66 replies to this topic

[DropThePuck]

The venerable trophy will be doing in June, July and August the same thing it's done every summer since the 1994 champion New York Rangers formally started the modern-day tradition of letting each player on the winning team have his own day with the cup.

This time, though, the 112-year old trophy will be spending more time with its own age group.

The NHL has decided to honour the oldest living Stanley Cup winners by letting them have the Cup for a day.

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What a totally cool thing to do!!

[Veca]

Now that is really nice.....

[lvsprt]

I love this! I bet Buccigross really likes it too.

[Baltic Gal]

The only good idea the NHL has come up with this season.

[MrsBevo]

What a great idea!

[PortBeach13]

[DropThePuck]

"The response from players has been very positive," Conacher said. "The Alumni Association provided the NHL with a list of all the players that qualified and I think there was close to a couple of hundred names. The NHL first contacted 50 of the oldest players to find out what kind of interest they had and the response was terrific. One ex-player said the offer was like winning the Stanley Cup all over again."

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[DropThePuck]

"If you don't win it, no matter what you do, you haven't been successful. It's a team game. That's the whole thing about hockey. It's a team game. Nowadays, they pay so much money for stars, but stars don't win alone. It's a team game."

Back when he was winning, the league never arranged for champions to have a day with the Cup. Kelly is one of the rare ones who had the trophy in his home after a clinching Cup game. He had to be taken to hospital after the last Leafs' win in 1964 because of a leg injury, and owner Harold Ballard arranged to have the Cup and two bottles of champagne delivered to his home. Kelly and his wife put three-year-son, Conn, in the trophy's bowl and had photos snapped.

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[DropThePuck]

It took seven decades, but Hank Goldup finally got his Stanley Cup parade.

The 86-year-old Goldup, a member of the Cup-winning Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942, got to share the trophy last Sunday with family members and friends at the Village of Erin Meadows retirement home on Erin Centre Blvd.

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[Francaise]

coolness.....

[DropThePuck]

'Coach's Corner' commentator Don Cherry poses with 'good Canadian boy' Bobby Orr and the Stanley Cup at the Parry Sound Golf & Country Club. Cherry coached Bobby with the Bruins in 1974-75 when the defenseman won the scoring title with an astonishing 46 goals, 89 assists and 135 points.

Stanley Cup visits with Bobby Orr

[DropThePuck]

One of the biggest smiles of the day was reserved for watching as granddaughter Lara Evans was placed in the bowl of the Stanley Cup by Gus and Etta's daughter Carolyn and son-in-law Peter.

On Saturday, June 25, the Stanley Cup met up with Gus Bodnar at the Oshawa Lakeridge Health Centre. Health had robbed Gus of most of his energy, but he was clearly excited to be visited by the embodiment of hockey excellence, the Stanley Cup.

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[DropThePuck]

Having never before had the opportunity to drink out of the Stanley Cup, Hank Goldup got to do just that when the Stanley Cup visited Mississauga, Ontario where he now resides.

Approximating a Stanley Cup parade, the Ayr-Paris Band played 'When the Saints Go Marching In' as they led a convertible carrying Hank Goldup, wearing a vintage replica of the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater he would have worn during his three years with the team, in the front seat and his grandson Sean, the Stanley Cup's keeper Mike Bolt and the historic trophy in the backseat.

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[DropThePuck]

The Stanley Cup rolled past Grasslands National Park in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan, and came upon a sign that indicated it was in the right spot — 'VAL MARIE, SASKATCHEWAN - HOME OF BRYAN TROTTIER'
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After a visit with his family, Bryan drove the Cup to Frontier, a town forty minutes outside Val Marie. Bryan is an outstanding ambassador for hockey, signing autographs and having his picture taken with the Stanley Cup for over three hours, and talking with hockey fans while making them feel special.

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[DropThePuck]

From left to right, Chuck Lefley (Cup winner with Montreal in 1971 and 1973), Ab McDonald, Randy Gilhen (Cup winner with Pittsburgh in 1991) and Bill Juzda.

More than two hundred fans converged on the MTS Centre to meet 84-year old Bill Juzda, Ab McDonald, Pete Langelle and more recent Cup winners Randy Gilhen and Chuck Lefley. The boys signed autographs and had their pictures taken for an hour. These five boys brought back a flood of memories to Winnipeg hockey fans. After so many years, they were able to see their names inscribed on the Stanley Cup for eternity.

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[DropThePuck]

Mosdell, 83, helped the Canadiens win the Cup four times. But he hadn't been this close to it in nearly 50 years.

And for nearly four hours, you realized how much this trophy means to people.

