 |
| Chris and his wife Jenna huddle with the Stanley Cup for a photo. (Mike Bolt/HHOF) |
The Stanley Cup arrived in Vernon, BC on July 19, and spent the afternoon at the Holland Derby, an annual golf tournament held at the Predator Ridge course. Several former NHL players from the area participated, including eventual winner Brent Gilchrist, who joined 2008 Stanley Cup champions Ken Holland and Chris Osgood in the tournament. On the 18th hole, groups got their photos taken with the Stanley Cup, and afterwards, Holland and Osgood filled the bowl of Lord Stanley's mug with beer, sharing drinks with the day's golfers.
After being part of a boating convoy with the Wings' GM, the Cup spent the night at the Osgood home with Chris and his wife Jenna. Curious readers of the Stanley Cup Journal know that the Keepers of the Cup accompany hockey's most cherished trophy wherever it goes, and wonder what happens when players want to sleep with the Cup. "I tell them, 'Move over,'" laughs Mike Bolt, one of the Cup's Keepers.
The Cup returned to Osgood on Monday, July 21, following a stint with scout Bruce Haralson. Chris and Jenna hosted a New Orleans-style celebration (no beads were awarded for showing the Cup). With Bubba Gump shrimp sizzling on the barbie (excuse me, I was feeling Australian there for a moment!), Chris shared his third Stanley Cup celebration (he was with Detroit when they won back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998) with his mother and father, his brother, former NHLer Tyler Wright and several members of his family from Medicine Hat, Alberta. Chris was born in Peace River, a ten hour-drive north of Medicine Hat.
 |
| Osgood keeps the Cup's head above water. (Mike Bolt/HHOF) |
The party was fairly subdued but thoroughly enjoyed. Once the sumptuous meal had been eaten and the sun had set below the horizon, most of the celebrants retired with the Cup to a bonfire by the water's edge, telling stories and enjoying the moment.
Tuesday, July 22, the Stanley Cup spent the day at the Vernon home of Chris Osgood, the co-recipient of the Jennings Trophy for the lowest team goals-against average, along with family and close friends.
The goaltender is one of the most active practical jokers on the roster of the Red Wings, but for one of the first times in his 35 years on this earth, he finally found out that revenge can get nasty. One of his favoured 'tricks' is to Sharpie an unsuspecting teammate, which involves drawing all over a sleeping subject using the Sharpie markers players favour for autograph sessions. Suffice it to say that Chris spent more than an hour scrubbing himself in the shower to remove the handiwork of some 'friends.'
* * *
The summer of 2008 saw the Stanley Cup visit seven Red Wings in Sweden, the most Stanley Cup champions ever from one country other than the United States or Canada. We'll start with a trip to Pitea, hometown of Tomas Holmstrom, when the Stanley Cup Journal returns on Friday.
|
Family and close friends of Chris Osgood gather around the
Red Wings' netminder. (Mike Bolt/HHOF) |
Kevin Shea is the Editor of Publications and Online Features for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
All Photographs are property of the Hockey Hall of Fame or Getty Images and may
not be reproduced without prior written consent. For more information regarding
use of our photographs please contact us.
|
_Box_Ad.gif
|