The Stanley Cup hits the beach at Emma Lake

By Derek Craddock

There’s nothing like sitting out on the beach on a hot summer day, especially when the greatest prize in hockey makes a guest appearance.

Chandler Stephenson, who won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in June, brought the Cup to Sunset Bay Resort in Emma Lake on Tuesday.

Hundreds came to the shore to welcome Stephenson, who had the Stanley Cup delivered to him from a boat making its way to the dock.

As crowds thronged Stephenson and the Holy Grail of Hockey, many had a chance to see the trophy for the first time. Others got a glimpse of it last year when Josh Manson brought it to the Art Hauser Centre.

One fan who attended was Inez, who saw the Stanley Cup in the ’70s when it visited her in Kenora, Ont. She came to Emma Lake with her granddaughter Lauren to see the Cup once again.

“(It’s) really exciting. My grandma is a really big sports fan so when we knew it was coming, we had to bring her,” Lauren said.

Many young hockey players waited in line on the sandy beach to grab a picture with the Stanley Cup and an autograph from Stephenson.

“I got to meet Chandler Stephenson and it’s the first I’ve got to see the Stanley Cup,” said one fan as he held a stick that had recently been autographed. “This is the best day ever. I wish the (Winnipeg) Jets would have won the Cup.”

One P.A. hockey player was also thrilled to see an NHL star in person.

“It’s really cool how I’m seeing the Stanley Cup for my second time,” he said.

Chandler Stephenson (centre) of the Vegas Golden Knights had the Stanley Cup at Emma Lake on Aug. 1, 2023. (Derek Craddock/paNOW)

Stephenson, who is originally from Saskatoon but played in the WHL with the Regina Pats, explained why he chose Emma Lake as the place to bring the Cup for his day.

“I’ve always been coming up here to my wife’s family’s cabin and it’s kind of like a second home for us,” he said. “it’s just such a cool spot and a little bit more low key.”

This is Stephenson’s second Stanley Cup win, the first coming in 2018 when his Washington Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights. He said winning the Cup a second time feels just as good as the first.

“You realize how hard it was,” he said. “The first one was my first year in the league so I kind of didn’t understand or didn’t know how hard it was to win. We had such a good team, it was rewarding.”

On top of spending time with family and friends, Stephenson also revelled in the opportunity to give young hockey fans a chance to see the Stanley Cup knowing that he was once in their shoes, looking up to great hockey players and dreaming of one day being in the NHL.

“That’s your dream to win the Stanley Cup,” he said. “It’s such a cool, amazing trophy.”

Stephenson also looked back at his time with the Golden Knights, saying how proud he is to be part of an organization that’s been dedicated to winning since it entered the league in time for the 2017-18 season.

The Stanley Cup is making its way through the Prairie provinces, having visited Winnipeg and Brandon last week. Former Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Brayden Pachal had the Cup in Estevan on Sunday, while Davidson’s Brayden McNabb is to take it to his hometown on Wednesday.