Capital to honour Stanley Cup’s past
By Michael Pattison
Ottawa plans to host the Stanley Cup during this year’s Canada 150 celebrations — part of a tribute to the trophy’s 19th-century origins in Ottawa that includes the eventual erection of a Cup monument on Sparks Street.
The tribute, which will take place March 15-18, will be a celebration of hockey’s history and will commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup, the centennial season of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Ottawa Senators’ 25th season in the league.
Events will include a gala at the Canadian War Museum, a concert at the Canadian Tire Centre as well as chances for the public to view the Stanley Cup at Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park and Rideau Hall.
The idea of a tribute came when Ottawa Senators’ president Cyril Leeder approached Guy Laflamme, the executive director of Ottawa 2017, and offered him the opportunity to use the Canadian Tire Centre for one night at no cost.
“At the time some, people were saying maybe we should do a tennis competition and I thought, OK, the no brainer and zero-risk initiative would be to do a tribute to the Stanley Cup,” Laflamme said.
He wanted to do an event that would commemorate Lord Stanley, who began 125 years ago to award the Stanley Cup to the best amateur hockey team in Canada. Stanley’s top aide announced the planned Cup in 1892 at the former Russell Hotel, which was located at the current site of Confederation Square.
The trophy was later adopted into the NHL as its prestigious prize, and over the years has become one of the greatest awards in sports.
The Cup was purchased for a mere US$48.67 in 1893 by Lord Stanley. He then donated the decorative punch bowl as the prize for the top amateur hockey team in Canada. It was originally called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup.
Ottawa 2017 is organizing a concert to include artists who are fans of hockey, some hockey legends, as well as video excerpts highlighting the greatest moments in the history of the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
After discussions with the NHL, Laflamme was able to expand the event from a one-night concert to a four-day tribute with more events for fans.
On March 15, an evening gala will be held at the Canadian War Museum, where governors from each NHL franchise will meet with hockey alumni, though this will be a private event.
The following day, the Gov. Gen. David Johnston will welcome the Stanley Cup to Rideau Hall.
That event will honour Lord Stanley and the public will be free to take pictures with the Cup in front of a portrait of the former 19th-century vice-regal representative.
March 17 is the day most local hockey fans should be excited about.
Aberdeen Pavilion, which is the oldest, still-standing building where a Stanley Cup game was played, will host a meet-and-greet with hockey legends.
Members of the public will again be allowed to pose for pictures with the Cup if they could not make it to Rideau Hall and will have the opportunity to talk with some of their hockey heroes.
That night, the concert will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Laflamme said the lineup for the concert will be announced within a couple of weeks and tickets will go on sale at Ticketmaster shortly after.
Mayor Jim Watson hinted that some of the NHL’s greatest legends will take part: “The NHL has been celebrating their top 100 players and a lot of them are still very active. You’re going to see the biggest names of hockey’s past and present coming to our city.”
The final event taking place on March 18 will be a preview for the December unveiling of a new Stanley Cup monument planned for the corner of Sparks and Elgin streets.
A replica of the permanent monument, which be unveiled later in the year, will be on site for the public to see — just steps from where the Stanley Cup was first announced at the Russell Hotel in 1892.