History of Stanley Cup in Timeline
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, presented annually to the NHL playoff champion. Commissioned in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, it was initially awarded to Canada's top amateur hockey club, with the Montreal Hockey Club winning the first Cup in 1893. Early winners were determined through challenge games and league play. Professional teams began competing in 1906. By 1915, the National Hockey Association (NHA) and Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) champions played for the Cup. It became the de facto NHL championship trophy in 1926 and the de jure prize in 1947. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) recognizes it as one of hockey's most important championships.
1902: Base Ring Filled
In 1902, the first base ring attached to the bottom of the original Stanley Cup bowl by the Montreal Hockey Club was full.
1906: Professional teams eligible to challenge
In 1906, professional teams first became eligible to challenge for the Stanley Cup.
January 1907: Kenora Thistles captured the Cup
In January 1907, the Kenora Thistles, a team from the smallest municipality, captured the Stanley Cup.
March 1907: Thistles lost the Cup to Montreal
In March 1907, the Montreal Wanderers challenged the Thistles to a rematch. Despite an improved lineup, the Thistles lost the Cup to Montreal.
1907: Montreal Wanderers Engrave on Bowl
In 1907, the Montreal Wanderers became the first club to record their name on the Stanley Cup bowl's interior surface and the first champion to record the names of 20 members of their team.
1908: Allan Cup introduced
In 1908, the Allan Cup was introduced as the trophy for Canada's amateurs, and the Stanley Cup started to become a symbol of professional hockey supremacy. In that same year, the first all-professional team competed for the Cup.
1908: Wanderers Did Not Record Names
In 1908, the Wanderers did not record their names on the Stanley Cup despite having turned aside four challengers for reasons unknown.
1909: Ottawa Senators Add Second Band
In 1909, the Ottawa Senators added a second band onto the Stanley Cup.
1910: National Hockey Association (NHA) was formed
In 1910, the National Hockey Association (NHA) was formed and kept the Cup for the next four years.
1910: Senators Did Not Record Names
In 1910, the Ottawa Senators did not put their names on the Stanley Cup.
1911: Senators Did Not Record Names
In 1911, the Ottawa Senators did not put their names on the Stanley Cup.
1912: Stanley Cup defense limited
In 1912, Cup trustees declared that it was to be defended only at the end of the champion team's regular season, changing the previous practice of challenges at any time.
1914: Winners determined by challenge games and league play
From 1893 to 1914, Stanley Cup winners were determined by challenge games and league play.
1914: Stanley Cup for best team in the world
In 1914, the Stanley Cup trustees formally stated that the Cup was now for the best team in the world, not just Canada.
1914: Victoria Aristocrats Challenge
In 1914, the Victoria Aristocrats challenged the Toronto Blueshirts for the Stanley Cup, facing initial controversy over formal notification but ultimately proceeding.
1914: Cup won 106 times by 21 current NHL teams
Since the 1914–15 season, the Stanley Cup has been won a combined 106 times by 21 current NHL teams and five teams no longer in existence.
1915: NHA and PCHA agreement for Stanley Cup Finals
In 1915, the NHA and the PCHA concluded a gentlemen's agreement in which their respective champions would face each other for the Cup, similar to baseball's World Series.
1915: Agreement between NHA and PCHA
In 1915, the National Hockey Association (NHA) and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) agreed that their champions would annually compete for the Stanley Cup.
1915: Ottawa Senators Engraved Names
In 1915, the Ottawa Senators engraved their names on the trophy even though they did not officially win it under the new PCHA-NHA system.
1915: Vancouver Millionaires Engrave Players' Names
In 1915, the Vancouver Millionaires became the second team to engrave players' names on the Stanley Cup, this time inside the bowl along its sides.
1916: Portland Rosebuds Engraved Names
In 1916, the Portland Rosebuds engraved their names on the trophy even though they did not officially win it under the new PCHA-NHA system.
