These 8 Canadian Athletes Have Dated Or Married Celebrities & Some Couples Are Going Strong
Canadian athletes are celebrities in the sporting world, and as such, many of them have their romantic relationships put in the spotlight — especially when they're dating a well-known musician or actor.
From retired Canadian NHL star Mike Fisher and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to Canadian-born basketball player Tristan Thompson, these athletes have had their relationships in the public eye for years thanks to whom they have dated or married.
Here's a look at eight Canadian athletes who have dated or married popular celebrities.
Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher
Former Canadian NHLer Mike Fisher, who is from Peterborough, Ontario, and country singer Carrie Underwood have been married since 2010.
The pair met in 2008, while Fisher was playing for the Ottawa Senators, at a backstage meet and greet after one of the singer's concerts, as reported by People.
The outlet says the two had a long-distance relationship at first, while Fisher lived in Canada and Underwood was in Nashville. The pair got engaged one year later in 2009 and were married in 2010.
In 2011, Fisher got traded to the Nashville Predators, meaning the couple could finally live together in the same city full-time. The couple has gone on to have two sons together, Isaiah, 8, and Jacob, 4.
Fisher retired from hockey in 2018 and currently focuses on charity work and his clothing brand called Catchin' Deers.
He's also super supportive of his wife's accomplishments with her music, and the two often post cute photos together.
Dion Phaneuf and Elisha Cuthbert
Retired hockey player Dion Phaneuf, who played with several Canadian NHL teams like the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, has been with his wife Elisha Cuthbert for over a decade.
The Edmonton native and the Canadian actor, known for her roles in The Girl Next Door and House of Wax, first started dating in 2008 and married in a private ceremony in Summerfield, Prince Edward Island, in July 2013.
The couple used to live in Canada before moving to Los Angeles, where Phaneuf played for the Los Angeles Kings.
The former NHLer announced his retirement after 14 seasons in 2021, an announcement he said was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by ESPN.
The couple has two children together, a five-year-old daughter named Zaphire and a one-year-old son named Fable.
Wayne and Janet Gretzky
If you watch hockey or are a Canadian, then you know who Wayne Gretzky is. The retired hockey legend played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League, including with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
Gretzky first met his wife, actor Janet Jones, when they were both on a dance show called Dance Fever in 1984, according to Sportskeeda. It wasn't until 1987 that the two would reconnect after seeing each other at a Lakers game.
The couple got married in Edmonton in 1988 and have five children and five grandchildren.
Janet often posts adorable photos of their family on her Instagram page, whether it's for weddings, birthdays or various accomplishments.
She also shared a look back at her and Wayne's relationship over the years in 2022 when the couple celebrated 34 years of marriage.
These two are seriously couple goals!
Brooks Laich and Julianne Hough
Retired Canadian NHL player Brooks Laich was previously married to actress and dancer Julianne Hough.
The former couple began dating in 2013 and got engaged two years later, according to a report by People.
Laich, who previously played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, and Hough married in 2017 and in May 2020 they announced they were separating. By 2022, their divorce had been finalized.
Although they are no longer together and Laich has moved on with Icelandic athlete Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir, he is still close with Hough's family.
The two exes recently reunited at Hough's brother's wedding. Both Laich and Hough were in the wedding party and posed together for photos, according to Hello!
Cale Hulse and Gena Lee Nolin
Former player with the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, Cale Hulse, has been married to Baywatch star and model Gena Lee Nolin since September 3, 2004.
The couple recently celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and Nolin shared some photos from their big day online.
Hulse and Nolin have two children together, a 17-year-old son named Hudson and a 15-year-old daughter named Stella. Nolin also has a son from a previous marriage and Hulse has a daughter from a former relationship, as per a report from the Mirror.
Nolin often posts family photos on her Instagram, featuring the whole family and their fun trips together.
Mike Comrie and Hilary Duff
Former player with the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators Mike Comrie was once married to Lizzie McGuire actress Hilary Duff.
The two married in August 2010 and welcomed a son named Luca in 2012, as reported by Page Six. Their relationship took a turn and they finalized their divorce in February 2016.
The former married couple is currently co-parenting their son and the How I Met Your Father star even addressed it during a 2022 interview with Grazia, explaining what her son wants to know about his parents.
"I like to tell him about how I met his father, about the good times we spent together, about the greatest joy when I found out I was pregnant and how his father and I coped with pregnancy," she told Grazia. "It is a very sweet thing."
It looks like the co-parenting is going well as Duff and Comrie were both recently spotted at their son's soccer game in Los Angeles.
The Daily Mail published photos of the two sharing a hug and Comrie helping Duff's daughter put on her shoes.
Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian
Brampton-born Tristan Thompson and reality star Khloe Kardashian have been in an on-again, off-again relationship since 2016, according to People.
The rocky relationship has been plagued with cheating rumours against the Cleveland Cavaliers star, some of which was discussed on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
The couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter named True, in 2018, during a time when cheating allegations had first been made against Thompson.
However, the couple seemed to work through it and appeared to be happy, until more cheating rumours were made against Thompson. This time the alleged affair had been with Kylie Jenner's best friend Jordyn Woods, which Woods denied publicly.
According to People, the couple tried again to make things work and then in 2021 Kardashian found out that Thompson was expecting a baby with another woman.
In 2022, Kardashian confirmed she was having a second child with the basketball star via surrogate. Their son, Tatum, was born in August 2022.
Although the couple has not gotten back together, it looks like Kardashian was there for Thompson and supported him when his mom died in January 2023.
Jarret Stoll and Erin Andrews
Retired Canadian hockey player Jarett Stoll has been with sportscaster and former Dancing with the Stars host Erin Andrews since they met during the 2012 World Series, according to a report by People.
Stoll, who was born and raised in Saskatchewan and formally played with the Edmonton Oilers, married Andrews in Montana in 2017.
The couple had been trying to grow their family for years and Andrews was vocal about her decade-long fertility issues and multiple rounds of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
In July 2023, the couple announced they had become parents to a son named Mack who was born via surrogate, according to TODAY.
