Dylan Strome, an NHL player, recently faced unexpected backlash after he posted a heartwarming image of his 2-year-old daughter dressed in a princess outfit at Walt Disney World. The image quickly circulated, especially after the NHL shared it on their social media channels, commending Strome as an 'ultimate girls' dad' with heart emojis. However, the post drew a surprising wave of vitriolic comments from some users who misinterpreted the NHL's engagement with the post as a response to the events surrounding the Olympics held in the USA and Canada.

The backlash stemmed from political sentiments following the Olympic hockey finals. In a controversial moment, former President Donald Trump had called the U.S. national team to congratulate them after their gold medal victory, which drew mixed reactions across the North American sporting community. Some social media users erroneously linked Strome's post to patriotic sentiments captured in the aftermath of the Olympic celebrations, mistakenly believing that the NHL was entering the political arena with its post.

This incident demonstrates the often toxic nature of social media discourse, where innocent family moments can become politicized, leading to the unfounded targeting of individuals, including young children. In this case, the NHL's quick response reinforces their commitment to promoting a positive environment, even in the face of unprovoked online hate, drawing attention to the need for better management of online discourse surrounding athletes and their families.