Former Washington Capitals forward Chandler Stephenson had his day with the Stanley Cup on Tuesday. Stephenson, who took home Lord Stanley with the Caps in 2018, won his second career championship as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights this past season.
The 29-year-old forward tallied the primary assist on Vegas’ first goal in the Cup Final and ended up with 20 points (10g, 10a) in 22 games overall in the postseason.
Stephenson took the Cup out on Emma Lake in Saskatchewan to celebrate the team’s championship. He showed off some of his wakeboarding moves while the Cup looked on securely from the deck of a boat.
VGK Chandler Stephenson takes it easier the second time around. And don’t worry, Stanley was secure. (Emma Lake, SK) #StanleyCup @GoldenKnights @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/CCih7LNIxp
— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) August 2, 2023
Stephenson was delivered the Cup by boat at Sunset Bay Resort on the shores of the lake. He first took the trophy out onto the sand in front of a big crowd of adoring fans.
Those fans cheered as Queen’s iconic “We Are the Champions” played in the background and Stephenson lifted the Cup above his head.
#ICYMI: The @StanleyCup made its way to Emma Lake, SK thanks to Chandler Stephenson. @GoldenKnights @NHL pic.twitter.com/s6whEisFlp
— paNOW (@princealbertnow) August 1, 2023
“It’s crazy. I think it was last weekend, we put some fliers out just around the lake and this is what the turnout was,” Stephenson told the Prince Albert Daily Herald’s Nathan Reiter. “It’s pretty cool. For all the kids and the families that get to see it and get pictures and all that, it’s pretty special. You want to give back as much as you can and share it with everybody.”
After winning with the Caps in 2018, Stephenson had his day with the Cup in Humboldt and later his nearby hometown of Saskatoon. The day was a very emotional one as Stephenson brought the trophy around Humboldt just months after a bus crash took the lives of 16 Humboldt Broncos players and coaches.
Chandler Stephenson arrives in a Humboldt Strong shirt, carrying the Stanley Cup, escorted by Mounties. pic.twitter.com/L3xvs34tvN
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) August 24, 2018
Stephenson wanted this time around to be a little more casual. And, safe to say the Stanley Cup doesn’t get to go wakeboarding too often. No word on if his mom did another Cup stand though.
“The first one was back home where I grew up, and I just kind of wanted to be a part of it with everybody, wanted everybody to be a part of it and all that,” Stephenson said. “Just bringing it up here, we’ve always been up here to my wife’s family’s cabin, and it’s kind of like a second home for us. It’s just such a cool spot and a little bit more low key.
“I think that I’m just enjoying this one more. Obviously fortunate enough to get a second one. I said if I ever was fortunate enough to win a second one that I’d be a little bit more low key with it and enjoy it.”
Stephenson is the second ex-Cap from the 2018 team to win another Cup, joining Andre Burakovsky.
Congrats, Chandler!
Screenshot via @keeperofthecup/X
