Young NHL Stars Take a Shot at Gen Z Stereotypes

They snuck a millennial in there, too

Gen Z NHL players are so lazy. They don’t work hard but expect big results right away. They need to break their addiction to screen time and hit the damn ice. Right?

Of course not! Such generational stereotypes are dead wrong. The league’s up-and-comers bust their tails every day to train and compete at the highest level.

Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes, Nick Suzuki, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel set the record straight in Highdive’s new work for the NHL:

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, 37, gets the best line. (With age comes wisdom, after all.)

“People can say what they want about Gen Z, but there’s no denying the skill, speed and creativity of today’s young stars in the NHL,” says league SVP of marketing and branding Casey Hall. “Contrary to stereotypes, they are drawing the admiration and respect of fans and fellow players of every generation. And they’re doing it in their own way—with personality, style and fun.”

Today’s athletes are more media-savvy than ever. They’re on social all the time, repping their teams and the sport.

With that in mind, putting them out front in a high-profile campaign seasoned with social satire earns points for its cross-generational appeal. (Older fans want to see those whippersnappers sweat. And how about getting a haircut!)