A former member of the Victoria Royals family celebrated a Stanley Cup win Monday night.

Grant Armstrong, former Royals assistant general manager, joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as an amateur scout in 2019.

The Lightning won the Stanley Cup finals Monday evening 2-0, defeating the Dallas Stars in the fan-free Rogers Place arena in Edmonton.

A year ago Armstrong signed on as an amateur scout with the NHL team, after working in scouting and management roles with three Western Hockey League (WHL) teams from 2007 to 2019.

Armstrong, who grew up in North Delta and later coached there as a parent of two hockey-playing sons, was not in the Edmonton B次元官网网址渂ubbleB次元官网网址� when the Lightning lifted the polished trophy Monday night (Sept. 28).

B次元官网网址淏asically all the scouting staff were at home watching it from our comfy couches,B次元官网网址� Armstrong said with a laugh.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just honoured to be with an organization as first-class as Tampa,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淭he people there are great leaders, and it showed with the product we put on the ice. IB次元官网网址檝e been there a short period of time but IB次元官网网址檓 very impressed with everything they represent and how proud they are to be a part of the community in South Florida.B次元官网网址�

Armstrong is noted among 11 WHL alumni who are current members of the Cup-winning Lightning, with his hockey-ops stops in Portland, Victoria and Brandon.

The Wheat Kings employed Armstrong as general manager from 2016 to 2019, when he was let go by the team and he bolted for a chance to be a scout in the NHL.

B次元官网网址淲hen my time was up in Brandon, the Lightning reached out to me asking if IB次元官网网址檇 be interested in getting involved in their organization on the scouting side, and it was a real quick turnaround last year,B次元官网网址� recalled Armstrong, who now scouts junior players in the WHL and also on Junior A teams from B.C. to Manitoba.

B次元官网网址淭he nice thing is when you come into this position, you know the players and know their history, and for me it was an easy transition because the players were all familiar to me, and most of the people in the organizations are familiar with me as well.B次元官网网址�

Now that the NHL season is over, ArmstrongB次元官网网址檚 primary focus is the NHL Entry Draft, done in an online format Oct. 6-7.

Typically the annual event is held in June, but plans for an in-person 2020 draft in Montreal were cancelled by COVID-19.

B次元官网网址淭his year itB次元官网网址檚 been different,B次元官网网址� Armstrong said, B次元官网网址渂ecause all of our preparation was done quite some time ago, back in the spring, so our work is done. Now, with the draft just a few days away, our setup work to put our list together is already in place, and we can now take the next step to, you know, draft future Bolts.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l all be on Zoom space and providing information as required,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淥ur head guys will be in Tampa, and thereB次元官网网址檒l be lots of communication throughout the day and during the draft, in terms of whatB次元官网网址檚 next, what weB次元官网网址檙e looking at, but the list is done and weB次元官网网址檒l generally follow the list and make sure we get everything in order from that list.B次元官网网址�

A huge congrats to our former Assistant GM Grant Armstrong & the on capturing the Stanley Cup!

B次元官网网址� Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals)

ArmstrongB次元官网网址檚 career in hockey started as a coach with North Delta Minor Hockey Association in the mid-1990s, when sons Jordan and Taylor began playing the game. He later coached the North Delta Devils junior team at Sungod Arena.

B次元官网网址淏ecause I also grew up there, I probably spent more time in North Delta than I have in any other place,B次元官网网址� Armstrong noted.

B次元官网网址淚 coached all through and got some opportunities through programs with Hockey Canada and met some good people, including Mike Johnston, who at the time was an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks,B次元官网网址� he continued. B次元官网网址淲e developed a real strong friendship and he gave me a lot of concrete, sound advice.B次元官网网址�

His next stop was with North Delta Devils.

B次元官网网址淭hat parlayed into an opportunity to go to Portland when Mike went there,B次元官网网址� Armstrong continued. B次元官网网址淚 became one of his scouts and went through the system and learned a lot about hockey development and programming, and overall how to run an organization. Credit to Mike, because I think heB次元官网网址檚 one of the best teachers in the game.B次元官网网址�

From there, Armstrong had B次元官网网址渇our fantastic yearsB次元官网网址� with the Royals, followed by his years in Brandon.

The Lightning won the best-of-seven series 4-2, nabbing the teamB次元官网网址檚 second cup since 2004.

Armstrong worked with the Royals from 2015 to 2016 before taking on the role of general manager with the Brandon Wheat Kings from 2016 to 2019. In July 2019 he became a scout with the Tampa Bay team.

The Victoria Royals welcomed three new players last month.

The Western Hockey League is scheduled to begin its 2020-21 season on Dec. 4.

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B次元官网网址揥ith files from Canadian Press.