CANMORE – The Canmore Eagles have gone Hollywood.
Top Gun: Maverick actor Jon Hamm was flying with the Eagles on Friday night (Oct. 28) when the die-hard hockey fan surprised the Alberta Junior A Hockey League club in its locker room following a big win in the mountain town west of Calgary.
“We had no idea he was in the building,” said Eagles forward Kayden Smith. “Usually we sing a little song after we win and our door was closed and he came in and we all just kind of got up and didn’t really know what to say.”
It was a “crazy moment” when the movie star shook hands with the stunned team, snapped photos, and congratulated them on the 5-3 victory against the Calgary Canucks at the Alex Kaleta Arena.
For scoring a hat trick, player of the game Smith would normally have been showered with caps being flung on the ice, but the sniper received a special, hand-delivered gift from the Hollywood lead.
“He gave me his hat and signed it for me and everything,” said Smith, 20.
Into the danger zone @Ksmith1717
— Canmore Eagles (@canmoreeagles) October 29, 2022
🚀🚀🚀@spittinchiclets pic.twitter.com/djlfa8XnyT
The American actor is in Alberta filming season five of Fargo, which takes place in the same universe as the 1996 crime/drama movie.
From St. Louis, Hamm donned a Blues scarf at Friday’s game and went unnoticed in the crowd until making a grand appearance post-game.
Hamm also cheered on a pair of Missouri boys and Eagles, forward Tyler Loughman and defenceman Luke Chase. Hamm and Chase’s family know each other – former Blues winger Kelly Chase is the Eagles blueliner’s father.
Some of Hamm’s biggest acting credits are in Top Gun: Maverick, Mad Men, Minions, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Season five of Fargo is expected to be released next year.
Like Hamm, stars from previous seasons of the hit series have been known to visit the Bow Valley while filming in Alberta such as Kirsten Dunst spending an evening at Banff nightclub Wild Bill’s (now Melissa’s Missteak).
