You wouldn’t usually think that a hockey player would want to be associated with chicken, but this is a special occasion.
A KFC restaurant in Winnipeg has rebranded to honour Jets star Kyle Connor as the team battles against the Dallas Stars in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
The restaurant, located in the city’s west end, has posted new signs that feature a cartoon likeness of the high-scoring winger in place of Colonel Sanders’ iconic mug.
KFC also gave out their famous buckets – also featuring Connor’s likeness – to fans to wear during Game 2 of their series on Friday night at Canada Life Centre.
The marketing campaign came about from Connor’s ‘KFC’ nickname – short for “Kyle F****** Connor” – and the chants of Jets fans during games. The white buckets also add to the team’s “Whiteout” tradition during home playoff tilts.
“We’re always looking to show up in a way that’s bold, creative, and with a distinct local relevance,” Lauren Pottie, a market manager KFC Canada, said in a press release. “The Whiteout is such an iconic ritual – full of pride, passion and community spirit. Partnering with the Winnipeg Jets – and Kyle ‘KFC’ Connor – felt like a natural connection to bring something fun and memorable to the table, literally.”
In case you were wondering, Conner’s middle name actually is David – but hockey fans certainly are willing to let that slide.
B/R Open Ice shared a video of a visit to the restaurant, saying, “The new signs look great, KFC go off and go Jets go.”
“This is so awesome lmao cheering for the Jets until they make it to the finals,” one user commented on Reddit.
While the Jets were able to score a 4-0 win in Game 2 at home on Friday, the Stars went up 2-1 in the series with a 5-2 win in Dallas on Sunday.
Connor scored his first goal of the series in Game 3 and now has five goals and eight assists in his 10 playoff games so far this year.
The American winger is coming off a career-best regular season in which he notched 97 points, ranking him seventh overall in the league.
Game 4 is set for Tuesday night in Dallas at 8 p.m. ET before the series shifts back to Winnipeg for Game 5 on Thursday night a 9:30 p.m. ET — presumably with plenty more KFC buckets in the stands.