1917: Seattle Metropolitans win Stanley Cup
In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American-based team to win the Stanley Cup.
1918: Millionaires Filled Band and Engraved Names
In 1918, the Millionaires filled the band added by the 1909 Senators. The 1918 Vancouver Millionaires also engraved their names on the trophy even though they did not officially win it under the new PCHA-NHA system.
1918: Winners in 1918 Did Not Put Name on Cup
In 1918, the Stanley Cup winners did not put their name on the trophy.
1919: 1919 Stanley Cup Finals canceled due to Spanish flu
In 1919, the Spanish influenza epidemic forced the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans to cancel the Stanley Cup Finals after game five, marking the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded.
1919: Flu Pandemic Cancels Stanley Cup
In 1919, the Stanley Cup champion was not crowned due to the flu pandemic. It was the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded.
1919: Stanley Cup not awarded due to Spanish flu
In 1919, the Stanley Cup was not awarded because of the Spanish flu epidemic.
1920: NFL adopted policy
In 1920 the National Football League adopted the policy to call its champions the world champions.
1920: Winning Team Did Not Put Name on Cup
In 1920, the Stanley Cup winning team did not put their name on the trophy.
1922: Stanley Cup Finals format change
In 1922, the format for the Stanley Cup Finals changed with the creation of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL).
1923: Winning Team Did Not Put Name on Cup
In 1923, the Stanley Cup winning team did not put their name on the trophy.
1924: Engraving names on the bands
Every year since 1924, a select portion of the winning players, coaches, management, and club staff names are engraved on the Stanley Cup's bands.
1924: Canadiens Added New Band to Cup
In 1924, the Canadiens added a new band to the Stanley Cup, and engraving the team and its players has been an unbroken annual tradition since then.
1924: Three leagues competed for the Cup
In 1924, three leagues competed for the Cup: two league champions faced each other for the right to challenge the third champion in the final series.
1925: Victoria Cougars win the Cup
In 1925, the Victoria Cougars won the Stanley Cup, becoming the last team outside the NHL to do so.
1926: NHL Expansion
In 1926, the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Cougars (now called the Detroit Red Wings), and New York Rangers joined the NHL.
1926: Stanley Cup becomes de facto NHL championship trophy
In 1926, the Stanley Cup was established as the de facto championship trophy of the NHL.
1926: Stanley Cup de facto NHL championship
Since 1926, no non-NHL team has played for the Stanley Cup, making it the de facto championship trophy of the NHL.
1932: First Stanley Cup Awarded on Ice (Possibly)
The first time that the Stanley Cup was awarded on the ice may have been to the 1932 Toronto Maple Leafs, but the practice did not become a tradition until the 1950s.
1940: Retired band listed the 1940-41 champions
After the 2005-06 champion Carolina Hurricanes were crowned and the new bottom ring was finally added (along with the retiring of the band listing the 1940–41 to 1952–53 champions).
1940: "Stovepipe Cup" nickname
Between 1924 and 1940, a new band was added almost every year that the trophy was awarded, earning the nickname "Stovepipe Cup" due to the unnatural height of all the bands.
1946: NBA assertion
Upon its founding in 1946, the National Basketball Association asserted that its league champions the world champions.
1947: Agreement with the NHL
In 1947, the Cup trustees signed an agreement with the NHL.
1947: NHL granted control of the Cup
In 1947, the NHL reached an agreement with trustee J. Cooper Smeaton to grant control of the Cup to the NHL, allowing the league to reject challenges from other leagues.
1947: Stanley Cup becomes de jure NHL championship prize
In 1947, the Stanley Cup became the de jure NHL championship prize.
1947: Stanley Cup size reduced
In 1947, the Stanley Cup size was reduced, but not all the large rings were the same size.
1948: Redesign of Stanley Cup
In 1948, the Stanley Cup was redesigned as a two-piece cigar-shaped trophy with a removable bowl and collar due to its unwieldy size.
