Everybody knows that the Stanley Cup is the most important trophy in hockey. What you may not know is… it doesn’t just stay in a display case. When a team wins, every player gets to keep it for a day. And they’ve brought it to some pretty strange places! Boats, nightclubs, baby baptisms, and more. We’ve got the craziest stories of where the Stanley Cup has been.
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A Gentlemen’s Club in Canada
The Stanley Cup visited a gentlemen’s club in Alberta when the Dallas Stars won in 1999. Stories say people drank from it in ways you wouldn’t want to repeat. It was one of the Stanley Cup’s most infamous nights. The trophy’s also made stops in a club in Edmonton when Mark Messier’s team won in 1987, and in the Scores Cabaret in New York when the Rangers won in 1994.
The Top of a Mountain in British Columbia
Scott Niedermayer took the Cup to the top of a mountain in B.C. after a Devils victory. A helicopter flew him there, where he hoisted the Cup above the clouds and snow on top of the peak. Not many trophies can say they’ve been on top of a mountain, but the Stanley Cup has—and it looked good doing it.
A Military Base in Afghanistan
When the Stanley Cup went to a military base in Afghanistan in 2007, it was a truly special visit. The Cup was flown to a base in Kandahar, greeted by cheering troops. Former NHL players joined them for ball hockey, photos, and morale-boosting moments. Being away from home in a war zone is no picnic. The Cup gave them a piece of home to keep.
To the Bottom of a Swimming Pool
At a celebration hosted by Mario Lemieux in 1991, someone brought the Cup out to the pool. One moment it was the star of the party, the next—splash! It sank straight to the bottom. Someone had to jump in and rescue it. No permanent damage, but it’s one of those classic “only the Cup” moments that people still laugh about today.
A Church for a Baptism
In 1996, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre brought the Cup to church and used it as a baptismal font for his daughter. The silver bowl was filled with holy water, and photos from the event show her being baptized from hockey’s holiest prize. Tomas Holmström would later do something similar for his niece in Sweden. Sacred meets sporty!
In the Paddock of a Kentucky Derby Winner
When the New York Rangers won the Cup in 1994, Ed Olczyk brought the trophy to the stables of Go For Gin, the Kentucky Derby winner. He fed oats to the winning horse out of the Cup. That’s a champion’s breakfast!
Behind Niagara Falls
When the Blackhawks won the Cup in 2010, Patrick Kane did something different: he took the Cup behind Niagara Falls. Doused in mist, against the roar of the water, Kane posed for photos at one of Canada’s most iconic landmarks. Who needs confetti when you have a waterfall?
At a Gay Pride Parade
The Stanley Cup rolled through the streets of Chicago during the city’s Gay Pride Parade in 2010. Crowds went wild. Flags waved, and the Cup became a symbol of acceptance and celebration. Hockey had officially joined the party.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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