This town ain’t big enough for both of us.
Prior to the Portland Winterhawks final regular season game last Friday, orchestrated by Calgary, Alberta’s Taylor Gauthier and Texas native Cross Hanas, five players walked into the Veterans Memorial Coliseum wearing cowboy hats.
Gauthier, Hanas, and overage defenseman Clay Hanus collaborated on an idea they’ve been working on executing since shortly after Gauthier arrived in the Rose City.
With 19 year olds Kurtis Smythe and Robbie Fromm-Delorme joining them, the five visited a local country-western store in Portland. The plan, purchase cowboy hats and make a grand entrance.
All five were then photographed by team photographer Matthew Wolfe as they arrived at the rink to play one last regular season game.
Happening next door at the Moda Center was a concert by Country Music Association’s 2020 Entertainer of the Year Eric Church.
Mike Johnston, Senior vice president, general manager, and head coach for the Winterhawks, did not know what his players were up to.
He asked his associate coach Don Hay if he had any idea what was going on and why the guys in the locker room were so excited?
“Don told me, ‘Hey, Eric Church is next door so the guys all wore cowboy hats tonight.’ That group of them are country and western fans so I thought that’s where it ended,” Johnston said with a laugh.
It turned out, the group was only getting started and the Eric Church concert was just a coincidence.
Earlier in the season, Gauthier mentioned how his favorite cowboy hat is always left in his truck in the parking lot but hoped one day he could wear it on the ice for the three stars ceremony. He often even asked to have a country-themed night.
So after an exciting Game 68 and a 5-1 victory over the rival Everett Silvertips, Gauthier put his plan into motion.
The Winterhawks made each of the three overagers a star for the game so the crowd could give one final regular-season salute to the 20 year olds.
Gauthier emerged from the tunnel with a cowboy hat atop his head.
“I thought we put on a good show for everyone and we played well during the game. We finally buttoned down a time to wear them. It was just fun to do, fun to include my teammates, and it was fun to get the fans involved with them too. Overall, it was a great night for my last regular season game,” he said.
Gauthier was enjoying how engaged the fans were when they saw him in a cowboy hat, so much so he chucked his hat 10-15 rows into the stands.
“As soon as I threw my hat I realized I would now have to go buy a new one, whoops,” Gauthier said with a laugh. “I love getting the fans excited though. Hockey is an entertaining business and I like entertaining. It is fun, supposed to be fun, so whatever gets the crowd going, I’m happy to eat it all up.”
When Johnston learned the hats weren’t related to the Eric Church concert, he laughed, smiled, and said, “I guess those guys must have planned it before the game and gotten together as a group. Having guys bond this closely, this late in the year, is something that gets you excited about as a coach.”
Not everyone wearing a hat was as thrilled however.
Overage forward Jaydon Dureau wanted his name atop the list.
“Nope, I’m not part of that. That is not up my alley. I’m more of a skater boy and a city boy,” Dureau said while laughing and smiling ear to ear. “They came to the rink wearing them and after the game in the tunnel Gauthier said, ‘Get the cowboy hats for 3 stars!’ I laughed and wanted to play along so I said, ‘Bring me one and I’ll wear it.’ Next thing I know I’m wearing a cowboy hat on my head skating back onto the ice. Okay… cool…”
Everyone in the tunnel postgame could tell Dureau was having fun and was joking around despite his answers.
Dureau however did not throw his hat like Gauthier did before him.
“It wasn’t my hat to throw, so probably a good thing I didn’t,” he said. “I was more than happy to give it back!”
Jack O’Brien rolled his eyes and laughed when asked about the cowboy hats. His opinion reflects Dureau’s but is glad the team is bonding in a fun, harmless way.
“We’ve got some country fans on our team, I don’t really know. Those guys looked cool, but I’m not so sure about all this, but I do like it for them though,” he said.
With the Prince George Cougars coming to town for Games 1 and 2 starting on Friday, Gauthier, Hanas, and Hanus are working with the Winterhawks organization about the possibility of having this become a “Portland Playoff Theme” as they’ve seen other hockey teams adopt a theme for a playoff run.
The local store just might be getting a few more cowboy hat sales if Gauthier gets his way.
Regardless, there is about to be a “(Hockey)fight at the O.K. Corral” as playoff hockey returns to Portland.
Sheriffs Gauthier, Hanas, Hanus, Fromm-Delorme, and Smythe are ready to protect the Winterhawks home ice advantage.
