The Stanley Cup, the premier championship trophy of professional hockey, has returned to the spot where it was hoisted 100 years ago -- Seattle, Washington.
The cup was spotted at 5th Avenue and University Street Thursday morning. That's where the old arena once stood which hosted the Seattle Metropolitans. The team won the cup in 1917. The city's name is engraved on the cup, along with all the past winners and key players.
Mike Bolt is the so-called "Keeper of the Cup." He travels the U.S. and Canada with the trophy, joking he only hangs out with "winners."
The visit was coordinated by the Seattle Sports Commission and Paul Kim, who obtained the trademark rights to the Metropolitans colors and name. Kim said that he's excited to educate people on the history of the franchise, and the Cup. He's organized several stops on Thursday, including the Washington Athletic Club, where there was a line out the door for a chance to take a picture.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan will make an appearance with the cup at City Hall Thursday afternoon. It will be part of a display with all the other Seattle championship trophies, including the 1979 NBA trophy for the Seattle SuperSonics, the WNBA trophy for the 2004 and 2010 Seattle Storm, the Super Bowl XLVIII Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Seattle Seahawks, and the MLS Cup for the 2016 Seattle Sounders FC.
The visit comes weeks after the city and Oak View Group signed a memorandum of understanding for a $600 million renovation of KeyArena in hopes of bringing the NHL to Seattle, possibly as early as 2020.
There will also be appearances Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Sno-King Ice Arena in Renton, and 8:00-10:00 p.m. at Olympic View Ice Arena in Mountlake Terrace.
KING 5's Travis Pittman contributed to this report.
