Blues’ Sanford brings Cup back home
FOXBORO — Zach Sanford has celebrated big moments on Garden ice before.
The former Boston College Eagle assisted on future Golden Knights’ forward Alex Tuch’s game-winning Beanpot championship tally in overtime in 2016, after all.
Scoring a goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the team he grew up rooting for en route to raising the Cup was just a little more monumental.
This week, before making a return to the Foxboro Pro League, Sanford brought the Cup back to New England. A native of Salem, Mass., Sanford went to Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., and used his day with the Cup to celebrate around where his hockey career took form.
“It was awesome,” he said following a win for his Buckley team in the FPL on Wednesday night. “To bring the Cup to my home, to spend some time with everyone who got me that far and celebrate with them. Have the kids see it and hang out for the day.”
Sanford had been a local throughout his hockey career before going pro, scoring 69 points in his senior year with Pinkerton before notching 24 and 39 respectively in his two years at Boston College. He was drafted by the Capitals but sent west to the Blues as a part of the Kevin Shattenkirk trade.
Last season he played his most NHL games ever, dressing in 60 contests for the Blues where he picked up eight goals and 12 assists. He played in just eight playoff contests, sitting out the final round until the last three games, but his one goal couldn’t have been on a better stage.
A former Bruins fan growing up in New England, Sanford is looking to find a fulltime role with the nowdefending Stanley Cup champions that knocked off his childhood favorite.
His resume has only gotten better following a strong playoff performance when he got a chance, but first, he’s spending some time celebrating the achievement before training camp.
“It’s been pretty crazy,” he said. “It’s been short. But it’s been nice to get home and celebrate with everyone. There’s not too much time to rest, so it’s right back to training and skating, but it’s been a really nice summer so far.”
In between the celebrations, Sanford skated in his first FPL game of the summer on Wednesday. Several other pro NHLers are on the rosters and will make appearances in the league, and this last week Ryan Donato and Colby Cave were in games as well.
It’s been a league historically that Bruins players – who, after the extended season, haven’t been around as often – and New Englanders will play in during the summer to stay sharp.
It’s another local tradition Sanford was a part of, and though he might don enemy clothing now, he’s still including his home roots as a part of the celebration even while training for next season.
“There’s a lot of really good players out here,” he said. “It’s nice to get out here in real game situations. It helps with the timing and making those quick plays.”
The Cup is always on the run during the offseason, going town to town while each champion gets their day with it. Sanford’s connection with the region meant enough to bring it back to where he helped take down the team he rooted for as a kid.
It’s an opportunity he’s thrilled to have.
“I think I saw a lot happen throughout our year, the regular season and the playoffs,” said Sanford. “I learned a lot from the older guys on our team and the younger guys. Just that experience, to play in the playoffs, play in the Final, win the Cup, there aren’t a lot of guys who get to that in their career, and I got to early in mine.”