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| Last updated at 6:23 PM on 30/06/08 |
Danny Cleary completes his dream to bring the Stanley Cup home  
Says children’s hospital visit highlight of the events
BY KENN OLIVER
The Telegram
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| Stanley Cup champion and Detroit Red Wings forward Danny Cleary, a native of Riverhead, Harbour Grace, carries the Cup into the Janeway Children’s Hospital in St. John’s this afternoon to the delight of patients and staff. — Photo by Joe Gibbons/The Telegram |
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Danny Cleary believes it was his duty to bring the Stanley Cup home.
And Monday, before hundreds of fans and scores of media gathered at the St. John’s International Airport, the Riverhead, Harbour Grace native and Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup champion did just that.
“Anytime you win the cup, you bring it back to your roots. You don’t forget where you came from,” he said to cheers. “Not only that, this isn’t Toronto, this isn’t British Columbia. The cup has never been to Newfoundland.”
Hockey’s most sacred silverware has been in the province before while on national tour and was even in Labrador earlier this year for a junior tournament. But of the 26 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to lace up skates in the NHL, Cleary will be the only one with a championship ring.
Cleary, accompanied by his wife Jelena and daughter Elle, along with other family and close friends, hoisted the hallowed trophy over his head as he made his way down to the airport lobby to address the raucous crowd.
“The province of Newfoundland is a beautiful province with great people who deserve a Stanley Cup and they’ve got it now,” Cleary told the media. “No one can take it away from us.”
Amongst the throng of supporters was the Hynes family — Dean, his wife Michelle, and their children Carter, 7, Chad, 5, and Jane, 3 — each decked out in several pieces of Red Wings swag.
A lifelong Red Wings fan, Hynes said this win is even more enjoyable than the 1996-97 win, the team’s first in 42 years.
“After so many years of following them, that was a big deal at the time.
“But this one was definitely special.”
During the ceremony, Telegram Publisher Charlie Stacey presented Cleary with a commemorative plaque mount of the paper’s front page of the June 5, 2008 edition showing a victorious Cleary hoisting hockey’s grail in Pittsburgh. The Telegram has been inundated with requests for prints of the page.
Local artist Derek Button also presented Cleary with an original work depicting scenes of him during the Wings’ playoff push.
Following the airport celebrations, Cleary and his entourage made their way to Sara Rostotski’s Studio and Gallery before a trip to the Janeway Children’s Hospital —a place Cleary admitted was “the highlight of the whole trip.”
“The Janeway is going to be the best experience the two days are going to bring,” Cleary, who is father to toddler Elle, said earlier. “These kids might not be feeling great but I’m hoping the Cup cheers them up for that one special moment, and that’s really what it’s all about.”
One such child was Ben Newhook of St. John’s. The 10-year-old was admitted to the Janeway after a cut on his knee got infected. But Newhook, clutching his autographed Danny Cleary photo, considered himself lucky to be here on such a great day.
“I’m just happy I got to see him and the Stanley Cup. I’m happy that he was there to say hi to the other kids. It’s just fantastic.”
While Monday was a whirlwind day for Cleary and his clan, the celebrations are only just beginning. On Tuesday, his hometown of Harbour Grace will be awash in a sea of red and white as the town celebrates both Canada Day and Cleary’s homecoming.
The Stanley Cup’s schedule in Harbour Grace Tuesday involves a motorcade, meetings with minor hockey players and an event featuring concessions, live music and much more, and is expected to attract thousands to St. Francis Field near S.W. Moores Memorial Stadium.
Full coverage in Wednesday’s Telegram.
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30/06/08
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Olympia Rat from Michigan writes: Congratulations Newfoundland,
Enjoy your day!
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| Posted 30/06/2008 at 7:35 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Marine from Detroit writes: Awesome!!
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| Posted 01/07/2008 at 1:09 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Percy Dean Anthony from Fredericton, NB writes: I am Very happy to see Daniel Cleary bring the cup to Nflder..Alexander Faulkner used to played soccer from Bishops Falls against Roberts Arm ,NL. I played in goalkeeper he played great. I am happy to see Alex Faulkner will meet with Daniel Cleary ..
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| Posted 01/07/2008 at 9:04 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Bigrin from Ann Arbor Michigan writes: Congratulations to The Great Province of NewFoundland! The Champion People of Newfoundland deserve a World Champion son of The Stanley Cup.
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| Posted 01/07/2008 at 12:14 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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