Hilary Knight breaking US women's hockey records in Beijing. What makes her great?
BEIJING — The youngest member of the U.S. women's hockey team approached the oldest player in the training room one afternoon last month. Caroline Harvey, 19, had something she wanted to show Hilary Knight, 32, on her phone.
It was a picture from 10 years ago. Harvey's youth team, "The Big Dogs," had just won a summer tournament. Knight was there in a role she's prioritized over the last decade: growing women's hockey. In that moment, though, here was her teammate, then in elementary school, posing with Knight in a USA Hockey jersey.
"She’s like, 'Do you want me to send it to you?' " Knight said, laughing. "And I'm like, 'No, no, I’m good.' "
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For a player who lives in the moment, she allowed herself the space to take a step back and realize:
This is pretty cool.
"Not only for them (the young players), but for me as well, because they saw something back then, and wanted to do that and they continued to do that," Knight said. "Some of us older players were just a small piece in pushing the sport forward. It’s sort of that full-circle moment."
Now Knight and the women's team are here again, with another gold medal on the line.
Keys to Hilary Knight's success
For all of her experience, Knight has learned one lesson.
"Consistency kills," Knight told Paste BN Sports before departing for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
"You have to continuously show up every single day, having that hunger of wanting to win and wanting to get better, both individually and collectively," she added. "And I think that’s that hardest thing in a team sport, right? You come from different backgrounds and you’re working towards this common goal, but everyone needs to be aligned, especially when it matters."
Knight has tied the U.S women's hockey record for most Olympic selections with four, and she will become the program's all-time games played leader in these Olympics. Assuming the Americans medal in China, Knight's count (four) will be tied for most all time.
At these Beijing Games, "consistent" production – she's recorded at least one point in five of six games and leads the team with nine points overall – has her among the top players of other statistical records. She ranks second all-time in Olympic points (26) for Team USA. She's in sole possession of second for Olympic assists (15). With a team-leading five goals in Beijing, Knight broke a tie with Cammi Granato, one of Knight's heroes from the 1998 gold-medal Olympic team that inspired her to reach the top of the sport, on the all-time goal list. She's now tied for third with Jenny Potter with 11 goals.
Teammate Amanda Kessel is playing in her third Olympics.
"It ends up, some days, being a grind," Kessel told Paste BN Sports. "To know that this is her fourth Olympics, it’s really, really impressive. To still be producing the way that she does, the age that she’s at, it’s not like she’s declining over time. She’s just kind of always been a steady (presence), somebody that’s produced at every age.
"It’s an honor to be on her team."
On a team filled with stars, Knight is probably the most popular. She has the endorsements, including with Visa and Ralph Lauren. She has posted on TikTok daily from Beijing.
U.S. coach Joel Johnson says to not pay attention to the commercial or social media side of Knight. He prefers to focus on who she is behind the scenes – a soft-spoken, quiet, intense leader off the ice.
"The one that people look to when they’re not sure where to look. The one who people trust in when they’re not sure who to trust," Johnson told Paste BN Sports. "I think the impact she has on her teammates is so meaningful. That’s what impresses me most about Hilary Knight."
Yes, Johnson appreciates that she is one of the finest scorers in a generation. Yes, he enjoys that she is one of the faces of USA Hockey.
"When you see it backed up with the character and integrity day in and day out with the integrity that Hilary Knight brings, it just leaves you saying, ‘That’s a person I’m proud to know,’ "Johnson said. "That person makes me better."
Knight's coach at the University of Wisconsin, Mark Johnson, said longevity comes to mind when he thinks about his former player. But it all comes back to that keyword: consistency.
"It’s remarkable that she’s been able to play at such a high level for such a long time and still contribute and really make a statement for women’s hockey and what she’s been able to do," Mark Johnson told Paste BN Sports.
If the U.S. repeats with gold, Mark Johnson said, it will be hard to find someone in USA hockey history whose résumé matches that of Knight. He wouldn't be surprised if she keeps playing after Beijing.
The praise can make Knight uncomfortable sometimes. She's still playing, so she doesn't acknowledge those who throw her in the "GOAT" category. Knight has chosen not to pursue legacy in any particular way.
"This is what I do and I hope I’m remembered for these things. But at the end of the day, I signed up just like everyone else to play hockey," Knight said. "I understand what hockey as a sport has given me. I understand where I want hockey to be as a sport. I think it’s just one of those things where if I can share my passion for the sport and they have a similar experience, a positive experience, wouldn’t that mean the world?"
For someone like Caroline Harvey, it did.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.