Moments after suffering Winter Olympics heartbreak, Canada hockey star Nathan Mackinnon went viral for a bizarre incident during the medal ceremony.
Jack Hughes scored the winning golden goal a minute and 41 seconds into overtime in the gold medal game in Milan, sending USA into pandemonium at the expense of their great rivals Canada.
Moments later, the Canadian team were lining up to receive their silver medals while also being handed a replica miniaturized version of the Olympic mascot, a white stoat named Tina.
Mackinnon looked deeply unimpressed at having to hold a soft toy in what was a difficult moment so soon after such an agonizing loss.
Television viewers noticed him staring back at the toy and momentarily shaking his head in disgust before staring coldly into the distance.
‘Nathan MacKinnon not impressed with the silver and the plushie,’ one fan wrote, while sharing the short clip on social media.
Canada hockey stars were gifted a soft toy of the Olympic mascot after their USA hockey loss
Canada star Nathan MacKinnon looked gutted after the overtime loss in the gold medal game
He was a lot less impressed at getting a stuffed toy in the aftermath of Canada’s loss
Another said: ‘Nothing on earth is more in immediate danger than the stuffed animal they handed Nathan Mackinnon.’
A different fan posted: ‘Nathan MacKinnon might murder this stuffed animal.’
The stuffed animals are not a new tradition. Typically medal winners receive some miniaturized version of that year’s Olympic mascot, and the practice inevitably leads to awkward moments like with MacKinnon.
The USA team also received a similar memento – it’ll likely be one they treasure a lot more than MacKinnon.
The Canada star then seemingly took a shot at the USA team that he lost to. Canada had been dominant throughout the game, denied largely by US goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
‘You be the judge of who was the better team today,’ MacKinnon was quoted as saying after the game by Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian press.
USA hero Hughes, meanwhile, was overcome with emotion after winning the game for his country.
‘This is all about our country right now,’ Hughes said minutes after his goal. ‘I’m so proud to be American. I love my country, I love my teammates.
USA hero Jack Hughes scored the goal that clinched the gold medal for his country
‘That’s American hockey right there. That’s a great Canadian team but this means so much. We are such a team.
‘The USA brotherhood in this team is so strong. I cannot believe this. It could have gone either way tonight.’
The comments caught the attention of vice president JD Vance, who wrote on X: ‘Heart full of pride for his country and a few front teeth gone missing.
‘That’s American hockey right there.
‘Congratulations to Jack and everyone on Team USA for bringing home the gold.’
