Stanley Cup History

The oldest trophy competed for in professional sports in North America, originally called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, was first awarded in 1893 to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) hockey club, champions of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada for 1893.

Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor General of Canada, had a vision to recognize the best hockey team in Canada and donated a challenge cup which would be held from year to year by the champion hockey team in the Dominion of Canada. From 1893 until 1926, the Cup was awarded to many teams in all parts of Canada, with the exception of 1917 when the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American team to win the Stanley Cup.

The National Hockey League, formed in 1917, took control of the Stanley Cup after 1926 because the NHL was the best organized and managed league in North America. The first NHL team to have its name engraved as winner of the Stanley Cup was the Ottawa Senators in 1927.

The Stanley Cup is the only trophy in any major sport that has the names of all managers, coaches, club staff, and winning players engraved on the silver rings below the cup, adding to its rich history.

The original bowl, donated by Lord Stanley, is displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. A replica cup was created and is the “official” cup presented to the winning team at the end of the NHL playoffs. A third Stanley Cup (minus engraving mistakes) is on permanent display at the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.