The Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway, and Canucks fans get some time entertaining hockey to watch. However, after a social media playoff hype video, one Ottawa Senator will have to watch the playoffs from a faraway continent.

Ahead of their first home game of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Ottawa Senators released a video on their X announcing that they’ve sent a fan, Kyle Ivan, to Taiwan after his playoff hype video sees his favourite team down 2-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“Hello Sens fans, Kyle Ivan here. As you can see, I am in Asia. This is not AI, I am actually here. I have been sent here by the Ottawa Senators organization because they wanted me as far away from the Canadian Tire Centre as possible for Game 3 tonight.

“As most of you know by now, I have become a bit of an internet celebrity over the past week, and not in a good way. The video that was intended to share my joy and passion for my team has instead backfired and unleashed a firestorm of negativity, turning me into the biggest Sens villain since Chris Kunitz.

“Many of you have blamed me for the goal posts, the crease clears, and the overall bad luck we have faced in the first two games. And upon further reflection, I think you’re right. I’ve realized now what I have done is wrong. It was wrong of me to put out another music video. It was wrong to film in front of the CTC without the team’s blessing. And it was wrong of me to unleash this stream of bad luck on our favourite team.

“Because of this, I will be watching the rest of the series from Taiwan; a punishment that is harsh, but fair. I’m hoping that this will help change the rest of the outcome of the series for the Sens. So from the other side of the world, Go Sens Go.”

After a Cinderella run in the 2017 playoffs that saw the Senators take the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins to double overtime of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Ottawa went on to miss the playoffs for seven straight seasons. That streak was broken last season, when their 45-30-7 record had them finish in the first Wild Card spot and set up a matchup with the Atlantic Division winner, fellow Ontario rival Toronto Maple Leafs, in round one.

Ahead of the Senators’ first playoff in eight years, Ivan dropped a playoff hype video, a version of “Song 2” by Blur. Watch Ivan’s video here.

The Senators went on to lose the first three games against the Maple Leafs. Ottawa had some pushback, winning both Games 4 and 5, but was then eliminated in Game 6.

Fast forward to this season, and the Senators find themselves in a similar situation, where they are in a Wild Card spot and up against one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams in the Carolina Hurricanes.

And now, Ivan was back to his antics, dropping his second playoff hype video in as many years. This time, doing a version of “Without Me” by Eminem.

Watch Ivan’s second video, the one that has him now watching games from Taiwan, here.

And for the second straight season, the Senators find themselves down 2-0 early to the Hurricanes, despite probably deserving a bit better fate in their Game 2 double OT loss with all the missed chances and posts they hit. And before the Senators return home, Ivan will not have the luxury of supporting his team in Ottawa.

Canucks fans will be all too familiar with this type of playoff hype video and how it doesn’t always work in the team’s favour.

We’ll start off with a pair of playoff hype videos leading up to the infamous 2011 Stanley Cup Final run.

“Game Day” is a rendition of “Friday” by Rebecca Black:

A few days later, “Canucks Rule” is a remake of “Forget You!” by Cee-Lo Green, dropped:

Then, once the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, we got “Our Time Is Now”, a spin-off of “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz:

We won’t remind you how that series ended.

Then, after winning their second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy in 2012, we heard a “Canucks Playoff Song”, a rendition of “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye:

A couple of years later (2014), we saw CanucksArmy’s own Daniel Wagner and Pass it to Bulis release, “Holding Out for Bonino”, a remake of “Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler:

And lastly, the one freshest on the mind, the “Hey Casey” video after the Thatcher Demko injury and Casey DeSmith was given the starter’s crease in Game 2 against the Nashville Predators in 2024.

Sorry to bring these videos back to your memories, Canucks fans. But I had fun rewatching all of these old Canucks videos. Hopefully, you all did too.