Barbershop goes viral after catching a Winnipeg Jets call-up on camera

Have you ever gotten a call from your boss at an awkward time? Well, if you’re a fan of the Winnipeg Jets or a fan of hockey in general, you might have seen a clip that went viral last week.

“I was in the chair, I heard my phone vibrating, and I just kind of silenced it, cause you know the haircut wasn’t done, so I’m like ok ill get it later. Then I’m walking up to pay, and I’m getting the call again, and it says Vancouver, B.C., and I’m like, ‘Who is calling me from Vancouver?’ And it was my Manitoba Moose coach, and he said you’re going up to the NHL,” explained Danny Zhilkin, a forward with the Winnipeg Jets.

Arjay Policarpio, the barber of the Jets’ rookie, captured the milestone moment, posting the security footage from Avail Barbershop online, and it blew up overnight.

“I just wanted to share someone’s milestone. Right? Like I cheer for everyone, like it’s my own achievement. It was nice to have that being shown to pretty much everyone around the world,” said Policarpio.

“It was just a regular day, really. His phone was buzzing, and I’m like, you should probably take that, it’s probably important, no?”

The 22-year-old made his NHL debut on Thursday vs. the Edmonton Oilers, and thanks to Arjay, Zhilkin was looking sharp for one of hockey’s most cherished traditions.

“Yeah, well, shoutout to Arjay for having my hair looking great for that, obviously no bucket. But it was awesome. I was just trying not to fall out there obviously, for my first lap,” said Zhilkin.

Policarpio saying, “It’s like a proud brother moment for me watching Danny on the ice. I’m losing my voice from having to scream just Danny’s name alone, right?”

Zhilkin, who moved to Toronto when he was nine from Moscow, was drafted 77th overall in the third round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. It’s been a long road to the show, and Zhilkin is still can’t believe his dream has come true.

“Back then, I never really thought I would play for the Winnipeg Jets, and you know it’s such a hard step to make it to the NHL. But dreams come true, I guess. And it’s been pretty special,” said Zhilkin.

The Jets are 2-1 with Zhilkin in the lineup. They host the New York Islanders on Tuesday.