Bylsma brings home Stanley Cup

Tue, Aug 11, 2009    to del.icio.us

Dan Bylsma brought home one of the sports world's most-recognizable icons Tuesday.

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The Grand Haven native brought the Stanley Cup, the prize for winning the NHL championship, to the city's Municipal Marina.

Bylsma is head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Cup by beating the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in June.

He took it fishing on Lake Michigan Tuesday morning aboard the Tammy Too III, then hoisted it from the back of the boat down the Grand Haven channel to the marina. The NHL Eastern Conference trophy followed in another charter boat.

To see the video, click here: http://www.grandhaventribune.com/liveique/b_vid_front.bsp

The line to view the trophy up close began forming around 11 a.m. — and, by the time Bylsma carried the trophy from the charter boat docks to the marina lawn at noon, it wound east of the Chinook Pier buildings.

Bylsma also rode in the Aug. 1 Coast Guard Festival Grand Parade to cheering crowds in downtown Grand Haven.

Fresh off his NHL dream season, Bylsma has been flooded with requests for appearances in the last few months — but he said he was glad to make a hometown appearance this month.

Tribune Sports Editor Matt DeYoung will have more on this story in today's Tribune.