Prince George product, Brett Connolly, will bring the Stanley Cup home

Brett Connolly, the B.C. native and recent Stanley Cup champion, will be hoisting the cup all the way back to his hometown of Prince George.

Thank you for everything, DC. You deserve this. pic.twitter.com/YLsiuVTwSS

— Brett Connolly (@bconnolly8) June 16, 2018

Connolly moved to Prince George when he was 10-years-old and spent many of his junior years playing hockey.

From 2007 to 2011, Connolly honed his skills while playing with the Cougars, so it's only fitting that he brings the cup to us!

"He was lucky enough that he actually played here for his whole junior career, he never did have to leave . . . [the Cougars] definitely were kind of his launching point in his career," said Dawn Connolly, Brett’s mother.

"He's not a guy that says a whole lot, but I think he's super thankful for everyone that got him to where he was, I mean his family, the coaches, his trainers, his teammates, everybody who kind of played a part in getting him to where he is today I think he was certainly very appreciative for it."

Dawn confirmed that Brett would be bringing the cup to PG but stated that the team has not decided when. Player designations are hoped to be decided in the next couple weeks.

Dawn mentioned how supportive the entire Prince George community had been during the playoffs.

"We got so many phone calls and texts and Facebook messages and stuff from people from Prince George when he won the cup and all along his hockey career - lots and lots and lots of support from the Prince George community all the way along and certainly lots and lots when they finally won the Stanley Cup on Thursday."

When asked if she felt that all the work of being a committed hockey parent paid off when Brett finally lifted the cup, she said hockey was always what they enjoyed, not a means to an end.

"It was pretty amazing that's for sure, I mean, does it make the commitment we put in any better, I don't know. Had he not been successful with winning the Stanley Cup I wouldn't have looked at things any differently, for sure, I wouldn't change why we did the things we did,” said Dawn.

“Certainly I never thought when he started hockey this is where he would get to."

Like any proud hockey-mom, Dawn was at the game.

“Capitals fans stayed in the rink, it was like the whole half of the lower bowl was just surrounded - the whole entire rink was like Washington Capitals fans. They were chanting, they were yelling, they were screaming,” explained Connolly of the on-ice experience.

“It was a surreal moment. It still really doesn't feel real. And the emotion and joy on the player's faces kind of said it all."

According to Dawn, Brett was speechless.

“He did say when they had their little celebration at the hotel after the on-ice stuff, that there's no way - unless you experience something like that - there's no way that you can anticipate or predict what it might be like, right? It was just like this awe-inspiring feeling.”

Congratulations, Brett! We can’t wait to see you and the cup return to PG!