Hockey fans were treated to a surprise when Justin Bieber dropped by the 2026 NHL Draft to help announce the first pick at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York on Friday, June 26.
Bieber, 32, is an avid hockey fan and a lifelong supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had the No. 1 pick. As expected, Justin announced Toronto’s selection of Penn State’s Gavin McKenna to get draft night started.
“What an incredible night,” Bieber said from the draft floor. “The child in me is ecstatic right now. I’ve been a Leafs fan since I was just a little boy. These nights are so special. I’m so grateful to be here.”
Maple Leafs fans should be no stranger to Bieber showing up during big moments. He and his wife, Hailey, 29, memorably sat behind the Toronto bench for Game 7 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals, with his outfit and behavior drawing the ire of former Maple Leafs defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo.
“Who actually thought this was a good idea?” Colaiacovo, 43, wrote via X at the time, sharing a GIF of Justin, wearing sunglasses, a white hat, and a red and pink zip-up.
Justin, for his part, didn’t seem to care that some may have been distracted by his outfit or his dancing to the arena music. He shared a selfie from the game via Instagram, which he captioned, “I’m a slut for these boys.”
That game came just days after he notably skipped the Met Gala, sending Hailey solo, so he could watch Game 1 of the series.
After Game 7, a 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, Justin reflected on the season and reaffirmed his fandom.
“I don’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t been obsessed with the leafsssss,” he wrote in another Instagram post. “This year we made it farther than we have in so long and im happy about that.”
He added, “I can be patient cuz I know this is the team to do it.”
While Justin waits for Toronto to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967, he seems to be imparting his fandom on his son, Jack. Last June, he shared dozens of photos of Jack, now 22 months, via Instagram, some of which showing the toddler wearing an Auston Matthews jersey.
The Maple Leafs finished the 2025-26 season with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 32-36-14. They did, however, win the draft lottery to guarantee them the top pick on Friday night, despite having only the fifth-best odds to do so.
