Miragh Bitove vividly remembers her first time seeing the Stanley Cup.
She was a teenager. A cousin was visiting from out of town. Her dad suggested they head to the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto and take a look.
When the pair hit the top step of the staircase leading to the sportBԪַs silver chalice, Bitove was in awe.
BԪַNothing like it,BԪַ she recalled. BԪַThereBԪַs a glow.BԪַ
An art history and museum management major, Bitove went on to work as a Hall of Fame post-secondary intern in 2003 before parlaying that into a job as an archivist at the venue.
Years later, sheBԪַs taken another massive leap BԪַ as the first woman in the BԪַCup KeeperBԪַ role on the annual celebration tour.
Bitove, her white gloves on whenever thereBԪַs a chance she might touch the trophy, hit the road with colleagues last summer, crisscrossing North America as the Vegas Golden Knights basked in the glory of their victory.
BԪַWe see a bit of everything,BԪַ Bitove said. BԪַFrom wedding-sized parties right down to potlucks in grandmaBԪַs garage. ItBԪַs great watching peopleBԪַs natural reactions.
BԪַIncredibly special.BԪַ
WhatBԪַs also special is Bitove blazing a trail handling the Cup.
The mother of three BԪַ two boys and a girl BԪַ doesnBԪַt want special treatment. She also understands the attention in a sport that, while beginning to change, has been dominated by men for the better part of a century.
BԪַA bit surreal,BԪַ Bitove said of being the first woman in the job. BԪַThat part doesnBԪַt really enter into my train of thought.
BԪַWhen you go out on these trips, you get some sad faces in the house. IBԪַve always said, BԪַI want to go out there and travel so that other girls can see me working in hockey.BԪַBԪַ
Bitove has also turned some heads on those gruelling journeys that can last 10 or 11 days, often from before dawn until well past midnight.
BԪַIf IBԪַm in my (Hall of Fame) blazer itBԪַs, BԪַOh, I didnBԪַt know they made that blazer for women,BԪַBԪַ said the Toronto native. BԪַAnd thatBԪַs great BԪַ IBԪַm glad to be out there and have people see it.BԪַ
Phil Pritchard BԪַ the Hall of FameBԪַs vice-president and the BԪַKeeper of the CupBԪַ BԪַ remembers when Bitove first arrived in the building.
BԪַShe had all the interest, all the background, everything that weBԪַre looking for,BԪַ he said. BԪַWhen you get someone like that, you donBԪַt want to lose them.BԪַ
Qualifications and passion aside, Bitove also has the game in her blood. While never a hockey player herself, the family tree includes great uncle Ted Kennedy, who won the Cup five times with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1945 and 1951.
BԪַHockey was sort of in my periphery,BԪַ she said looking back. BԪַIn my grandmotherBԪַs house was a giant portrait of my uncle Ted in game action BԪַ black and white, beautiful photo.
BԪַI walked (into the Hall of Fame) actually looking for information on my uncle Ted. It organically sprouted from there.BԪַ
Bitove, who along with her husband can be found in community rinks most nights, and her colleagues are tasked with taking care of the Cup every moment itBԪַs on the road. The team atmosphere and camaraderie is crucial, especially on those long stretches away from home.
BԪַThat hockey family environment, she brings it to work every day,BԪַ Pritchard said. BԪַShe fits the perfect mould for the Hockey Hall of Fame.BԪַ
ItBԪַs where Bitove belongs.
BԪַQualified to do exactly what sheBԪַs doing,BԪַ Pritchard added. BԪַIf that falls under the arc of being the first woman on the road with the Cup, so be it.BԪַ
And when she isnBԪַt getting hundreds of pictures taken at barbecues or community centres alongside the Cup in small towns and big cities, Bitove works with other artifacts to tell the gameBԪַs story.
BԪַEvery new item that comes into the museum comes through my desk, so IBԪַm writing the history of hockey,BԪַ she explained. BԪַFifty years from now people can go back and see what the Hockey Hall of Fame had to say.BԪַ
Bitove has spoken to her seven-year-old daughter BԪַ the only girl on the little oneBԪַs co-ed hockey team BԪַ about what mom is up to.
BԪַI always tell her, BԪַYouBԪַve got to double down, work hard and prove that you belong,BԪַBԪַ said Bitove, whoBԪַs equally proud to have her boys, ages nine and 11, witness a woman in this role. BԪַWhen I go on the road BԪַ IBԪַm doing it so other people can see me working in hockey.BԪַ
That journey started more than two decades ago.
The Hockey Hall of Fame used to parade the Cup a short distance back to the museum from TorontoBԪַs Union Station at the conclusion of every summer tour.
Back in 2003, that event happened to fall on BitoveBԪַs first day as an intern.
BԪַPhil Pritchard goes, BԪַOh, just hold on. IBԪַll be right back. I have to do this parade,BԪַBԪַ she said. BԪַI looked out the window of our offices and I saw him parading down with the Stanley Cup.
BԪַI thought, BԪַWhere am I? This is crazy.BԪַBԪַ
Now sheBԪַs one of the select few sporting the white gloves BԪַ Cup in hand.