Subban is a buddy of mine, so I have to shout him out. I think cities respect that.Ĭonnor McDavid is crazy. But talent is talent and dedication is dedication. He played for the Red Sox and gave us a hard time for years. I think whenever David Ortiz comes to town, he gets a standing ovation at Yankee Stadium because they respect what he did.
It's unfortunate he's in a rival city for the Rangers, but he's a good kid. He let me, like, jump on his shoulders a little bit. Anytime you do a bit with audience members, it could go sideways a little bit. I met Sidney at the original NHL Awards and he was just cool. Thompson: It might be blasphemy to say this, but I respect Sidney Crosby for his talent. Do you have other players that you like in the NHL? Party hard.ĮSPN: In the past, you've said you're an Alex Ovechkin guy. So I went right after her and I downed my drink too and everybody went crazy. Lea DeLaria, who played Big Boo on "Orange Is The New Black," did a bit where she downs her drink when they put her on the JumboTron. it's like New York patting you on the back as you're patting New York teams on the back. To be thrown up in front of everybody and have the fans react to it. It's such an honor to even be acknowledged like that. But some celebrities, like Jimmy Fallon, have prepared bits when they know they're going to be featured. They play a clip from "SNL," then show you, and the fans cheer. Absolutely.ĮSPN: You're part of a very specific NHL tradition: Celebrities in the crowd who get featured on the JumboTron at Rangers home games.
Power rangers lightning collection series#
Lightning series was a real tug-of-war, man. I started going to Rangers games and rooting for them when they weren't playing my Atlanta or Tampa teams. Thompson: Yeah, just by going to the Garden. That's the biggest turnaround I've ever seen.ĮSPN: Did you become a New York Rangers fan by virtue of living in New York and doing "SNL" there? Thompson: Since that joke was made, they are undefeated in. These guys have been on a tear ever since.ĮSPN: You should take credit for these back-to-back Cups. But it seems like it was a big motivating factor. Thompson: I don't necessarily know about the players, but I definitely heard some reactions from the fans - "How dare you diss us, blah blah blah." It wasn't a bit. What's it like for a comedian to roast players that are sitting there? It's nice to have an active participation in the community because it's such a beautiful community.ĮSPN: Your joke during the 2019 NHL Awards about the Tampa Bay Lightning remains legendary: about how their embarrassing sweep loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets tied an NHL record for least wins.
I want to give back in more ways than just waving on the JumboTron. To have a relationship where I can actually contribute to the league is a beautiful thing. I've been ever since my Mighty Ducks days, basically. The NHL Awards will air on ESPN, and Thompson will be breaking out this killer Kevin Weekes impression:ĮSPN: What makes Kenan Thompson a good fit for the NHL Awards? We spoke with Thompson last week about coming back to host the NHL Awards, goofing the Tampa Bay Lightning, his New York Rangers and Sidney Crosby fandom, the "Mighty Ducks" legacy and the best hockey moment in "SNL" history.
Ever hear of the "knuckle puck," the shot in which "it's hard to be accurate but it drives goalies crazy"? Thompson, who is hosting the NHL Awards for the second time on Tuesday night at 7 ET in Tampa, Florida, played Russ Tyler in "D2: The Mighty Ducks" (1994) and "D3: The Mighty Ducks" (1996). Before he was an Emmy Award-winning sketch comedian on "Saturday Night Live," he was a Mighty Duck. Kenan Thompson has unusual hockey roots for a celebrity NHL fan.