The 10 most awkward 2016 NHL Draft rookie photos (Gallery)
BUFFALO, NY – One of our favorite moments of the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo was when the Philadelphia Flyers announced they were taking “Daniel Bernhardt” when they meant “David Bernhardt” and then someone at their draft table said “my bad” afterwards.
Because “awkward” is a mandatory part of the draft experience. Especially when it comes to the posed rookie photos they make these poor kids take.
We covered this bizarre ritual in 2011 and 2012 and 2013 and 2014 and 2015. Alas, over time, the NHL and its photo editors have sucked much of the fun out of the posed images. But the rookies are still working hard to make up the difference.
Here are the 10 (or so) Most Awkward 2016 NHL Draft Rookie Photos, continuing our annual tradition:
10. Artur Kayumov (No. 50, Chicago Blackhawks)
That moment when you realize your team just drafted Jason Schwartzman from RUSHMORE.
9. Rasmus Asplund (No. 33, Buffalo Sabres)
“MAY I INTEREST YOU IN THIS STICK? IT IS MADE OF ONLY THE HIGHEST QUALITY MICRO-FIBERS. NAME YOUR PRICE, SIR, BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT MONEY SHOULD BE NO OBJECT WHEN IT COMES TO A PIECE OF THIS EXQUISITE NATURE.”
8. Jakob Chychrun (No. 16, Arizona Coyotes)
GM John Chayka looks on in horror as his first-round selection, David Beckham by way of David Bowie, accidentally stuck a secondary pair of tiny mutant dinosaur arms through his jersey sleeves.
7. Luke Green (No. 79, Winnepeg Jets)
“Hey man, great smile, love the enthusiasm!
“By the way, has it sunk in yet that you’ll potentially be spending most of your adult life in Winnipeg?”
“I see that it just did.”
6. Colton Point (No. 128, Dallas Stars)
[An excerpt from a 2002 photo shoot by the short-lived boy band D*STARZ. Fans were always divided on whether he was the JC Chasez or the Chris Kirkpatrick.]
5. Kale Clague (No. 51, Los Angeles Kings)
“Hey Kale, this was great. We’re all set, so we’ll just take that stick off your hands and…”
“Mine.”
“Sorry?”
“Mine.”
“Um, Kale, it’s just a prop and we need it for”
“Mine.”
4. Brett Howden (No. 27, Tampa Bay Lightning)
“HA HA HA HA HA HA HA just wanted to let you know that Christian Bale is my Batman.”
“HA HA HA HA HA HA HA I’m totally moving you to wing whether you like it or not.”
3. Auston Matthews (No. 1, Toronto Maple Leafs) and Patrik Laine (No. 2, Winnipeg Jets)
Another great example of the “just went first overall” smile vs. the “totally thinks he should have gone first overall” smile.
See also:
2. Mikhail Sergachev (No. 9, Montreal Canadiens)
Taken moments after Mikhail Force-pushed Marc Bergevin off the NHL Draft stage, revealing himself as a Sith.
1. Jesse Puljujarvi (No. 4, Edmonton Oilers)
Huh, sorta weird they decided to use a Snapchat filter for this photo only.
Wait, what? Oh…
BONUS: Gary Bettman (No. 1, Our Hearts)
We’ll go ahead and let you add your own caption in the comments, but this is perhaps our new favorite photo of the Commish. If only because it looks like one of those deals where his arms are behind his back and Bill Daly is behind him pretending to be Bettman’s arms. Literally the guy behind the guy.
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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