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The Stanley Cup at Dockside Brewery in Milford on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Photo courtesy of /Tom Hanley)
The Stanley Cup made a stop in Milford on Saturday.
Fresh off helping the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere brought hockey's most famous trophy to Dockside Brewery for a private celebration with family, friends and several Hurricanes teammates.
"I never thought the Stanley Cup would be at the restaurant until I saw them take it off the bus," Dockside manager Tom Hanley said. "I was in awe. I'm a sports fan, but I never really thought much about the trophies. The Stanley Cup is so impressive when you see it in person."
While the gathering was private for Gostisbehere and his guests, some Dockside employees had the opportunity to pose for photos with the Cup and even drink from it.
"They let us touch it and drink out of it, which was very cool," Hanley said. "They wanted to celebrate and have some privacy. It wasn't a public event, but they were very hospitable with us."
Hanley said the torrential rain that moved through the area Saturday created some anxious moments. By the time the bus carrying Gostisbehere, his guests and the Stanley Cup arrived, however, the storms had cleared and the staff had swept away the standing water outside.
"Nothing is ever easy in the restaurant business, and we kept having monsoon after monsoon Saturday," Hanley said. "The bus was delayed a little, but by the time they got here it had cleared out. Then the bus showed up with the Cup in it. It was an honor to have them here."
While Gostisbehere was born in Florida, Connecticut played a pivotal role in his hockey journey. He transferred to South Kent School during high school and launched his professional career in the state, even signing his first two NHL contracts at Dockside.
His wife, Gina Gostisbehere (née Valentine), is a Milford native, and the couple has spent many offseasons at Dockside, including when Gostisbehere signed his first two NHL contracts.
Gostisbehere was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (No. 78 overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft after his first of three seasons at Union College. He became the first player born and raised in South Florida to reach the NHL.
He signed a one-year, $4.125 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2023, before agreeing to a three-year, $9.6 million deal with the Hurricanes on July 1, 2024. He became a Stanley Cup champion when Carolina defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
Each member of the Stanley Cup-winning team receives a day with hockey's most celebrated trophy, continuing one of the sport's most cherished traditions.
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This article originally published at Milford brewery welcomes Stanley Cup as the Hurricanes' Shayne Gostisbehere celebrates championship.
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