Eyes on the Prize

By:  TBL

When Frederick Stanley purchased a silver bowl for the approximate price of $48.67, no one, not even Stanley himself, envisioned this trophy to grow into the towering mass that Gary Bettman will present to either the Detroit Red Wings or the Pittsburgh Penguins in the coming week. Originally heralded as the “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup,” this immortal trophy has transformed into the most glorious prize in all of sports. So what makes Lord Stanley’s Cup so majestic?

Since 1927, Boffey Promotions annually etches the winning team’s name, the year, and the entire team roster; however, with eighty years of names, mistakes are bound to happen. These mistakes include the Toronto Maple Leafs spelled “Leaes,” (1962-63) Boston miswritten as “Bqstqn,” (1971-72) and the New York Islanders as “Ilanders” (1980-81) among others.

In order for Louise St. Jacques, current Stanley Cup engraver, to scribe a players name on the trophy, said player must participate in at least 41 games for the championship team and still with the team or in at least one game of the finals. The NHL has, however, made certain exceptions to this rule. Most notably, Vladimir Konstantinov, a defenseman for Detroit who suffered a career-ending car accident on June 13^th, 1997, received his name on the cup when Detroit won the cup that year.

Because of its storied history, years of championships naturally created respected traditions with the Stanley Cup. The Winnipeg Victorias began one of sports’ oldest traditions in 1896 when the team, after winning the Cup, proceeded to drink champagne from the bowl. Beginning in 1950, the commissioner presents the cup to the captain of the winning team, who then proceeds to hoist the cup above his head and skate around the rink with the trophy. One instance where the captain did not immediately raise the cup after receiving it from the commissioner came in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche. The Boston Bruins traded Ray Bourque, a member of the team for the past 21 seasons, to Colorado after Bourque requested a trade. After defeating the New Jersey Devils in game seven, Sakic, Colorado’s captain, immediately passed the cup to a teary-eyed Bourque.

Through names etched in silver, sips of champagne, and moments that tug at the heartstrings, the Stanley Cup truly represents the pinnacle of achievement. This 35.25 inch, 35 pound hunk of metal means so much more to those who lift it. The Stanley Cup illustrates the ultimate in perseverance, endurance, and dedication.