After watching their team lose both Olympic gold medals to the US, Canadian hockey fans were heartbroken. However, not as heartbroken as the Team Canada hockey stars themselves. Scenes from Milan, Italy were tragic indeed. The team was on the brink of tears after the loss to the American team, so someone decided to soothe their pain, just like you would your average toddler. They gave them plush toys to take home to Canada.
While the teams’ loss was sad, their fans won’t quickly forget the sight of Team Canada’s hockey players at the Winter Olympics as they faced a silver medal for both teams, as something bizarre happened. They were handed a plush toy to get over not getting a gold medal.
Tina the Stoat is one of the official Milan Cortina 2026 Games mascots, and she is making a hilarious twist for both Canada’s hockey teams.
Videos of the moment have been shared on social media, leading to them going viral, while showing almost tearful ice hockey players being coddled with plush toys. Meanwhile, the plush toys represent Tina the Stoat, a member of the weasel family, for their efforts on the ice. Canada’s most elite hockey players weren’t that thrilled to receive them, along with their silver medals.
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Admittedly, the men’s hockey team did accept the plush toys gracefully, but with a touch of confusion and resentment. However, the scene was similar to that of the women’s silver-medal final days before.
The several related Instagram posts of the event have gone viral, attracting many comments. Some are hilarious, while others are more serious, as one fan wrote, “Canada is proud of our victors, for you all have won our hearts! Can we please knock it off with the toys?”
Another wrote, “I hope that once the disappointment settles they realize that their country loves them and is proud of them.”
Clearly these two comments are from Canadians, so let’s have a look at other folks’ responses.
Speaking of the women’s ice hockey team, one Instagram user wrote, “Congratulations, here’s your weasel.”
Another hockey fan described their toys received by the men’s team, writing, “Emotional support plushy,” while another quipped, “They look so sad, I can’t.”
Rather more serious was another comment, “Booing the US made it personal to more people than you can imagine.”
Also on the men’s team’s side, one Instagram user mocked the team, writing, “Hey! Thanks for your participation!” Moreover, one wrote, “When the Olympics give you a dog chew stuffy.”
Another comment reads, “I would laugh so hard if I got handed that damn [sic] Like lemme cry to my teddy,” while another was probably chuckling when they wrote, “Labubu for you. Labubu for you.”
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Everyone should note that it wasn’t just the Team Canadian hockey men and women that received the plushies. One fan pointed to that fact by writing, “You haven’t been paying attention. Every medalist in every sport received one.”
Other fans wrote in a similar vein, “The kids & pets are going to love the stuffy! Much better than flowers.”
For those who wonder what exactly is a stoat, they are small, weasel-like mammals found in North America and parts of Eurasia. The stoat particularly lives in colder spots, like the Italian Alps, and is unusual for one important point. In the spring and summer, a stoat boasts a brown fur coat, while in winter, they turn white to hide against the snow.
As for the Canadian hockey teams, it isn’t that long until the next Winter Olympics are held from Friday, February 1, 2030 to Sunday, February 17, 2030.
