12
STANLEY CUP
When?
The finals are played in June of every year. That’s right. Hockey in hot weather.
Significance:
Called the Cup, the Holy Grail, and Lord Stanley’s Mug, the Stanley Cup is what hockey players dream of hoisting high in the air. Baseball and football players can proudly wear their rings. The professional hockey lot prefers to drink from the Cup. The championship has been the sole property of the NHL since 1926 after various merges of now defunct hockey organizations.
For a sport that seemed exclusive to Canada and the northern regions of the United States, the Stanley Cup has been held by teams from California, North Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Dallas. Quite apropos considering the finals are played in the summer month of June. NHL hockey is no longer a sport exclusive to cold-weather areas, nor is its fans. It has experienced significant growth over the years, increasing the profile, importance, and fan following of the Stanley Cup tournament.
Who attends?
Fans of the teams playing mixed in with die-hard hockey fans from across the globe.
History
Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and Lord Stanley of Victoria, shared an enthusiasm for hockey with his family. After watching a Montreal Victorias hockey game in 1888, he was hooked on the sport. With sons Arthur and Algernon forming the Ontario Hockey Association, their father felt that a challenge cup was necessary to determine a champion. Originally, the decorative bowl he purchased, engraved “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup” on the outside rim with “From Stanley of Preston” on the other side, was to go to the top amateur hockey team in Canada.
The Montreal Hockey Club was the first Stanley Cup champion in 1893. The Cup eventually evolved into a trophy for professional hockey teams and became exclusive to the NHL in 1926 following several league mergers. Lord Stanley never saw a championship match that featured his name, nor did he receive the chance to present it. He was forced to return to England on July 15, 1893, to serve as the 16th Earl of Derby.
Cup Facts:
Crafted in Sheffield, England.
Purchased for ten guineas ($48.67) in 1892.
Weighs thirty-five pounds and stands less than three feet in height.
Stanley Cup Dynasties
Ottawa Senators
1919 to 1927 with four Stanley Cups (1920, 1921, 1923, 1927)
Toronto Maple Leafs
1947 to 1951 with four Stanley Cups (1947, 1948, 1949, 1951)
1962 to 1967 with four Stanley Cups (1962, 1963, 1964, 1967)
Detroit Red Wings
1950 to 1955 with four Stanley Cups (1950, 1952, 1954, 1955)
Montreal Canadiens
1956 to 1960 with five Stanley Cups (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
1965 to 1969 with four Stanley Cups (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
1976 to 1979 with four Stanley Cups (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
New York Islanders
1980 to 1984 with four Stanley Cups (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983)
Edmonton Oilers
1984 to 1990 with five Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)
Notable Stanley Cup MVPs:
Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, 1993 and 2001
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1991 and 1992
Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1985 and 1988
Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers, 1984
Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers, 1974 and 1975
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1970 and 1972
Records:
Most Stanley Cup wins: Montreal, 24 (to date)
Most consecutive post-season appearances: Boston Bruins, 29
Most years in the playoffs: Chris Chelios, 23
Most consecutive years in the playoffs: Larry Robinson, 20
Most playoff games: Patrick Roy, 247
Most points in the playoffs: Wayne Gretzky, 382 (122 goals, 260 assists)
Most goals in the playoffs: Wayne Gretzky, 122
Most assists in the playoffs: Wayne Gretzky, 260
Most overtime goals in the playoffs: Joe Sakic, 8
Most power-play goals in the playoffs: Brett Hull, 38
Most game-winning goals in the playoffs: Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull, 24
Most playoff wins by a goaltender: Patrick Roy, 151
Most playoff shutouts by a goaltender: Patrick Roy, 23
Things to know before you go:
Boards: Boards surrounding the ice.
Body Check: Legal hit where one player hits another player on the opposite team with either his shoulder or hip.
Center Line: Red line dividing the ice surface in half.
Checking: Poking the puck off the stick, lifting your opponent’s stick up and taking the puck, or body checking off the puck.
Chiclets: Teeth.
Goal: When a puck crosses over the goal line.
Goon: Hockey-ese for a tough guy.
Hat Trick: Three goals by one player in a single game.
Offside: A player from the attacking team crossing over the defending team’s blue line before the puck crosses it.
Penalty: A foul that must be served in the penalty box.
Penalty Box: The place to go to serve out a penalty.
Period: Three of them at twenty minutes each.
Power Play: Play continuing with one team having players in the penalty box, giving the other team more players on the ice.
Puck: Small black circular “biscuit” made of rubber.
Slap Shot: A shot made with a big back swing.
Zamboni: The large machine used to resurface the ice.
Tickets:
For primary ticket access information, con sider:
www.nhl.com.
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.comTravel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comNotable Quote:
“I couldn’t breathe, and it wasn’t because I was tired. It was just too much. I was trying to hold off the tears.”—RAY BOURQUE, Hockey Hall of Famer and former Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche player on winning his first Stanley Cup
Relevant Websites: