It’s not often the captain of the Toronto gets to share the screen with a famous film and TV actor.
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Auston Matthews is a big Jon Hamm fan, but was caught by surprise when the actor appeared in widely viewed Team USA Olympic hockey TV ad running on NBC and its affiliates.
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The TV and movie star (Mad Men, Fargo, The Town) is portrayed surprising the U.S. players in their locker room with a guest speech before heading to the Winter Games in Milan.
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“We didn’t actually know who was going to be the guy in the commercial, so it was pretty cool to see him pop in there,” captain Matthews said after Wednesday’s Leafs practice.
Matthews indicated most of the shoot with the players came before Hamm was edited in, likely filmed during Team USA’s summer orientation camp.
Hamm appears confused when the players insist their biggest wish for the Olympics is to “bring back Canadian tears” (according to Vegas forward Jack Eichel), while a highlight of a fight is played, a poke on their rivalry from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
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When Hamm tries to say Canadians are usually polite, Matthews responds with an emphatic “no,” atop more scrum footage.
After Hamm begs “can’t we just hug it out?” wth Canada, the whole dressing room erupts in laughter.
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“I’ve met Jon a few times,” Matthews said. “At an all-star game in St. Louis (Hamm’s hometown, where he’s a big Blues supporter) and at one of our games here a few years ago.
“He’s a big hockey fan, an American, and I’m a big fan of some of his work as well. He’s a great actor and it’s cool to meet people from different walks of life.
“I think the rivalry is huge since last February. Fans want to see best-on-best (again).”
X: @sunhornby
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