Bryce Harper is more hype about the Golden Knights than anyone you know

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper waves to the crowd before dropping the ceremonial puck before a game between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on December 23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper waves to the crowd before dropping the ceremonial puck before a game between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on December 23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Bryce Harper is off to a hot start in the 2018 MLB season — and his Vegas Golden Knights are continuing their hot start in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Imagine that for your entire life, your hometown was without a major league sports franchise. Imagine even further that, growing up in this town, you yourself were quite a remarkable player pegged to be headed for the big leagues.

That’s what life was like growing up in Las Vegas for Bryce Harper, who was a baseball phenom from a town with no major league sports franchises for him to root for.

Harper may now be swinging his bat for the Washington Nationals, but finally, 24 years later, he has a major league hometown team to root for in the Vegas Golden Knights.

And given how long he had to wait, it’s no surprise that he’s gone all-in.

When Harper had the Golden Knights’ logo affixed to his bat, we celebrated his fandom. But the truth of the matter is that not only is Harper a bigger Golden Knights fan that we might have guessed…he might be the biggest one you know.

When the Golden Knights opened their second-round series against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, those who follow Harper on Instagram were treated to quite the display of his fandom, immortalized forever in this screenshot:

While it’s awesome that Harper is sporting a playoff beard when he’s not currently participating in a postseason bid, it’s really the “playoff helmet” that sends this whole thing over the edge.

We like to think that he kept it on for the entire game, thereby protecting his (million-dollar) head if any of the Golden Knights’ seven goals caused him to jump up suddenly and hit his head on the ceiling.

Next: 10 reasons Stanley Cup Playoffs are better than NBA Playoffs

Show us a bigger Golden Knights fan than Harper. If it’s you, prove it on Twitter: @FanSidedNHL.

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