Golden Knights director of entertainment experience cherishing role in Final

Among his favorite players? Rod Brind’Amour, who is now Carolina’s coach, and Eric Staal, whose brother Jordan Staal is Hurricanes captain.

He eventually took his then-girlfriend, Taylor, to Hurricanes games on dates.

When the NHL awarded Las Vegas an expansion team June 22, 2016, he was intrigued. He became a Hurricanes fan by default because of his parents, and it was great. This was a chance to choose a team.

The Golden Knights announced their name Nov. 22, 2016. That Christmas, he got Vegas merch.

“I’m like, ‘They’re going to be my West Coast team. I’m going to root for them. I’m going to cheer for them. Watching an expansion team, as a hockey fan, this is going to be interesting. I haven’t seen this,'” Tyler said. “But then I was just like, ‘I don’t want to just root for them. I want to be part of the reason why people root for them.'”

Tyler graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a film studies degree in May 2017 and joined the Golden Knights as a 22-year-old intern the next month, right after the expansion draft. On game nights in their inaugural season, he produced the castle stage at T-Mobile Arena.

The night before the Golden Knights hosted the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, he invited Taylor to a rehearsal and surprised her with a marriage proposal at the castle — smoke shooting up from the turrets and confetti streamers shooting into the air with help from the game production department.

She said yes.

An Elvis impersonator married them at Little Church of the West on June 29, 2019.

“I’m stupid lucky,” Tyler said. “It’s incredibly humbling, and I’m incredibly grateful. I didn’t think I was going to be here this long. I just wanted to help get things off the ground, and then they made me full time, and then I’m still here.”

His parents are proud, although they handle their loyalties differently.

Dad is rooting for Carolina and letting everyone know it.

“There’s some good, friendly family banter going around,” Frank said. “Oh, yeah. We’re chirping. Big time.”

Mom is outwardly neutral, but when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, Tyler bought her a replica ring. The top of it comes off so it can be worn like a pendant. She had it in her pocket Saturday.

“I do love my Canes, but he’s my kid, so family comes first,” Robin said.

Robin works in guest services on the suite level at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. She had the suite where Carolina forward Seth Jarvis‘ buddies were sitting earlier in the series. From working as front office coordinator at the athletic performance center, she knows Brind’Amour, Jordan Staal and some other Hurricanes.

“She’s like, ‘Tyler, go to Jordan Staal. Tell him you’re Robin’s son,'” Tyler said. “I’m like, ‘I’m not going to go to Jordan Staal.’ He’s warming up, playing soccer down there. I’m like, ‘Not (going to) do it.'”

Mom laughed when she heard that.

“I mean, everybody in the Lenovo Center knows that my son works for the Vegas Golden Knights,” she said.

Everyone in the Golden Knights entertainment department knows Tyler once loved the Hurricanes too, especially after the brainstorming process for this pregame show.

“Everyone in the office is kind of sick and tired of me now, because I’m like, ‘Here’s hurricane terminology. Here’s the direction the hurricane should spin,'” Tyler said. “I’m so passionate about this one specifically.”

Yep. Perfect storm.

“This is my home,” Tyler said. “I chose this place. I chose this team.

“I will always, always, always want the best for Carolina, cheer for Carolina. I love that building. I love that franchise. I will always root for their success, and from afar I’ve had the best time watching them have success in the playoffs. I’ve wanted them to get over the hump they just got over.

“Unfortunately, they ran into my team now.”