Drake As Youth Hockey Player
 

This photo of Drake has been popped up before, like on this fan site, but it's getting a fresh run on Reddit, so we'll share it here and take a moment to recap his hockey background.

Drake On Weston Wings

Here is part of his interview with ESPN in 2010:

ESPN: Were you pretty good? What position did you play first of all?
Drake: Right wing.

ESPN: A fast little guy?
Drake: Yeah, I was all right. I ended up making it to Upper Canada College hockey camp, which is where good kids get sent.

ESPN: And then what happened?
Drake: And then I got cross checked in the neck and my mother wouldn't let me play anymore.

His team was called the Weston Wings.

Young Drake On Skates

As a Toronto native, Drake is a huge Maple Leafs fan. Before performing "Headlines" at the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa, Drake said, "I grew up on the sport that we are here celebrating this evening, and this is one of the greatest honors I have ever received."

During his tour stop this summer in Pittsburgh, Drake was fired up about getting an autographed Penguins sweater from Mario Lemieux:


@alexa_lemieux coming through with the best gift ever! Thank you

A photo posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on

Drake wasn't personally involved, but when Senators winger Bobby Ryan decided to change his number from 6 to 9, the team posted a video set to the rapper's song "9."