Kyle Okposo waited a long time to lift the Stanley Cup, and he had to wait longer than expected to have his full day with it.
The veteran forward's day with the trophy was postponed because of a worldwide IT outage that initially made it impossible to fly the Cup from St. Louis to Pagel Arena in Minnetonka, Minnesota, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.
"I'm crushed," Okposo told Russo when his original plans had to be canceled. Those in charge of the events attempted to make alternate arrangements so the experienced winger could still enjoy some version of a day with the trophy, and they were ultimately successful.
Special Day for Kyle Okposo and his family. The @FlaPanthers #stanleycup champion brings the trophy home. @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/5LmFEzyK5y
— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) July 20, 2024
Okposo, who's now an unrestricted free agent, helped the Panthers win their first-ever championship last month. The 36-year-old suited up for 17 playoff games for Florida en route to the title, chipping in a pair of assists while averaging 8:33 of ice time.
He lifted the Cup for the first time in his 17th season. The Buffalo Sabres traded Okposo to the Panthers just before the trade deadline this past March. He played parts of eight campaigns with the Sabres after spending his first nine with the New York Islanders. The Isles drafted him seventh overall in 2006.
He's a four-time 20-goal scorer who notched a career-best 27 along with 42 assists for New York in 2013-14.
The Cup had been in St. Louis with Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk.
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