When you go to an NHL game, chances are you’ll get to see some unusual sights. There’s, of course, the classic example of fights, but if you head to the Bridgestone Arena, you’ll be able to see catfish tossed on the ice or even octopi if you’re at the Little Caesars Arena. But if you go to the American Airlines Center while the Stars are playing the Colorado Avalanche, then you have the chance to witness something a lot more interesting (and hilarious) than seafood being tossed on the ice. Spoiler alert: it’s a Jared Bednar lookalike, and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman appears to have cracked his code.

But first, some context. This whole lookalike business started during last year’s playoff series between the Stars and the Avalanche, where a fan was first spotted behind the Avs bench, sporting a pretty accurate Bednar getup. The fan nailed the fit, donning a wig complete with Bednar’s middle part, along with a pretty similar suit and tie. Now one year later, the fan has made a reappearance, first in game 5 and then in game 7. But this time, what appears to be the same fan has upped his game, sporting an even more similar wig and even a pocket square just like Bednar’s!

As far as doppelgangers go, this one is quite impressive. But the question is—how could he pull it off so accurately? Well, Elliotte Friedman was there to do some sleuthing and answer this burning question during his segment on Sportsnet. “Tonight, first period of game seven, next to the lady in the white sweater is the kid with the great lid, right there, okay? All of a sudden, what do we notice in the second period? The kid is gone; the impersonator is back.”

“It’s clear what’s going on here,” continued Friedman. “He’s cheating. He sees what Bednar is wearing in the first period, and even the pocket square is identical. It’s cheating, but it’s true dedication to the craft. I admire it. Whoever you are, you’re a star. Great stuff.”

The analyst, like a true detective, cracked the code! No ingenuity in figuring out Bednar’s wardrobe for the day, just some good ‘ol cheating. Nonetheless, it’s impressive that the impersonator had enough suits on hand to make sure an accurate cosplay would be possible on the fly. But while Bednar is at the center of this bit of lightheartedness, his future with the Avs, following their first-round exit, seems a bit more murky according to

The Colorado media are unhappy with Jared Bednar

While the Avalanche’s latest playoff stumble left the hockey world buzzing, it also left fans in disappointment and frustration, conjuring up thoughts that wondered, perhaps, what went wrong! Because despite a promising start to Game 7 against the Stars, the Avs blew a 2–0 third-period lead. But after the postmortem was conducted, Jared Bednar appeared to be one of the problems.

In a column by Sean Keeler of the Denver Post, he suggested that it was time to thank Bednar for his services and part ways. With Nathan MacKinnon in his prime, the view was that the Avalanche should be doing more to cash in on it. And one proposed replacement was Denver University Pioneers head coach David Carle! “I don’t know. Make better adjustments. We had looks. Not going in. Yeah. Bad adjustments,” MacKinnon voiced his frustration after the game. Well, a subsection of Avs fans will sure be hoping Stan Kroenke makes some adjustments himself in the coaching department.

Similarly, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Gazette also advocated for a coaching change, with Carle once again being touted as Bednar’s replacement. After 2 straight years of being knocked out by the Stars in game 7, it’s not surprising that these questions are being asked. Especially with the Avalanche lacking a first-round pick until 2027 and core stars like MacKinnon not getting any younger, the stakes might be higher this time.