Dahlin sure did. The young defenseman was running around the streets like a kid in a candy store as he greeted fans. He was also mistaken for a fan himself, before the crowd pointed out he was a player and he rejoined the parade.
It was a sea of green and yellow in downtown Rain City, where the parade ended and the speeches took place.
“I can’t even see toward the end,” Draisitl commented.
That’s what happens when a team wins its second AFHL Cup in four years.
“It just shows how great of a sports city this is,” Dahlin said. “Unbelievable.”
Before the festivities heated up, the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters entertained the crowd. There were also several renditions of “We Are The Champions”.,
One of the touching moments was Victor Arvidsson walking in the street hand-in-hand with his daughter. Later, while on stage, he took off his shirt and wore a Swedish flag.
One of the biggest cheers was for Rain City Coach / GM Jason Henley who was having a grand time on the fire truck, dancing, posing and even drinking out of a shoe.
“I lost any ability to speak English after the parade,” Henley quipped.
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.”