The Prince of Wales Trophy was first awarded in 1925–26 and is now given each year to the Eastern Conference team that reaches the Stanley Cup Final. It was originally donated by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, and first awarded to the winner of the inaugural game at Madison Square Garden on December 15, 1925.
In the 2024-25 season, the Florida Panthers won the Prince of Wales Trophy for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall. They reached the Stanley Cup Final by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes (4-1), Tampa Bay Lightning (4–1), Boston Bruins (4–2), and New York Rangers (4–2). The Panthers became the sixth team in the NHL’s expansion era to return to the Final after losing it the previous year and the first to do so since the 2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins.
Prince of Wales Trophy Winners List
The Florida Panthers won the Prince of Wales Trophy in 2024 and 2023, and previously in 1996. The Tampa Bay Lightning captured it in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2015, and 2004. Other recent winners include the Boston Bruins in 2019, 2013, 2011, 1990, 1988, and multiple times in the Original Six era.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have claimed it in 2017, 2016, 2009, 2008, 1992, and 1991. The New Jersey Devils won in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 1995. Historic winners like the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings dominated earlier decades. The trophy has been awarded since 1924, beginning with the Montreal Canadiens.
The following is a list of all the Prince of Wales Trophy winners, as of the 2024-25 NHL season (via NHL):
| Season | Team |
| 2024-25 | Florida Panthers |
| 2023-24 | Florida Panthers |
| 2022-23 | Florida Panthers |
| 2021-22 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2018-19 | Boston Bruins |
| 2017-18 | Washington Capitals |
| 2016-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2015-16 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2014-15 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2013-14 | New York Rangers |
| 2012-13 | Boston Bruins |
| 2011-12 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2010-11 | Boston Bruins |
| 2009-10 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2008-09 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2007-08 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2006-07 | Ottawa Senators |
| 2005-06 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2003-04 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2002-03 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2001-02 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2000-01 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1999-00 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1998-99 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1997-98 | Washington Capitals |
| 1996-97 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1995-96 | Florida Panthers |
| 1994-95 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1993-94 | New York Rangers |
| 1992-93 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1991-92 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1990-91 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1989-90 | Boston Bruins |
| 1988-89 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1987-88 | Boston Bruins |
| 1986-87 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1985-86 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1984-85 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1983-84 | New York Islanders |
| 1982-83 | New York Islanders |
| 1981-82 | New York Islanders |
| 1980-81 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1979-80 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1978-79 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1977-78 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1976-77 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1975-76 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1974-75 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1973-74 | Boston Bruins |
| 1972-73 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1971-72 | Boston Bruins |
| 1970-71 | Boston Bruins |
| 1969-70 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1968-69 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1967-68 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1966-67 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1965-66 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1964-65 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1963-64 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1962-63 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1961-62 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1960-61 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1959-60 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1958-59 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1957-58 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1956-57 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1955-56 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1954-55 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1953-54 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1952-53 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1951-52 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1950-51 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1949-50 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1948-49 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1947-48 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1946-47 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1945-46 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1944-45 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1943-44 | Montréal Canadiens |
| 1942-43 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1941-42 | New York Rangers |
| 1940-41 | Boston Bruins |
| 1939-40 | Boston Bruins |
| 1938-39 | Boston Bruins |
| 1937-38 | Boston Bruins |
| 1936-37 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1935-36 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1934-35 | Boston Bruins |
| 1933-34 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1932-33 | Boston Bruins |
| 1931-32 | New York Rangers |
| 1930-31 | Boston Bruins |
| 1929-30 | Boston Bruins |
| 1928-29 | Boston Bruins |
| 1927-28 | Boston Bruins |
| 1926-27 | Ottawa Senators (original) |
| 1925-26 | Montreal Maroons |
| 1924-25 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1923-24 | Montreal Canadiens |
FAQ's on Prince of Wales Trophy Winners
A. The Prince of Wales Trophy has been presented to the playoff champion in the Eastern Conference since 1993-94.
A. The Prince of Wales Trophy was first announced in December 1925.
A. The Prince of Wales Trophy is a National Hockey League (NHL) trophy.
A. The Prince of Wales Trophy was donated by the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward.
A. Barkov did not touch the trophy before he and his teammates posed for photos with it.
