The Stanley Cup Finals

By Dee Dee Smith

The National Hockey League is the organizing and managing entity of professional ice hockey in North America.  The league encompasses teams from both the United States and Canada.  The NHL was born in Canada in the early 1900s, and over the years (and with the acquisition of teams from other professional ice hockey leagues) the NHL has expanded to include 30 franchises. 

The organization of the NHL is similar to that of other sports leagues.  It is divided into two conferences, Eastern and Western, and the conferences further divided into divisions.  The Eastern Conference is made up of the Northeast, Atlantic and Southeast divisions and the Western Conference breaks into the Northwest, Pacific and Central divisions.

Previously, teams would play mostly opponents from their division and conference in the regular season with only a few games being played against teams from the other Conference.  Beginning next season (2008-9), each team will play every other team in the league at least once.  The NHL regular season begins in October and runs through early April. 

In the NHL, teams earn points for each game they win.  At the end of the regular season, these points are calculated and a league trophy (the President's Trophy) awarded to the team who has earned the most points.  Additionally, the team with the highest points in each division is recognized as that Divisions Champion. 

The division champions along with the other top five teams from each Conference continue on to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.   Held in mid-April, the Stanley Cup Play-offs are played according to a best of seven series.  Division champions from each conference are seeded one through three with one being given to the team with the best record in the conference, and three to the division champion with the fewest season points.  The other five teams are seeded four through eight.  In the first round or Conference Quarterfinals, teams are matched up based on seeding (1-8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5).  In the Conference Semifinals, the top remaining conference seed faces the lowest remaining contender and the other teams are matched up.  The two teams remaining after the second round face-off in the Conference Finals, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will play up to seven games, with the first team to win four games being crowned the National Hockey League Champions and awarded the Stanley Cup. 

The Stanley Cup is the most sought after and desired trophy in professional ice hockey.  It is affectionately referred to simply as “The Cup,” while others have named it “The Holy Grail.”  Whatever you call it, winning the Stanley Cup is the dream of every professional hockey player in the NHL.  It is unique among professional sports awards because new Cups are not produced each year.  Instead, the Cup is passed from winning team to winning team.  The players and coaches of the winning team have their names all engraved on the trophy.  The actual trophy is housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto when it is not on tour. Every player on the Stanley Cup winning team is allowed to keep the cup for one day.

Individual gifts and trophies are awarded to both players and coaches.  First, every winning player, general manager and coach is given an NHL Championship Ring.  The Conn Smythe Trophy is given to the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Play-Offs.  This award is named in honor of Conn Smythe a former coach, general manager and owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs.   The winner of the Conn Smythe Award is decided by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and presented at the end of the Stanley Cup Finals.   Past winners of this award include Scott Niedermayer (2007), Patrick Roy (1986, 1993 and 2001), Wayne Gretzky (1985 and 1988), Mario Lemieux (1991 and 1992), and Bernie Parent (1974 and 1975). 

To date, the Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup Finals twenty four times, which is more than any other team in the league.  In second place is the Toronto Maple Leafs who have won a total of thirteen champions.   

Did you mean:  Standley Cup Finals, Staley Cup Finals, Conn Smith Award?