What is Stanley Cup?
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}} [[Image:Stanley cup closeup.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The Stanley Cup]] The '''Stanley Cup''' is a trophy given to the champion of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) every year. It was bought by [[Lord Stanley]], the [[Governor General]] of [[Canada]], in 1892, for $50. The first team to win it was the Montreal A.A.A. in 1893. Other teams could challenge for it. By 1915, it was awarded on a yearly basis. The names of players and others such as coaches are put on the cup every year. As a result, the NHL had to make the cup bigger, by adding layers to the bottom. When the first cup was full of names, they made a copy of it, which is now what is awarded. Today, there are 32 teams in the NHL who each play 82 regular season ice hockey games per year. 16 teams make the playoffs every year; these teams are made up of the top 3 teams from each division by regular season points as well as 2 wildcard teams from each conference . There are 4 best of 7 ice hockey playoff rounds that a team must win to win the Stanley Cup. The [[Montreal Canadiens]] have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, the most of any team. They also won the most in a row: five between 1955-56 and 1959-60. [[Henri Richard]] of the Montreal Canadiens appears the most on the Stanley Cup, 11 times. The Stanley Cup was not awarded in 2005: there was no NHL season because of a labour disagreement. It was not awarded in 1919, either, because of the [[Spanish flu|influenza epidemic]]. == Recent Stanley Cup winners == * 2024 [[Florida Panthers]] * 2023 [[Vegas Golden Knights]] * 2022 [[Colorado Avalanche]] * 2021 [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] * 2020 [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] * 2019 [[St. Louis Blues]] * 2018 [[Washington Capitals]] * 2017 [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] * 2016 [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] * 2015 [[Chicago Blackhawks]] * 2014 [[Los Angeles Kings]] * 2013 [[Chicago Blackhawks]] * 2012 [[Los Angeles Kings]] * 2011 [[Boston Bruins]] * 2010 [[Chicago Blackhawks]] * 2009 [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] * 2008 [[Detroit Red Wings]]