Hundreds of people lined up outside the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre in Lakeshore Saturday morning to welcome home Aaron Ekblad and to get a glimpse of hockey’s Holy Grail, the Stanley Cup.
By 8 a.m. hockey fans were ready to come inside and have pictures taken with the county’s recent National Hockey League champion.
“I want everyone to have a chance to see it. I’ll walk through the line and make sure everyone gets to touch it,” said Ekblad.
An assistant captain and 10-year veteran with Florida, the Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers to win it all.
As Ekblad smiled, fist bumped and even held a few babies, his proud mother Lisa was not far away and, at times, was emotional.
“It’s been quite a journey. He’s had some injuries and it’s been up-and-down,” she said.
As far as the large crowd who had come to see her son, she added, “I walked outside to see the public and it took my breath away. We might not get everyone in.”
Bringing the Stanley Cup to Lakeshore is a first for Ekblad who is used to firsts. After receiving exception status, he was drafted first overall as an underager by the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. That was followed with another first in 2014, drafted first overall into the NHL by the Florida Panthers.
“It’s been an incredible run. I am feeling as good as I ever have. I am healthy and ready to go hopefully for another ten years.”
Those waiting their turn to see Ekblad and the Cup sported lots of different hockey garb. Some wore Montreal Canadiens caps and a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey as well as lots and lots of Panthers sweaters.
And not just Ekblad’s #5 but a few Sun County AAA Panthers which is the minor club where he learned a lot of skills that progressed into a championship.
“Growing up a Panther and being a Panther now, it’s really cool. It’s a fun full-circle moment.”
In his ten seasons with Florida, Ekblad, who won the Calder Cup as the NHL Rookie-of-the-Year, his statistics have been impressive to say the least. He has played 676 games, scored 115 goals and 347 points along with 452 penalty minutes.
“The first nine years in the league it felt impossible,” said Ekblad of getting a chance to hoist the Cup “It’s so hard to do and more people have climbed Mt. Everest than have won the Stanley Cup.”
Saturday was a busy one for Ekblad as he wanted to make sure his grandfather got a look at the Stanley Cup and he was going to spend time with his close friends and family. The Stanley Cup wasn’t going far on the weekend as he passed it on to Coach Paul Maurice, a former Windsor Spitfires defenceman.
Ekblad is not the first Essex County player to win a Stanley Cup, there have been others including Amherstburg’s Kevin Westgarth who brought the trophy to town in 2012.
Ekblad brings Stanley Cup to Essex County
By Fred Groves
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