Yeo Stanley Cup Party a Huge Success (VIDEO)

Hundreds of hockey fans line up to get their photo taken with the Stanley Cup. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The weather was frightful outside, but the energy and excitement in Memorial Gardens was truly delightful and Mike Yeo and his little trophy made it a day to remember.

The Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach arrived at the Gardens by police escort shortly before 9:00 a.m. after a couple of quick stops at MOOSE FM and Burgerworld.

Fans lined up like it was game 7 of a championship to wait for their chance to see the Stanley Cup. For 4 hours - a longer than normal viewing for the Cup - they got a glimpse or picture with the cherished trophy while Yeo signed autographs.

City officials believe between 5,000 and 10,000 people got to view or have their photo taken with the cup.

The fact that the event went above expecations sits just fine with this Stanley Cup champion.

"It is exactly what I expected because I know hockey is so important to our community," said Yeo during his media scrum at 11:00 Thursday morning.

"North Bay is Hockeyville and it's a great hockey town ther are a lot of great younger players and a lot of great older players that have paved the way. There is a lot of tradition and pride in this city and I'm happy but not surprised because I know what a great hockey town North Bay is."

The fact that the event went above expecations sits just fine with this Stanley Cup champion.

"It is exactly what I expected because I know hockey is so important to our community," said Yeo during his media scrum at 11:00 Thursday morning.

"North Bay is Hockeyville and it's a great hockey town ther are a lot of great younger players and a lot of great older players that have paved the way. There is a lot of tradition and pride in this city and I'm happy but not surprised because I know what a great hockey town North Bay is."

The Role Model

While the Cup attracted the most attention, the lineups to see Mike Yeo were nearly just as large. It didn't matter who you were or how young you were, Yeo was a true role model to every person who got to shake his hand or watch him etch an autograph on a poster.

He's the Stanley Cup champion every child dreams to meet one day.

North Bay's Tom Hedican had never met Yeo before. The European Goalie Consultant and author of the amazing Coach4Food campaign was amazed to greet Yeo and find out he was familiar with his Food Bank fundraiser. Hedican was flattered and amazed that the busy Penguins assisant coach would be still so very well connected to his community. Yeo even tried to underline the importance of the support from his family and local coaches that helped mold him into the NHL calibre coach he is today.

“It’s special to share this with them,” said Yeo about former minor hockey coaches like Bruce Cazabon.

“I hope they realize what a hand they had in it. As a coach and as a parent who has also coached my kids I understand that those guys have a very difficult job and they don’t get paid for what they do. They do it all as a volunteer and they spend a lot of time and energy and it’s a huge commitment so hats go off the all the coaches out there not just the ones that coach hockey but every sport.”

As for family, the career doesn’t happen without their support according to Yeo.

“I guess that is what makes this moment so special to be here and share it with them because in a strange way they also won that cup too.”

The Event

While Yeo and the Cup were the main priority there was still a lot of other events that kept hockey fans busy at Memorial Gardens. Former NHLers Bill Houlder, Darren Turcotte, Larry Keenan, Troy Crowder, Steve McLaren and even Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Famer Bill Barber signed autographs for kids along with Hedican and rising local hockey stars like Marc Senecal, Russ Moyer, Cassidy Preston, Nick Huard and Matt Marquardt.

The autograph station was sandwiched between Penguins Memorabilia from Ultimate Sportscards and EliteHockey.net's shooting gallery while lunch was served by Burgerworld at the south end of the building. The good news, all the money raised at all the events will go towards Kidsport.

To watch a video story of the event CLICK HERE.