What is the Stanley Cup?

	Tweet			Pin It
0

The Stanley Cup is a hockey trophy awarded to the winning professional team after a two month playoff at the end of every season. It was created in 1892 by the then Governor General, a man named Lord Stanley of Preston, who bought the cup as a prize for the best hockey team in Canada. Competing for the Cup became a popular tradition; in 1910 the National Hockey League took over the tournament and since 1926 it has been the most prestigious prize a hockey team can win. 

The very first winner of the Cup was the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Club. Since it has been awarded every year since 1893 (except 1919, when the games were cancelled due to an outbreak of the flu), that makes it the oldest professional sports trophy in North America!

The Stanley Cup probably has the most colorful history of any sports trophy! Each player of the winning team is allowed a day to do whatever they want with the Cup (within reason), and doing something crazy with it is now part of the tradition of winning it. Players have taken it to countries all over the world, used it to baptize their children, brought it with them to visit military troops...even eaten popcorn out of it, and used it to help change a flat tire!

And unlike other professional sports trophies, a new Stanley Cup is not made each year. Makes you think twice about the teams and fans who kiss it, or even drink and eat out of it!

The Stanley Cup playoffs begin every year in April. Do you have a favorite team that you would like to see compete?