The Stanley Cup is often called the toughest trophy to win in sports, a two-month, four-series battle at the end of an already long season.

The Cup-winning team has to win sixteen contests in order to spend a day with the trophy, but for North Gower's Kevin McNamara, all he had to do was win one.

McNamara was the grand prize winner of TSN's Bring Home a Stanley Cup Champion contest.

His prizes for getting the most votes included a visit by Stanley Cup winner Doug Gilmour with the trophy, a party for up to 100 people and a 52-inch LCD TV.

"I'm looking at the Stanley Cup and its right here beside my house, in my front yard," McNamara said. "I don't think words can describe it, it's unbelievable."

Gilmour, former Toronto Maple Leaf and current general manager of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, said every time he gets to spend time with the Cup it's also special.

"I haven't seen this baby in a while so it's nice to have it back in my hands," he said, a winner of the Cup in 1989 with Calgary. "Nice for these people here to have pictures, a nice moment to remember forever."

Even with the tradition of players and staff each getting a day with the Stanley Cup after a winning season, it was the first time the Cup had been to North Gower, a small village in southwest Ottawa.

There's hope for a Cup visit to Ottawa with all four teams remaining in this year's playoffs - the San Jose Sharks have Nepean's Ben Eager and Ottawa's Dan Boyle on the roster.

Eager brought the Cup to Kemptville and Ottawa last year after winning it with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Boston's Marc Savard was born in Ottawa as well, with Bruins forward Rich Peverley hailing from Kingston.

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Mike Smith, who backed his team to a comeback win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals Saturday, also lists his birthplace as Kingston.

The Vancouver Canucks have no players from the area, but president Mike Gillis lived and learned in Kingston.

Head coach Alain Vigneault was an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators from 1992 to 1996, where he backed up current Canucks associate coach Rick Bowness.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Melissa Lamb