Skip to content

Kings' fan from LA make the trip to Yorkton for Stoll's Stanley Cup parade

The Stanley Cup has been doing so much travelling lately it should qualify for some kind of discount on the airline. Last Thursday it made its first stop in Yorkton. A couple days later, it was out on the lake in Kenora, Ont., with Mike Richards.


The Stanley Cup has been doing so much travelling lately it should qualify for some kind of discount on the airline.

Last Thursday it made its first stop in Yorkton. A couple days later, it was out on the lake in Kenora, Ont., with Mike Richards.

In between, it visited with Dustin Brown in Ithaca, NY.

Jarret Stoll was likely the first NHL athlete to bring the Holy Grail of Hockey to Yorkton.

It was first out in Neudorf in the early hours of the morning.

By 2 p.m., that Thursday, it was the reason for a shutdown of Broadway St., as a 40-float parade showed off the silver trophy.

Following the parade, Stoll had a photo session at the Gallagher Centre, then did a brief media session, then it was one big party in the Flexihall.

"It's been great," he said. "Seeing everybodywhat a turnout!"

It was awesome. There was way more people (than I thought)."

Along for the ride were two men who said they made the trip to Saskatchewan from Los Angeles.

They did their own set of interviews with Regina and Yorkton radio stations as well as a TV stint.

Rob Mathieu and John Hallman, both from the City of Los Angeles, said they were going to make the trip to Yorkton with Stoll, provided the Kings go on to win Lord Stanley's Mug.


Back on June 11, the Kings ran all over the New Jersey Devils and the duo from LA started making travel arrangements to get to Yorkton for its day with the prize.

"We flew into Regina last night," says Mathieu, adding that they were not traveling with Stoll, but decided that if he does win the Cup, they would travel to Yorkton alone.

"Jarret's my favourite player," he said. "We told each other we would travel to some small town in Canada if/when the Kings win the Cup."

Mathieu added that there are in fact "a lot of small hockey towns in California where 'hockey rules'."

He said that asides from the major sports in California, hockey is starting to pick itself up.

Both men added that the crowd at LA's Staples Centre was good proof of that.

Both also added that it's still a bit of a shock that the hockey team from Los Angeles was able to go all the way, considering that they weren't anywhere near a playoff spot going back to December and January.

"It was tough," says Rob.

"And frustrating," adds John.

As for Stoll himself, he told the media that the whole season "was a battle from start to finish."

The turning point for him personally?

"As soon as we beat Vancouver."

For months later, and a couple days after a baseball championship was decided, on a chilly-then-hot day in August and the Stanley Cup is again on everyone's mind.

Especially for local school teacher and principal Quinn Haider and his family.

They were among the hundreds of supporters who came out for the photo session, all decked out in Kings' attire.

"What Stoll and his family have done for the entire community is incredible."

Part of the day saw Stoll do a sit-down interview at centre ice at the Farrell Agencies Arena with the NHL Network