What a week it was for Lord Stanley and the Los Angeles Kings. The latest NHL franchise to win the Stanley Cup, the first in the team’s 45-year history, spent last week receiving King-like status.
First, the Kings got the greatest royal treatment they could ask for by defeating the New Jersey Devils, 6-1, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in front of a raucous Staples Center crowd that made even the loudest Lakers fans seem quiet.
The newly minted Stanley Cup Champions then began their week of royalty by taking the Cup to the Hermosa Beach Pub on Monday night before making appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Jay Leno’s Tonight Show on Tuesday.
American captain Dustin Brown had the honor of representing the Kings on the Tonight Show and Leno jokingly asked what happened after the Kings failed to sweep the Devils.
"There was a little bit of pressure in this town," Brown said with a smirk. "We haven’t won in 45 years."
Later on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Brown and the rest of the Kings offered Kimmel the chance to drink out of the Cup.
The next day the Kings threw out the first pitch before the Los Angeles Dodgers-Los Angeles Angels interleague matchup.
On Thursday the Kings were thanked once again by the city of Los Angeles and its fans with a victory parade full of confetti and celebration.
So it couldn’t have gotten much better for the Kings right?
Oh yes it could. This was just the beginning for the triumphant Kings.
The Stanley Cup champions took their celebration to Las Vegas at the posh nightclub, TAO, where several players participated in a TAO Worship party included Americans Trevor Lewis and Alec Martinez, who were joined by Jeff Carter, Jarrett Stoll, Brad Richardson, Drew Doughty, Mike Richards, Jordan Nolan and others.
The players were introduced by a little man dressed as a “king,” and then took turns drinking champagne out of the Stanley Cup, the Kings are becoming pros at this, before a large group of quick-fingered, photo hungry fans.
And of course every King needs his crown so on their way out of the club some of the players grabbed makeshift crowns from a prop stand to the amazement of those in attendance.
The Kings continued their Vegas celebration the next day by drinking beers poolside, 50 stories in the air, at the Palms Fantasy Tower Sky Villa and also helping Lord Stanley work on his tan poolside at Wet Republic.
Over the weekend they celebrated it up at another nightclub, Hyde Bellagio.
“The week has honestly been a whirlwind. We always had some place to go. We obviously had a lot of fun,” said Martinez, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich.
“That week was definitely the best time of my life and I’ll never forget it.”
The party is far from over though as the Kings players and staff will take turns bringing the Cup to their hometowns, favorite spots and who knows where else over the next few months.
Regardless, Lord Stanley and his grateful owners will continue to receive royal treatment throughout the rest of the summer.