Stanley Cup Gets Brought Around Massachusetts Thanks To The Golden Knights
The Stanley Cup made the rounds in Massachusetts this weekend. Unfortunately, it was not thanks to the Bruins.
Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy brought the cup to Cape Cod. In addition, Golden Knights star Jack Eichel showed the cup around Tyngsboro. Vegas won the championship back on June 13, defeating the Florida Panthers in the finals, four games to one.
But Why Would The Golden Knights Bring The Cup To Massachusetts?
Head coach Bruce Cassidy was the Bruins coach from 2016 to 2022. In June of 2022, Cassidy was fired from the organization. However, Cassidy still has a strong connection to the New England area. The Golden Knights have shared the Stanley Cup’s journey with each team member on their social media pages. Over the weekend, they featured Cassidy who brought the cup to Cape Cod. There, he posed for photos with his family on the beach. The cup served as the centerpiece of each photo.
Boston News 25 reported, “Prior to his trip down to the Cape, Cassidy stopped at Glover Elementary School Milton, where he helped launch The Cassidy Murray Foundation.”
Next, the cup appeared to receive an escorted drive across the state. It was then delivered to center Jack Eichel, who grew up in North Chelmsford. He would then attend Boston University before being drafted by second overall (2015) by the Buffalo Sabres.
As for Eichel showing off the cup to his hometown, Boston.com detailed his adventures. “The Chelmsford native and Boston University alum brought the Stanley Cup to Skate 3, a skating rink in Tyngsboro. Eichel started playing hockey at the rink when he was just four years old, and he still visits there to this day,” they reported.
With the Bruins breaking the single-season wins record, many expected the Stanley Cup to be brought around Massachusetts this offseason in a different regard. There is certainly sentimental value to Eichel having his hometown time with arguably the most historical trophy in sports. Cassidy, however, may have enjoyed his time here for other reasons.
New Balance's Artist Roster Includes Jack Harlow
It used to be that when you heard of an artist “signed” to a brand name that was typically a record label. Today, it’s not uncommon for such acts to be part of a major non-music brand. In fact, over the past few years, artists have been signed to New Balance and will often rock their footwear on stage.
The footwear company has put a lot of effort — and money — into changing their image. In 2011’s Crazy, Stupid, Love Ryan Gosling’s Jacob Palmer famously dunked on Steve Carell’s Cal Weaver for wearing New Balances. “In that case, you got no right to wear New Balance sneakers, ever,” Jacob tells Cal, who was praising his 407’s while Jacob was trying to give him a lesson on style, and what not to wear.
New Balance has made a massive comeback, however. Much of this has to do with their retro and vintage approach. Sneaker lines like their 574 model have been the poster shoe for those who are completely embracing this vintage styling. You may even see striped tube socks in tandem with the 574’s.
Collabs
Complex Magazine detailed how New Balance was moving past their “dad” brand image. In their story, they highlight the company’s approach to being open to collaborations and allowing them to be innovative paths into new demographics. “Media impressions for its collabs increased around 200 percent from early 2021 to early 2022,” Complex explained.
In a recent feature by AOIbot that details the favorite sneaker of every state in the country, New Balance was all over the map. In fact, the NB 550 was Massachusetts’ favorite shoe.
Boston + Sports
With New Balance’s headquarters located in the Boston area, the brand has made a strong effort to have a visible local presence. Former Red Sox players like Dustin Pedrioa (who was a fan favorite) started wearing New Balance cleats. Now, they have partnered with the most popular player in the game in Shohei Ohtani. They announced the long-term deal back in January. Ohtani is not only one of the most popular players in MLB, but in the entire sport, globally.
New Balance has also had a firm grip on Lacrosse. They’ve designed and delivered on the most common brand of Lax cleats. Premier Lacrosse League All-Stars like Trevor Baptiste often collaborate with New Balance as well.
Narrowing in on the entertainment world though, you will find a number of artists sporting New Balance lines on stage. With touring being the primary avenue for artists to maximize their income, many are finding creative ways to to enhance their personal brands by using their platform to showcase others they have teamed with. In addition, comfort and support are important to artists who need to take the stage every night.
Here, we will take a further look at present-day artists who are signed to New Balance.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
