I like Shane characterized with a bit of a mean streak, but some fics take it too far to the point where nobody would have this character wearing a letter. Shane's clearly the lead-by-example kind of captain rather than the vocal kind (although tbh Ilya doing a whole ass dressing room speech isn't exactly realistic, in real life it would probably be 'let's go boys! Game 6!'). But even if leadership comes more naturally to Ilya, the thing about Shane is that he tries really hard. A good player and even more so a good captain cares about his teammates, therefore Shane cares about his teammates, even if he has to work at it.
Like fics where Shane literally doesn't know his teammates names? There's a maximum of 22 at any given time during the regular season, a maximum of 50 contracts within the organization. He sees the 22 almost every day for 6+ months of the year, of course he knows their names.
On draft day or free agency day, he gets a contact number for the newly signed or drafted players, and makes a welcome call. And then hopes nobody else gets added in-season.
Only JJ can drag him out to party occasionally, and if there's a post-game outing at the bar, he dips around the third round of drinks. Team gatherings at the Pikes' house or video games in hotel rooms on the road are more his speed.
He's developed social scripts to avoid just talking hockey shop, even if that's what he'd prefer: ask about golfing. If that doesn't land, try fishing (he's competent at both for group activities, even though they aren't his hobbies). He is actually interested in video games, or their cottages, especially if they built them. He's listened to Hayden complaining about teething, sleepless nights, and educational toys that he can go "Mmhmm" and "that's rough, man" and "did you try a nightlight?" to those conversations too.
What he doesn't have patience for is stupid problems. Why call him drunk from a bar at 2AM when Uber exists, or the team's car service? Got arrested? Shut up, get a lawyer, shut up some more. Girl problems? Please ask literally anyone else.
But if you have an actual problem, especially if there's something practical he can do, I think Shane steps up, like he and Ilya do for the Pikes in TLG. And between him and his parents, he can recommend a personal trainer, meal prep service, accountant, caterer, architect, plumber, or cleaning service in either the Ottawa or Montreal areas.
He'd probably get along fine with say Ryan Price if they'd ever played together - Ryan has a role and he's doing his best at it even though he's not good by NHL standards - but woe betide you if you're a top-line player who isn't working hard and living up to your talent. Shane will say things that sound like innocuous advice - in fact the same words as he'd use for someone who's genuinely trying - but loaded with such judgment that you wake up at 3AM in a cold sweat remembering them. He and Svetlana would have a great time slating bad coaching/lineup decisions on other NHL teams if they ever met.
Here's an imaginary rookie on the Voyageurs, let's call him Jake. Jake is thrilled and overwhelmed to make the team. His parents tease him about making friends with THE Shane Hollander. Obviously Jake doesn't expect Hollander to be his friend, but he's kind! He gives Jake advice about what Theriault and the assistant coaches expect, and about working hard, and not letting the Montreal media get in his head, and he gave Jake some tips about opposing players in the division that the coaches didn't mention, and recommendations for a skills coach and an accountant and says when Jake moves out of the Pikes' in-law suite he'll get him in touch with a good realtor as well. The Pike kids obviously love him and he'll spend like an hour playing their boring little kid games with them.
Sure, on the ice he's intense and he'll tell them to "lock the fuck in" or come back to the bench yelling "We have talked about that fucking drop pass, Hayden, that was not the fucking time!" or "Crisse de sacrament, JJ, c'était quoi ça de tabarnak?!"
But that's normal for hockey. Jake's playing a very safe eleven minutes of hockey a night because he doesn't want to get yelled at by anyone.
Then Brandon, another prospect, gets called up from Laval. Brandon thinks he's hot shit. Everyone in his twenty years of life has been telling him he's hot shit. He thinks he's entitled to make the show the way he's made every other team up till now. Jake comes into the weight room when Brandon's been on the team a few days, and Hollander's talking to Brandon, some of the same stuff he told Jake, but his tone is completely different. His face looks like Brandon's something he found on the bottom of his shoe. Jake suddenly understands why people say Hollander's scary. He pretends he forgot his water bottle and resolves to get in some extra reps whenever Hollander's finished destroying Brandon's soul.
Brandon gets sent back to Laval shortly afterwards, hopefully a sadder and wiser prospect.
