Sport
9 little known Stanley Cup facts
The Stanley Cup has a long history that dates back to 1893. 127 years later, the famous championship trophy is the biggest prize in ice hockey. However, despite its fame there are plenty of Stanley Cup facts that many people are not aware of. Here are our top 9.
9 little known Stanley Cup facts
1. The Stanley Cup is named after a lord
Our first Stanley Cup fact is that the famous trophy is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, who was the Governor-General of Canada in 1892. He had bought the cup at the paltry sum of 10 guineas, which translates to around $10.
It was his infatuation with the top amateur hockey club at the time, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, which prompted him to give it to them as an award,
2. The ‘One Player, One Day’ policy
Winning the Stanley Cup isn’t an easy feat and is the pinnacle of an ice hockey player’s career. So, when a hockey team finally lands one, it becomes a thing of treasure.
Because of this, each player and member of that ice hockey team is allowed to keep the Stanley Cup trophy with him for one day. After that, the cup is passed to the next player until every one of them has had a turn. It is a tradition started by the New Jersey Devils in the mid-90s.
3. There have been three versions
There have been three versions of the Stanley Cup.
The first was the ‘Dominic Hockey Challenge Cup’, which was awarded in 1893. It wasn’t until 1963 when Clarence Campbell, the NHL President, changed it to the ‘Presentation Cup’. The third verison, which is still in use today, was created in 1993 and is called the ‘Replica Cup.’
4. Errors on the cup
Over the years there have been plenty of examples of errors made in the names of the players whose names were engraved on the cup. For example, 1996 Stanley Cup winner Adam Deadmarsh, of the Colorado Avalanche, had his name incorrectly spelt ‘Deadmarch’.
5. Record for consecutive wins
The Stanley Cup is notoriously difficult to win but that hasn’t prevented one ice hockey teams from dominating the trophy. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for the most Stanley Cup wins, landing the trophy a staggering 24 times in tota. They also hold the record for the most consecutive wins, managing to win it five years running between 1956 and 1960.
6. How to get your name on the Stanley Cup
One of the least well known Stanley Cup facts is that being part of a Stanley Cup winning franchise doesn’t automatically get your name on the trophy. Some of the prerequisites for getting your name inscribed on the prestigious Stanley Cup are:
- Active affiliation with the ice hockey franchise
- Participation in the Stanley Cup final games
- The regularity of the season games played
7. It weighs a lot
The weight of the Stanley Cup is very substantial. Indeed, the current Stanley Cup, known as the Replica Cup, is 15.5 kilograms or 34.5 lbs. It is just over 35 inches tall.
8. The Stanley Cup is made of different rings to fit all the names
Wondering how the Stanley Cup fits the names of so many players and coaches every season? It’s because the Stanley Cup is made of different attachable rings. When the cup is full, the oldest ring is removed and stored in the NFL museum and a new, blank ring is added. Over 2,300 names have been added to the trophy in total.
9. Fifteen women have their names on the trophy
Rounding off our Stanley Cup facts is the fact that 15 women have had their names added to the famous trophy in total. The first to achieve the feat was Marguerite Norris who was president of the victorious Detroit Red Wings in 1954 and 1955.
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