Abbotsford Canucks players went totally nuts after Calder Cup win
For the first time in franchise history, the Canucks are finally a championship organization.
In Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final on Monday night, the Abbotsford Canucks shook off a 2-0 deficit to the Charlotte Checkers to win the organization’s first-ever Calder Cup.
And they sure seemed to party like a franchise that had been waiting 55 years for some hardware.
Though the Abbotsford affiliate have only been around since 2021, the Canucks had never seen any of their previous primary minor league teams in Rochester, Seattle, Dallas, Tulsa, Fredericton, Milwaukee, Hamilton, Syracuse, Kansas City, Manitoba, Chicago, or Utica lift the Calder Cup while associated with Vancouver.
After the handshakes and trophy presentations were complete, the players were quickly off to the locker room for a champagne spray.
KINGS OF QUEEN CITY š pic.twitter.com/UmgVGMhzpI
— X – Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) June 24, 2025
If we can critique one thing about the celebration, it’s that Charlotte seemed totally unprepared for the possibility of the win. In many locker rooms where a championship celebration is about to occur, there are plastic coverings put up to help prevent alcohol from soaking into surfaces around the room. The Checkers might be regretting that choice after seeing what the ultimate cleaning bill will come out to.
Former NHLer and head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks Manny Malholtra was going OFF after winning the Calder Cup. š¾
(š„: IG/brandoastle) pic.twitter.com/fv6bSdKRwN
— BarDown (@BarDown) June 24, 2025
Abbotsford coach Manny Malhotra got the most out of the party, drinking a whole lot of what we can only presume to be alcohol out of the trophy, even if much of it might have splashed all over him rather than go in his mouth.
The guy having the most fun, though, might’ve been Phil di Giuseppe, who appeared to have less than a PG reaction to the Charlotte crowd, giving them a two-finger salute during the actual cup lift.
glad the first ever cup handover to anyone in a canucks jersey includes phil di giuseppe in the background flipping off the opposing crowd https://t.co/m1VDR8UNIN pic.twitter.com/qf2tMNnsKe
— g (@wholegrainne) June 24, 2025
Back in Abbotsford, fans lined the streets to celebrate the big win.
The @abbycanucks fans have completely taken over West Oaks parking lot š¤Æ pic.twitter.com/Fl1whDNXgW
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) June 24, 2025
No details of any championship celebration back in their home province have been announced, but we’ll keep you posted if any details get shared.
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