NHL trade deadline 2027: the new rules and the playoff cap
The 2027 NHL trade deadline is expected on Monday, March 1, 2027, at 3 p.m. ET — though as of now the league has not formally announced it. It will be the first deadline played under ...
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup: Everything You Need to Know
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in North American professional sports. The NHL awards it every year to its playoff champion.
Quick Facts
| Commissioned | 1892, by Lord Stanley of Preston |
| First awarded | 1893, to the Montreal Hockey Club |
| Size | 35.25 in tall, 34.5 lbs |
| Format | 4 best-of-seven playoff rounds |
| Most wins (team) | Montreal Canadiens, 24 |
| Most wins (player) | Henri Richard, 11 |
History
Lord Stanley, Canada's Governor General, donated the Cup in 1892. He originally gave it to the top amateur hockey club in the country. The nickname "Stanley Cup" eventually became its official name. Professional teams joined the competition in 1906, and by 1926, the NHL made it the league's official championship trophy. In 1907, the Montreal Wanderers started a tradition still followed today: engraving the champions' names right onto the Cup.
Winners and Records
The Montreal Canadiens have won the Cup 24 times, more than any other team. Five of those titles came in a row, from 1956 to 1960. The Toronto Maple Leafs sit second with 13 wins, followed by the Detroit Red Wings with 11. Henri Richard holds the individual record with 11 championships, all won with Montreal. Behind the bench, Scotty Bowman won nine Cups across three different teams. In total, 27 different franchises have lifted the trophy.
A trophy unlike any other: The Stanley Cup remains the only major trophy in professional sports that engraves every champion's name directly onto it.
Traditions
Each player on the winning team gets a day alone with the Cup. Most bring it home to celebrate with family and friends. Champagne straight from the Cup has also become a playoff tradition.
