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Jets Fans Lose Their Minds as Winnipeg KFC Rebrands for Star Player During Round 2

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated May 13, 2025 10:47 AM ET

Popular chicken restaurant KFC has decided to rebrand for the second round of the playoffs in honor of Kyle Connor, and fans are losing their minds over it.

You would not expect a hockey star to be linked with fried chicken, but Winnipeg Jets fans are totally behind the connection, at least when it comes to Kyle Connor.

A KFC outlet in Winnipeg's west end has temporarily rebranded to pay tribute to the high-scoring winger as the Jets face off against the Dallas Stars in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

The fast food chain swapped out Colonel Sanders' visage for a cartoon image of Connor on their signage.

'We're always looking to show up in a way that's bold, creative, and with a distinct local relevance,' Lauren Pottie, a market manager KFC Canada, said in a press release. 'The Whiteout is such an iconic ritual - full of pride, passion and community spirit. Partnering with the Winnipeg Jets - and Kyle 'KFC' Connor - felt like a natural connection to bring something fun and memorable to the table, literally.'

Thousands of KFC 'whiteout' buckets were given to fans to wear at games

The fans were also provided with KFC buckets featuring Connor's face to don for Game 2, adding some dazzle to the Jets' beloved 'Whiteout' playoff convention.

The campaign borrows from Connor's fan-given nickname, 'KFC', an abbreviation for 'Kyle F*****g Connor', a chant regularly resonating throughout Canada Life Centre. For the record, his actual middle name is David, but obviously, fans prefer theirs.

B/R Open Ice shared a video of a visit to the restaurant, saying, 'The new signs look great, KFC go off and go Jets go.'

'This is so awesome lmao cheering for the Jets until they make it to the finals,' one user commented on Reddit.

Connor tallied his first goal of the series in Game 3, and he has five goals and eight assists in 10 playoff games this season. He's fresh off a career-best regular season, where his 97 points ranked seventh in the NHL.

The Jets tied the series 1-1 with a 4-0 win at home, but Dallas took the lead again with a 5-2 victory in Game 3.

Game 4 is Tuesday evening in Dallas, with the series returning to Winnipeg for Game 5 on Thursday, and likely, more Connor-themed chicken buckets.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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