1. The Ultimate Trophy
The Stanley Cup, often referred to as the Holy Grail of hockey, is the championship trophy earned by the NHL team that wins the annual playoffs. The trophy consists of the cup that was the original trophy on top of a base made up of metal bands where the names of winning teams are engraved. Many of the original bands have been retired to preserve them and to make room for new names to be added. The cup on top is also a replica of the original.
2. The Fight For the Cup
Some hockey fans describe the Stanley Cup playoffs as a whole separate season because how lengthy and intense they are. At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams in each division are paired up against each other according to their rankings. Each round played is a best-of-seven round with the winner of four of the seven games advancing to the next round until the last two teams standing meet in the finals. Stanley Cup playoffs run from the middle of April to the end of June.
3. The Real Lord Stanley
The Stanley Cup was actually named after a real person. The real Lord Stanley was a wealthy Canadian hockey fan who offered to supply a trophy if a championship were organized. The first playoffs for Lord Stanley's cup were played in the 1800s by amateur players since there were no professional leagues yet. Players skated on a frozen pond and spectators like Lord Stanley braved the frigid Canadian cold to catch the action.
4. The Men That Guard The Cup
The Stanley Cup is so important that it travels with an entourage. Each player on the winning team gets to spend a few days with Cup and take it wherever he wants. The Stanley Cup used to travel unattended, but after it got lost and damaged a few times, the NHL decided to appoint Stanley Cup guards to chaperon the Cup when it traveled. Stanley Cup guards polish the Cup, educate viewers about its origins and are responsible for its safekeeping.
5. The Home of the Stanley Cup
When it's not traveling, the Stanley Cup is returned to its permanent home in the Hockey Hall of Fame. A separate wing of the Hall is devoted to the trophies give annually to top scorers, goalies, rookies and other notable players. The Stanley Cup commands its own room, roped off on a raised dais with two guards standing watch over it at all times. Visitors to the Hall of Fame can touch the Cup and have their picture taken with it.
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