DENVER – There Nathan McKinnon was jumping out of a fire truck so he could walk down the street and move his arms. Want an avalanche,
Later, Eric Johnson took the stage and gathered the crowd to join the team’s song “All the Small Things” by Blink-182.
The parade, held to celebrate Colorado’s Stanley Cup Championships on Thursday, featured everything from “A” (alcohol, plenty of alcohol) to “Z” (a Zamboni driver on the road).
These included the dog in avalanche gear, young defender Bowen Byram, moments of confusion for fans due to safety, “We got the cup” and the trophy won by shirtless Gabriel Landeskog by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning. While it was raining and the clouds were roaring, Nazim Qadri graced the stage.
“Lightning? Thunder? It doesn’t matter. We’ve brought an avalanche, baby,” shouted Qadri, whose team defeated two-time winners Lightning in six games for the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title.
Qadri made sure to enjoy the moment. Maybe this is his farewell party too. An unrestricted free agent, he’s not sure he’ll be wearing an avalanche jersey next season. Subsequent conversation.
“We are going to celebrate for some time,” Qadri said. “We are going to enjoy it. This stuff doesn’t come up very often. So you have to make sure it’s all wet. “
Of course, Byram did. The 21-year-old was running down the street like a little boy in a sweet shop while greeting fans. He was considered a fan himself, before the crowd pointed out he was a player and he rejoined the parade.
There was a sea of burgundy and blue in Civic Center Park, where the parade ended and speeches were made.
“I can’t see to the end,” Qadri commented.
This is what happens when a team wins its first cup in 21 years.
“It just shows how great Denver Sports City is,” Bayram said. “Incredible.”
The parade also honored the NCAA champion University of Denver hockey team, the Denver East High School team that won the National Prep Championship, and the Colorado Mammoth, the National Lacrosse League champion.
Before the festivities continued, the band Big Head Todd and Monster entertained the crowd. There were also several presentations of “All the Small Things”, including the version assigned by Johnson. Avalanche fans have adapted the tune in the third period and sung along with it.
One of the heartbreaking moments was when Landeskog was walking down the street with his daughter. Then, while on stage, he took off his shirt and hoisted the Swedish flag.
Mikko Rantenon had a lot of time dancing, posing on the fire truck, and even drinking from his shoes.
“After the parade, I lost my ability to speak English,” Ranten scoffed.
Beer was flowing freely on the way to the parade. On the second beer note, this was also his debut – a limited edition version of the Skating Course Lite during the title run of Ball Arena Ice the Avalanche.
The post-avalanche season was as cold as snow when going 16-4. This is far from the 2016-17 season where he finished with 48 points.
Looking back on last season, McKinnon lamented that he didn’t win anything after a straight third in the second round.
“In my ninth year, I finally won something,” McKinnon said.
The greatest joy for Avalanche Hall of Fame forward general manager Joe Sackick, who became the first captain in league history to win the Stanley Cup (1996, 2001) and later the general manager of the same franchise.
One of the more emotional speeches was from co-caled coach Jared Bednar, who was shaken by the team’s sacrifice to win the title. Like Valerie Nichushkin, who was Wheelchair on Thursday.
Some players still had playoff beards (see: McKinnon, Landeskog, Rantenen). Others saved him.
“I couldn’t wait,” Qadri said. “It was very itchy.”
Qadri wore a bucket hat and a VT shirt with “many men” written on the front. The avalanche was a mild reference to the idea that there were too many players on the ice when Qadri scored the winning goal overtime in Game 4.
Black Capricorn was still playing during the parade. The young defender, who won the Con Smith Trophy as a post-season MVP, caught a stuffed animal thrown on a fire truck and placed it on his prize.
However, his speech was highly praised. While it was raining, Capricorn came on stage and shouted: “It’s not raining in our parade today!”