For the first time since 2006, the Stanley Cup was paraded through the streets of Raleigh on Saturday after a phenomenal postseason run from the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Canes tore through the first two rounds, sweeping both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, only losing their first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens.
And even that could probably be chalked up to a long layoff, because the Canes went on to win the next four games and then defeated the Vegas Golden Knights for the Cup in six games, most of which were instant classics.
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So, after a run like that, it was time to celebrate, and, boy, was Raleigh — which in recent years has attained certified hockey town status — ready to party.
Like I said: certified hockey town.
Of course, the parade was just the start of the celebration; there was more when the team hit the stage.
One of the coolest moments came when GM Eric Tulsky revealed that many of the players he had acquired thanked him for bringing them to Carolina. One of them, he said, was veteran enforcer Nic Deslauriers, who was acquired from Philadelphia at the trade deadline.
He only appeared in seven games in the regular season and one in the postseason, but Deslauriers — known to be a big locker-room guy and to play with a ton of heart — made an impression and earned himself a new two-year deal in Carolina.
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Congrats to Nic Deslauriers (miss seeing him in orange and black, though).
Of course, it was a warm, humid day, and that meant some players were keeping cool by taking tarps off.
However, up on stage, some of them decided that head coach Rod “The Bod” Brind’Amour should get in on the fun.
Rod looks like he could still play. It’s insane. Almost as insane as him not being a Hall of Famer.
Also, I wonder if the Michelob Ultra was his call. Nice, low-carb, low-cal sessionable beer.
Looks like the Canes may already be thinking about next season…