Foxy Friday: Raphael Diaz

I can’t believe that I’m actually writing this post.

Today’s Foxy Friday has played for not one but TWO of the teams in the NHL that fuel my hate fire. But today, I will smother that raging hate fire and look past the jersey.

Today, I will also forget that he is named after one of of the Ninja Turtles and will focus on what is really important on this most special and holy of days.

Ladies (and gentlemen?), meet Raphael Diaz.

This is a man who name invokes images of the Bernabeu, emerald green pitches, and the white noise drone of the vuvuzela, not the Saddledome, sheets of ice, and pop tunes played by a pipe organ.   This 5’11” blueliner was born in Zug, Switzerland, which sounds more like an alien race from Doctor Who than an actually place, and he joins fellow Swiss Foxy Friday Honoree Roman Josi in making us sit up and take notice of that little neutral nation.

We, as true intrepid journalists (!) need to know what other hockey foxes are hiding up there in the Alps.  Is Switzerland the new Sweden?

diaz, raphael

Like Sue-Ellen, we “right on top of that, Rose.”

 

Diaz is a newcomer to the NHL, but has already had quite the journey.  He was signed by the Canadiens in 2011 to an entry level contract. He was traded to the Canucks in February 2014, who then turned around before the ink was even dry and traded him to the Rangers a month later. Then in  October 2014, he went to Calgary’s camp on a try-out and ended up signing a one-year contract at the start of this season.

That’s a lot of new jerseys, new locker rooms in new cities, and through it all, he still managed to look like this.

He works out.

 

If Sidney Crosby and Karl Urban had a baby, Raphael Diaz would be their little bundle of joy.

Hey, girl, hey…

 

Diaz is foxy because his role model is obviously John Tavares. As a newbie NHLer, it is important to establish your identity early on.  Diaz is working the “Accountant-by-day-Hockey-Player-by-night” look with the best of them.

GET THIS MAN SOME KHAKIS!

I’ve been waiting for you all night…by this pineapple

 

Diaz is truly foxy when he has no idea what we are saying…

Only if you insist…

 

…And when he’s acting like a giant toddler.

He is foxy because his eyebrow game is ON POINT, even though his beard game needs a bit of work.

But you know what really gets us? Those smile lines around his eyes

Those just destroy every fiber of my being.

So in conclusion…

Yes, Raphael.  I think we just did.

You can follow Raphael on twitter at @diaz_raphael_61.

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  1. LauraPants Reply

    WHOA. I knew he was hot but I did not realize just HOW HOT. Another man to have fondue-related fantasies about…

    • I didn’t either until I started doing research. And by “research”, I really mean “tumblr.”

  2. IF SIDNEY CROSBY AND KARL URBAN HAD A BABY, RAPHAEL DIAZ WOULD BE THEIR LITTLE BUNDLE OF JOY.

    Bravo.

    His beard game is Middle Earth tight.

    • He reminds me of some most handsome actor in the beard gif…. one of the Chrises? Hemsworth the Younger? Gyllenhaal? ATJ? Jamie Dornan? (Yes, I googled “handsome actors with beards… I may need a minute).

      • The beard is Chris Evans-y, I think. Either way, it works for me!

  3. Kate Reply

    Those Swiss boys. My goodness. When I was in college, I met this Swiss guy at a hostel in Boston, and he was so beautiful you almost couldn’t look at him.

    He definitely has elements of Karl Urban. Also Keanu Reeves and even Brad PItt? Basically, he is so attractive that he looks a bit like every single attractive Hollywood actor.

  4. Fatema Reply

    Europeans are ruining our North American guys’ confidence

  5. Pingback: Un texte à lire sur Raphael Diaz | SwissHabs

  6. Courtney Reply

    sidenote – I nominate Darren Helm for an upcoming Foxy Friday 🙂

    • Vivian Reply

      I second this 😉

  7. Vive les Swiss!!! omg yum