Taylor Swift News Sparks Massive Wave of NHL Reactions originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Taylor Swift’s latest album announcement sparked a wave of playful engagement across the NHL on Tuesday, with the league’s official X account and several franchises posting Swift-themed messages on their social accounts.
The pop star revealed “The Life of a Showgirl,” her 12th studio album, at 12:12 a.m. ET on Aug. 12, and the hockey world quickly embraced the “era” references, glitter color schemes and endless number 12 nods.
The NHL shared a photo of Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, on the ice, captioned “A new era is here… .”
Many NHL teams followed suit shortly after the NHL opened the floodgates, tapping into the album’s orange-and-glitter aesthetic and its ties to their players’ uniform numbers and different franchise branding.
Creative Posts Spread Across The League
The Calgary Flames posted Jarome Iginla wearing his No. 12 jersey over an orange glitter frame.
The Ottawa Senators highlighted center Shane Pinto, who wears No. 12, with a nod to the timing of Swift’s announcement at 12:12 on the 12th.
The Carolina Hurricanes shared an actual email from a vice president questioning why they hadn’t yet collaborated with Swift, trying to make the most of a potential partnership with the world-renowned artist.
The Florida Panthers zoomed in on Swift’s necklace in the “New Heights” podcast teaser, noting its resemblance to their Panthère de Cartier pendant and joking about a possible connection with the franchise by way of its nickname.
Other teams leaned into color schemes, with the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues matching their branding to Swift’s theme, same as the Pittsburgh Penguins did by creating a black-and-yellow glitter version of her website’s placeholder.
The Toronto Maple Leafs simply posted a heart emoji alongside a photo of William Nylander, recalling his appearance at one of her concerts last year.
Why Did the NHL Reaction Resonate?
Although there are no direct, current ties between Swift and the NHL, her crossover into hockey pop culture isn’t new.
Swift attended Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers last June, and she has ties to the Nashville Predators from a 2009 commercial.
The NHL’s online response to Swift’s new album reveal simply shows how teams are increasingly blending sports with broader entertainment trends to engage fans, in this case, taking advantage of Swift’s enormous reach.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared.