Connor McDavid has shared a lighter side of his life away from the rink after a strange fear became public.
The Edmonton Oilers captain recently addressed his long-running phobia of ketchup. The story first surfaced through his wife, Lauren Kyle.
Kyle revealed the detail during her appearance on the Never Offside with Julie and Cat podcast. She said McDavid has never tasted ketchup and avoids it completely.
“He’s never even tried it, to be honest,” Kyle said. “If I’m having it with a meal, I have to get it from the fridge; he will not put it back in the fridge or touch the bottle. It has to be at the other end… He does think it’s funny, but he’s still afraid of ketchup; he just won’t have it.”
McDavid has finally spoken about the topic on Sportsnet After Hours. He explained the fear dates back to childhood, saying that his brother, Cameron, shares the same issue and may be the reason.
“Honestly, you know, it stems from childhood,” McDavid said. “My brother’s the same way. Not sure where it came from. I’m gonna blame it on him. He’s worse than I am. Yeah. I learned off him, so take it up with him.”
Connor McDavid explains his 'Ketchup-Phobia' on After Hours 😂
📹: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/gxZCu7DVfE— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) December 28, 2025
McDavid admitted it fits the definition of a phobia.
“I don’t know what it is,” McDavid said. “The texture, it’s the look of it, it’s everything – Yeah, I think it’s a phobia, yeah.”
Off the ice, McDavid and Lauren Kyle were engaged in June 2023 at Lake Muskoka in Ontario. The couple married on July 27, 2024, during a private ceremony.
On the ice, McDavid remains dominant for the Oilers this season. He leads the NHL with 69 points in 40 games. McDavid has posted 24 goals and 45 assists. His play drives the league’s top power play.
Meanwhile, the Oilers (20-14-6) sit first in the Pacific Division with help from Leon Draisaitl.
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