1950: Ted Lindsay Hoists the Cup
In 1950, Ted Lindsay of the Detroit Red Wings became the first captain, upon receiving the Stanley Cup, to hoist it overhead and skate around the rink.
1952: Retired band listed the 1952-53 champions
After the 2005-06 champion Carolina Hurricanes were crowned and the new bottom ring was finally added (along with the retiring of the band listing the 1940–41 to 1952–53 champions).
1953: Band Listing Champions Removed
In September 2018, the band listing the 1953–54 to 1964–65 winners was removed from the Stanley Cup.
1954: Marguerite Norris Wins Cup
In 1954, Marguerite Norris won the Stanley Cup as the president of the Detroit Red Wings, becoming the first woman to have her name engraved on the trophy.
1955: Marguerite Norris Wins Cup
In 1955, Marguerite Norris won the Stanley Cup as the president of the Detroit Red Wings.
1958: Introduction of Modern One-Piece Cup Design
In 1958, the modern one-piece Stanley Cup design was introduced, with a five-band barrel, each of which could contain 13 winning teams.
1958: Modern one-piece Cup designed
In 1958, the modern one-piece Stanley Cup was designed with a five-band barrel which could contain 13 winning teams per band.
November 22, 1961: Amendment to the Stanley Cup Agreement
On November 22, 1961, the agreement was amended, substituting the Governors of the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario with the Committee of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, as the group to name the two Canadian trustees, if need be.
1963: Creation of authenticated version of Stanley Cup
In 1963, Montreal silversmith Carl Petersen created the authenticated version of the Stanley Cup, also known as the "Presentation Cup", to replace the original bowl.
1963: Creation of the "Presentation Cup"
In 1963, the "Presentation Cup", an authenticated version of the Stanley Cup, was created. It was meant to replace the original bowl due to concerns about its fragility.
1963: Original Collar Replaced
In 1963, the original collar of the Stanley Cup was replaced due to being too brittle.
1964: First awarding of the "Presentation Cup"
In 1964, the "Presentation Cup" was awarded for the first time. It was created in secret the previous year.
1964: Band Listing Champions Removed
In September 2018, the band listing the 1953–54 to 1964–65 winners was removed from the Stanley Cup.
1965: Engraving Over Larger Area
In 1965, the names of the Montreal Canadiens were engraved over a larger area than allotted, resulting in only 12 teams on that band instead of 13.
1965: Band Listing Champions Removed
In September 2018, the band listing the 1953–54 to 1964–65 winners was removed from the Stanley Cup.
1969: Original Bowl Replaced
In 1969, the original bowl of the Stanley Cup was replaced due to being too brittle.
1970: Original Stanley Cup moved to Hockey Hall of Fame
In 1970, the original 1892 Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup was retired from being awarded to the champions. It was moved to the Vault Room at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario.
1980: Savard Urged to be Drafted
In 1980, many fans had urged the Canadiens to draft Denis Savard.
1987: Gretzky Hands Cup to Smith
In 1987, after the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, Wayne Gretzky handed the Stanley Cup to Steve Smith.
1988: Louise St. Jacques Becomes Engraver
In 1988, Louise St. Jacques, a Montreal silversmith, became the fourth and current Stanley Cup engraver.
1989: Sonia Scurfield Wins Cup
In 1989, Sonia Scurfield won the Stanley Cup as a co-owner of the Calgary Flames, becoming the only Canadian woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
1991: Bands Filled
In 1991, the top band of the large barrel was preserved in the Hockey Hall of Fame when the bands were all filled.
1992: Centennial Year for Filling Bands
In 1992, the bands on the modern one-piece Stanley Cup design were originally designed to fill up during the Cup's centennial year.
1993: Carbonneau Hands Cup to Savard
In 1993, after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings, Guy Carbonneau handed the Stanley Cup to Denis Savard.
