The Stanley Cup is the most coveted trophy in professional hockey and has a long and storied history. First awarded in 1893, the Stanley Cup has been won by some of the greatest teams and players in NHL history. Here’s a look at the incredible history of the Stanley Cup.
The Stanley Cup was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, and it was originally intended to be a trophy for Canada’s top amateur hockey team. The first team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, who defeated the Ottawa Capitals 9-1 in a two-game series in 1893. The original cup was simply a silver bowl donated by Lord Stanley and cost less than 50 dollars.
The Stanley Cup continued to be awarded to Canada’s top amateur team until 1914, when professional teams were allowed to compete for the trophy for the first time. Since then, the Stanley Cup has been won by a professional team every year, except for 1919, when there was no winner due to a worldwide flu pandemic.
Over the years, professional teams were allowed to compete for the Stanley Cup, and it soon became known as the “holy grail” of professional hockey.
While the cup features an interesting design, it has undergone several changes since it was first awarded in 1893. In 1924, the cup was redesigned to be taller and more slender, with a band of engraving near the base. This design lasted for 15 years until the cup was given a more modern look in 1939. The new design featured a taller, more tapered shape, with a band of engraving near the top. This design lasted for ten years until the cup was redesigned again in 1948. The new design featured a shorter, more squat shape, with the engraving band moved to the middle. This design lasted for five years until the cup was given its current look in 1958. The new design featured a taller, more slender shape, with the engraving band moved back to the bottom. This design has remained unchanged for over 50 years.
The original Stanley Cup was retired in 1969 after a series of disasters, including being accidentally left on a Montreal sidewalk overnight and having to be reforged twice due to damage.
In 2010, the cup underwent its biggest change since 1963, when a new base was added to accommodate all of the engravings accumulated over its more than 100-year history.
To win the Stanley Cup, a team must first make it through the grueling 82-game regular season. From there, they must survive four best-of-seven series in order to make it to the championship round. In all, a team needs to win 16 playoff games to hoist Lord Stanley’s famous cup.
The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more than any other team in NHL history, with a total of 24 wins. The team that has won the second-most Stanley Cups is the Toronto Maple Leafs, with 13 wins. Of the Original Six teams, the Detroit Red Wings have won the third-most Stanley Cups with 11 wins, followed by the Boston Bruins with six wins, the Chicago Blackhawks with six wins, and finally, the New York Rangers with four wins.
Today, the Stanley Cup stands at 34.5 inches tall. It weighs 34 pounds and is worth an estimated $500,000. Every year, each winning team member gets to spend a day with the cup and do whatever they want with it. Previous winners have famously taken it camping, fishing, and even swimming (with proper supervision, of course).
Since its inception in 1892, the Stanley Cup has become an iconic symbol of excellence in hockey and a treasured part of Canadian culture. Its long history is fraught with drama, excitement, and more than a few surprises – making it truly unique among professional sports trophies.
The Stanley Cup is without question the most coveted trophy in all of professional hockey. It has had a long and storied history since it was awarded to the Montreal Hockey Club. Today, it is a symbol of excellence and is hoisted by NHL champions each year. For hockey fans around the world, there’s nothing quite like seeing their team lift Lord Stanley’s cup overhead in triumph.
