Hockey Night In Canada’s coverage of hockey is unparalleled and Monday night, that continued in its opening segment.
Discarding its normal montage treatment, HNIC previewed the final from the Stanley Cup’s point of view. It was very good.
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Here’s the transcript.
Hello, my name is Stanley. Some simply call me the holy grail. Others call me the greatest trophy in sports. I was born more than 100 years ago. I’ve been all over the world, but every spring, I return to where I’m needed most: the center of the ice. You’ve seen some of hockey’s most memorable moments from your television. Or if you were lucky enough, from the stands. I was right there when number 99 became The Great One, the night the Moose became the Messiah, and the moment Bobby Orr leaped off the ice a man and landed a legend. I’ve had the pleasure of being embraced by the game’s greatest players to be part of the sweet taste of victory, and of course, I have the tattoos to help me remember every single one. As I return to the ice this season, it’s time to make new memories either with familiar faces or with men I have yet to meet – all who have sacrificed their blood, sweat, and tears for the chance to achieve a dream.
Tremendous.
This follows several more-fantastic-than-usual commercials by the NHL promoting the Stanley Cup during the playoffs.