Canadiens face backlash as camp slogan takes on sexual meaning

The Montreal Canadiens hit the ice today to kick off their 2025 training camp, but it wasn’t just line combinations or battles on the ice making headlines. Instead, the team’s official camp slogan, “Choose Your Hard,”

sparked chatter across social media for all the wrong reasons.

Anthony Martineau of TVA Sports shared a picture of one of the Habs’ players wearing a t-shirt with the camp’s slogan on it.

The phrase was clearly intended to highlight the mental and physical grind of training camp, underscoring that players face challenges no matter which path they take, especially when fighting for roster spots. But almost immediately, fans and pundits online pointed out that the wording carries some less-than-family-friendly connotations.

Reactions ranged from lighthearted jokes to sharp criticism, with some wondering how the slogan cleared the team’s PR filters in the first place. Others defended it as an innocent motivational phrase that got lost in translation once it hit the internet.

“Hard” not to think of the sexual connotations”, immediately posted Grant McCagg of Recrutes.

Adding: “This is by no means a flaccid slogan.”

Several fans posted memes or GiFs joking: “That’s what she said.”

It’s hardly the first time a professional sports team has found itself caught in the crossfire of an unfortunate branding choice. Still, the incident shows just how quickly fans will pounce on a misstep, especially in a market as passionate and watchful as Montreal.

Whether the Canadiens adjust course or double down on their slogan, the buzz around “Choose Your Hard” has ensured that this training camp is starting with a lot more attention than the Habs probably anticipated.