1993: Creation of the "Permanent Cup"
In 1993, the "Permanent Cup" was created to serve as a stand-in at the Hockey Hall of Fame when the Presentation Cup isn't available. It's also a backup in case the Presentation Cup is lost or damaged.
1993: Montreal Canadiens win Stanley Cup
In 1993, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, marking the most recent win by a Canadian-based team.
1993: Replica "Permanent Cup" Created
In 1993, the replica "Permanent Cup" was created by Montreal silversmith Louise St. Jacques to be used at the Hockey Hall of Fame when the Presentation Cup is unavailable.
1994: NHL Makes Cup Handler Mandatory
After the 1994-95 season, the NHL made it mandatory that one of the official Cup handlers always be present while the Stanley Cup is passed around among players in the off-season.
1994: Petitioning to Engrave Player's Name
Since 1994, teams have been permitted to petition the NHL Commissioner, to be considered on a case-by-case basis, to engrave a player's name on the cup if the player was unavailable to play due to 'extenuating circumstances'.
1995: Devils Start 'Day with the Cup' Tradition
In 1995, the New Jersey Devils started a tradition wherein each member of the Cup-winning team is allowed to retain the Stanley Cup for a day.
June 13, 1997: Car Accident Ends Konstantinov's Career
On June 13, 1997, Vladimir Konstantinov's career ended after a car accident.
1998: Konstantinov's Name Engraved on Cup
In 1998, the Detroit Red Wings received special permission from the NHL to inscribe the name of Vladimir Konstantinov, whose career ended after a car accident on June 13, 1997, on the Stanley Cup after Detroit defended their title.
March 6, 2000: Ray Bourque Traded to the Avalanche
On March 6, 2000, Ray Bourque had been traded to the Avalanche.
August 22, 2001: Stanley Cup on Mount Elbert
On August 22, 2001, Colorado Avalanche Director of Finance Mark Waggoner carried the Stanley Cup to the summit of Mount Elbert, the highest point of Colorado.
2001: Charlotte Grahame's Name Engraved
In 2001, Charlotte Grahame, the Colorado Avalanche's Senior Director of Hockey Administration, had her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
2001: Sakic Hands Cup to Bourque
In 2001, after the Colorado Avalanche won the Cup, Joe Sakic handed the Stanley Cup to Ray Bourque, whose 22-year NHL career had not included a cup-winning team until that time.
2002: Popular Use of the Term 'Triple Gold Club'
Following the 2002 Winter Olympics, the term 'Triple Gold Club' entered popular use with the addition of the first Canadian members.
2004: John Grahame's Name Engraved
In 2004, John Grahame had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
2004: NHL Lockout
In 2004, a labor dispute between the NHL's owners and the NHL Players Association led to the cancellation of the 2004-05 season.
2004: New Band Scheduled
In 2004, a new band was scheduled to be added to the bottom of the Stanley Cup, following the 2004-05 season.
2004: Stanley Cup Displayed at MacDill Air Force Base
In 2004, the Stanley Cup was displayed at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida, as a morale booster for the troops.
2005: NHL Lockout Settlement
In 2005, a labor dispute between the NHL owners and the NHL Players Association led to the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, and no Stanley Cup champion was crowned for the first time since 1919. A website, freestanley.com, was launched, urging trustees to return to the original Challenge Cup format.
2005: NHL Lockout Acknowledged on Stanley Cup
In 2005, after the 2005-06 champion Carolina Hurricanes were crowned and the new bottom ring was finally added, the cancelled season was acknowledged on the Stanley Cup with the words "2004–05 Season Not Played".
2005: Stanley Cup not awarded due to NHL lockout
In 2005, the Stanley Cup was not awarded because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout.
2005: Stanley Cup Unclaimed
In 2005, the Stanley Cup went unclaimed due to the lockout.
