For 38 years Phil Pritchard has been the keeper of the Stanley Cup.
From going on a 14-bar tour with Prince George’s Jon Cooper in Florida to celebrating with Anze Kopitar and his family in Slovenia, the holy grail of hockey has taken him to 31 different countries.
He spoke about some of his experiences at the 11th UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Night from the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre on Wednesday.
Pritchard joined the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and was tasked with going everywhere the Stanley Cup went on just his fifth day on the job – during an interview, he recounted some of his earliest stops with the trophy.
“I went to Newmarket, Ontario for a minor hockey event just an hour north of Toronto and the second stop was Dallas Texas prior to the Stars being there – they had a minor hockey tournament called the Big D Dallas shootout.”
He chuckled some teams have a little bit too much fun with the cup.
“It’s kind one of the reasons why we travel with it all the time. As we all know, trophies aren’t made to placed in, hockey tries to make it so it can be that but when you are the Stanley Cup and are 134 years old – if you look as good as it does, you are doing OK.”
Prichard has a strong belief that communities need winners and that the team who captures the Stanley Cup is a reflection of the entire city and not just the NHL organization.
“The night that it’s won when its part of the presentation on the ice and then the team celebrates that whole week in their city is probably the best time for it and the craziest times for it because the whole community is behind it all. The New York Rangers don’t just win the Stanley Cup, the whole city wins it.”
“During the summer, the team gets it for 100 days. and they go all over the place so you try and remember each one and how special it was. The thing you remember is how the community treats it and that is awfully special.”
In addition, longtime NHL executive Brian Burke hosted a hot stove session with PG Cougars alumni and current co-owners Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis.
The evening raised money for athletic scholarships and bursaries supporting UNBC athletes.
At the end of the night, over 90-thousand dollars was raised in support of the Curt Garland Leadership Award.
A final fundraising total will be unveiled at a later date.
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