Smashfest returned to Canadian soil, the Canucks’ reverse retro looks to have leaked, and Pavel Francouz enjoyed a drink out of the Cup in Czechia. Let’s take a look at some fun moments from the past week:
Smashfest Returned To Toronto
A staple event of the NHL off-season made its return to Toronto this past week with the popular Smashfest Charity Challenge ping pong event.
The 10th event (the 2021 event was held in Stamford, Connecticut, while the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) took over the Steam Whistle Brewery, with players from all across the sport trying their hand at taking home some hardware.
The tournament, created by longtime NHLer turned analyst Dominic Moore, has raised close to a million dollars in its history for rare cancer and concussion research.
The usual favorite to win the event was Patrick Eaves, who won the tournament five years in a row. He didn’t show up this time, so Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner assumed the role as the man to beat. Despite declaring “I’m a bit rusty,” he still managed to find his way to the singles tournament final.
In the end, Skinner fell to former Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore in the final. Win or lose, all had a good time as the event continues to provide funds for two significant causes close to many in the hockey world.
The Canucks’ Reverse Retro jersey has leaked
We’re still waiting to hear about the return of the NHL reverse retros officially, but one team’s design has already leaked ahead of schedule.
This past week, a Canucks jersey with the “Johnny Canuck” logo on the front was spotted on Facebook Marketplace, and it appears to be what they’ll wear at some point this season. Icethetics.com, the prominent hockey jersey website, confirmed the leak in a recent video.
Usually, the sight of an unreleased jersey appearing on Facebook you could easily brush off as a fake, but signs point to it being the real deal.
The logo is currently worn by the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and would mark the first time the NHL Canucks will wear the logo as a primary on a jersey. The logo has a long history in Vancouver hockey, dating back to its usage by the Western Hockey League’s Canucks from the 1940s to the 1960s.
You might also notice that the NHL shield is getting the reverse retro treatment, with the classic orange and black colors being used. Most notably, though, is that “NHL” is slanted upwards, just like those on the current silver and black shield, but the opposite of the old black and orange logo.
Pavel Francouz Makes The Most Of His Day With The Cup
The summer adventures of the Stanley Cup are always fun to follow, no matter what city or which player it ends up with next.
For Pavel Francouz, the netminder brought the Cup back home to Czechia and decided to celebrate with a drink with a few former teammates.
Now that’s how you party.
