it's finally done! i spent a really long time on this, so please consider giving this post a like/reblog/share. please do NOT reupload to twitter, tiktok, or other public sites!
this is intended to be a reference doc containing (what i hope is) every single bit of willmack lore up until the '25-26 season! no rpf lens, no speculation, just an organized document for your enjoyment.
contains: a complete, ordered timeline, as well as a section that consolidates everything into separate events!
what you'll find: audio transcripts, video links, articles, gifs, and more (even some hockey analysis) dating all the way back to 2020!
i'll try to move everything over to tumblr eventually, but for now, you'll be able to find the complete archive in the linked doc! i promise not to delete it, but if you want to make a copy for preservation, all i ask is that you only share the original :)
highlights below the cut:
pre-nhl
8/2/20 - aap tournament final
source: youtube
will’s 05’s team beat macklin’s 06’s team 9-8
12/9/22 - chicago steel vs usntdp u18's
source: x
macklin’s chicago steel team beat will’s usntdp team 5-4 in a shootout
6/26/24 - nhl draft prospect interview (macklin)
source: youtube (timestamp, 14:23)
transcript:
reporter: how much are you looking forward to--you know, assuming the sharks are the team, just getting to san jose, getting to development camp, and meeting some of those guys--are you familiar with one or two already?
macklin: i know some of the players, like, i’ve talked to will a little bit
7/2/24 - willmack first pitch at a giants game
source: youtube
7/3/24 - development camp interview (will)
source: youtube (timestamp, 0:43)
transcript:
reporter: obviously, bc-bu, big rivalry, you and macklin aren’t skating in the same group, but i’m sure you guys have had some run-ins together, conversations off the ice, how well do you know him off the ice and just, how cool is it that you guys are on the same team now?
will: yeah, it’s pretty crazy, but i mean, we’re roommates at the hotel, so we’re around each other pretty much all day when we get back
7/4/24 - sj sharks prospects scrimmage
source: facebook
9/11/24 - rookie faceoff interview (will)
source: youtube (timestamp, 2:37)
transcript:
reporter: is there anybody that you’re most excited to kind of skate with, whether it’s this weekend or when training camp starts next week?
will: well i mean, everyone talks about how me and mack have been playing against each other, so finally being on the same team is gonna be good
9/13/24 - post-rookie faceoff interview (macklin)
source: youtube (timestamp, 1:39)
transcript:
macklin: for some reason we’ve been put together every single time for roommates, but - kind of getting sick of him, um, but no, it’s been awesome learning about - like, getting to know him and play with him
nhl
10/9/24 - pre-nhl debut interview (will)
source: nhl.com (timestamp, 1:07)
transcript:
reporter: what’s the relationship like between you and macklin right now, and also your boston ties?
will: (laughs) yeah i mean, everyone kind of knows about it now that we’re together pretty much every day, so it's pretty cool
practice shenanigans (fanvideo)
source: tumblr
pre-game sewer
source: x
willmack warmup rituals (fanvideo)
source: x
1/27/25 - the jersey bet
source: instagram
post-game interview transcript:
reporter: macklin, you had to wear will’s bc jersey on the way in, just, that - what’s the story behind that and just, how much did you not like that?
mack: yeah, i mean we made a bet, when bu and bc played, and… they uh, they swept, so i had to, uh - had to put the jersey on, which… i mean, it didn’t feel right.
reporter: did will make sure it was his, not just a -
mack: yeah, no he did. yeah, he made sure it was the one that he beat us in, yeah.
source: youtube (timestamp, 3:01)
3/3/25 - locker room interview (will)
source: x (video 3)
transcript:
interviewer: what does it send to you guys, that there are joe, patty, mike grier, ryane clowe, they’re all still involved with this organization?
will: shows how much they care about, i think, i mean even patty and joe having mack and i get to live with them, it’s something special, and just to get to pick their brains about certain things, and them questions, it’s pretty cool, and hopefully one day that mack and i can pass that down, and stick around, and you know, enjoy it.
