In case you haven’t heard, the Stanley Cup is on Vancouver Island!
Amid a flurry of Hockey Day in Canada events in the snow-filled capital, the sport’s most sought-after prize has been making its way around Greater Victoria since Wednesday.
Phil Pritchard, the “Keeper of the Cup” for the Hockey Hall of Fame, has been busy making appearances throughout the city. On Thursday, the cup made an appearance at the Songhees Wellness Centre—with longtime Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean!
Attendees were initially addressed by MacLean, in conjunction with local First Nation officials. Subsequently, they queued up for their moment with the trophy.
MacLean noted that the incorporation of Indigenous culture has become an integral aspect of Hockey Day in Canada.
The Courtnall brothers also surprised patients at Royal Jubilee Hospital with a special visit featuring the Lord Stanley Cup. The hospital houses the Archie Courtnall Centre, the region’s Psychiatric Emergency Services Unit with dedicated units for specialized mental health care, founded by the family.
The cup also made its way to several other locations, including Shawnigan Lake School.
“Thank you to current Shawnigan parent, coach, and past Stanley Cup Champion Mr. Andrew Ference and the NHL for making this happen,” read a Facebook post by the school.
On Friday morning, several Victoria Royals, joined by Ken Reid, Lanny McDonald, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, and the Stanley Cup, stopped by Bayside Middle School.
Shortly after, Lanny McDonald and the cup made their way to Fairmont Empress, where “guests were delighted to have the opportunity to take photos with the Stanley Cup,” said an Empress spokesperson.
To the guests’ surprise, the Grey Cup was also on hand; however, as per tradition, the two cups cannot be in the same room at the same time—so the Grey Cup was on display in the hotel lobby.
Ben Riche and Reggie Newman joined Ken Reid, Lanny McDonald, Cassie Campbell-Pascall and the Stanley Cup this at Bayside Middle School for a special Friday morning visit 🏆🤝 pic.twitter.com/mwVSxweJUh
— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) January 19, 2024
For those still wanting to catch a glimpse of the Holy Grail, the Stanley Cup will be rowed across Victoria’s Inner Harbour by members of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on Saturday morning around 9:30 a.m., offering fans a rare opportunity for an up-close encounter.
The cup will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ship Point during the festivities, allowing enthusiasts to bask in the glory of this legendary trophy.
But the day has much more in store with Sportsnet presenting the 24th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, broadcasting live from Ship Point.
Ron MacLean, along with a lineup of Sportsnet personalities, will be hosting the event, capturing the essence of Canada’s biggest single-day hockey celebration.
The festivities will include a 12.5-hour marathon broadcast featuring all seven Canadian NHL teams in action throughout the day.
From the PWHL matchup of New York vs Boston to the Toronto Maple Leafs facing the Vancouver Canucks, the day will be a hockey fans dream.
Special guests, including Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Lanny McDonald, Darcy Tucker, Wendel Clark, Canucks alumni Nathan LaFayette and Kirk McLean, and Victoria Royals coach James Patrick, will add star power to the event.
The Victoria Royals, who have been a big part in the Hockey Day in Canada festivities, will also be in action on Saturday, January 20th at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre as they take on the Kamloops Blazers. Puck drops early at 4:05 p.m.—make sure to grab your tickets.
Click here for a full list of Hockey Day in Canada events happening this week.
