A tale of two Blake Wheelers: Young fan meets Winnipeg Jet who shares his name

Winnipeg Jet Blake Wheeler took notice of a young fan this weekend who shares a distinct similarity to him – his name.

Eleven-year-old Blake Wheeler, who is from Missouri, got an acknowledgment from his hockey hero on Sunday when the Jets took on the St. Louis Blues.

Blake’s admiration for the Winnipeg Jets began when he started playing hockey at the age of five and learned someone on the team had his exact name.

After years of cheering on the team, the younger Blake came face-to-face with Wheeler at Sunday’s game in St. Louis, when the hockey pro spotted Blake’s sign and came over to share a few words.

Blake said it was a “pretty cool” experience for him to interact with Wheeler, adding that he dons Wheeler’s same number – 26 – when he plays hockey.

Blake Wheeler, 11, wearing #26, which is the same number as his favourite hockey player, Blake Wheeler. (Source: Cortney Wheeler)

“I’ve seen him in St. Louis multiple times and I’m hoping to see him in Winnipeg,” Blake said in an interview on Monday.

Cortney Wheeler, Blake’s mom, didn’t know who the hockey player was when she was naming her son.

She said it wasn’t until her son was about four years old that she learned of Wheeler.

“Ever since then, we’ve all been Jets fans… [Blake’s] whole room is Winnipeg Jets and he’s got all the outfits and everything like that,” she said.

The family members are such big fans that when they go to professional hockey games, they make an effort to specifically see the Blues play the Jets.

Cortney added that Blake watches videos of the Jets every day on YouTube, and that his dream is to be like Wheeler when he gets older.

“He wants to be on the top. He wants to be a Winnipeg Jet one day. That’s his goal,” Cortney said.

An interaction between the two Blake Wheelers. (Source: Cortney Wheeler)

Despite being from Missouri, Blake does not consider himself a fan of the St. Louis Blues and prefers to cheer on Winnipeg and New York.

“I like to follow the Jets and the Rangers. Those are my two favourite teams,” he said.

The family is hoping to visit Winnipeg one day, and would love to come during a White Out.

- With files from CTV’s Devon McKendrick.