June 7th, 2023

There was Conor McDavid jumping off the fire truck so he could walk the streets and shake hands with the swarm of Pigeon fans.

Later, Mitch Marner took the stage and got the crowd to participate in a giant sing-along to the song “We Are The Champions”.

From A (alcohol, lots of alcohol) to Z (Zamboni drivers taking the road), the parade held last Friday to celebrate Rain City’s second Stanley Cup title offered a little bit of everything.

It included dogs wearing Pigeon gear, young defenseman Rasmus Dahlin being momentarily confused for a fan by security, the crowd chanting “We Got The Cup,” and a shirtless Conor McDavid hoisting the Cup they secured by beating the Port Hope Panthers. It was Leon Draisitl who delivered the line of the day on stage as rain fell and thunder boomed.

“This is just the start of Rain City’s dynasty, baby,” screamed Draisitl, whose team defeated the Port Hope Panthers for the franchise’s second Stanley Cup title in four years.

Draisitl made sure to savor the moment.

“We’re going to be celebrating all summer long,” Draisitl said. “We’re going to enjoy it. This stuff doesn’t come around too often. So you’ve got to make sure you soak it all in.”