U.S. hockey star Brianna Decker takes new-found celebrity in stride
CBC Sports | Posted: January 28, 2019 7:47 PM | Last Updated: January 29, 2019
American became overnight sensation at NHL’s skills competition
The 2019 NHL all-star weekend was a whirlwind for Americans Brianna Decker, Kendall Coyne Schofield and the entire community of women's hockey.
Decker, who spoke to CBC's Anson Henry via FaceTime on Monday, reflected on her performance at the annual skills competition, where both Decker and Coyne Schofield stole the show.
WATCH | Brianna Decker on her new fame:
The highlight of the entire weekend occurred during the passing challenge. While Decker wasn't officially timed by the NHL in the Premier Passer event, Decker was initially thought to have been clocked at one minute six seconds by fans on social media — about three seconds faster than eventual winner Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers.
Later, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL went back to check Decker's time and found that it was "around 1:12-13."
Regardless of the stopwatch, the performance of Decker stood out against other competitors, like Sharks defenceman Eric Karlsson, who competed after Decker.
"I think Karlsson went after me, and Kendall said, 'Hey, I think your time would've been faster than him,'" Decker told CBC Sports. "We knew we weren't being timed, and that Kendall was, but we were there to promote and build our sport."
WATCH | Leon Draisaitl competes in the passing challenge:
Draisaitl, along with other winners of the night's events, earned $25,000 for finishing in top spot. The prize money for the men's competitors got social media buzzing and after a social media outcry, hockey equipment manufacturer CCM, which also sponsors Decker, offered to pay the American skater an equal $25,000 for her performance. The NHL commissioner Gary Bettman then commemorated the efforts of Decker, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Canadians Rebecca Johnston and Renata Fast by pledging to donate $25,000 to each of the charities of their choice.
"They [CCM] reached out and I said, 'No, no, you don't have to do that. It was flattering, but [the money] was never our intention.'"
On Sunday, Adidas announced a multi-year partnership with Decker, Coyne, along Johnston and Fast.
Of course, Decker wasn't the only one who impressed during the skills competition. Coyne Schofield became the first woman ever to compete in the NHL's skills competition. Filling in for Avalanche star Nathan Mackinnon, she raced around the rink in a time competitive with the top skaters in the men's game in another barrier-breaking moment for women's hockey.
Coyne Schofield zoomed to a time of 14.346 seconds, finishing within a second of winner Connor McDavid.
WATCH | Kendall Coyne Schofield steals the show in the fastest skater comp:
In recounting her experience this past weekend, Decker estimated that her Instagram followers grew by 4,000 and her Twitter account added about the same.