McDavid doubles drop the gloves at look-alike contest

Men sometimes mistaken for Connor McDavid met at Hudson's on Whyte for a #97 look-alike contest on April 11, 2025. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

Seven Connor McDavid doppelgangers faced off on Whyte Avenue Friday night for a look-alike contest.

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Hudson’s on Whyte general manager Connor Yakabuski said the bar wanted to do something fun for the fans before the playoffs.

“Our marketing coordinator came with the idea and we just kind of ran with it, and it’s got some good traction,” Yakabuski said. “We figured us being in Edmonton, Alberta, we’d probably have a ton of people signing up.”

Ian Simons said he got at least 20 texts when the contest was announced telling him he should enter.

“I’m a nurse and all of my patients always think I look just like him,” Simons said. “When I work (pediatrics), the kids love it. And the dads especially can freak out when they see me come in the room.”

Joining the contest also made sense to Reid Walker, who said he’s no stranger to being told he looks like Edmonton’s hometeam hero.

“I get it all the time,” Walker said. “I’ve had people taking pictures of me at stoplights. I get it weekly, almost.”

Richard Jans knows how that goes.

“Every time I go out to a bar or anything, people are coming up, asking if I’m him,” Jans said. “I always give them, like, ‘No, never heard this before.’ Which, of course, I have.”

Brendan Demilliano understands why he’s been mistaken for McDavid in the past.

“I think I resemble him,” he said. “The same kind of stature, kind of the same hair and the same kind of beard style, so I’m going to give this a shot.”

Quenton Glass doesn’t think he’s a McDavid double, but figured he’d give it a shot.

“I personally don’t see it,” Glass said. “Family and friends have told me I do, so we’ll see.”

Contestants were judged on the criteria: their physical similarity to #97, their McDavid celebration style and their knowledge of the Oilers captain (in the form of a fun fact).

Jans took the first place prize of $500 cash while Walker won second place and a bubble hockey table. Glass scored third and took home a Hudson’s gift card.

The competition took place just before the Oilers clinched a playoff spot with a win over the San Jose Sharks.