Windsorite Aaron Ekblad wins Stanley Cup as Edmonton Oilers fail to get over the hump

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad raises the Stanley Cup trophy after defeating the Edmonton Oilers, Monday, June 24, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers defeated the Oilers 2-1. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Wednesday’s grey skies matched the mood of many Canadian hockey fans after hockey’s holy grail was won and will stay in Florida. The Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 to claim the Stanley Cup in six games.

“I was pretty upset about the loss, but I was very happy with his (Florida defenceman and Windsorite Aaron Ekblad) individual success and he’s making Windsor proud.”

Ekblad is a Stanley Cup champion for the second straight year.

He told CTV News his brother couldn’t be in Florida for Game 7 last June so winning with his brother in attendance was special.

“He’s a special human and a special person and just to have him there was a pretty awesome for me,” he said.

Florida head coach and former Windsor Spitfire Paul Maurice thought his veterans allowing the first-year guys to skate with the cup after captain Alexander Barkov was awesome.

“The awareness of each other. All those guys who touched it first, it was their first cup. So, that’s what makes these men special.” Maurice said after the game.

Ekblad received the cup from Dmitri Kulikov, in what he describes as a special moment.

“An awesome father. awesome friend, teammate, just somebody I really respect,” said Ekblad.

Florida became the third team in the salary cap era to repeat as champs following Tampa Bay in 2020-21 and Pittsburgh in 2016-17.

“Probably one of the hardest things or the hardest trophy in sports to win so winning it once is an incredible achievement, but winning it twice and back-to-back, it’s almost impossible,” said Tom Khunhackl, a former Windsor Spitfire.

Khunhackl won back-to-back with the Penguins and relived his experience while watching Tuesday’s cup clincher.

“Fortunate enough to be in an organization with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then winning the Stanley Cup back-to-back is something you obviously never forget, and I still think about it thinking it’s a dream,” he said.

Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk feels the Panthers are a dynasty, having made it to three straight cup finals. Edmonton has now made two straight appearances, without a win, but former Oiler Zack Kassian doesn’t feel Edmonton’s window of opportunity has closed.

“Obviously there’s a lot of hard work and a long road ahead, but if there’s a team that can do it, Edmonton is one of them and I don’t think it’s too farfetched, because if you look at the Florida Panthers, they just did it,” Kassian said.

While it’s too early to talk about bringing the Stanley Cup back here to Essex County, Lakeshore Mayor Tracy Bailey does say that she looks forward to speaking to the Ekblad family to perhaps make that happen in Lakeshore a second year in a row.