February 7, 2006: Settlement Reached
On February 7, 2006, a settlement was reached that allowed the trophy to be awarded to non-NHL teams should the NHL not operate for a season.
2006: Stanley Cup Tour at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
In 2006, the Stanley Cup toured Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, offering wounded Marines a chance to view and photograph the Cup.
2007: Triple Gold Club Formalized
In 2007, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) formalized the 'Triple Gold Club,' recognizing players and coaches who have won an Olympic Games gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.
2007: Stanley Cup's First Trip to a Combat Zone
In 2007, the Stanley Cup made its first trip to a combat zone in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from May 2 to 6, where it was displayed for Canadian and other NATO troops. The base sustained a rocket attack on May 3, but the Cup was undamaged.
March 2008: Stanley Cup Returns to Afghanistan
In March 2008, the Stanley Cup was returned to Afghanistan as part of a "Team Canada visit".
2008: Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup
In 2008, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, marking the most recent win by a United States-based NHL team.
June 27, 2010: Stanley Cup at Chicago Gay Pride Parade
On June 27, 2010, Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brent Sopel accompanied the Stanley Cup to the 2010 Chicago Gay Pride Parade, in tribute to Brian Burke and his late son, Brendan.
2010: Fourth Trip to Afghanistan
In the spring of 2010, the Stanley Cup made its fourth trip to Afghanistan, accompanied by ex-players.
2012: NHL Lockout Commences
In 2012, another NHL lockout commenced, and the trustees stated the 2006 agreement did not oblige them to award the Cup in the event of a lost season.
March 2017: Stanley Cup 125th Anniversary Commemoration
In March 2017, the original Cup and the current Stanley Cup were the focus of a four-day tour of Ottawa to commemorate the Stanley Cup's 125th anniversary, including a stop at Rideau Hall. The Royal Canadian Mint produced two commemorative coins to mark the anniversary.
October 2017: Lord Stanley's Gift Monument Erected
In October 2017, the Lord Stanley's Gift Monument, commemorating the donation of the Stanley Cup, was erected in Ottawa at Sparks Street and Elgin Street.
2017: 3,000 names engraved on Stanley Cup
By 2017, more than 3,000 different names, including the names of over 1,300 players, had been engraved on the Stanley Cup.
2017: Stanley Cup 125th Anniversary
By the Stanley Cup's 125th anniversary in 2017, the trophy had 3,177 names engraved on it, with 1,331 belonging to players.
2017: Band Addition
In 2017, following the crowning of the 2017–18 champions, the Washington Capitals, the band listing the 2017–18 to 2029–30 champions was added to the bottom of the Stanley Cup.
September 2018: Band Removal and Addition
In September 2018, following the crowning of the 2017–18 champions, the Washington Capitals, the band listing the 1953–54 to 1964–65 winners was removed, and a new band for the 2017–18 to 2029–30 champions was added to the bottom of the Stanley Cup.
2018: Stanley Cup Used to Improve Spirits After Tragedies
In 2018, the Stanley Cup was used to improve the spirits of those affected by the Humboldt Broncos' bus crash on April 6 and the Capital Gazette shooting on June 28. It was brought to the hospital where crash survivors were recuperating on April 15 and presented to Capital Gazette employees at their temporary office on July 3. Chandler Stephenson of the 2018 Washington Capitals also spent his day with the Stanley Cup with the Broncos that August.
2023: Ian "Scotty" Morrison Retires as Stanley Cup Trustee
In 2023, Ian "Scotty" Morrison retired as Stanley Cup trustee, the only trustee to resign to date.
2024: Cost of the Punch Bowl
In 2024 dollars, the cost of the punch bowl Stanley purchased would equal $1,703.
2024: Florida Panthers win Stanley Cup
In 2024, the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, their first in franchise history.
2029: Band Addition
In 2017, following the crowning of the 2017–18 champions, the Washington Capitals, a new band for the 2017–18 to 2029–30 champions was added to the bottom of the Stanley Cup.
