Stanley Cup Facts FAQ

Today, the Stanley Cup made what we hope to be one of many trips to Las Vegas over the course of the next few months. We had a chance to sit down with Keeper of the Cup, Mike Bolt to talk answer a bunch of questions about the world’s most famous trophy that were mainly sent in by you guys via social media.

How much does the Cup weigh and what is it made out of?

The Cup weighs 34.5 pounds and is made of silver and nickel alloy. It’s 35.25 inches tall.

How many Cups are there?

There are three versions of the Cup. The “Presentation Cup” is the Cup that travels and is given to the team that wins. The “Replica Cup” lives at the Hall of Fame in Toronto and serves as a stand-in when the Presentation Cup is traveling. The “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup” was donated by Lord Stanley and also lives at the Hall of Fame.

How long does the winner get to keep the Cup?

100 days is the standard but it varies depending on the season schedule and the Cup’s event schedule.

What do cities display in their arena after they win?

Replicas created by the team. They must be smaller than the actual Cup.

How many names does each team get to put on the Cup, how are they chosen, and what are the guidelines?

A total of 52 names are allowed to be engraved into the Cup. Each person must have been with the organization when the team won the Stanley Cup. The organization chooses the names and sends them to the league. There is no minimum number of games a player must play to be on there.

How is it transported?

There is a “road case” with plenty of padding that goes along with it. Due to TSA guidelines, it must be checked on airlines. There have been mishaps with the airlines but normally it checks and makes it to the next destination without any problems.

Who travels with the Cup?

One of the Keepers of the Cup is present with the Cup at all times including on each player’s “Day with the Cup.” The people who travel with it rotate.Has the Cup ever been damaged?

It has been damaged multiple times and the repairs must be paid for by the organization. Here are a few of the stories.

What’s the oddest thing ever done with the Cup?

That’s kind of in the eye of the beholder but babies have been baptized in it, people have eaten all sorts of foods out of it, it’s been urinated on, it has sank to the bottom of multiple pools, and it once made its way halfway across the Rideau Canal Ontario.

Does anything upset the Keepers of the Cup that players try to do with it?

Bolt said it’s still a privilege to have a day with the Cup, so yes it does bother him when anything inappropriate is done with it.

What is it cleaned with?

Mostly water. In the summer it will get washed in a “shower” with soap and water. Because the Cup is cleaned so frequently it does not need to be redipped to prevent the silver from oxidizing. Bolt explained to us that he cleans it pretty much every time a player uses the Cup to hold any sort of food or drink or when it happens to go swimming.

Who is the owner?

Technically, the “people of Canada” as it was donated by Lord Stanley, but the Bolt says he believes it belongs to the people of the world. The NHL owns the trademark on the trophy, in the event the NHL folded there would have to be a decision on where it goes.

What is the process of the rings coming off the Cup?

There are 5 major rings on the Cup that each holds a total of 13 years of champions’ names. Two rings have been retired already, 1927-1939 and 1940-1952. When the rings are removed they are cut in half to be displayed in the Hall of Fame. This year the ring from 1953-1965 will be removed to make room for the next 13 years of champions. The winners of this year’s Cup will have their name on the Cup for the next 65 years. The shortest amount of time it can be on the Cup is 52 years. Here’s what the Cup would look like if the rings were never removed.

Here's what the Stanley Cup would look like if the NHL never removed any rings: pic.twitter.com/TLD04KcltX

— From The Faceoff (@FromTheFaceoff) June 11, 2017

Who engraves it?

It’s done by a company called Boffey Silversmith by a woman named Louise St. Jacques. Each letter is hand-punched. There are two fonts, one for the team names and one for the players. There have only been four engravers in the 126 years the Cup has existed.

Have there ever been typos?

Many errors have been made including the misspelling of names of players and teams as well as one instance in which the owner of the Edmonton Oilers submitted his father’s name to be engraved onto the Cup. It was, but the league deemed it an invalid name and since engraved X’s over the name Basil Pocklington.

What is the furthest place it’s been from North America?

Siberia, Afghanistan, the Arctic Circle, and Japan.

Who pays for the Cup’s travel?

The organization pays but there have been instances in which the team does not allow certain destinations for certain people.

Can the Cup handle 110+ degree temperatures in direct sunlight going down Las Vegas Boulevard for a parade?

Absolutely, but I’m not sure if the Cup keeper can. -Mike Bolt