The Loop

NHL pro: "If you can't play hockey hungover, you probably shouldn't be in the league"

August 15, 2018
Arizona Coyotes v Vegas Golden Knights

David Becker

Three months removed from Alexander Ovechkin chugging Natty Light out of everything but National Monument reflecting pool, you probably don't need a reminder that hockey players are the hardest partiers in professional sports. That's just the by-product of playing in a league where root canals are a bi-weekly occurrence. Nonetheless, Golden Knights' winger Ryan Reaves—fresh off the unlikeliest Stanley Cup run in NHL history—decided to offer up another one, joining TSN radio this week to drop this glorious nugget of tough guy insight:

"If you can't play hockey hungover, then you probably shouldn't be in the league."

Get out those crochet needles, grandma. We're gonna need this on 500 throw pillows by Friday.

In the essence of full of disclosure, Reaves's answer was in response to questions regarding a potential (and very figurative) Stanley Cup hangover, but he either accidentally or deliberately misinterpreted the question. Suffice to say, we're glad he did, partly because this is the low-hanging post fodder this writer is absolutely dying for two hours pre-summer vacay and partly because it's everything we love about hockey in a single shot glass.

So cheers, Ryan. Thanks for the soundbite. Next time you're in NYC, drinks are on us (and if you've seen the beer prices at Barclays Center, you know that's saying something).