A Conversation With Randy Hahn

Randy Hahn has been the play by play commentator for the San Jose sharks for 30 years. He participated in his 1,000th broadcast on December 5, 2009 and has won 5 Northern California Emmy Awards. He started in broadcasting in Canada before moving to the San Jose Sharks in 1990.

I had the opportunity to sit down (virtually) with Randy, and after some playful banter as I am a fan of the Nashville Predators, we got into some great questions.

Is hockey really picking up there?

Well, we are the only team in the whole league that can't play our home games in our own County. So our health regulations are the strictest in the country here with COVID. So our team had to go to Arizona for training camp. They're on an eight game road trip. And when they are finished, they're probably going to have to play their home games in Arizona. So it's not perfect, but it is what it is.

So the first one is when did you join myFanPark?

Well, I joined it when it was the other company. Starsona. It was probably three years ago.

What is your favorite interaction that you offer?

Well, the most common thing that people want to have is a birthday or, you know, specific celebration shoutout. But typically, birthdays would be number one. People like it. It's almost always Shark’s fans, and they get a kick out of something unique. So I've had good feedback.

What is the fun stuff that you offer?

Well, we came up with a plan to offer signed pictures and signed, you know, the little press passes that the teams would give to the media for a credential. I keep those from all the different cities that we travel to, and I might sign that and send it out.

How did you get started in hockey broadcasting?

Oh, I grew up in Canada, and I've been doing it for a long, long time. You know, I didn't start in hockey. I started in other broadcasting at a young age when I was still going to high school and eventually started working in hockey.

What do you miss most about the normal season?

Well, the routine of being around the team and doing our job and connecting with the fans. I mean, that's the biggest thing, that interaction with fans kind of stopped for the most part during the COVID crisis. But now that we're playing again, it's starting to pick up a little bit, but still not in a normal sense, because people can't go to games.

Well, speaking of fans, what is your craziest “fan gone wild” moment that you've ever experienced?

Well, I don't know about the craziest “fan gone wild”. But a few years ago, the Sharks made it to the Stanley Cup and the night that they beat St. Louis to go to the Stanley Cup, not to win it. Just go to that next round. We were out celebrating and the end of the night came and I tried to get an Uber home. It was impossible to get one, there were just so many people in the downtown area trying to get rides. A guy drove by and saw me standing on the corner looking at my phone. I'd never met this guy before, he asked me what I was doing. I said, I'm trying to get home and he said jump in I'll take you home and the guy took me over. He was so excited.

Would you say that was also the most edge of your seat game you've experienced? Or has there been another one?

No, there was another one. Two seasons ago we played Vegas in the opening round. Best of seven playoffs. In game seven, the deciding game. Vegas was ahead three to nothing, with about 10 minutes to go. The sharks came back and won in overtime for three. So that would have been the best, the most exciting edge of the seat game ever. Not last year, but the year before.

What would be your dream hockey game? Like, you could see any two teams face up anywhere? What would it be?

The Sharks against anybody else, and the Sharks win the Stanley Cup.

What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?

Well, I would say, professional accomplishment would be, you know, this is my 30th year with the San Jose Sharks. I've been there since the very beginning. There's only four of us left in the organization that were there the first year. So just the accomplishment of longevity, you know, being able to stay in the same job for three decades.

Congratulations. That's huge! My final question is kind of a fun one. What is your go to karaoke song?

My go to karaoke song would be Stuck In Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash which I changed in this weird space of time to Stuck In COVID Prison. I actually posted it on social media and I got a lot of reaction to that.

Here is the link to check out Stuck in COVID Prison: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=659581734819610

And for all of Randy Hahn’s offerings check him out at myfanpark.com/randyhahn!