Sergei Bobrovsky draws backlash and labeled a bad teammate over what he did to Gavin McKenna
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sergei Bobrovsky skated out ahead of Gavin McKenna's rookie lap in the Maple Leafs opener, and fans are split on whether it was routine or a bad look.
Gavin McKenna was supposed to have the ice to himself Tuesday night in Toronto.
The 18-year-old first overall pick was set to take his rookie lap before his NHL debut, a tradition where teammates hang back and the building gets a private moment with the kid.
Then Sergei Bobrovsky got out there first.
The clip took off after Sportsnet shared it.
Bobrovsky is known for needing to be the first player on the ice, and he was making his own Maple Leafs debut after signing a three-year deal on July 1.
He skated straight to the bench, but plenty of fans felt the moment was already gone.
Fans did not hold back
The reaction got heated fast. One popular take said it looks awful if it was intentional, but that it is forgivable if he was simply locked in and forgot about the lap.
Either way, the point was that the kid deserved a minute alone.
Others skipped the nuance completely and called him a bad teammate.
Routine or oversight
Goalies are creatures of habit, and Bobrovsky has spent years being the first one on the ice for practices and morning skates.
New team, new building, same habit.
It is also fair to say a veteran should know when a teammate is about to have a once in a lifetime moment.
The game itself did not help the mood.
Montreal won 3-2, McKenna finished without a point and a minus-2 in 15:19, and Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots in his first game as a Leaf.
McKenna and Toronto are back at it Wednesday against the Islanders, so the conversation may fade quickly if the wins start showing up.
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