Nazem Kadri made history. The Stanley Cup in a masjid. He brought his family along for the ride and inspired thousands.
Here’s my report on it: pic.twitter.com/QM4QYGYoFI
— Ahmar Khan (@AhmarSKhan) August 27, 2022
Hockey’s biggest prize made history Saturday when NHLer Nazem Kadri brought Lord Stanley’s Cup to an Ontario mosque — believed to be the first time the revered trophy had been in a Muslim house of worship.
The 31-year-old forward, who won the Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in June, began his day with the trophy at the London Muslim Mosque, which he attended as a child.
Kadri, whose family immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in 1968, is the first Muslim and Lebanese-Canadian player to win The Cup.
Kadri with Mayor Ed Holder inside the London Muslim Mosque Saturday. AP
Kadri, whose family immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in 1968, is the first Muslim and Lebanese-Canadian player to win the Cup. AP
Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche carries the Stanley Cup following the Stanley Cup Final on June 26, 2022. Getty Images“To be the first person to do that, it’s an absolute privilege and an honor to be able to bring this to my community and my hometown,” the center told GlobalNews.
Hockey tradition dictates each player on the championship team gets a day with The Cup. After visiting the mosque, Kadri and The Cup rode on a firetruck in a parade through town to a park, where the London, Ontario, native was awarded a key to the city.
“It’s part of my background, part of my roots and part of who I am. There’s a reason why I brought it out and showcased it because I think the community deserves it. They’ve been cheering me on from the start, so I wanted to share it with everybody,” he told NHL.com.
Kadri, who played through injury during the Stanley Cup finals, was one of the hottest unrestricted free agents of the summer, eventually agreeing to a seven-year, $49 million deal with the Calgary Flames earlier this month.
