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Stanley Cup captivates
By Eric Stromgren
 Media Credit: Adam Hammer Former Husky hockey player Dave Reichel (1976-79) gets an up close look at the Stanley Cup at the National Hockey Center Monday.
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A procession of eight snowmobiles paraded perhaps the most famous champagne glass in the world through downtown St. Cloud to the National Hockey Center Monday.
About 400 people snapped photographs while some leaned on the glass for a closer view of the Stanley Cup- the 112-year-old silver trophy awarded to the NHL champion. The Cup was received at center ice by the SCSU men's, women's and St. John's hockey teams.
"It can make grown men cry and make kids jump up and down," said senior Ben Hewett.
Monday's visit was the first official Stanley Cup appearance in St. Cloud. The parade was part of a tour bringing the Cup through Minnesota to promote the NHL All-Star game in St. Paul Sunday.
The tour began at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth Sunday. Then, by snowmobile and truck, the Stanley Cup made its way south for a stop in Brainerd Monday before coming to St. Cloud.
NHL fan and SCSU junior Roger Vogt likes the Stanley Cup better than other sports' championship trophies.
"It's not remade each year like the Lombardi Trophy or the World Series Trophy, it's original," Vogt said.
Fans who showed up were not allowed on the ice during the presentation, but that did not stop them from getting closer. As the Cup left the sight of the rink, nearly 100 fans made their way to the south entrance of the Hockey Center.
Once outside, fans encircled the Cup's snowmobile transport and took the opportunity to take pictures.
"The Cup is so special, it's the only trophy with every winning player's name on it," said first-year student Jason Welle, dressed in a Wild jersey and hat.
Keeper of the Cup, Mike Bolt, then packed the Cup away for the next leg of the journey. From St. Cloud, it was taken to NHL FANtasy at the River Centre in St. Paul where fans can touch and take pictures with it.
Bolt, a Toronto native and Hall of Fame member, travels with the Cup 24-hours-a-day over 200-days-a-year to ensure its safe return home to the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame.
Over the years, the Stanley Cup was not under such surveillance. Some winning players have acted recklessly in the past while celebrating championships.
"That incident at Lemieux's house was pretty funny," Hewitt said.
He was referring to the location where the Cup was found after a Pittsburgh Penguins celebration in 1991, the bottom of Mario Lemieux's swimming pool. Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy managed to do the same thing in 1996.
Other players have a deeper, sometimes spiritual relationship with the Cup. Slvain Lefebvre baptized his daughter, Jade-Isis, in the Cup. In 2001, the Devils' Scott Niedermayer spent his day with the Cup on top of Fisher Peak, the highest point in British Columbia. Peter Forsberg brought it to his hometown of Omskoldsvik, Sweden for a parade.
Is there a chance the Stanley Cup might return to St. Cloud for a parade?
That depends on former Huskies currently playing in the NHL. Those players are Chicago center Tyler Arnason, Islanders winger Mark Parrish, Panthers center Matt Cullen, Blue Jackets center Mark Hartigan, Blue Jackets defenseman Duvie Westcott, Hurricanes defenseman Bret Hedican and Penguin's winger Ryan Malone.
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