This article is over 7 years old

The NHL is using a tech theme to promote the All-Star Game and it’s [phone dials, modem noises]

by

3 Comments

Share:

The 2019 NHL All-Star Weekend begins Friday. On Wednesday morning, the NHL tweeted out what appears to be the theme of the weekend: #HiTechHockey.

The hashtag is in reference to the location of the All-Star Game in San Jose, California, which is close to the famed technological hub of Silicon Valley. The hashtag is also likely a reference to the new player tracking and puck-tracking technology that the NHL is looking to test during the All-Star Game.

*Oh, dang it. I lost my internet connection. I have to dial back up. One second.*

*Okay, I’m back!*

As Monday went on, more NHL teams started using the #HiTechHockey hashtag. According to Josh Dudych, a member of the Winnipeg Jets social media team, the NHL issues an annual challenge to each NHL social media team to produce their own All-Star Game theme promo.

The results? Some of them were fun, some were horrifying, and some left hockey fans scratching their heads.

@NHL, Ask Jeeves

For you youngins, this is a reference to the search engine of the late 90s, Ask Jeeves, where you could send your questions out into the world and a nice butler man would fetch you the answers.

@NHL, Netflix

@Capitals, AOL Instant Messenger

I’m sure team owner and ex-AOL executive Ted Leonsis appreciated the AOL reference, but this joke fell mostly flat on Twitter. The mock-up is a full Windows 98 throwback of John Carlson’s away message on AOL Instant Messenger: “BRB going to the All-Star game 2019 with my bestie Holtby!!! ~~**~~”

@NHLFlyers, Apple iPod commercials

@penguins, Futuristic touchscreen thing

@NHLCanes, Yahoo

@NHLBruins, Back to the Future

@DetroitRedWings, Netflix

The season finale of last year’s Braden Holtby was so good, but this new season is a little rough.

@FlaPanthers, HQ Trivia

@TBLightning, Apple iPod commercial

@ColoradoAvalanche, HBO’s Silicon Valley

The Photoshop work here is great, but why did they Photoshop the hands too? Seriously, zoom in on them. It. Does. Not. Work.

@LAKings, HBO’s Silicon Valley

Oh no. This must be what it’s like when you show up at a party wearing the same turtleneck as someone else. Quick, someone go home and change!

@AnaheimDucks, Facebook

@Canucks, Google

@DallasStars, Samsung

@DallasStars, Black Mirror

@NHLBlackhawks, iPhone

I respect the effort, but this is only mildly funny if you can read the tiny names of the apps on the phone’s screen.

@NHLJets, Google Chrome error screen


The Jets clearly had the most fun with this challenge and it shows. This one is a winner. It was, after all, the San Jose Sharks who wondered if there was wifi in Winnipeg.

@NHLJets, Wired cover

@NHLJets, Flying Internet Kid

@NHLJets, Windows 98

@SanJoseSharks, HBO’s Silicon Valley

@NHLonNBCSports, TRON

Hey, NBC, quick question, are you taking constructive criticism?

@NHLonNBCSports, Tinder

Yeah, I’m gonna swipe left on this one.

@NHLonNBCSports, LinkedIn

@NHLonNBCSports, Snapchat

Related Articles

RMNB is not associated with the Washington Capitals; Monumental Sports, the NHLPA, the NHL, or its properties. Not even a little bit.

All original content on russianmachineneverbreaks.com is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International – unless otherwise stated or superseded by another license. You are free to share, copy, and remix this content so long as it is attributed, done for noncommercial purposes, and done so under a license similar to this one.

zamboni logo