybe, like the team, the social media aspect will be able to find its footing in ethos of NHL social media and not just rip-off what made other teams “successful” when it comes to their own Twitters or Facebooks and not just go to the lowest common denominator. I know who runs VGK’s accounts and he’s a good dude overall and I wish him all the best in what is an interesting time in history and all that jazz. Just don’t fall into the easy trap other areas do because it could come off as desperate if things aren’t going well on the ice.