Landeskog brings the Stanley Cup to a children’s hospice in Sweden
Gabriel Landeskog spent an emotional day with the Stanley Cup in Sweden on Tuesday.
The Colorado Avalanche captain took the Cup to Lilla Erstagarden, a children’s hospice in Stockholm. Landeskog visited with patients and staff at the facility.
“It’s very important to me [to visit Lilla Erstagarden]. I have a connection to the place; my nephew was there a few years ago,” Landeskog said. “So I’d like to recognize and honor the staff and families there now. It feels important to me.”
Landeskog started his day by taking the Cup to his elementary school.
Afterwards, the veteran forward celebrated with fans at Hovet, the home hockey arena he played at as a teenager with Djurgarden IF in the HockeyAllsvenskan. Landeskog also wanted to bring the cup to Zinkensdamms Arena, where his youth hockey career began with Hammerby Hockey, but the arena was hosting a soccer tournament, so Landeskog could not show the cup where his career began.
“I wanted to take the cup to the “Zinken.” It is there after all [my youth hockey career] started. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears there on “Zinken,” Landeskog said. “It didn’t work though, there was some soccer tournament going on there, so I ended up at Hover instead.”
So far, Landeskog is enjoying his championship summer.
“It’s been a busy time. It’s all still a bit foggy, but absolutely wonderful,” Landeskog said. “It’s going to take some time before I really get this, and will be able to really enjoy it. So far, it’s just been crazy… but great fun, of course.”
-NHL.com international correspondent Janne Bengtsson contributed to this report.