How 'commitment' and 'hard work' keep bringing Stanley Cup to Sask.
The Stanley Cup just wrapped up a whirlwind tour through Saskatchewan.
From Aug 2 - 7, hockey's holy grail made four stops in the province as three Colorado Avalanche players and the team's head coach each got their customary "day with the cup."
- Defenceman Josh Manson took the cup to Prince Albert and Christopher Lake.
- Defenceman Ryan Murray brought it to White City.
- Goalie Darcy Kuemper brought it to Royal University Hospital and the Saskatoon Police Service Headquarters.
- Head coach Jared Bednar took it to the Annual Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament.
The Stanley Cup is not a stranger to the province. Having come previously with the head scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and with Jaden Schwartz and Tyler Bozak who were members of the St. Louis Blues squad that hoisted the the trophy in 2019.
“Each year there are always players from Saskatchewan on the winning team and ultimately the Stanley Cup Champions tour," Hockey Hall of Fame vice president Philip Pritchard said in an email.
One of the keepers of the Stanley Cup said the players had a "great, great" time during their visit in Saskatchewan.
“The weather has been tremendous for them,” Mario Della-Savia said.
Hockey Saskatchewan general manager Kelly McClintock says it’s not a coincidence the Stanley Cup keeps coming back to the province with multiple players and coaches.
“The commitment level and the hard work that it takes to travel around our province during cold winters and etc., and create some character that when they move on to higher levels of hockey there is a real benefit for those people.”
“Whether you're from a farming background or whatever, to be committed to hockey that much and to train and the travel that it takes for a family and the kids get pretty grounded,” said McClintock.
“It's the commitment level and the hard work they put in.”
Looking down the pipeline McClintock points to the province’s recent showing on Canada’s U18 Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Tournament.
The Canadian roster of 23 featured five players from Saskatchewan. According to McClintock the province has 23,000 minor hockey players registered, while there is 700,000 in the country.
“That's pretty good from a numbers perspective to have five there and five that just weren't along for the ride. There were five that contributed,” said McClintock. “I think the grounding that they get, the character that they've created and the hard work, that will present them an opportunity."
The Stanley Cup's next stop after visiting Saskatchewan is Innisfail, Alberta with one of the Avalanche assistant coaches.
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