One of the most recognizable trophies in North American sports is up for grabs this month.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche are squaring off in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final for a chance to lift the titular prize. The Lightning are quite familiar with the Cup, having won it in the last two seasons. The Avalanche, meanwhile, are looking to win their first NHL championship since 2001.
The Stanley Cup itself dates back well over a century, as it was first awarded to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1893. Since then, the Cup – along with the names on it – has undergone plenty of changes.
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Here’s a dive into the history of hockey’s most prized possession:
How tall is the Stanley Cup?
The Stanley Cup stands at 35.25 inches. The bowl at the top of it is 7.5 inches tall.
How much does the Stanley Cup weigh?
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The full Stanley Cup weighs 37 pounds.
What is the Stanley Cup made of?
The current version of the cup is made of silver and nickel alloy.
Who is the Stanley Cup named after?
The trophy is named after Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston, who purchased the original silver cup that became the Stanley Cup in 1893.
How many Stanley Cups are there?
There are three Stanley Cups. There’s the original bowl of the “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup,” the authenticated “Presentation Cup” and another replica Cup that gets displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame whenever the Presentation Cup is unavailable.
How many names are on the Stanley Cup?
There are currently 2,394 individuals who are engraved on the Cup.
Not every name that has ever been engraved is on the current version, though. The Cup is made up of five barrel rings that get replaced once the bottom one gets filled up. When a new ring is needed, the top one is removed and the new one moves to the bottom.
The newest barrel ring was added when the Washington Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup. To make room, the top band featuring champions from the 1953-54 Detroit Red Wings to the 1964-65 Montreal Canadiens was removed. It was the third band to be retired and shipped to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Counting retired bands, 3,385 individuals have been engraved onto the Cup.
Which player’s name is on the Stanley Cup the most times?
Henri “Rocket” Richard holds the NHL record with 11 Stanley Cup titles as a player.
While his name has been etched into the Cup 11 times, Richard is currently only on it four times. His first seven championships with the Canadians came from 1956 to 1965, which were removed as part of the oldest band in 2018. His last four championships came from 1968 to 1973 and remain on the current oldest band.
Who engraves names on the Stanley Cup?
The tradition of engraving the winning team’s roster onto the Stanley Cup began in 1924. In the nearly century since, only four people have ever actually done the engraving.
Louise St. Jacques of Montreal is the current engraver, holding the distinction since 1988 when she took over previous engraver Doug Boffey’s business.
Who is always with the Stanley Cup?
Phil Pritchard is the Hockey Hall of Fame’s “Keeper of the Cup.” Like St. Jacques, Pritchard has held his position since 1988. Along with “The Keeper of the Cup,” Pritchard’s official title is Vice President, Resource Centre and Curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Pritchard and the Cup travel across the country throughout the year. Fans can follow along with their journey on Twitter by following Pritchard (@keeperofthecup).