The Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin this week! This is the National Hockey League’s 100
th year of operation, but did you know the Stanley Cup itself is actually older than the NHL? At GiftWorksPlus, we found some crazy facts you may not know about the biggest trophy in hockey.
- The Stanley Cup is Canadian! It was first given by Lord Stanley of Preston (the Governor General of Canada) to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1893.
- When the Cup was on display in Chicago, a Canadian fan tried to steal the Cup to bring back to Montreal “where it belongs.”
- The Cup is always with a representative of the Hockey Hall of Fame, this person is fittingly called the “Keeper of the Cup.”
- In case you were wondering, the Cup doesn’t float. In 1991, Phil Bourque of the Pittsburgh Penguins threw the Cup into a pool at a party celebrating their victory. The Cup immediately sank to the bottom.
- In total, three Cups have been made. In 1963, the original “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup” had become too brittle so they created the “Presentation Cup” to be awarded to winning teams, while the original remains on display at the Vault Room at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The final Cup made is used as a stand-in for the Presentation Cup at the Hall of Fame when it is unavailable for display.
If you want a unique custom gift to surprise the hockey fan in your life, be sure to browse the great frames at
GiftWorksPlus.com. Even if you can’t get your name engraved on the Stanley cup, at least you can get it engraved on a
personalized wooden frame that can hold all your favorite hockey memories! We have
sports photo frames, college frames for the collegiate athlete, and nature picture frames for those that just like to play on the pond outside. We also have family photo frames, vacation frames, and engraved keychains that are perfect as a personalized gift or unique souvenir.
