If you didn’t know already, China now has its own hockey team based in the KHL: HC Kunlun Red Star.
And as much as we want to celebrate the proliferation of good hockey all around the world, we can’t take our eyes off this botched ceremonial puck drop, which the Chinese have not yet mastered.
I’m sure they’re “nice guys” who “try hard” and “love the game,” but if you don’t laugh at yourself for your mistakes, you’ll cry.
Let’s revel in this comedy of errors for just a moment.
First of all, that red carpet has got to reach all the way to the centre ice faceoff dot. Somebody is likely to slip and fall.
As the video shows, the gentleman dropping the puck is seemingly dying to get out of there as soon as possible. The nice lady on his left is just explaining that he should drop the puck — but not yet. Too late, the puck is tossed into the ether with no centremen in sight.
Then, the pivots reach the circle but take a moment to strap their helmets tightly. Not fast enough, says the gentleman who evidently learned about the hurry-up faceoff rule and not the exaggerated steps required of a ceremonial puck drop.
He drops the figurative mic and gets the hell out. The players look like they want him to try again, to which he likely responds with, “How many times do I have to drop this thing? It’s cold and I’m walking on ice in loafers here.”
Welcome to the hockey world, HC Kunlun. Take the good with the bad.
