LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights are continuing to celebrate the Stanley Cup win by taking it to many places. For head coach Bruce Cassidy and center Jack Eichel, that also means a trip to Massachusetts.
Cassidy is helping launch a foundation in Milton, which is dedicated to his daughter Shannon's late friend Cassidy Murray. She died after being struck by a boat while on vacation in Aruba in March 2022.
Days after the accident, Cassidy hosted Murray's family at TD Garden in Boston and presented the family with a jersey that has Murray's name and favorite number on it.
"Bruce and Julie Cassidy have been with us since our world turned upside down," Dave Murray, Cassidy's father, said in a statement released by the Golden Knights. "They have sat in our home, invited us into theirs, and given us strength and encouragement, especially as we ventured out into the public eye to urge Aruba to make critical changes to water safety laws so that no family ever again experiences our pain."
The Cassidy Murray Foundation will help individuals and families who have experienced tragedy navigate their grief and trauma and increase access to mental health resources.
"Julie and I marvel at Linda and Dave's commitment to helping others despite a crushing grief that few of us can even image," Cassidy said. "Cassidy Murray would have been with our family celebrating this summer had life not taken such a cruel and terrible twist. We cannot think of a better way to honor this beautiful girl and her parents' noble commitment to others than by coming to Boston to bring attention to the foundation in her name."
As for Eichel, he's planning on taking the Stanley Cup to North Chelmsford, which is his hometown, according to Barry Scanlon from the Boston Herald and Lowell Sun.
North Chelmsford native Jack Eichel is bringing the Stanley Cup home. The Cup will make an appearance at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro on July 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. Eichel grew up playing at Skate 3. pic.twitter.com/YNyyTHGZkO
— Barry Scanlon (@Scanlon65) June 29, 2023
Eichel's father Bob told the Lowell Sun it's important for his son to do that.
"It's where he grew up playing. He still skates there," Eichel said. "He played in a lot of hockey games there."
According to the Sun, Eichel first skated at the Skate 3 arena when he was four years old.