A crowd of close to 600 people were gathered at Western Financial Place on Tuesday, Aug 16, patiently awaiting the arrival of NHL champion Bowen Byram and the Stanley Cup.
Byram brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown to celebrate with friends and family, while also attending a photo-op with the general public.
Byram won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche on June 26, when Colorado defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Avalanche defenceman says it91裸聊视频檚 a 91裸聊视频済reat feeling91裸聊视频� to bring the cup to his hometown 91裸聊视频� this being the ninth occasion the cup has visited.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a lot of fun [to be home],91裸聊视频� Byram said at the photo-op on Tuesday. 91裸聊视频淕rowing up and playing minor hockey here 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 special to have it here and that people in the community get to see it and [I can] chat with some people. It91裸聊视频檚 been a fun day so far.
91裸聊视频淚n small towns there are a lot of people who help out with minor hockey. I had a lot of good coaches growing up 91裸聊视频� just very fortunate to grow up in Cranbrook in such a rich hockey environment.91裸聊视频�
Byram himself is Cranbrook91裸聊视频檚 fifth Stanley Cup winner, joining the company of past winners Scott and Rob Niedermayer, Brad Lukowych and Jon Klemm.
91裸聊视频淭o bring the cup back home is a really special experience and I91裸聊视频檓 very grateful that I got to have it this early on in my career,91裸聊视频� Byram said. 91裸聊视频淵ou never know, maybe I91裸聊视频檒l be lucky enough to do it a couple more times.91裸聊视频�
Byram says he was fortunate to get drafted by the Colorado Avalanche and that winning the Stanley Cup is a dream come true.
91裸聊视频淚 definitely knew I was fortunate to get drafted by the Avs 91裸聊视频� they already had a really solid team,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey got the pick for me from Ottawa. They made the playoffs that year, and made it to the second round, so I knew I was going to have a chance. Obviously, you never really know 91裸聊视频� a lot of good teams don91裸聊视频檛 ever win the Stanley Cup. Growing up you always want to be a Stanley Cup Champion and now that I am, it91裸聊视频檚 kind of hard to describe.91裸聊视频�
Byram had an adverse start to his NHL career, missing almost three months and a string of 32 games because of concussion symptoms. Despite this, he overcame the injuries and proved to be a key contributor on the Avalanche team.
91裸聊视频淚t was a frustrating couple years, I guess, not playing as many games as I would have liked due to injuries and other things. But I think it was honestly a positive for me to go through that early in my career,91裸聊视频� Byram said. 91裸聊视频淵ou know, it91裸聊视频檚 never easy to come back from injuries so I was very fortunate to come back and have a spot in the lineup again. I just tried to contribute any way I could in the playoffs.91裸聊视频�
When asked how it feels to lift the Stanley Cup in the air right after the victory, Byram said it91裸聊视频檚 hard to describe.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a special feeling, it91裸聊视频檚 hard to describe to people. You91裸聊视频檝e just gone through a really tough couple months and to finally get there it91裸聊视频檚 almost relief, in some way. There91裸聊视频檚 a lot of stress and anxiety, whatever you want to call it, throughout the playoffs and throughout the year. Especially when you91裸聊视频檙e on a team that has a lot of buzz about it. We were cup favourites going into the year 91裸聊视频� so it91裸聊视频檚 a relief but it91裸聊视频檚 also very exciting. It91裸聊视频檚 hard to put into words.91裸聊视频�
He adds that overall it was a great year with many highlights throughout the playoff season.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot [of highlights]. I can think of a lot of moments through the playoffs,91裸聊视频� he said with a laugh. 91裸聊视频淟ooking back now, you really wish you could have soaked it in a bit more, but there91裸聊视频檚 so much going on that it kind of just flashes by.91裸聊视频�
Following his photo-op with the community, Byram says he will celebrate with the Stanley Cup alongside his family and friends before the cup moves on to another player.
