As the National Hockey League season comes to a close, The Justice will reflect on the history of the sport’s championship games and review the predictions for this year’s potential winners. 

According to the Official Site of The Hockey Hall of Fame, the Stanley Cup is the “oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in North America.” Sir Fredrick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston and the son of the Earl of Derby donated the trophy. He purchased it for today’s equivalent of $50, “to be presented to the championship hockey club of the Dominion of Canada."

The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association was the first team to win the Cup in 1893. The National Hockey Association took possession of the trophy in 1910, and in 1926, restricted the competition to teams in the NHL. The team that has won the trophy the most times is the Montreal Canadiens, with 23 victories. It is also important to note that they have a 24th victory that took place in 1916 which does not count as it was prior to the NHL’s formation. The Canadiens are followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 victories.

The Cup has greatly evolved during the over 100 years it has been competed for. Tiered rings used to be added to the base, which ended up being followed by more narrow bands. The names of each player on the winning team are inscribed into the cup, meaning that rings often have to be retired due to space constraints. These retired bands are housed with the original cup bowl in Esso Great Hall, displayed in the vault of Lord Stanley of Preston. 

Following the winning of the championship game each year, the cup goes on a “summer of celebration." Each member of the team and staff is granted the honor of spending 24 hours with the trophy. In its many years of use, it has traveled all across the world, visiting igloos, mountain peaks, Japan, Switzerland and more. 

This year, the battle for the honor to hold the cup is a tough one, with many teams holding a good shot at victory. Due to the large amount of games, predictions can be hard to make but many industry professionals have given it their best shot. The NHL published an article on April 19, highlighting the predictions of 15 different staff members. 

Out of these 15 staff members, seven of them placed their bets on the Dallas Stars, a team that has done consistently well throughout the season. One can infer that the Stars are a reliable bet, as there is unlikely to be any surprises from the team. They are dependable and consistent, a safe choice to win it all. 

The second most popular choice among the staff members was the New York Rangers, with three bets. This choice has proven to be a smart one while watching the first round of the playoffs, as the Rangers are the first team to advance to the second round, beating the Washington D.C. Capitals four games to zero. The Capitals will be the only team to be eliminated during round one without winning a single playoff game.

The Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes each had the support of two staff members, with the final supporting the Florida Panthers. It is shaping up to be an exciting playoff season this year, as seven out of eight first round matchups have demonstrated wins from both competitors. Many sit on the edges of their seats hoping for success for their favorite teams, and we wish all involved luck moving forward.