Mikayla Demaiter, a Canadian model and social media personality with more than three million Instagram followers, grew up in Chatham, Ontario, where hockey was as much a part of daily life as the changing seasons.
A Player’s Perspective on a Modern Rivalry
Before she stepped onto the runway, Demaiter guarded the net for the Bluewater Hawks in the Provincial Women's Hockey League, a stint that ended when a knee injury forced her to retire at just 19.
Now she watches the 2026 Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights with a fan’s eye and a player’s insight, noting that the series has featured three tightly contested games and dramatic comebacks.
Her support for the Hurricanes is rooted in a personal connection to their net‑minder Frederik Andersen, who spent five seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining Carolina, a relationship that resonates with Demaiter’s own hockey background.
At the same time, she has voiced disappointment with the Vegas Golden Knights’ treatment of Marc‑Andre Fleury, a move she sees as a disservice to a veteran who helped shape the franchise’s early identity.
The intensity of the matchup, she says, reflects the broader evolution of the sport, where former teammates now find themselves on opposite sides of a high‑stakes rivalry, and where personal histories color every save and goal.