YouTube's hockey man holds the ice in his direction with wry NHL footage

Shannon Skanes, better known as The Hockey Guy, is not what most people imagine when they hear the term YouTuber. In most of his more than 13,000 videos, Skanes, who is in his 50s, stands in front of a whiteboard full of detailed handwritten notes, wearing a jersey and cap from his extensive collection of team gear, as he navigates a night of professional hockey games. a funny, deadpan Bob Newhart style, while some of his cats play in the background. There are no bombast, no matches, not even highlights; just some clear, businesslike comments from the neighbor who happens to watch a lot of hockey.

What The Hockey Guy lacks in drama, it makes up for in insight. Since 2016, he has been YouTube's go-to source for news, analysis, discussion, and community on all things hockey. And as more fans get caught up in the excitement of the fast-paced and physical sport, his audience has reached more than 333,000 subscribers worldwide, with his videos amassing nearly 250 million views in total.

I never thought it would come to this, Skanes said in a video interview in mid-December. Before all this, I was doing entry-level work, meatpacking, call centers: blue-collar jobs, work that just had to be done. If the worst part of the day is that there are twelve games and I have to keep up, compared to what I could otherwise be doing, that's not so bad.

In the mid-2010s, when Skanes was in his 40s, he started vlogging on YouTube about various topics and realized his hockey videos were catching on. He earned income from his first video in 2016, and by 2018 he was doing so well that he was able to quit his day job to become a full-time YouTuber.

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It was actually my wife who talked me into working full-time because I was terrified of just betting on myself, he said. When the 2018 NHL playoffs generated above-average fan interest, the network took off and never looked back. Although he hasn't earned NHL superstar money, Skanes says the income is enough for his family and his menagerie of pets to live comfortably in Abbotsford, a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia, though he says he still has to find bargains for expensive teams. sweaters and accessories.

Skanes described attending a recent gathering of YouTubers in the Vancouver area and noted that he was a bit outside the usual demographic. Some YouTubers have a hit channel at 19 and maybe they haven't had the usual 9-to-5 grind and how hard that can be. I think my age gives me some perspective. There are many more plans for the future, and much less. Hey, I should buy a sports car! I'll never be one of those guys who say, look at my Porsche. It will never happen.

The Hockey Guy succeeds by keeping it simple. He posts multiple videos a day covering news, game previews, recaps and weekly power rankings, giving each of the NHL's 32 teams their due without hype or favoritism. Some NHL teams get a lot of national media attention, and many don't, he said. There are a lot of fanbases that want to hear their teams talked about in the bigger conversation and that's why I try to be honest on the channel.

In addition to his own diligent efforts, a few other factors play a role in The Hockey Guys' success. First off, the NHL is having a resurgence, at least compared to the winter sports league in North America. Over the past eight years, the NHL has expanded to Las Vegas, Seattle and Salt Lake City, which has been a major draw new viewers and new demographics in new markets. Last year, the Edmonton Oilers, powered by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, came within one game of ending Canada's 31-year championship streak before losing to Florida in a thrilling seven-game final. As a result, the Stanley Cup Playoffs drew their best crowd in 28 yearsan increase of 26% compared to the 2022-2023 season. The NBA playoffs fell 12%, the lowest since at least 2010 Audience trends this season are starting to worry sponsors.

Another factor is the rise of online gambling, now a $45 billion industry in North America. As more fans get involved in the game, it increases the appetite for any insight or analysis that could give bettors an edge.

Skanes acknowledges that this could drive some of his viewership, but he's not a fan of sports gambling culture. “I've had some experience with problem gamblers in my life and I've seen what it can do when that addiction takes hold,” he said. Although YouTube sometimes algorithmically serves gambling-related advertisements to viewers of the channel, The Hockey Guy never discusses the odds, does not take money from gambling platforms for promotion on the channel, and has occasionally spoken out on the issues associated with professional sports leagues , including the NHL, incorporating things like betting lines into their on-air coverage.

“I never want to receive an email saying my dad lost $500 because you made a bet on your channel,” he said. A lot of people love it and that's fine, but I think it could be one of those epidemics where we look at it later and say, wow, billions of dollars were lost, and people couldn't afford to lose that money .

Taking these types of principled stands and refusing to indulge in hype or speculation has helped The Hockey Guy maintain an edge over the newer channels that are piling up, including those that make generous use of broadcast footage. That's another shortcut that Skanes doesn't take. “I once had a copyright strike on the channel and it took a tremendous amount of effort to get it lifted,” he said. I know there are ways around this with fair use, and other channels do it too, but it's not something I want to deal with.

Although the NHL has yet to officially recognize The Hockey Guy, Skanes says he has had some exposure on local broadcasts. It's strange because for over forty years of my life I was just a fan talking and no one cared. Now there are many hockey players who know who I am, coaches and people in organizations. The league hasn't reached reach yet, but I've had individual teams that have and it's been fun.