Monday, July 14, 2008

Stanley Cup Comes to Toronto

The Stanley Cup actually made it to Toronto this past weekend. No it has nothing to do with a Maple Leaf renaissance. Rather, it was Kris Draper's turn to bring home the Stanley Cup which has been a NHL tradition for over 10 years. Each member of the Cup team brings the Cup home whether they are from Moose Jaw, Miami or Minsk. And home for Kris Draper is Scarborough.

On the Saturday the Cup went to The Hospital for Sick Children and Detroit Eatery on Danforth and Chester avenues. The 60-year-old restaurant is decked out in Wings paraphernalia and was packed with curious onlookers.

Draper and the Cup rode into Scarborough in a stretch limo where between 1,000 - 2,000 friends, family, neighbours and fans were waiting. The Cup was set up in the backyard of Draper's parents Mike and Mary Lynne. Two off-duty police officers were hired to control the crowd.

Draper posed for pictures for hours, graciously obliging requests for various shots - holding the Cup, placing it on the ground or stepping away from the lens altogether and letting the fans have their moment alone with the 35-pound Stanley Cup. Draper's older kids, Kienan and Kennedi, enjoyed a big scoop of ice cream out of it and the family also dined on Timbits out of the Cup.