These NHL Players Really Love Their Dogs & One Pup Is More Famous Than His Hockey Star Dad
NHL players may load up their social media with hockey content, but if you look closely you'll see their pets also get a lot of love.
From Edmonton Oiler Connor McDavid to Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, many of hockey's biggest stars show their dogs a lot of affection online.
Funnily enough, one adorable dog is so famous online that oftentimes he's the one who gets recognized in public, more so than his superstar dad.
Here are 12 of Canada's biggest hockey stars and their beloved furry besties.
Connor McDavid
The captain of the Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid, has one famous pup.
Lenard is an adorable miniature Bernedoodle and he lives a great life. You can follow along on many of his great adventures because he even has his own Instagram account with over 19,000 followers.
Lenard isn't just an influencer, he's also business-savvy. The pup is listed as the CEO of Kyle & Co. Design Studio in Edmonton, which is owned by McDavid's fiancée Lauren Kyle.
Kyle spoke with Narcity recently and we can confirm Lenard was at the office during the Zoom call (he was taking a nap break).
When speaking about her beloved pet, Kyle admitted the Bernedoodle is the one who gets more recognized when he's out with Kyle and McDavid.
"He's like the world's cutest dog, we're pretty biased, but he's very docile and calm," Kyle said.
"He's a superstar. He's the one that gets recognized. It's not Connor, it's usually Lenard."
Kyle also confirmed that Lenard will have a role in hers and McDavid's wedding in 2024 and will walk down the aisle with one of her maid of honours. We can't wait to see photos!
Morgan Rielly
Morgan Rielly's pup Zoë gets a lot of love online between Rielly and his fiancée Tessa Virtue.
Between the two Instagram accounts, Zoë is often seen enjoying many activities, including fishing with the Toronto Maple Leafs star and going on road trips with Virtue.
"She's so sweet and so funny. She has a spunky little personality," Virtue said about Zoë during an interview with Narcity.
"She just wants to be right next to you at all times. She doesn't want to cuddle, she's not affectionate, but she wants to be right next to you at all times. She just brings so much love and joy into the house."
Virtue also revealed that her mom is currently fostering Zoë's brother so the two dogs are getting a chance to spend a lot of time together.
"It's really interesting to see them kind of bond and get to know each other but she's hysterically manipulative. She somehow finds a way to just get herself wedged between my mom's dog and whoever the human is," Virtue said with a laugh.
Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner also has a soft spot when it comes to his best bud Zeus.
If you scroll through the Toronto Maple Leaf player's Instagram you'll see many photos of the chocolate lab happily hanging out with Marner and his wife Stephanie Marner.
Mitch once revealed he even has a "Z" on his hockey equipment for his pup and has been spotted wearing Zeus socks on game days.
Zeus was also there for Mitch on his and Stephanie's wedding day in August, and he even wore his very own tux.
Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews has previously talked about how much he loves his "chill" dog, Felix.
"My dog doesn’t speak or say anything. He just lays there and chills," Matthews said as per The Hockey News.
"I don’t have to talk to anybody. I don’t have to hear from anybody. He’ll love whether you have a good game or bad game."
The hockey player with the Toronto Maple Leafs has shared photos of him and Felix watching football and going for walks on his Instagram.
Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl with the Edmonton Oilers is another proud dog dad to a pup named Bowie.
By the looks of it, Bowie gets a lot of love from the NHL player and gets a birthday post on Draisaitl's account every year.
Bowie also has his own Instagram account if you want to see what he gets up to day to day!
Max Domi
Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Max Domi often shares photos of him with his best friend, Orion, on social media.
Orion is a 10-year-old yellow lab who even has his own Instagram account.
According to the Dallas News, Domi got Orion as a service dog to help him monitor his Type 1 diabetes and the two have been super close ever since.
Thatcher Demko
Thatcher Demko with the Vancouver Canucks makes sure his dog Delilah is present at some of his biggest life moments like when he proposed to his now-wife Lexie and during their wedding day.
The three-year-old Australian Bernedoodle, who has her own Instagram account, has also taken on big sister duties since the Demkos welcomed their son Dawson in August.
Mikael Backlund
Captain of the Calgary Flames Mikael Backlund shares a lot of family photos on his social media and many of them include his pup Dexter.
The 11-year-old dog often gets a birthday shoutout on Backlund's Instagram and is always seen snuggled up with the fam in their adorable group shots.
Elias Lindholm
Whether it's lunch dates or group power naps, Elias Lindholm loves hanging out with his two dogs.
The Calgary Flames star first introduced everyone to Stitch in 2021 and then welcomed Penny to the family in 2022.
Lindholm even showcased his two buds in his and his fiancée's pregnancy announcement in November 2022.
Brock Boeser
Brock Boeser with the Vancouver Canucks has two dogs who are all over his Instagram.
He first introduced Coolie on his Instagram in 2018 and then got Milo in 2020.
It looks like the two pups instantly became inseparable and they have been going on adventures together ever since.
Kyle Connor
Winnipeg Jets star Kyle Connor spent his off-season hanging out with his loved ones and that included boat rides with his dog Samson.
Connor has had the dog since he was a puppy and celebrated Samson's first birthday in May 2022.
Connor Brown
Edmonton Oilers star Connor Brown is another NHLer who loves hanging out with his furry bestie.
Brown often shares pics with his pup Tucker on his Instagram, who he calls his "special man."
The hockey star even dressed Tucker up in a tie for the 2023 Caps Canine Calendar, which supports a puppy and kitten rescue.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
