While just a few Saskatchewan-born names will be engraved on the Stanley Cup this year, the St. Louis Blues’ championship victory was celebrated by an entire community Saturday.
Blues forwards Tyler Bozak, born and raised in Regina, and Jaden Schwartz, who cut his teeth playing for the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox, brought the Cup to the Saskatchewan legislature Saturday afternoon.
The festivities kicked off with a speech by the duo from the legislature mezzanine and “Saskatchewan’s biggest selfie” with Premier Scott Moe.
Then hundreds of hockey fans, some who had lined up for hours, got a chance for a picture with the Stanley Cup and an autograph from its victors.
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Tanja Ignatiuk, a Blues fan of 35 years, could barely contain her excitement.
“I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or pee my pants this is so thrilling,” she joked while holding up a freshly signed jersey.
Bozak said the passion of the community is what made the visit so special.
“It’s the one thing you dream about growing up, especially here as a kid playing hockey, the tight-knit community it is and the hockey community it is, so obviously it’s really special for us to be able to win this thing and bring it back here,” said Bozak.
Schwartz’s dad was on hand at the legislature. He voiced his pride at seeing so many people coming together to celebrate his son’s victory.
“It’s a beautiful story for us,” Rick Schwartz said. “With the season that they had, and them coming into Saskatchewan to bring the Cup and see all these people, we’re very excited and very proud to be here in Saskatchewan.”
Earlier in the day, Jaden Schwartz and Bozak made a visit to the Regina General Hospital to make sure a few kids who couldn’t make it out to the legislature could get some Cup time as well.
“Some kids aren’t as fortunate with being sick, so if we can do any little thing to help them out and make them happy, make their day, it’s super easy for us to do,” said Schwartz.
Last month, the Blues beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final to capture the first championship in franchise history.
The Cup has already visited Saskatoon, as well as Edmonton, St. Albert and Calahoo in Alberta last week. It will travel to 36 cities in Canada, the U.S., Sweden, Finland and Russia as it touches down in the hometowns of all the winning players.
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