Celine Dion made a shock look to announce who the Montreal Canadiens chosen with the fifth total choose within the 2024 NHL draft on Friday.
The five-time Grammy winner — who has been battling stiff-person syndrome, or SPS, a uncommon neurological situation — dropped by the Sphere in Las Vegas to disclose that Russian-born participant Ivan Demidov was on his method to the hockey workforce from her native Canadian province of Quebec.
“Good night, everybody,” Dion mentioned because the Vegas crowd greeted her with cheers. “I’m excited, not even a hockey mother.”
She continued by revealing the Canadiens’ choice, with dramatic pauses sprinkled amongst her remarks.
“Essentially the most dramatic draft announcement of all time,” mentioned ESPN’s John Buccigross through the broadcast.
After being chosen, Demidov spoke with reporters about Dion calling his title, saying, “It’s like a film.”
He additionally famous that he was conscious of Dion’s music and had watched “Titanic.”
The shock look by Dion, who just lately spoke on the New York premiere of the brand new Prime Video documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” comes over a 12 months and a half since she revealed her SPS analysis in December 2022.
Dion, who has largely remained out of the general public eye because the analysis, pledged earlier this month that she’d make a return to stage even when she has to “crawl” and “discuss with” her palms.
In an Instagram submit on Saturday, Dion wrote in French that she had plenty of enjoyable on the draft and shared photographs from the night, together with a snap together with her household.
The music icon is a notable hockey fan; she introduced her twin sons, Nelson and Eddy, to a Boston Bruins-New York Rangers recreation the place she performed an air guitar from the gang to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” in March.
She additionally spoke to the Bruins within the locker room previous to the sport and jokingly thanked shirtless defenseman Brandon Carlo for “preparing” for her.
Dion made numerous different appearances at NHL video games this previous season too, together with a go to to the Canadiens’ locker room previous to their recreation in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights in October.