The stanley cup essay

The Stanley Cup is a trophy that is awarded annually to the NHL ( National Hockey League ) playoff champions. Unlike other major sports trophies like such as in football and soccer, the Stanley Cup is not remade each year and winners of the cup keep it until a new champion is crowned.

Something also unique to the cup is that it has the names of all winning players, coaches and management engraved on it. The current cup is made of silver and nickel alloy and is roughly 90 centimetres high and weighs about 15 kilograms. In June of 1888, Queen Victoria appointed Lord Stanley of Preston as the Governor General of Canada. Stanley and his family were remarkably interested in the game of ice hockey. After the first time Stanley and his family saw the game of ice hockey at Montreal’s 1889 Winter Carnival, his entire family became active in the sport. One of his sons, Arthur, played a major role in the formation of what was later known as the Ontario Hockey Association.

Stanley’s two sons soon persuaded their father to donate a trophy to be a visible sign of the hockey championships. Stanley soon afterwards purchased a decorative punchbowl which was quite expensive at the time and called it the “ Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup”. This title was engraved into the bowl along with “ From Stanley Preston” This cup was made to be award to the top amateur hockey team in Canada.

He also made a set of rules to go up with the cup. The five rules stated that one, the winners have to keep the cup in good shape. Two, the winning team may have their names engraved but at their own expense. Three, it will always remain a challenge cup never the property of a team even if won more than once. The trustees will obtain authority of it over all situations of disputes over the winning team of the cup.

And finally, if a trustee is to drop out then another trustee will be then nominated and resume authority over the cup. Since the 1914 season, the Stanley cup has been won 94 times by 17 different teams active in the NHL and 5 defunct teams. The Montreal Canadiens have won the Cup a record of 24 times. The Cup has been awarded every season except for two exceptions, 1919 during the Spanish flu epidemic and in 2005 during the NHL lockout.