Shawn Thornton Puts Stanley Cup Victories Above Wedding Day On Greatest Days Of His Life
BOSTON (CBS) -- Growing up as a hockey player in Ontario, Shawn Thornton shared the dream of every other kid who's ever laced up a pair of skates: Winning the Stanley Cup.
So when Thornton spoke Monday about how high his two Stanley Cup victories rank on the list of all-time greatest days of his life, his wedding day was noticeably absent from the top of the list.
"The first time I won it in Anaehim was the greatest day of my life, and the second time I won it here was equally as good," Thornton said. "Any time you get to put that trophy over your head, it's pretty special."
When asked if he'll get in trouble with his wife for dropping the wedding day below the Cup victories, Thornton didn't appear worried that he'd get into any trouble.
"Yeah, she knows that too. She accepts it," Thornton said of his wife. "Listen, every Canadian kid grows up dreaming about winning the Stanley Cup. Not many little boys grow up dreaming about their wedding day."
Claude Julien was asked about Thornton's comment, and the Bruins' head coach said his enforcer showed a new kind of bravery with that line.
"I'm thinking he's a brave man to say that. Anybody who says the Stanley Cup is better than their wedding day, we'll have to see after the Finals whether he's still married or not, right?" Julien said with a laugh. "It's great. We all dream about that stuff. We marry people who understand us extremely well. Otherwise, we'd all be single."
"Growing up in Canada, as you know, it means a lot. I think that's what Shawn is saying," Julien continued. "In his case too, you gotta remember where he came from, barely making it to the pros and being in the minors for so long. Guys that have played in the NHL forever are still looking for their first one, and he's got two of them. So there's no doubt those are great days. But not only great days for us – a great day for our wives and our families too. They don't mind it either."
