The Prince of Wales Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in the National Hockey League (NHL). The trophy is named after Prince Edward, the then Prince of Wales and was first presented during the 1925-26 NHL season. The Prince of Wales trophy is awarded annually to the team that finishes first in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.
The Prince of Wales Trophy was first announced in December 1925. The trophy was sponsored by the then Prince of Wales, Prince Edward and bore the Prince of Wales’ feathers and the shield of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada. However, some superstitions are involved with the trophy. There is a belief that touching the conference championship trophy brings bad luck in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Due to this belief, many players and teams avoid touching the trophy and pose for pictures without making physical contact.
Prince of Wales Trophy History
The trophy has a rich and prestigious history, it was first awarded to the Montreal Maroons on December 15, 1925, in a game played at the Madison Square Garden. During its initial years, the trophy was awarded as the NHL playoff championship.
It was later awarded to the American Division Champion from 1928 until 1938. Furthermore, it became the regular season championship in 1939 and was in effect until 1967. The Trophy was later awarded to the East Division Champions from 1968 until 1974. The Trophy was then allocated to the newly made Wales Conference. Under the current format, the Prince of Wales trophy is awarded to the Eastern Conference playoff champions.
Prince of Wales Trophy Winners List-
Many teams have won the Prince of Wales Trophy since its beginnings in 1925-26. The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful team with 25 victories. The Boston Bruins stand second on the list with 18 victories.
The Florida Panthers won the most recent Prince of Wales Trophy after the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. They won the trophy for a second time in the last 27 years.
A list of all Prince of Wales Trophy Winners is shown below:
| Season | Team |
| 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 |
Note: There was no winner during the 2004-05 season due to NHL lockout.
Teams with Most Prince of Wales Trophies
A lot of teams have won the Wales Trophy on multiple occasions. The Montreal Canadiens lead the pack with the highest victories, at 25. They are followed by the Boston Bruins who have won the trophy 18 times, and by the Detroit Red Wings, who have won the trophy 13 times till now.
Below given is a list of teams with the Most Prince Wales Trophies:
| Teams | Wins |
| Montreal Canadiens | #26 |
| Boston Bruins | #18 |
| Detroit Red Wings | #13 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | #6 |
| New Jersey Devils | #5 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | #5 |
| New York Rangers | #4 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | #4 |
FAQ's on Prince of Wales Trophy Winners
A. There is a belief that touching the conference championship trophy brings bad luck in the Stanley Cup Finals. Due to this belief, players and teams avoid touching the trophy and pose for pictures without making physical contact.
A..The Prince of Wales trophy is awarded annually to the team that finishes first in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.
A. The Prince of Wales Trophy is one of the prestigious awards in the National Hockey League. The trophy is named after Prince Edward, the then Prince of Wales and was first presented during the 1925-26 season.
A. The team that finishes first in the Eastern Conference during the regular-season of the NHL gets the Prince of Wales Trophy.
A. The Montreal Maroons were the first recipients of the Prince of Wales Trophy.
