The Tampa Bay Lightning secured their second consecutive Stanley Cup with a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Final earlier this month. Now, in what is becoming the norm for Tampa sports teams of late, the Lightning will get a chance to celebrate their win with a parade on the city’s Riverwalk.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their Super Bowl win in the same spot back in February and as many remember, quarterback Tom Brady tossed the Lombardi Trophy to another boat in one of the most memorable parade moments. With no one knowing what to expect from the Lightning, the city of Tampa has a dive team in place just in case someone tosses the Stanley Cup in the water on Monday.
“It’s their day,” Mayor Jane Castor said, according to USA Today. “We are always prepared. We have divers if Stanley gets wet. We’ll get him back in short order.”
Members of the Tampa Police Department’s dive team will be closely watching the parade.
“My biggest concern for us would be people randomly jumping into the water trying to retrieve it themselves,” Officer Chris Audet told 10 Tampa Bay. “If the Stanley Cup does decide to take a swim that day, the TPD dive team is ready to retrieve it.”
It’s certainly worth noting that the Stanley Cup is a tad bit heavier than the Lombardi Trophy. The Lombardi Trophy is just 22 inches tall and weighs seven pounds. On the other hand, the Stanley Cup is three feet tall and weighs 34.5 pounds.
So, if the Stanley Cup is tossed, it might not be the most accurate throw. A potential Stanley Cup toss would easily make for the biggest headline of the parade. If it does land in the water, it’s most likely sinking to the bottom.
