The Prince of Wales Trophy
The Prince of Wales Award derives its name from his Royal Highness Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), the Prince of Wales, who donated the trophy in his name to the NHL 1924.
The trophy is considered to be one of the most beautiful trophies at the Hockey Hall of Fame. It stands at over a foot in height and is supported by four silver hockey sticks. At its base are four small gold pucks, and in the center directly under the bowl rests a distinctive mound of uncut glass. The base is square, but the base corners have been cut off to incorporate four small silver plates upon which the winner’s names are adorned. Directly on the base’s front, the trophy’s name is attached via silver plating, in large lettering featuring three sets of dripping icicles. The first winners of the Wales mug were the Montreal Canadians, winning it in 1924 over the Calgary Tigers by scores of 6-1 and 3-0, capturing the Stanley Cup along with the Wales Bowl.
Wales Trophy Introduced
For the first two years of the Wales Trophy’s inception, the trophy was not given to the first-place team at the end of the regular season but instead to the NHL champion, the team that won the playoff format. In 1926, the NHL moved to a two-division league and thus began awarding the Wales Bowl to the league champion (first-place finisher). In 1928, the bowl was awarded to the team finishing first in the American Division, while the Canadian Division winners received the O’Brien Trophy. In 1938, when the league reverted to a one-division league, the trophy was awarded to the first-place team. With the expansion in 1967, and the league doubling from six teams to twelve teams, the Wales Bowl was awarded to the first-place team in the East Division to complement the Campbell Bowl, which was awarded to the first-place finisher of the West Division. By 1974 the NHL had expanded to 14 teams. The league introduced two conferences, The Campbell Conference and the Wales Conference, each conference contained two divisions, and the first-place winner of each conference was awarded the corresponding trophy. In 1981 the silverware was granted to the playoff champion of its corresponding conference, and in 1993 when the league changed the names of the divisions and conferences to geographical names, the distinguished bowl was awarded to the playoff champion of its conference.
This historic piece of NHL hardware has had more moves than Allied Van Lines.
The Winners (Prince of Wales Award)
Over the course of the NHL’s history, no team has won the Prince of Wales Trophy more than the Montreal Canadians, winning it on 24 occasions; Les Canadians De Montreal were the first winners in 1924. Both the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins have won their share of the silverware as well. The Bruins won the Wales Trophy 10 times from 1925-1944, and the Wings had unprecedented success in the 1950’s winning in seven consecutive years 1948-1955.
Prince of Wales Trophy Winners
- 2021: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2020: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: Boston Bruins
- 2018: Washington Capitals
- 2017: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2015: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2014: New York Rangers
- 2013: Boston Bruins
- 2012: New Jersey Devils
- 2011: Boston Bruins
- 2010: Philadelphia Flyers
- 2009: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2008: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2007: Ottawa Senators
- 2006: Carolina Hurricanes
- 2004: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2003: New Jersey Devils
- 2002: Carolina Hurricanes
- 2001: New Jersey Devils
- 2000: New Jersey Devils
- 1999: Buffalo Sabres
- 1998: Washington Capitals
- 1997: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1996: Florida Panthers
- 1995: New Jersey Devils
- 1994: New York Rangers
- 1993: Montreal Canadiens
- 1992: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1991: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1990: Boston Bruins
- 1989: Montreal Canadiens
- 1988: Boston Bruins
- 1987: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1986: Montreal Canadiens
- 1985: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1984: New York Islanders
- 1983: New York Islanders
- 1982: New York Islanders
- 1981: Montreal Canadiens
- 1980: Buffalo Sabres
- 1979: Montreal Canadiens
- 1978: Montreal Canadiens
- 1977: Montreal Canadiens
- 1976: Montreal Canadiens
- 1975: Buffalo Sabres
- 1974: Boston Bruins
- 1973: Montreal Canadiens
- 1972: Boston Bruins
- 1971: Boston Bruins
- 1970: Chicago Blackhawks
- 1969: Montreal Canadiens
- 1968: Montreal Canadiens
- 1967: Chicago Blackhawks
- 1966: Montreal Canadiens
- 1965: Detroit Red Wings
- 1964: Montreal Canadiens
- 1963: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1962: Montreal Canadiens
- 1961: Montreal Canadiens
- 1960: Montreal Canadiens
- 1959: Montreal Canadiens
- 1958: Montreal Canadiens
- 1957: Detroit Red Wings
- 1956: Montreal Canadiens
- 1955: Detroit Red Wings
- 1954: Detroit Red Wings
- 1953: Detroit Red Wings
- 1952: Detroit Red Wings
- 1951: Detroit Red Wings
- 1950: Detroit Red Wings
- 1949: Detroit Red Wings
- 1948: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1947: Montreal Canadiens
- 1946: Montreal Canadiens
- 1945: Montreal Canadiens
- 1944: Montreal Canadiens
- 1943: Detroit Red Wings
- 1942: New York Rangers
- 1941: Boston Bruins
- 1940: Boston Bruins
- 1939: Boston Bruins
- 1938: Boston Bruins
- 1937: Detroit Red Wings
- 1936: Detroit Red Wings
- 1935: Boston Bruins
- 1934: Detroit Red Wings
- 1933: Boston Bruins
- 1932: New York Rangers
- 1931: Boston Bruins
- 1930: Boston Bruins
- 1929: Boston Bruins
- 1928: Boston Bruins
- 1927: Ottawa Senators
- 1926: Montreal Maroons
- 1925: Montreal Canadiens
- 1924: Montreal Canadiens
Prince of Wales Trophy
Keep Your Stick on the Ice.
Please, like, share, and subscribe. Thank you.
