They were the two best friends that anyone could have. And then the playoffs started.
One of the biggest storylines going into the second-round series between the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers is the head-to-head comparison of Mika Zibanejad and Derick Brassard, who were traded straight-up in a player-for-player deal in July and have stepped up in big ways for their new teams this post-season.
But there’s another—more light-hearted—storyline here: the friendship between Brassard and Rangers leading scorer Mats Zuccarello.
The two became close friends in 2013, when Brassard first joined the Rangers.
A quick scroll through each NHLer’s Instagram, and you’ll see dozens of photos of the duo hanging out together, several including the hashtag #werethetwobestfriendsthatanyonecouldhave.
From road trips…
…to poolside vacations…
…and even personalized Christmas sweaters…
…the NHL BFFs have clearly shared some great memories (and plenty of hockey hugs) during their time as teammates.
Consider that friendship over (for the next two weeks) as Brassard’s Senators and Zuccarello’s Rangers get ready for Thursday’s Game 1.
When asked by reporters about Brassard, Zuccarello responded with a clever, “Who? I don’t know him.”
Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault set the no-friend zone when asked about his players’ friendship with Brassard on Tuesday:
“Definitely gonna tell all of my players that Brass for the next two weeks is not their friend anymore,” he told reporters. “There will be no little tapping of the butt as we go by on the ice. Brass has been a very good player and we’re gonna have to play him hard, we’re gonna have to play him smart. They can get together after the series.”
The series starts Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on CBC. Read our preview here.
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