Blackhawks' Timonen retires with the Cup above his head
Jonathan Toews kissed the Stanley Cup and held it aloft for the 22,424 at the UC Monday night.
He screamed and the fans screamed with him.
Then came the drama.
It's always fascinating to see who gets the Cup next, and to no one's surprise, Toews handed it to 40-year-old Kimmo Timonen. Next came Antoine Vermette, Brad Richards and Andrew Desjardins.
Richards won it once, some 11 years ago, but for the others it was a dream come true after wondering if it would ever happen for them in the NHL.
"I didn't even think I was ever going to play hockey again," said Timonen, who went through a health scare a year ago. "To be here now, a Stanley Cup champion, I don't have any words for you right now."
Toews said he got together with assistant captains Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith on Monday morning and discussed the possibilities.
"It was pretty much a no-brainer that Kimmo was the right guy, and the next few were pretty easy, too," Toews said. "Those guys came in here and added a lot to this team. Maybe it's not always on the ice or on the score sheet, but they helped this team a lot and I'm really happy for those guys."
Desjardins was almost too emotional to speak, but he was very grateful.
"I came here and I thought I knew how to play hockey," Desjardins said. "Maybe I knew how to play the game, but I didn't know how to win. These guys taught me how to win.
"They taught me what it takes to be a winner this time of year and that's why they're able to do this time after time around here. There are some real high character people who know what it takes on the ice and off the ice, and it is amazing to watch.
"I'm lucky to be here and I appreciate what I've learned from them."
It is that culture of winning that impresses newcomers, who only think they understand it before they arrive.
"These guys in this room, they only care about winning. I've never seen anything like it," Vermette said. "I'm glad I helped with a few goals, but at the same time, the focus is on the job you have to do collectively.
"Ultimately, that's what counts the most. Everyone contributes in different ways, but I understand those were big goals and I was happy to be able to help the team."
As for Timonen, he gets to ride off into the sunset now like few players get to do. He retires after lifting the Stanley Cup above his head.
"You can always dream about this, but you never know what's gonna happen in hockey," Timonen said. "This is really more than you can hope for.
"This is one of the greatest days of my life and I know I'll never forget this as long as I live."