Travis Boyd played his first NHL game of the season on Saturday after getting the call-up from the AHL. However, his preparations for the game were far from ideal, and fans were baffled by the viral video showing what really happened just before the game started.
After several years with the Arizona Coyotes, Boyd signed with the Minnesota Wild before the 2024-25 season. He spent the entire autumn with the Iowa Wild in the AHL, but this weekend, he was called up to play for Minnesota in their NHL game against the Calgary Flames.
Boyd flew to Calgary on Saturday, but his flight was delayed due to a snowstorm, leaving him scrambling to get to the arena. The snowstorm also caused heavy traffic, as many fans were making their way to the Saddledome to watch the game.
Travis Boyd forced to run to the game
With time ticking, Boyd found himself stuck in traffic and made an unconventional decision. Wild insider Michael Russo shared the story of Boyd’s chaotic trip, revealing that he had to walk and run to the arena to make his Minnesota Wild debut.
“Minnesota native Travis Boyd will never forget his Wild debut,” Russo wrote.
“Got into the arena at 1:05 for 1:28 warmups. Landed at noon, and because of the snowstorm and fan traffic to the Saddledome, Boyd and team services manager Dom Hennig jumped out of the car and ran the last few blocks to the arena.”
Video of Boyd running goes viral
Despite the chaos, Boyd called the experience a “childhood dream.”
“Dom was carrying my sticks for me. I was running through the snowy stuff in a suit and dress shoes with a bag on my back. It’s funny looking back on it now. It’s childhood dream stuff,” Boyd told Russo.
At first, some may have thought the story was exaggerated. However, in a city full of hockey fans like Calgary, it wasn’t surprising that one of them captured the moment. A fan posted a video in response to Russo’s social media post, showing Boyd and Dom Hennig running through the snowy streets to the arena.
The video not only confirmed Russo’s story but made it even better. Boyd’s determination to make it in time for his Wild debut is easy to understand—and it’s impossible not to respect it. What a story!
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