Paul Bissonnette is not your typical ex-NHL player who transcended his career to superstardom, but he has made quite the name for himself after stepping off the ice. Recently, he found himself at the center of controversy after Fox News inaccurately referred to him as an "ex-Team Canada star" following some light-hearted commentary he made about the highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off game against the United States.
Previously, Bissonnette had briefly skated with the Pittsburgh Penguins starting his NHL career, playing 15 games before moving to the Phoenix Coyotes, where he wrapped up his professional playing days. During his six years in the NHL, Bissonnette participated in just 202 games, during which he notched 7 goals and 15 assists, amassing 340 penalty minutes. While he did fulfill some aspirations by representing the Canadian junior team, his impactful presence was never quite felt at the highest levels of international hockey.
The Twitter storm erupted as Fox News shared one of his remarks about the potential ramifications if Canada were to lose. Bissonnette humorously declared on the Pardon My Take podcast, "There will be a ‘national emergency’ if Canada loses to the Americans." The intent behind his joke was playful, tapping tightly on the spirit of sports rivalry, but Fox News took this seriously, posting their tweet with the mention of his supposed stardom.
Within moments, backlash flooded social media, pointing out the gap between Bissonnette's career accomplishments and the misleading title Fox had bestowed upon him. Former co-host of the podcast Ryan Whitney waded in with his own jab, tweeting, "Team Canada star 😂😂😂," emphasizing the absurdity of labeling Bissonnette as anything close to the star label.
The laughter did not stop there; fans and fellow commentators quickly joined the roast, reminding everyone about Bissonnette's limited international playtime. Indeed, Bissonnette played just once for Team Canada at the U-18 World Championships, where he could only claim one point over seven games—a stark illustration of the reach of his hockey achievements against the bravado of being referred to as "star."
To escalate the hilarity, Fox News’s tweet generated additional commentary via the ‘community note’ response system. This feature highlighted the truth, stating, "Bissonnette may have played for Team Canada as a teenager... he was far from a star then and could be considered the pinnacle of his career." The mention of his limited international exposure not only clarified the mislabeling but also provided the needed comic relief for Bissonnette’s followers.
Taking it all with stride and humor, Bissonnette took to Twitter to comment on the antics surrounding his name. "The love of my life is pregnant with another man’s child and I’m getting buried by community notes under fake fox news tweets. None of this matters if Canada wins the #4Nations tonight!" he jokingly remarked, showing he could find humor even amid mischaracterization and faux pas.
After the uproar settled, Bissonnette decided to leverage the moment. "I just took down your biggest 🇺🇸 news outlet. Now your hockey team is next," he tweeted again prior to the match, taking shots at not only the American media but also the competitive spirit leading up to the game. His bond with Canadian fans has strengthened as the rivalry ignites enthusiasm for the upcoming championship showdown.
This blend of miscommunication and light-hearted banter has stirred conversation heading to the 4 Nations setup. Social media is ripe with anticipation as fans of both countries eagerly watch to see who will emerge victorious. Canada and the United States have developed quite the on-ice rivalry adorned with verbal exchanges and competitive banter, setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling face-off.
Overall, the incident serves as both entertainment and reminder about the narratives we create around sports figures—often stretching the truth far beyond the reality of their achievements. But for Bissonnette, it’s par for the course as he continues to grow within the media space, blending hockey commentary with genuine humor.