CELEBRITIES

Justin Bieber grabs spotlight on Alex DeBrincat's team at NHL All-Star Weekend

News staff and wire services
Associated Press
Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, middle, smiles as Justin Bieber celebrates a goal against Team Hughes during the NHL All-Star Game 3-on-3 hockey tournament on Saturday in Toronto.

Toronto — Justin Bieber was one of the big stars of NHL All-Star Weekend, performing at a party he threw early in the week and actually getting on the ice prior to playing on Alex DeBrincat's team during the 3-on-3 tournament Saturday.

Bieber was one of four celebrity captains along with fellow Canadians Michael Bublé, Will Arnett and Tate McRae. He took part in warmups and was mic-ed up for the occasion.

“It’s been a minute — it’s so fun, though,” Bieber said while skating. “This is a dream.”

Bieber took a photo with reigning MVP and skills competition champion Connor McDavid, chatted with Elias Pettersson and even got asked by Sergei Bobrovsky if he was actually playing. That would be a bit too far.

Performer Justin Bieber, center, cheers from the bench as his team, Team Matthews, wins against Team Hughes during the NHL All-Star Game 3-on-3 hockey tournament in Toronto, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

“No, just for warmups,” Bieber said. “Otherwise I’ll get hurt.”

All-Star 3-on-3 MVP Auston Matthews was a fan of having Bieber out there.

“Everybody enjoyed it — he obviously really enjoyed it,” Matthews said. “It was a cool moment for him to get on the ice and snap it around with a couple of the fellas. I think everybody really got a kick out of that, honestly."

More:Thursday's hockey: Wings' Alex DeBrincat, son Archie hit the red carpet at All-Star Game

Matthews' team, which featured Red Wings forward DeBrincat, won the tournament with a 7-4 win over McDavid's team in the final.

DeBrincat had a goal and two assists in the final and he had two goals, one assist and the shootout winner in a 6-5 win over Jack Hughes' team.

Bieber wore a Super Mario Brothers-inspired mushroom coat behind the bench during the game, a nod at Bublé, who said Thursday night after the player draft that he was on mushrooms.

Matthews said players were joking that Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery should put on the coat. It stayed on Bieber instead.

“We were loving it,” Matthews said. “If you’re up pretty high in the stands, there’s no doubt you could pick him out of a crowd pretty easily.”