The Tampa Bay Lightning Partied So Hard After Winning the NHL Championship That They Wrecked the Stanley Cup
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images
The Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning last week, but the Stanley Cup trophy is still heading back to Montreal. After damaging the cup during Monday’s boat parade, the Lightning are sending the championship trophy back for repair.
The @StanleyCup did sustain some damage during today’s festivities. It’ll be sent to Montreal for repairs and be back to resume Cup celebration with @TBLightning next weekend pic.twitter.com/MEbZGZFxSD
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) July 12, 2021
It was the second boat parade held for the Lightning in the last 10 months, with Tampa Bay’s hockey team repeating as Stanley Cup champions. It was also the second time this year a Tampa Bay boat parade led to a trophy controversy.
In February, Tom Brady made football fans cringe as he tossed the Buccaneers Super Bowl trophy from one boat to another, but managed to evade any damage. The Lightning were less fortunate, as photos surfaced on social media featuring a massive dent in the 128-year-old hockey trophy.
“All good, going in for a tuneup,” said Phil Pritchard, the Hockey Hall-of-Fame’s official Cup Keeper.
The famed Stanley Cup gets passed on to the new NHL champion every season, separating itself from other sports trophies, which are duplicated yearly. But this isn’t the first time the trophy has been dented, just three years ago, the Washington Capitals infamously damaged the Stanley Cup after attempting keg stands with it.
The original bowl portion of the Stanley Cup, which is the area the Lightning severely dented, was retired in 1962 and permanently remains at the Hockey Hall-of-Fame. The current Cup should return to Tampa Bay shortly, allowing players to celebrate with the trophy throughout the summer.
