List of Stanley Cup Winners

The Stanley Cup is the oldest existing trophy in North American professional sports. Introduced in 1982, the trophy is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada. The Stanley Cup was awarded for the first time in 1893 to the Montreal hockey club and since then it has evolved through many games and leagues.

In the NHL, the Stanley Cup was introduced as its playoff championship trophy in 1926 and it became the official prize in 1947. The first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup were the Ottawa Senators and the most recent champions were the Vegas Golden Knights (in 2023).

Additionally, through the years, the trophy has gone through many changes in terms of its physical features. The cup is currently made of silver and nickel alloy with a weight of 15.6 kilograms (35 ¼ in) and a height stands at 89.5 centimetres (34 ½ lb).

List of Stanley Cup Winners

Over the years many teams have claimed this trophy and have created history by holding this prestigious trophy in the NHL. The first team to claim this trophy in the NHL was the Ottawa Senators under coach Dave Gill. The trophy has been awarded 107 times since the establishment of NHL in 1915 and 26 teams in the NHL have claimed this cup. The Vegas Golden Knights are the current holders of the Stanley Cup, defeating the Florida Panthers in the 2023 finals.

Note: The trophy was not awarded in 2005 due to the NHL lockout.

Teams with the most Stanley Cups in the NHL

In the NHL, the Stanley Cup was introduced in 1926 and since then, many teams have claimed this trophy. There are currently 32 teams in the NHL out of which 25 have claimed the trophy. Montreal Canadien is the only team who have won the trophy 23 times and appeared in the playoffs 33 times.

Evolution of Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup has a very long history, it was introduced even before the establishment of the NHL. It was introduced for the very first time in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada who donated the Stanley Cup as a trophy for the top amateur ice hockey club of Canada. The Montreal Hockey Club became the first team to claim this trophy in 1893. In its early years, the Stanley Cup was presented to amateur and professional teams in Canada, where teams from different leagues and regions competed for the cup.

However, in 1926, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and Western Canada Hockey Association League merged. Due to this merger, combined leagues collapsed and the NHL took control of the Stanley Cup in 1926, however it was not until 1947 that the cup became the ultimate prize for NHL teams. With the NHL growing and plans of expansion in place, a new playoff format was adopted.

Since then, the Stanley Cup has gained recognition globally as the premier trophy in professional ice hockey. Over the years, the cup has become a prestigious asset of excellence, and winning this trophy is seen as the biggest achievement of participating players. In the modern era, the Stanley Cup playoffs are the most prestigious tournament in the world of ice hockey. Many players and fans look forward to wait for the playoffs the whole year.