Art Imitates Life

If there's one player who takes his headshots seriously each year, it's Brandon Tanev. And by seriously, I mean not very serious at all. As you can see from the image, the eyes-wide-open face that Tanev makes has progressed from not overly wild-eyed his rookie season in Winnipeg to his most recent efforts in Seattle where he has others replicating his unique style of photo. If nothing else, Tanev will likely be remembered for his annual photos more than his career once he retires from the game. That's not said negatively, but rather for taking something so mundane and making it fun.

He was asked about it in Pittsburgh during his stint there, and he didn't even both to try to dissuade the reporter who asked him about his brother, Chris, commenting that Brandon may have seen a ghost prior to the picture being taken. His answer shouldn't surprise you.
Tanev, it should be noted, has continued the tradition in Seattle where his headshot photographs just keep getting weirder and weirder in a good way. It caught the attention of Seattle Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas who replicated it, former teammate in Pittsburgh Kasperi Kapanen tried to pull off a "Tanev", and members of the PWHPA tried their best "Tanev" look as well.

Seattle, however, may have just raised the stakes in this game.

On Thursday night with the Ottawa Senators in town, the Seattle Kraken took it upon themselves to send 10,000 people home with a limited-edition Brandon Tanev bobblehead that features the Kraken forward in his typical photographic self. For real. This isn't a joke.

Imagine seeing Brandon Tanev with that look on his face every day on your desk. It's almost surreal how close the bobblehead looks to the real guy! I don't live in Seattle, but I'm seriously considering a trip to the Pacific Northwest on Thursday just to get me a bobblehead.

Jokes aside, this might be one of the best bobbleheads ever produced by an NHL team for any reason. Tanev found something where he could have fun, and now the Kraken are doing the next logical thing by immortalizing him in plastic and a spring to give him his very own bobblehead. That's just good marketing, folks!

I feel there may be a couple available on eBay at some point after Thursday's game, so I'm going to keep an eye on prices because this bobblehead is just too good to pass by. If you're going to the Ottawa-Seattle game on Thursday, get there early to grab your very life-like Brandon Tanev bobblehead! No ghosts included!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!