Winning the Stanley Cup is every National Hockey League (NHL) player and team’s dream. It is the ultimate goal.
History of the Stanley Cup
The trophy was named after Lord Stanley of Preston. Lord Stanley, the Governor-General of Canada donated the 1892 commissioned trophy as an award to the top-ranking amateur ice hockey club in Canada. The trophy began as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. The very first Stanley Cup winner was the Montreal Hockey Club in 1893. It wasn’t until 1906 that professional hockey teams were eligible to compete for the cup. In 1926, it became established as the trophy of the NHL. In 1947 the NHL gained control of the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cups 125th anniversary was in March 2017. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, the national hockey league suspended its regular season. This means it may be a year the Stanley Cup may not be awarded.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more than any other NHL team. The following Montreal Canadien NHL hockey players have had their name on the Stanley Cup numerous times.
- Henri Richard – 11 times
- Jean Beliveau – 10 times
- Yvan Cournoyer – 10 times
- Claude Provost – 9 times
- Jacques Lemaire – 8 times
- Maurice Richard – 8 times
What Are the Chances of a Canadian Team Winning the Stanley Cup?
The odds are certainly not in favour of a Canadian hockey team winning the Stanley Cup. However, having said this, their chances are better than they were. The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Teams that won’t have a chance are the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators. The Winnipeg Jets have more playoff player experience so far. Still, the Edmonton Oilers are in good shape with two of the league’s highest scorers. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Canadian teams will give up trying.