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West Vancouver's Morgan Rielly pops up next to Olympic hero Tessa Virtue

The NHL star and ice dance legend appear to be riding out the COVID-19 crisis together in North Vancouver
Rielly and Virtue
Morgan Rielly and Tessa Virtue pal around during an Instagram Live video with Arkells lead singer Max Kerman Tuesday. photo screenshot @arkellsmusic/Instagram

Is this the wholesome content you are looking for right now?!

Gentlemanly Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly, a West Vancouver native, recently popped up, literally, next to none other than Canada's Olympic ice dance queen Tessa Virtue. 

On Tuesday Virtue joined Max Kerman, lead singer of the band Arkells, for an Instagram Live video. A few minutes into their chat, Rielly rolls into view to concur with Kerman’s taste in Netflix binging.

“Tiger King is a fantastic show,” says Rielly, giving Virtue a playful nudge, confirming that they are riding out the COVID-19 crisis together in North Vancouver. Rumours have been swirling about a relationship between Rielly and Virtue recently, and it’s clear from the video that they fall well within each other’s social distancing bubbles.

The pair joke about doing killer core workouts together, escaping into the North Shore mountains for social distancing hikes, and books that they are reading (or, in Rielly’s case, not reading).

Virtue ended the chat by showing Kerman some dance steps, with Rielly off screen adjusting the camera to get the best angle for Virtue’s moves.

The 30-year-old Virtue, of course, captured Canada’s hearts with her ice dance partner Scott Moir, their performances so hot that they always left us in puddles. Many judge them to be the best ice dance partnership of all time, and fans across the nation and around the world have long wanted to know if the on-ice romance continued off the ice. But that speculation was officially put to bed when Moir announced his engagement to former skating partner Jaclyn Mascarin last year.

This week’s Instagram appearance seemingly confirms a close relationship between Virtue and the 26-year-old Rielly, whose West Coast good-guy charm has stayed unblemished even while spending seven years under the intense scrutiny of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The whole video, which is posted below, is adorable. Social distancing never looked so good.