Stanley Cup Champions: Jeff Carter and Mike Richards Are Kings of Hockey

Share

Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and Simon Gagne get to hoist the Stanley Cup as players and Ron Hextall will get to drink from it as an Assistant General Manager. Former coach John Stevens and Justin Williams did as well, and a former Flyers front office man, Dean Lombardi, was the GM who put it all together. The L.A. Kings are Stanley Cup Champions.
If you haven't already, I think it's a rite of passage to watch the video below. Whether your reaction is pride, pain, or ambivalence, this is a Flyers fan reality that won't soon be forgotten. 

Many local fans have picked up some enjoyment of LA Kings hockey this postseason (others, not so much), and the team's dressing of Gagne during the Finals says a lot. So too did his being the third player to be handed the Cup (watch below as he almost drops it). Richards and Carter came later, after Williams. Richie screamed to the rafters, then put his bearded kiss on it, and handed it to his best friend. 

Carter's wrister was on display tonight in the Kings 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. He finished with two goals in the Cup clincher. Richards added a couple of helpers, including the sweetest dish of his career, when he handed his best friend the Stanley Cup.

Congrats to the whole contingent of former Flyers who get their name etched into history.

[PHOTO GALLERY OF THE CUP CELEBRATION: Richards handed the cup off to Carter. Single tear]

The NHL's on-ice Stanley Cup celebration is always a great moment. Every single player gets to pump that thing skyward, its weight apparent in both a literal and figurative sense. 

Last night, seven former members of the Philadelphia Flyers organization got to do it. Here are Richards and Carter afterward, with Richie giving credit to his former club for helping him get there. A classy response by our former Captain to a well-worded question. 

Me? I'm happy for them. What was your reaction to seeing the orange and black alums earn the opportunity to hoist the Cup?

Contact Us