Ohio pork producer and Columbus Blue Jackets hockey fan Jacey Snyder’s dream came true when defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov sported her socks during a recent game.
“Don’t get us wrong, Gavrikov is no sock thief. They were acquired in a 1-for-1 trade fair and square,” NHL.com reports.
Snyder, a 13-year-old from Newark, Ohio, brought a sign to Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 8 that read “Hey Vlad! Noticed you like cool socks! Trade you a pair for a stick?”
Gavrikov couldn’t resist the trade with an adoring fan.
A few days later, during the Blue Jackets game on Jan. 11, the team posted some game day outfits and emphasized Gavrikov’s unique socks on their official Twitter account, NHL.com said.
sock game on point 🎯 pic.twitter.com/wpRrncm35s
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 11, 2022
The blue socks featured flying pigs and made quite a statement on social media.
“I was hoping he would wear them,” Snyder told NHL.com. “He seems like a fun guy and like the kind of guy that would wear them. He’s always goofing and having fun in warmups.”
Gavrikov is known for loving quirky socks. Snyder said it was only natural to choose socks with pigs.
After all, pigs have been a passion of her family for decades.
Snyder poses with a pen of bred gilts on her farm in a photo shoot for her role serving as Hartford Fair Pork Princess. Her family sells close to 1,000 bred gilts each year. Source: Karen Keller Photography
Her family operates Shipley Swine Genetics. They have 170 sows in addition to a boar stud. Snyder enjoys showing pigs and started competing in national shows when she was 3 years old. Today she primarily shows at her county fair when she’s not watching and analyzing hockey, of course.
Snyder has served as the Columbus Blue Jackets kids’ analyst before and worked with the broadcast crew, interviewing players and analyzing the game.
Snyder working on her broadcasting skills. Source: Josie Snyder
Although her mom was there for the famous trade, her dad and younger sister weren’t able to attend because of her sister’s 12U hockey game.
“Vlad is one of my sister’s favorite players, too, so she was really happy that we have his stick,” Snyder told NHL.com.
There’s no question Snyder is passionate about hockey. Source: Josie Snyder
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