Thousands of people lined the streets of uptown Saint John Thursday to celebrate the Saint John Sea Dogs’ Memorial Cup win on home ice.
With team jerseys in abundance, jubilant fans cheered as the cup champions paraded past in an antique fire truck and a Coast Guard inflatable boat.
With often-hoarse voices, the players chanted, sang and cheered along with the fans as the parade wound around King’s Square and down King Street, led by mascot Fleaburn on a unicycle.
It was a moving tribute to the Cinderella finish of a team knocked out in the first round.
The parade atmosphere was “electric,” said organizing committee member Derek Cooling from the main stage of the waterfront container village, where the parade finally ended.
Cooling said Saint Johners came out in droves to support the Sea Dogs. Even those who weren’t hockey fans turned out to support the various other events held around the city in conjunction with the 12-day event.
Watch Sea Dog fans march through Saint John to celebrate Memorial Cup victory
“The city really embraced this tournament,” he said.
Cooling said he’s heard a lot of positive feedback from members of the Canadian Hockey League and they said Saint John has “rewritten the book on how to run a festival in your town surrounded by a hockey tournament, and I think that’s the script going forward.”
From season-ticket holder to Mem Cup champ
Nick Blagden has been a fan of the Saint John Sea Dogs since he was three years old.
“I had season tickets for 13 years and now I’m part of the team. It’s, you know, it’s an amazing opportunity and I’m speechless about that.”
Blagden had been playing in Moncton when he was traded to the Sea Dogs six months ago.
The 19-year-old from Prince of Wales said winning the Memorial Cup in his hometown Wednesday with the 6-3 defeat of the Hamilton Bulldogs was extra special, creating memories he will cherish forever.
“Just being from Saint John and knowing how much it means to this city in the past 10 days,” said Blagden from the stage at the container village.
“It sends chills down me right now and it just leaves me speechless, like I can’t believe it. You know, a hometown boy, you can’t script it much better than that to win the Memorial Cup.”
Blagden isn’t sure there’s a way to top the experience.
“A lot of people say that junior hockey is the best time of your life. And right now, I’m on the peak of the mountain. So it’s just been amazing.
“I’m having the best time of my life, but also just won the biggest prize, the hardest trophy to win in sports, the Memorial Cup. So I don’t really know where to go after that.”
For now, Blagden said he’s going to enjoy the support of his hometown and the celebratory glow that will likely burn a little longer.
“The parade was awesome. The city was buzzing,” he said.
“They’re so electric for us and they were the backbone to this win for us. We couldn’t have done it without anybody in this city. We couldn’t have done it without our trainers, our staff, friends, family, everybody. And, you know, our fans were our backbone. They pushed us through. So it’s been awesome.”
Cole Harbour, N.S., native Connor Trenholm was also traded to the Sea Dogs six months ago. He’s grateful for the timing.
“I was so excited because I knew we were hosting Mem Cup and I knew this was a great opportunity for myself and the team and the city of Saint John. So I was ecstatic to be traded here.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of this any better,” said Trenholm, whose parents, sister and girlfriend were all in Saint John for the championship.
Alex Campbell and his friend Brady Burns were part of the huge number of Saint John fans who came out to celebrate with the Sea Dogs at Thursday’s parade.
The boys watched the game together on television the night before.
“We actually took a drive uptown later after the game, and it was pretty bonkers — car horns were going everywhere and it was pretty exciting,” said Alex.
“It was a pretty great moment for the city. Definitely one that we’ll remember.”
Justin Dryden was at the championship-winning game on Wednesday night and came out to celebrate at Thursday’s victory parade.
“It was huge. It was epic. And to win it here in Saint John is something that will never be forgotten,” said Dryden.
Grits Ansons was also at the parade, lining up early at the foot of King Street to make sure he saw his son, Raivis, parade by in victory with his teammates.
Ansons and his brother-in-law, Juris Geida, travelled all the way from Latvia to watch Raivis, a forward, compete in the Memorial Cup as a Sea Dog.
“It was great,” said Geida of the Memorial Cup and all Saint John had to offer.
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