| The National Hockey League needs to do more to | | | | almost every town in Canada had a team which |
| encourage better coverage of the hockey games. | | | | thrived on hockey. No longer were Ontario, Quebec |
| With so many other sports realizing national coverage, | | | | and Winnipeg the only teams that were ready to take |
| the NHL is sometimes forgotten. However, this year, | | | | the Stanley Cup. Instead numerous teams came out |
| there's a race for the Stanley Cup, and only one is set | | | | and all of the teams were strong contenders for the |
| to win it. But which team will that be? | | | | Stanley Cup. In 1896, the Victorias of Montreal versus |
| Right now, bookmakers are showing that, while the | | | | the Victorias of Winnipeg placed with the Winnipeg |
| Philadelphia Flyers were on top only days ago, the | | | | team taking the Cup 2 to 0. Less than a year later, a |
| odds are now swinging back and forth with the Flyers | | | | rematch was to occur. |
| and other potential contenders such as the Ottawa | | | | Presented as the greatest sports ever in Winnipeg |
| Senators, as the teams to watch in the sprint for the | | | | history, even in the economy of 1896, tickets were |
| Stanley Cup this year. Of course, all of the NHL | | | | scalped for as much as $12 each. Everyone wanted |
| information and stats change daily, but the odds are | | | | to see this Stanley Cup playoff game. Montreal won |
| the best current indicator of which team is certainly a | | | | this match up 6 to 5 after being down 2 to 0 at |
| contender for the Stanley Cup of 2006. | | | | halftime. It was documented as the finest match ever |
| However, the race for the 2006 Cup didn't simply | | | | played in Canada. |
| begin with the end of the 2005 playing season and the | | | | While the early Stanley Cup games differed greatly |
| winning of the Stanley Cup for the year. It began over | | | | from today's game, the popularity has continued to rise |
| 100 years ago in 1892, at a dinner of the Ottawa | | | | over the many years. Originally, there were seven |
| Amateur Athletic Association. A speech was delivered | | | | men on the ice for each team rather than the six we |
| that indicated that a challenge cup would be a good | | | | know today. Sideboards were non-existent and |
| idea and that this contest should be held from year to | | | | players used very little sports equipment. Injuries were |
| year for the teams in the Dominion of Canada. At the | | | | quite common and much more serious than what |
| time, that was a grand total of three major teams. | | | | players of today have to deal with in their hockey |
| You might be accurate in an assumption that the | | | | games and practices. |
| National Hockey League has seen tremendous growth | | | | The Stanley Cup is considered to be the most famous |
| since then. | | | | trophy in the sporting world. It is certainly the oldest |
| Lord Stanley purchased a silver cup which by today's | | | | trophy competed for by professional athletes, having |
| standards would only have a value of only about $50 | | | | logged more than 400,000 miles in travel during only |
| and appointed Sheriff John Sweetland and Philip D. | | | | the past five seasons. Traditionally, each winning player |
| Ross as trustees of the cup. This Stanley Cup is the | | | | and team management staff member gets to take |
| same cup that the two men were trustees over all of | | | | the Cup home for one day to share with their friends |
| those years ago. | | | | and family. |
| The winners of each year's Stanley Cup are tasked | | | | No matter how the lines move between now and the |
| to hold the Cup and to return it in good condition to the | | | | final play for this year's Stanley Cup, you simply will not |
| trustees at year's end so that it may be given to the | | | | want to miss keeping track as the big day draws |
| winner of the next Cup. The Cup is never to become | | | | closer. This game is the Super Bowl of hockey and it |
| the exclusive property of a single team regardless of | | | | pales in comparison to many other sports as far as |
| how many times that team may win the trophy but | | | | national coverage is concerned. The Stanley Cup will |
| each year the winning team's club name and the year | | | | be watched by millions, some of whom are not |
| are engraved on the silver ring fitted on the Cup. | | | | traditionally hockey fans and many who do not know |
| That very first year, the Stanley Cup was taken by | | | | the history behind Lord Stanley's great purchase. And |
| the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) | | | | for a sporting event to be worthy of a trophy which |
| hockey club as the winners for 1894. Unfortunately, | | | | travels over 400,000 miles to note the worthy |
| Lord Stanley was never to witness a championship | | | | accomplishments of one lone team, it's an event that |
| game or even the presentation of the trophy he had | | | | no one should miss especially those behind the major |
| purchased because he returned to England, his | | | | networks! Incidentally, in the humble opinion of many |
| homeland, in mid-1893. | | | | fans, the only true contender this year for the Stanley |
| The popularity of hockey grew so quickly that in 1895 | | | | Cup is the Philadelphia Flyers. What do you think? |