On Friday, Alec Martinez was given the chance to celebrate with the Stanley Cup and he chose to do so with his friends, family, and some former Miami (Ohio) University Redhawks teammates.
What makes that event particularly special is, as the NHL.com reported, that he was the last Kings player scheduled to spend time with Lord Stanley’s Mug.
There are still some other members of the organization that have booked quality time with the trophy. For example, vice president of business operations Luc Robitaille will have the Cup next week. However, Martinez’s stint with the Cup in some ways signifies the beginning of the end of the Kings’ celebration.
In the coming weeks -- we hope -- the Kings’ players will start their training camp and preseason in preparation for defending their championship. That’s a daunting task and one that no one has successfully accomplished since the Detroit Red Wings did it in 1997 and 1998.