Air Canada Pilot Shares a Special Message with Maple Leafs Fans Upon Landing in Toronto

With the current collaboration taking place in Italy between the NHL, Serie A, and the NHLPA, plenty of notable players and personalities are representing the league abroad.

William Nylander, Nico Hischier, and a host of media members are among those who made the trip, highlighting the NHL's growing effort to expand its cultural reach.

The tour is designed to bridge the gap between sporting cultures ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where NHL players will return to Olympic competition for the first time since 2014. It's a significant moment for hockey, and Italy is trying to ramp up the hype as best they can.

To celebrate, several European-born NHL players attended the Serie A season opener, meeting local football stars, trading jerseys, and sharing in the atmosphere of Italian football. The images of NHLers mingling with Serie A players captured exactly what the league is hoping for: connection and excitement across different sports communities.

On the return trip to Toronto, though, an unexpected highlight emerged. Eliotte Friedman shared that as the Air Canada flight wrapped up, the pilot made a lighthearted announcement acknowledging the sheer number of people traveling home from Milan in support of the NHL.

It was obvious the crew had hockey on their minds and probably the Maple Leafs, too. Sportsnet's own Colby Armstrong couldn't help but crack up at the unusual comment from the pilot, sharing a hilarious reaction online, poking fun at Maple Leafs super fan Paul Bissonnette.

With Toronto serving as the hub of hockey's largest fan base, it wasn't surprising, but it was still memorable. For Leafs fans, the moment could even be taken as a good omen heading into one of the most pivotal seasons in recent memory.