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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A man-on-the-street interview at the NHL draft in Nashville went viral when the man turned out to be Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, unbeknownst to the film crew that thought he was a random fan.
Davidson was already going to have a memorable week in Nashville, as the Blackhawks drafted phenom Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. But before that happened, he created an instant sensation in the hockey world by toying with the Penalty Box Radio podcast, which covers the Nashville Predators.
Davidson was out for an early stroll in downtown Nashville with associate general manager Jeff Greenberg, wearing a T-shirt and a backward hat.
“I was just walking down Broadway. It was pretty early in the morning, so it wasn’t busy at all. Just out for a walk, trying to get out of the hotel, get out of those four walls that we’ve been kind of cooped up in for the last couple days,” he said.
The podcast film crew asked him for an interview, mistaking him for a fan. At first, Davidson declined. But then he mentioned to Greenberg that it would be quite funny if he accepted.
“They have no clue who we are, what we do,” Davidson recalled saying. “You know what? I’m going back.”
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Davidson had to wait for two actual Blackhawks fans to finish their interviews — one wearing a Patrick Kane jersey and the other wearing a Brandon Saad sweater.
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“They didn’t recognize me either,” Davidson said. “It was probably the backwards hat and freshly shaved face. I don’t know, I looked a little younger.”
Davidson introduced himself as “Kyle from Chicago,” who had visited Nashville before to attend a Blackhawks game.
The interviewer asked him how much he knew about hockey on a scale of 1 to 10. “I didn’t play professionally or anything, so I would say about a 4,” Davidson said. “I don’t know, some people say I don’t know that much.”
He was challenged to name as many hockey players as he could in 20 seconds. He named 18, most from the 2013 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks and a few from the current roster. “That was the most nervous I was when I got the question,” he said. “If this comes out that they realize what I do and I stumble and can’t name players, I’m in big trouble. So the pressure’s on.”
As the interview continued, Penalty Box Radio asked Davidson if the NHL rigged the draft lottery so the Blackhawks could pick first overall.
“No,” he said, before breaking the fourth wall and looking straight into the camera. “I’m very confident.”
After the recording was done, Davidson told the interviewer he was actually the general manager of the Blackhawks.
“I think he just gave me like a sideways look — ‘whatever, buddy.’ So they probably just looked me up afterwards and realized it was me. I wasn’t lying,” he said.
