IT’S TIME TO STRUT THEIR STUFF
Subban, Matthews part of new generation of Nhlers willing to show some personality
Somewhere along the way, Auston Matthews decided he would grow a moustache.
It took him weeks to cultivate. But he probably knew what it would look like in just a few minutes. All he had to do was pop in the latest NHL 20 video game and go to the editing function, where you can change everything about a player’s appearance, from their hairstyle and stick tape to their goal celebration.
Want to see what Matthews looks like with a handlebar moustache or a Brent Burnsstyle beard? Want to dress him up like a lumberjack or someone straight out of the ’80s? It’s just a click away.
Matthews, who arrived to last week’s player media tour in a light grey suit and a pair of white Givenchy sneakers, decided on a standard moustache, trimmed pencil-thin and dyed black (he added Just for Men), giving him a look that was fit for a Columbian drug lord.
“I like what he’s going for,” said Calgary’s Sam Bennett. “It’s more like Pablo Escobar-ish.”
“Without the beer belly,” added Matthews.
In the video game world of the NHL, gamers have long been able to customize their online players to match their personality. In the actual NHL, players are finally doing the same.
It’s art imitating life. Or, in the case of Boston’s Brad Marchand performing a goal celebration that was straight out of the video game last season, it’s vice versa.
“They’re on very similar paths,” said William Ho, the creative director behind EA Sports’ NHL 20. “We’re seeing (P.K.) Subban and the young stars like Matthews who are really outspoken and into fashion and how they conduct themselves out in the world. But also the gaming trends are that people want to dress them up, unlock more rewards and customize them. That’s why games like Fortnite are so popular. They’re game trends, but they align with hockey trends.”
Matthews, 21, might be part of generation Z, but he’s at the forefront of what NHL 20 has dubbed “Generation Why Not.”
“Coming from Arizona, it was different,” Matthews said in a recent promo for NHL 20, in which he appears on the cover. Most of his friends played other sports and asked him ‘Why hockey?’
“And I said, ‘Why not?’”
The message extends to everything: Why not grow a moustache or a beard? Why not wear a suit that attracts attention? Why not celebrate a goal in a way that makes you happy? Why not show your personality?
“Through these actions, through this swagger, he’s able to connect with new fans to help grow the game,” said Ho. “And now, in short order, he stands shoulder to shoulder with these other athletes in other sports
... who are not afraid to be their own person.”
Lou Lamoriello might not appreciate facial hair and Don Cherry famously called the Carolina Hurricanes a “bunch of jerks” for their post-win celebrations. But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he welcomes the individuality and fun that is spreading throughout the league, as long as it’s not contrived.
“Everybody being themselves is what I consider authentic,” Bettman told Postmedia News last week. “We’re letting the players — and encouraging them — to express themselves. And that’s what’s important to gen Zs. In some respects, it’s represented a cultural change to the way teams have always in hockey presented themselves and the cohesiveness of team first. And I still believe that’s an essential element to the game. But younger people, younger players, view how they express themselves differently.”
This is still a relatively new concept in the NHL. Sure, Matthews is getting props for being himself and having fun, and it helps he can back it up. But at the same time, a player like Evander Kane, who this month is featured in ESPN’S Body Issue, is constantly being told he is too flashy, something he attributes to racism.
“If you don’t acknowledge (the racial element) to some degree, you’re living in the shadows,” Kane told the Mercury News. “It’s an older mentality and something that (hockey) hasn’t caught up to. There’s nothing wrong with lights, camera, action and embracing the entertainment side of sports. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough guys who want to do that or think it’s important to do that. If you look at the four major sports, that’s why hockey ranks fourth.” That’s changing. Slowly.
For years, Alex Ovechkin wasn’t afraid to have fun with his goal celebrations (remember his “my stick is too hot to hold” routine after scoring 60?) or add flair to his wardrobe with tinted visors, yellow laces and even demonic goats on his skates.
“I think for us to be on the ice is fun,” he said. “We have to show it.”
Subban and the recently retired Roberto Luongo have also embraced social media to interact with fans and help grow the sport on Twitter and Instagram. More are following their lead. But in the end, players have to do what feels comfortable.
“We’re all different, so everybody’s going to do things different,” Subban said. “Whether they have a social media account or not, whatever we do in the public eyes is going to look different ... But as far as the game goes, just allowing players to be themselves, I think we’re seeing more of that now where guys are more opinionated and tweeting.”
With more exposure will come more marketing opportunities — and more money.
At the same time, the oldschool mentality is not going away. For every Subban or Matthews there is a Bo Horvat, who would rather emphasize the crest on the front of his jersey than the name on the back and disable his Facebook account.
“I think it would be good for the game to show more personality, but I’m definitely not going to be the guy to do it,” said the Vancouver Canucks centre.