Hamway wrapped up his first season as New Jersey's PA announcer.
On March 25, the New Jersey Devils hosted the Ottawa Senators before a sold-out crowd at Prudential Center. It was a night filled with anticipation as the team could punch their ticket to the playoffs, their first postseason appearance since the 2017-18 season.
If the Devils beat the Senators in any fashion, they would advance, but by the end of the night, the final score at Prudential Center did not matter. The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers, which meant New Jersey was in.
During the first intermission, a graphic appeared on the jumbotron that displayed Nico Hischier, and Jack Hughes, among others, next to the word clinched in capital letters.
First-year public address announcer Adam Hamway sat in his booth high above the ice and looked down at the roaring crowd beneath him. He angled towards his microphone and made the announcement fans have been waiting years to hear.
"Your New Jersey Devils are headed to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs."
Hamway and I recently met for lunch to relive his first season as New Jersey's PA announcer. We enjoyed our coffee and matching eggs benedict as he reminisced about the past few months.
"You look back now, and you see all these amazing moments and memories that you're witnessing with the fans together. You're a part of that being the public address announcer, and it's really awesome," he said.
Of course, March 25 was memorable because the team clinched a playoff berth, but it also held sentimental meaning for Hamway and his family.
"I'll never forget that game because my parents came to their first NHL game, so they were there against the Senators."
As puck drop drew closer, his parents, Fred and Shirley, were at the forefront of Hamway's mind.
"I had custom jerseys made for my mom and dad that said Hamway on the back," he said. "I had their ages put on their jerseys because that was the first time they went to a pro game."
"I wanted to make sure that they got to their seats and everything was fine with them, but it was really cool for their first game to be when the Devils clinch their playoff berth," he said. "We went down to the ice and took pictures. It was special."
Having the opportunity to announce a playoff game was not something Hamway expected when he accepted the position of public address announcer. On May 18, ahead of Game 1 versus the New York Rangers, he made a quick stop before walking towards the elevator. He instead headed toward the ice to take things in.
"Someone once told me that you have to take a moment, step back, and really think about what's happening because you want to remember it for the rest of your life," he said. "So that's what I did."
As he approached the ice, he was met by a sea of white as the official 2023 playoff rally towels were draped on the back of every individual seat. He glanced around the empty arena and embraced the quiet moment of serenity.
"I thought, wow, this is going to be awesome," he said. "You look at everything and know it's playoff time. It's setting the stage and knowing these fans would be waving these towels at puck drop. You knew it was going to be a really cool experience."
Before he knew it, he would be in the booth for a crucial Game 7 in Newark. Leading up to that, there were plenty of memorable moments for Hamway, from the chaos of figuring out 18 penalties in Game 2 to announcing Akira Schmid's Game 5 shutout, his first in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"You get to the first round against the Rangers, and then you get to Game 7. You don't think the energy can be amplified, but it was," he said. "You got chills when you saw the towels wave at Game 7. You're almost thinking to yourself, at least from my perspective, is this real?"
"It's my first year as the PA announcer for the Devils, and I'm announcing a Game 7 against the Rangers, their rival, and you think, is this really happening."
After experiencing the excitement of Round 1, Hamway was ready to work his second playoff series. Even though the Devils struggled versus the Carolina Hurricanes, Game 3 provided him with more unforgettable moments, including his announcements of eight New Jersey goals. When I asked if one stuck out to him, he shared it was the team's fifth goal of the night—Damon Severson's first postseason goal, which Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes both assisted.
As we wrapped up our lunch, I asked Hamway which word described his first season working for the Devils. After some contemplation, a smile came across his face.
"I think the team, as well as the crowd, were very energetic; it was a very exciting time. Everybody played so well, and the crowd was very excited and into it. I was gaining energy from how they were responding to how the Devils were playing. It was an energetic season."
Hamway will be back for New Jersey's 2023-24 season and is excited to continue not only his journey in the booth but his interactions with Devils fans as well. You can follow Hamway on Twitter @AdamHamway and relive some of his best announcements on his personal Instagram page.