TRADITIONS OF THE STANLEY CUP

The Tradition:

Among one of the oldest traditions of the Stanley cup, is the drinking of champagne by the winning team. This is done from the top bowl after the victory is accomplished. Other tradition is the presentation of the winning cup on ice to the winning team’s captain. The trophy is then, carried around the rink by each and every member of the winning team. This tradition was not always present before the 1930s. In that phase, the cup was never given immediately to the winners. It was in the year 1932, that the cup was awarded on ice for the first time. It was given to the Toronto Maple Leafs team. This practice of awarding the cup to the winning team became an annual tradition only from the 1950s. Ted Lindsay, who was the captain of the Detroit Red Wings team, was the first person to hoist the cup on his overhead and skate round the rink. This stared the tradition of hoisting the trophy on the heads of each player from the winning team, and skating around the rink.

Tradition of Touching the Cup:

This is tradition, which can be considered more of a superstition of sort. The tradition holds that, no player among the players of the National Hockey League touch the trophy until winning it. The tradition is extended to the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl and also to the Price of Wales Trophy. This is a superstition and hence, in certain times was found to be not applicable. It is expected to be completely stopped in the coming future.