Seniors squeezed Mosdell's hand and told him they paid a dime six decades ago to see him play in the Forum, while their grandchildren greeted the gentleman in vintage sweaters emblazoned with the familiar CH crest.

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[DropThePuck]

The Stanley Cup visits the Sutter brothers ...

The Stanley Cup arrived in Red Deer at 4 pm on Wednesday, July 13. Brian Sutter, most recently coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, greeted the Cup and escorted the trophy to a huge banquet room in the Black Knight Inn.
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Guests lined up to get their picture taken with the Stanley Cup. Over the course of six hours, more than 1,000 got their photo taken beside Lord Stanley's cherished mug. While waiting in line, a pregnant woman nearing her delivery date had her water break. "Excuse me," she stammered as her husband punched numbers into his cellphone. "Do you mind if we move to the front of the line so we can get our picture taken before we go to the hospital?" The line parted just like the Red Sea did for Moses, and the young lady, clearly in great discomfort, waddled up beside the Cup. "Thank you. Thank you all very much," she grimaced through clenched teeth. A quick photo and faster than Brent on a breakaway, the couple made the dash to the delivery room.

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I wonder if that young lady was Gigueresgirl??? We haven't heard from her in a while ...

[DropThePuck]

Here's my name, right there -- Well, sort of. Even though his name was misspelled more than fifty years ago Danny Lewicki, not Lewisky, was just happy to get his hands on the Stanley Cup in his own backyard Thursday.

As a 19-year-old rookie left-winger with the Leafs in 1950-51, Lewicki only got a brief glimpse of the trophy. In those days, the cup was displayed to players in the winning dressing room for just a moment before being spirited away.

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[DropThePuck]

Glenn Hall lifted the Stanley Cup out of its case. "Do you know that I've never had the opportunity to hold this," he remarked.
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"Mr. Hall, you know your name is on the Cup elsewhere too, don't you," asked Walt Neubrand of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"Yes, I was goalie coach for the Flames when they won in 1989, so I've got my name on the Cup twice," replied Hall.

"No, but I mean as a player," continued Neubrand. "You're on the Cup twice as a player. Your name is engraved on the Cup with Detroit in 1952 as well."

"Well how about that! I didn't know that until this second," Glenn said, studying the engraving. Sure enough, there it was. Almost. Glenn started to chuckle. "Look at that — they spelled my name wrong. 'Glin Hall.' Gee Ell Aye Enn." What seems most odd is that Glenn didn't play his first game with the Red Wings until the next season, although he did play for their AHL affiliate in Indianapolis that season.

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[DropThePuck]

Lorne Carr, 95-years old and a proud warrior, sits beside the Stanley Cup he helped Toronto win in 1942 and 1945. Lorne is holding a photograph of the engraving of his first Cup win.

[Veca]

That is so nice....a little nostalgic and sweet.

[DropThePuck]

Kenny Mosdell wears his Stanley Cup ring and the sweater he was given at the closing of the Montreal Forum as he points to his name on the Stanley Cup.

[DropThePuck]

The next day, Monday, July 18, Mosdell's Montreal teammate, Robert Fillion, had his day with the Stanley Cup. Except…he didn't know it!

Bob Fillion, whose July 12th birthday is just one day earlier than Kenny Mosdell's, was taken to the Domaine de Rouville Golf Club for a small birthday get-together with a few family and friends. But when he arrived, expecting to see but a few people, Robert was greeted by the raucous applause of more than forty people. Looking around the room, Bob beamed, seeing long-time friends, fellow golfers and many family members. In fact, he was so surprised to see all the people that he missed his extra-special birthday surprise. "Uncle Robert, look beside you," advised his nephew, Francois Fillion. There, not fifteen feet away, sat the Stanley Cup!

[DropThePuck]

The Stanley Cup was scheduled to visit Alex Shibicky on Saturday, July 23 at his South Surrey, British Columbia home. A call came during the first week of July. "I don't think Dad is going to make it." It was Alex Shibicky Jr. "My father has been really looking forward to his visit with the Stanley Cup. He hoped he could raise some money for charity during his day and should he not make it, we'd still love to host the Stanley Cup in Dad's honour and do some good in my father's name."

Alex Shibicky died Saturday, July 9 at his home. He had turned 91 on May 19.

[DropThePuck]

More than 1,000 fans greeted Howie Meeker at the Parksville arena named in his honour. The former rookie of the year (1947) looks like he could still play a regular shift!

"Let me tell ya sumthin'," beamed Howie. "It's been one hell of a life, and I ain't through yet!"

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