3/22/25 - the jersey bet pt. 2
source: x
post-game interview transcript:
reporter: did you feel like you got some revenge on will today, coming into the building?
mack: (laughs) yeah, that was great. he said - he, uh, he told me that the bu jersey is better than the bc jersey, so. he said that to me. yeah, he did.
source: youtube (timestamp, 2:45)
the next day:
smith today, with a smile and a shake of the head: “that’s a complete lie.”
source: x
4/10/25 - chipotle unwrapped (macklin)
source: youtube (timestamp, 1:27)
transcript:
interviewer: you know that rivalry, bc-bu, is so huge, how tough is it for you now to be like, super close with him? after hating him for so long, and probably your teammates not liking him.
mack: yeah no, i mean… i hated him for a while, if i’m being honest. (laughs)
off-season
4/17/25 - locker clean out interview (will)
source: youtube (timestamp, 5:51)
transcript:
reporter: back then, did you really think this - your friendship could blossom this much this fast?
will: um, probably not this much to be honest, but yeah, i mean we - i think everyone knows that we were rivals before that, and i mean, we didn’t say a word to each other before that, so um, i think it’s pretty cool, and obviously now it is what it is, so
7/30/25 - halifax training video
source: x
context: macklin and will playing against sidney crosby and nathan mackinnon in summer training
...
if you're having a problem with crashing, here's a link with no gifs included:
A summarised list of miscellaneous things that have brought us to this point (them becoming the most popular hockey rpf pairing despite this being their SECOND year) :
Less than 2 years ago they were rivals, genuinely hated each other. Nowadays they mention one another anytime the opportunity presents itself (fondly and smiling softly).
They openly and happily admit they spend most breaks together. They used to sneak out of their respective houses to have dinner together.
They‘re side by side at every anthem and skate out one after the other at every game.
They often go out to lunch, and golf, and basketball games, and sometimes broadway shows on their own. They still share hotel rooms (and anytime they had to room with someone else, they called the experience ‘strange’). They admit to being disappointed when their stalls aren’t next to each other in the locker room.
They sometimes ditch the group to play sewer soccer by themselves.
They accidentally have matching suits (and cars, and shoes)
They spend most of their free time at each other’s house and have gone through a considerable number of classic movies (not horror) and niche romcoms.
Will puts up with Mack’s white noise at night, and Mack puts up with Will’s synth pop music in the morning. They would be each other’s emergency contact. They objectively perform better on the ice if they’re on the same line.
They have a joint TikTok account. The username is both their names smashed together — wcpsmrc — and it used to be Will’s personal account. He offered it up. Instead of, yknow, making a new one.
Mack often seems to instinctively lean into / sway towards Will if they’re standing / sitting close enough.
(Not to say Will doesn't lean into Mack's space, because he does. A lot. But as far as i can tell Mack does it more often)
(i mean. look at those nfl game pictures, that man tries to have as much direct contact with Will as possible) -- (they're different pictures, i swear) -- (also peep the iron grip)
On the bench Mack tends to yap nonstop right into Will’s ear (bc personal space isn’t a thing) and Will lets him, silently nodding along.
(Mind you, on average that’s 40 minutes on the bench per game).
They look for each other after scoring. They look for each other even if they’re not the ones who scored.
Will taps Mack's ass after celebrations (I'm not fucking joking) and Mack simply smiles.
During cellys they refuse to let go of each other, even as the other guys crowd them.
Mack has an assist on all of Will’s goals. Will has an assist / was on the ice for most of Mack’s goals. They’ve already entered the top 5 scoring duos (and they weren’t even on the same line the first month of the season).
They made each other wear their college jerseys after losing a bet.
Other teammates use them as a measuring scale when explaining how close they are to other players "we're good friends but not like will and mack, those two are different".
When they get to hotels, they rarely use the TV at all because they spend too much time talking. Additionally, Toff has said sharing a wall with them during roadies is Hell because those two will be wrestling/play fighting/laughing and “making weird noises” until midnight. They also order milk and cookies every night.
When one of them is being photographed to capture that ‘tying his skates before the game’ picture, the other one is usually trying to make them laugh by being an idiot behind the camera.
They have a specific handshake they do in the locker room before skating out onto the ice
They’re together so often there are virtually no candid videos of one without the other in the background.
Mack is helping rehab Will through strength training.
Will stays nearby when Mack argues with a ref.
If they’re not sitting together on the bench, Mack constantly glances over at Will, even if someone’s talking to him.
There have been multiple instances of Will pulling a face or doing something funny in between whistles to get a laugh out of Mack (ie: pretending to eat the salts).
And they’re both pathological liars. For instance: Will often claims to be a communication student at Boston College to avoid social interaction, and Mack claims to be 6’ft.
He is, in fact, not 6’ft. He is 5’11.
Honorary mention to their banter:
“That didn’t happen” “It did happen and there’s proof” “He’s being dramatic” “There is a HOLE in my WINDSHIELD?” “There’s a small dent in your windshield, you can barely see it” “ITS THE SIZE OF YOUR FIST??”
***
(disclaimer: some of these events have been exaggerated. i am looking at it through an rpf lens)
