Stanley Cup runneth over world’s borders

One minder of hockey’s holiest tells travel tales

July 03, 2011|By Christopher Klein, Globe Correspondent

The ice has melted and the duck boats are once again hauling gaggles of tourists, but the celebration of the Boston Bruins’ first National Hockey League championship in 39 years will continue all summer as each player spends a day with the Stanley Cup. Mike Bolt of the Hockey Hall of Fame is one of four “keepers of the Cup’’ who will accompany the trophy every step of the way. Born and raised in Toronto, Bolt spends 250 days a year with the silver chalice named for its donor, Lord Stanley of Preston, governor general of Canada from 1888-93. Hockey’s ultimate roadie, Bolt talked to us about traveling the world as Cup caretaker for 12 years.

Q. Where are some of the places you’ve traveled with the Cup?

A. I’ve been in every state except Hawaii, and I’ve been everywhere in Canada except Nunavut. I’ve been all over Europe. Probably the farthest places I’ve gone have been Japan, northern Siberia, the Arctic Circle in Sweden, and even to Afghanistan to see the troops. I’ve been with the Cup on planes, trains, automobiles, boats, even on a specially built Polaris snowmobile on a trip across Minnesota. Traveling with the Stanley Cup is the greatest way to see the world.

Q. You must have some serious frequent flier miles racked up.

A. I do. I used to have a lot more, but some of them expired. I’ve lost over a million miles.

Q. Before Sept. 11, 2001, you could board planes with the Cup, is that right?

A. Not on every occasion, but it did happen. Since Sept. 11, I’ve taken it onboard just once, last year on a United flight from Montreal to Chicago. We had it strapped into a seat and had to clear customs and security.

Q. What’s the typical process for flying with the Cup?

A. I’m in the airport check-in line with everybody else, and the Cup is in an oversized case. With Air Canada, we have a letter that gives us permission to travel with the oversized case. With other airlines, I tell them the Stanley Cup is inside so they understand the importance and magnitude of the case. It’s a very famous trophy, and it will make the news if it doesn’t show up where we’re going.

Even airline workers who aren’t hockey fans get excited when I open the case, and that helps get it on the plane. Last year in Paris, Air France at first wouldn’t let the Cup on because of its weight. Once we took it out of the case, some Americans instantly recognized it and came over, and then the flight managers knew it was important and got it on the plane.

I can watch security hand-inspect the Cup, and in some airports, the X-ray machines are big enough for the case to fit through. After the case is locked, the airline takes it away. That’s usually the last time I see it, but on the way to the gate I try to spot it on the tarmac or being loaded on the plane.