From Las Vegas to Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Glenwood South, the trophy has been on a tour of its own. On Tuesday, it stopped at a North Hills restaurant, where fans gathered for a glimpse of hockey's most coveted prize.
The Cup was not the only attraction Tuesday. Carolina Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov also made an appearance.
"This is such a big moment, and it means so much," Aislinn Murray said.
Svechnikov visited a Raising Cane's restaurant on Hillsborough Street, where he greeted fans and embraced the moment following the team's Stanley Cup win.
"We finally did it, you know. This was the year, and so happy right now and, you know, a pleasure to do it with the boys that I did," Svechnikov said.
He said winning the Stanley Cup has been a goal since he was 10 years old. His two goals in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final helped secure the championship.
"That was the dream, you know, to make the NHL and to be here. And, uh, whatever you make the NHL, you just start thinking about the bigger goals. And, uh, this is, was the biggest goal ever," Svechnikov said.
Two days after the victory, fans continued to celebrate, many hoping for a personal moment with the team.
"I can't really express how much it means to me and my sister. Like, she's taking me to all my hockey games there. She's the one who got me involved in the sport in the first place. So, it means a whole lot personally," Carlos Sanchez said.
"It felt nice to like, I know be rooting for something for so long and not everyone be on our side, but it finally pays off," Liana Sanchez added.
Among those in line was longtime Hurricanes fan Michael Perlmutter, who brought artwork celebrating the team's win.
"This team means a lot to all of us," Perlmutter said. "There's (the) Stanley Cup. Good night. Bye-bye. This one is for North Carolina. Come on and raise the Cup."
Inside the restaurant, Svechnikov signed pucks and hockey sticks, posed for photos, and even briefly helped serve food.
Meanwhile, in North Hills, fans also lined up for hours to see the Stanley Cup and meet members of the championship team, including captain Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, and Sebastian Aho. Fans took turns posing with the trophy, capturing what many described as a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
"I have to keep this for the rest of my life," one child said.
"It's definitely like it's such a relief to win this year," said Grayson Freehafer.
With celebrations continuing across Raleigh, anticipation is building for Saturday's parade, as fans savor a championship run years in the making.
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