'Stanley Pup' competition to raise awareness of animal adoption

STUDIO CITY, Calif. -- There aren’t many things that can upstage the Stanley Cup, but a pack of precocious puppies tried their best on a May morning in the San Fernando Valley.

The Cup and pups were there to help film the inaugural “Stanley Pup,” which highlights the importance of animal adoption by letting 16 dogs representing each of the teams that qualified for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs -- including Sergei Bobruffsky and Connor McDoodle -- playfully compete for a pooch-sized version of the famed trophy.

Michael Levitt, producer of the hour-long show which will be broadcast on NHL Network and ESPN+ in the United States on Friday at 8 p.m. ET and on Sportsnet in Canada on Saturday at 6 p.m., sees hockey and animal rescue as a pairing as natural as two defensemen on the blue line.

“I’ll tell you, I’m really touched by the organic love and affection that hockey players have for dogs and helping rescue animals,” Levitt said. “So it just felt like a really good marriage because the players are already invested in helping these animals.”

That synergy was evident during filming as the two most common questions seemed to be, “Can I take a picture with the Cup?” and “Is that puppy available for adoption?”

Howie Borrow, who was chaperoning the Cup on behalf of the Hockey Hall of Fame, wasn’t surprised by those lines of inquiry.

“I think the puppies were the big attraction today," Borrow said, "and so cute and small and cuddly. If you’re a sports fan, and maybe even if you’re not, the Stanley Cup is something that’s pretty special. And it was nice to see and have the two combined, and it’s for a great cause.”

"Stanley Pup" will feature special appearances by celebrity dog lovers including Kristin Chenoweth, Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, Heather McMahan, Lisa Vanderpump and Trisha Yearwood. In addition, color and play-by-play commentary will be provided by Akbar Gbajabiamila ("American Ninja Warrior"/"The Talk") and Mark Shunock ("Top Rank Boxing") with Alexa Landestoy (NHL Network/Monumental Sports Network) reporting rinkside.

NHL Players appear throughout the show to introduce dogs available for adoption and support local pet adoption, including Kyle Burroughs (San Jose Sharks), Anton Forsberg (Ottawa Senators), Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens), MacKenzie Weegar (Calgary Flames), and Trevor van Riemsdyk and Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals). Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella also makes an appearance.

Though they didn’t formally cross paths, or paws, with the Cup on this day -- the puppies instead walked the red carpet -- Borrow has seen plenty of interactions between dogs and the trophy through the years.

Borrow said NHL players love nothing more than featuring their four-legged friends during their day with the Cup in the weeks after winning it.

“The players will definitely have their puppies and stuff in their family photos,” Borrow said. “You’re able to maybe put some dog biscuits or something in the bowl and have the puppy reach up and grab some. But not too much because we have to be careful too because sometimes their claws might scratch (it). But, still, there’s some great photos that are out there.”

And while only a select few players, coaches and executives will get to spend time with the Cup this summer, the “Stanley Pup” is intended to let everyone know there are animals waiting for them at local shelters or rescue organizations.

Levitt said he worked with NHL Productions to put together something that will entertain and educate.

“When you adopt an animal from a local rescue organization, you’re actually saving two dogs, the dog you bring home to be part of your family and that spot you open up for that rescue to save another dog,” Levitt said. “And so to have this platform with the NHL and to be able to message hockey fans all over the world (about) the joy of rescuing is a dream come true for me.”

All 32 NHL teams will be represented by a four-legged friend, many of whom will be available for adoption from a shelter or rescue group in partnership with Petco Love. Visit PetcoLove.org/StanleyPup for more information on the all-star pups featured on the show and at your local shelter. Additional highlights from Stanley Pup, including behind-the-scenes content, will be available on NHL.com/StanleyPup.