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In a historic victory, the Vegas Golden Knights claimed their first-ever Stanley Cup by triumphing over the Florida Panthers in a five-game series earlier this June. As is customary with such a significant achievement, a grand championship parade ensued, showcasing remarkable and, at times, spirited moments.
On a Saturday designated for the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup celebration, the event was nothing short of extraordinary. Let’s relive some of the standout moments from this glorious occasion.
Karlsson’s Inspiring Speech
Forward William Karlsson provided the pinnacle of the night with his impassioned and colorful speech that ignited the fervor of the team’s dedicated fanbase in attendance.
“This incredible guy right here, he’s been with us since the very beginning. And you, all of you, have been here since Day One—damn, you guys are amazing,” exclaimed a shirtless Karlsson, referring to his teammate Jonathan Marchessault. “We played our first game in Arizona. We completely dominated them. I didn’t manage to get any points, but that’s alright. Because in Year One, I was pretty damn amazing, but you guys were even greater. We’ve been on this journey…we’ve waited a long six years for this guy to become the MVP.”
Eventually, the microphone was taken away from Karlsson, but not before he expressed his profound admiration for his teammates, punctuated with a few more choice words. You can watch his entire speech here.
Marchessault Earns the Conn Smythe Trophy
Following the Stanley Cup Final, Jonathan Marchessault was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, acknowledging him as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. The Golden Knights’ star concluded the 2023 postseason with an impressive 25 points, the second-highest on the team, surpassed only by Jack Eichel. Marchessault led Vegas with 13 goals throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Hill Channels Ricky Bobby
During the team’s championship parade, goaltender Adin Hill emerged as one of the stars, displaying his comedic prowess during an interview where he hilariously impersonated Will Ferrell’s beloved character, Ricky Bobby, from the film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”
“I’m feeling pretty wild right now, you know. I’m not sure what to do with my hands,” Hill quipped during the interview.
However, Hill certainly knew what to do with his blocker and glove hands throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After replacing Laurent Brossoit in the team’s second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, Hill compiled an impressive 11-4-0 record, accompanied by a 2.17 goals-against average and an outstanding .932 save percentage.
Cassidy Discusses a Potential Repeat
As Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy stood at the podium, Vegas fans erupted in chants of “Bruce.” Cassidy, fuelled by the crowd’s enthusiasm, eagerly rallied them on as they chanted “Back to Back.”
Cassidy secured a Stanley Cup victory in his inaugural season as the Golden Knights head coach, following his departure from the Boston Bruins after the 2021-22 season. This triumph granted the 58-year-old head coach the long-awaited Stanley Cup that had eluded him despite coming close to clinching it in 2011 with Boston.
Repeating such a feat will undoubtedly pose a formidable challenge. After all, only 16 teams have successfully defended their title as Stanley Cup champions, with the Tampa Bay Lightning being the most recent to achieve this milestone in 2020 and 2021.
by Taboola
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Stanley Cup parade
Q: What was the highlight of the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup parade?
A: The highlight of the parade was William Karlsson’s epic and expletive-filled speech, rallying the team’s fanbase and expressing his admiration for his teammates.
Q: Who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP?
A: Jonathan Marchessault of the Golden Knights was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the NHL playoffs.
Q: What was Adin Hill’s memorable moment during the championship parade?
A: Adin Hill, the Golden Knights goaltender, provided a hilarious interview where he impersonated Will Ferrell’s Ricky Bobby character from the movie “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”
Q: How did the crowd react to coach Bruce Cassidy during the celebration?
A: The Vegas fans chanted “Bruce” and “Back to Back” to show their support and enthusiasm for coach Bruce Cassidy, who won the Stanley Cup in his first season as the Golden Knights head coach.
Q: How many teams have successfully repeated as Stanley Cup champions?
A: Only 16 teams have repeated as Stanley Cup champions, with the most recent being the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
More about Stanley Cup parade
- Full speech by William Karlsson
- Jonathan Marchessault – Conn Smythe Trophy winner
- Adin Hill’s Ricky Bobby impression
- Bruce Cassidy’s journey as Golden Knights head coach
- Stanley Cup repeat champions history
3 comments
wow, Vegas Golden Knights really nailed it with their Stanley cup parade!! karlsson’s speech was amazin’, got me all pumped up!! an’ that goalie doin’ Ricky Bobby impression, LOL, hilarious! Can’t wait to see if they can do back to back, gonna be tough tho!
Vegas Golden Knights’ parade was absolute FIRE! Karlsson’s speech was INSANE, had me fist-pumping all the way. And Hill with that Ricky Bobby thing? LMFAO, couldn’t stop laughing! Cassidy knows how to work the crowd, man. Back to back? Bring it on, let’s see if they got what it takes!
The Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup celebration was LIT! Karlsson’s speech was like BOOM, so much passion and love for his teammates. And Hill, man, that Ricky Bobby impression was EPIC! Gotta give it to Cassidy, he knows how to fire up the crowd. Can they make it a repeat? We’ll see!