Story Summary
NHL players and clubs marked Hockey Halloween 2026 with a mix of film-inspired costumes, team parties and community visits. San Jose Sharks teammates Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith returned to the duo-costume idea for a second year, dressing as Goose and Maverick from Top Gun.
Boston Bruins forward JJ Peterka arrived at his team’s Halloween party as King Julian from Madagascar, while Pittsburgh Penguins teammates Blake Lizotte and Erik Karlsson joined their wives in Despicable Me and Austin Powers-themed outfits. Across the league, the occasion also created space for players and clubs to spend time with children and hospital patients.
Key Facts
- San Jose Sharks teammates Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith dressed as Goose and Maverick from Top Gun for their second straight duo costume.
- Boston Bruins forward JJ Peterka attended his team’s Halloween party dressed as King Julian from Madagascar.
- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Blake Lizotte and his wife Abigail dressed as Gru and Vector from Despicable Me.
- Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson and his wife Melinda wore Austin Powers and Fembot costumes.
- Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg wore a Benchwarmers costume at the team’s Halloween party.
- Connor McDavid and the Draisaitls dressed in KFC and Home Alone-themed costumes.
- Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley and his partner Natalie included their rabbit Tito in a Lorax costume.
- Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood dressed as the Beast alongside his wife as Beauty, while Parker Kelly dressed as Brent Burns.
- Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Ryan McDonagh and captain Victor Hedman visited Muma Children’s Hospital in Superman and pilot costumes.
- New York Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer joined Matt Martin and two of Martin’s children in matching Sesame Street costumes.
- The St. Louis Blues hosted their annual locker-room trick-or-treat for patients from St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
IHM Discussion
Halloween content is often a light break from the season’s usual rhythm, but this year’s collection showed the different ways an NHL club can take part. Celebrini and Smith turned a repeat idea into a recognisable partnership, while Peterka, Samberg and others leaned into the dressing-room side of the occasion.
The strongest moments extended beyond costumes. McDonagh and Hedman’s visit to Muma Children’s Hospital, and the Blues’ locker-room event for patients from St. Louis Children’s Hospital, placed players directly alongside young people during a busy part of the hockey calendar. Those visits gave Hockey Halloween a community dimension as well as a chance for teams to show their personalities.
Why It Matters
The NHL season is built around games, travel and results, leaving limited public visibility for the informal relationships around a team. Events such as Halloween offer a small window into that side of the sport, whether through teammates coordinating costumes, families joining in or clubs opening their facilities to children.
For hospital patients, the value is more immediate. A costume visit does not alter the standings, but it can create a memorable day and make professional players feel accessible to people who may only usually see them on the ice.
Mini Q&A
Which Sharks players dressed as Goose and Maverick?
Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith dressed as Goose and Maverick from Top Gun for the second consecutive year.
Which NHL teams held Halloween events with hospital patients?
The Tampa Bay Lightning visited Muma Children’s Hospital, while the St. Louis Blues hosted patients from St. Louis Children’s Hospital for locker-room trick-or-treating.
What costume did JJ Peterka wear?
Boston Bruins forward JJ Peterka dressed as King Julian from Madagascar.
Coach Mark Comment
The Top Gun costumes work because Celebrini and Smith chose to do them together for a second year. It is a small detail, but it has more life than a player simply arriving in an elaborate outfit on his own.
There is also a good balance in this collection. Some players had a laugh at a party, while McDonagh and Hedman took their costumes into a children’s hospital and the Blues welcomed hospital patients into their locker room. Hockey can be very serious for long stretches of a season; a day like this lets the people around the game see a lighter, generous side of it.
IHM Final View
Hockey Halloween 2026 produced plenty of inventive costumes, from Celebrini and Smith’s Top Gun pairing to Schaefer and the Martins’ Sesame Street theme. More importantly, the hospital visits by the Lightning and Blues ensured that the occasion reached beyond the dressing room.