Over the last few weeks, NFL star JJ Watt has had an outsized presence on Hockey Twitter after revealing himself to be a big Cole Caufield fan.
“Obviously, I watched him at Wisconsin (University),” Watt told to Sportsnet on Wednesday. “I’m a Badger myself. “Him growing up in Stevens Point and me being a Badger and watching their run here in the Big 10 tournament in the NCAAs. I became a Caulfield fan.
“When I saw he wasn’t playing, I sent off a simple little tweet saying ‘the series could use a little Caufield.’ They were down 0-2 at the time. I’m not saying I’m a fortune-teller of any kind or anything, but they’ve been doing all right since.”
Wednesday, while watching Game Two of the Stanley Cup Semifinal between the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights, Watt was blown away by Vegas’s epic pregame introduction.
every sport should do intros like hockey.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 17, 2021
I’m with JJ. During the team’s introduction, a knight, holding a Golden Knights emblazoned shield, walks out of a makeshift castle and pulls a sword out of a stone. “THIS. Is OURRRRRR FORTRESS,” he yells.
The vibes in Vegas are once again impeccable. pic.twitter.com/rzPExoR0Cs
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) June 17, 2021
Then the players walk out to a drumline entrance with loud techno music. “VEGASSSSSSSSSSSS. Are. You. Readdddddyyyyyyyyy?” the PA announcer asks, “BECAUSE. IT’SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS KNIGHT TIME.” (Get it? It’s a pun.)
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) June 17, 2021
The intro appears to be scaled back since 2018. During Game One of the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights included a battle scene out on the ice.
Sure it’s a little much, but it’s fun, creative, and gets the crowd going.
The Blue Jackets even got in on the fun.
jj do you like cannons https://t.co/mABFgKhMdX
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) June 17, 2021
As for Watt, he revealed to Sportsnet that he played hockey growing up and Gordie Howe was his favorite athlete.
penalty boxes looking like team benches
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/wIUUmTTFSF— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 21, 2021
“Trust me, I’ve talked to my brothers about it all the time,” Watt said of a career in hockey. “We all played growing up. The puck hitting the back of the net is just a feeling where there’s nothing like it. Watching the playoffs and hear the goal horn go off and hearing the crowd going nuts and now they have the lights going on and off and the fans going crazy, there’s nothing like that.”
As for who he’s rooting for, it’s less about one team and more about one certain player.
“I can’t say I was a full blown fan (of the Habs) beforehand. I’m not going to lie to anyone here… I’m not going to pick sides (between Toronto or Montreal) but I’m a massive Caufield fan.”
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 15, 2021
