Halifax’s “little ball of hate” delivered free donairs to about 1,500 people Wednesday night.
Brad Marchand’s goal for the Florida Panthers in the first game of the Stanley Cup finals had the folks at King of Donair rolling up their sleeves after the maker of the Halifamous late-night snack took to social media promising free donairs if people commented on their Facebook and Instagram posts about the celebrated playmaker and hometown hero before the puck dropped.
“We know Brad likes donairs and, obviously, we’re rooting for Canadian teams, too, but we want to see the cup back in Halifax,” said Nicholas Nahas, one of three brothers who co-own the fast-food business that has four outlets in Halifax.
“We’re hockey fans and he’s a Halifax homegrown boy.”
Marchand played for the Boston Bruins when they won the Stanley Cup in 2011. The left winger was traded to Florida this past March.
While Marchand scored on a power play at the 12:30 mark of Wednesday night’s game, the Edmonton Oilers won Game 1 against Florida 4-3 in overtime.
“Tough night last night,” Nahas said Thursday morning of Florida’s loss as he was adding up the number of people who cashed in on the offer of a free donair, which normally retails for $9.89.
The business made the offer “on a whim,” he said. “We knew what we were getting ourselves into.”
He plans to send coupon codes to everyone who commented on the outfit’s Marchand posts. “All of our stores have the master list at the store level and when someone comes in with their code, they cross it off.”
The business has made donairs for Marchand before when he hosts private events.
“Brad does have a free donairs for life card,” Nahas said.
“He has redeemed that card a couple of times, but it’s almost as if he’s redeeming it on behalf of all his fans in Halifax who were commenting.”
Not everyone who saw the company’s social media posts about Marchand was after a free donair, which for the uninitiated, is a pita filled with spicy ground Canadian beef, tomatoes, onions and slathered in a sweet sauce.
“There was a lot of hate in the comments, too,” Nahas said.
“People were saying, ‘I’m only going for Canada,’ and ‘I don’t like him, he’s a rat.’ Not everyone, I guess, played by the rules and is expecting a donair.”
The business expected some blowback, Nahas said. “We expect that. A lot of people have their blinders on. It’s black and white; it’s Canada or U.S. And these are people who probably aren’t from here or don’t know the Brad connection of Halifax.”
The brothers who own the business are “tossing around” ideas for offers before the two teams meet again Friday night. “It will be game time decision,” Nahas said.
While he’s “not a betting man” Nahas said he’s also cheering for Edmonton in the finals, but maybe not as loudly.
“It’s Brad and Florida over Edmonton for sure,” Nahas said.
Besides his scoring skill, Marchand is known for weird antics and relentless chirping aimed at getting inside the heads of opposing players, including licking them. Six years back, ESPN dubbed him “the NHL’s ultimate troll.” Even former U.S. president Barack Obama called Marchand the “little ball of hate” when the Bruins visited the White House after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.
So, what could the prize for fans be in future online contests if the most suspended player in NHL history licks one of the Panthers during this series? “That would have to be donairs for life, or something,” Nahas said with a chuckle. “Or at least a year.”
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