A casual round of Winnipeg-bashing by some hockey players has turned into what can only be described as a ~whole thing~.
It all started with this tweet from the NBC Twitter account that covers the San Jose Sharks.
In the video, Sharks players were asked which city is their least favourite to travel to for games. All three had the same answer: good ol' Winnipeg.
"I think it's Winnipeg, because every time it's so cold and dark there. I don't like it there," said Tomas Hertl.
"Winnipeg. Dark. Cold. Hotel is a little questionable," said Justin Braun. "Internet doesn't work ever. I don't know if they have Wi-Fi there yet."
The tweet has since been deleted (we'll get to that in just a sec), but Canadian hockey fans were less than impressed with the assessments.
It's called ICE hockey for a reason, you overpaid wimps @SanJoseSharks ... Love The Peg! Great City! @NHLJets… https://t.co/u8P43ohPXN
People were salty.
The dark and cold keep the riff raff out. Like sharks. https://t.co/VD6XXGGRm6
And it was made even better when the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Sharks 4–1 last Sunday in an act of sweet, sweet karma.
I'm sorry...who won the game today? Don't let the door hit...well...you guys know the rest! Bon Voyage! #GoJetsGo https://t.co/D1WpIccqRE
-2, sunny and we handed you a loss - how do you like us now @NBCSSharks @NHLJets https://t.co/UCLT2AiWRB
(To be clear, -2 is warm for Winnipeg in winter.)
But the salt didn't stop there. Manitoba's premier Brian Pallister called the comments "childish and immature."
"All athletes reveal themselves more after they've lost than they do after they win. These players from San Jose, I'd just tell them, 'Come back soon, and get ready to be pouty again after your next loss.'"
Full quote from Premier Brian Pallister regarding the comments made from San Jose #Sharks players saying that Winni… https://t.co/lCBPgwbi2G
Winnipeg mayor Brian Bowman took to Twitter to prove the Wi-Fi in the city does indeed work.
Clarity for our friends from @SanJoseSharks & @NBCSSharks, this is how wifi works in #Winnipeg. Friendly banter asi… https://t.co/XMRJv2mC2f
Jets head coach Paul Maurice was also displeased and called out NHL players — who get paid millions of bucks to play a game they love — for complaining about anything.
"I don’t think any coach, player, trainer, referee should ever complain about a day in the NHL," he said, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.
"The thread count at your hotel isn’t right or your Frappuccino isn’t frothed right? I don’t even know what a Frappuccino is. My point being we’ve got nothing to complain about; pretty good life, every day. Every city’s a pretty darn good one."
Paul Maurice with straight facts after some San Jose Sharks players said Winnipeg is the worst city to play in 🔥🔥
But the final nail in the coffin for the original tweeted video was the reaction of Doug Wilson, general manager for the Sharks.
“It’s disappointing that our broadcast partner would put our players in that position. First of all, by even asking that question, then putting it on our broadcast,” Wilson told the Mercury News.
"That was a question that was one of 30 that were asked earlier in the year. To me, it was an inappropriate question that should not have been asked. Whether it was an attempt at humour, it was not appropriate.”
While the tweet has now disappeared to wherever regrettable tweets go, it might take longer for the resentment to fade.