Canucks' Demko apologized to Bruins goalie for unintentional hug snub
Little did Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko know that he would be at the centre of a viral clip from NHL All-Star Weekend.
The internet had fun with a video of the 6-foot-4 Demko seemingly ignoring Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman’s attempt at a hug.
Of course @JeremySwayman is spreading the love at #NHLAllStar. 😊
🇺🇸: @espn or @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/hieF2mVrew— NHL (@NHL) February 3, 2024
Swayman was giving hugs to all of the goalies that passed by but when it was Demko’s turn, the Canucks player just kept walking.
While it made for a funny clip, Demko apparently clarified his actions after he saw the video.
“He came up to me the next day and was like, ‘Sway, I’m so sorry about that.’ He just didn’t see I guess,” said the Bruins goalie to the media this morning. “I was laughing, it was totally cool. There’s still love. He’s a good guy. We had a good chat about it.”
With the two teams in Boston for their game this evening, Demko offered to make things right.
“He asked at morning skate ‘Do you want a hug?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely not – just kidding,'” laughed Swayman today.
The two goalies were both in Toronto for NHL All-Star Weekend as they’re in the midst of very strong seasons.
Demko is currently tied for the NHL lead with 27 wins. If he manages to pick up another victory tonight against the Bruins, he’ll set the Canucks franchise record for most consecutive wins.
Swayman is also having an excellent year. He’s got a 2.36 goals-against-average and a .922 save percentage, both very good numbers.
The Bruins and Canucks face off tonight, but it does not appear like we will get the chance to see these two netminders go head-to-head. Linus Ullmark is the presumed starter for the home team tonight.
These two teams sit atop the NHL standings with just two points separating them. Their respective success so far this season has fans wondering if we might be in for a rematch of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.
If that were to happen, there’s no doubt that Swayman and Demko would both be large reasons why. The two goalies are some of the best young talents in the NHL and will be competing for spots on Team USA at the World Cup and Olympics for years to come.