MONTREAL – Hockey and country go together like two peas in a pod, like ice cream on a hot summer’s day, like peanut butter and jelly, like… okay, you get the point.
Something would be fundamentally wrong if you didn’t hear country music blaring in the Canadiens locker room (or any NHL dressing room for that matter) while the guys get ready to hit the ice.
But their love for the genre goes beyond the melodies themselves.
While some hockey players prefer to play it safe when it comes to their personal attire, other NHLers are willing to be a little more daring with their looks.
In many ways, Carey Price stood out whenever he let his inner cowboy shine. No one comes close to rivaling the Crease Cowboy’s western swag when he swapped his goalie mask for a custom Stetson.
When it comes to sartorial selection, Michael Pezzetta is also more than willing to let his cowboy flag fly. The Italian King will occasionally exchange his figurative crown for a cowboy hat, adding some western flair to his chic suit game.
His fondness for western wear goes back to his days with the Laval Rocket.
“A few years ago, we had a trip in Calgary with the team during COVID, and I thought it was a good idea to pick up a hat and some boots, and it kind of became a thing,” he recalled.
Turns out it gave the Canadiens’ affiliate a stroke of luck.
“The boys went on a two-week heater where we won eight games in a row, or something like that,” he continued. “Everybody was rocking cowboy hats and stuff and that kind of started my interest on the apparel side of things.”
To say that it’s just a general interest for him now would be an understatement. Pezzetta purchased his 10th (!) hat during the team’s trip to Nashville in March.
