It looks like we now know which Tampa Bay Lightning player damaged the Stanley Cup during the team's boat parade.
Let us start off by saying no one in their right mind would damage the trophy on purpose and that it was a complete accident, but… it was Pat Maroon. Bang, there it is! General manager Julien BriseBois revealed that the cup was broken when a player attempted to lift it up for the fans in rainy weather, and it looks like it was the one, the one, Big Rig himself.
Maroon explained his side of the story and insisted that the whole thing was a complete fluke and that the team in no way disrespected Lord Stanley’s mug.
The following is a transcription from the Tampa Bay Times:
“It was obviously raining and it was wet,” Maroon said. “I went to lift it, and I went backwards with it. I slipped and (Cup keeper) Phil (Pritchard) helped me up and the Cup went back on its end.
“People are saying we disrespected the Cup, such BS because if they had half a brain, you know it’s wet outside and you’d think we’d be throwing the Cup around? No. We didn’t disrespect it. It was a complete accident, and we both got hurt. My back has been hurt all day. So, that’s what happened. Nothing crazy.”
Hey, as long as Maroon’s okay. That sounds like it was painful. As for the damage itself, the Cup is expected to be back with the team next week.
Oh, the irony of it having to go to Montreal for repairs…
This will all eventually just be a thing of the past and a story from 2021 when the Lightning went back-to-back. Life will go on!
(H/T Tampa Bay Times)
