Calder Cup
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Competition | Calder Cup playoffs |
| Awarded for | Winner of theAmerican Hockey Leagueplayoffs |
| History | |
| First award | 1937 |
| First winner | Syracuse Stars(1) |
| Most wins | Hershey Bears(13) |
| Most recent | Hershey Bears (13) |
TheCalder Cupis the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of theAmerican Hockey League.It was first presented in1937to theSyracuse Stars.[N 1]
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilianmahogany.In its current shape, the trophy has a two-tiered square base with commemorative plaques for each of the AHL's 20 most recent champions: 12 on the bottom tier and 8 on the top tier. Each time a new championship plaque is added, the oldest plaque is retired and joins a display at theHockey Hall of Famein Toronto.
TheHershey Bearshave won the Cup more times than any other team, with thirteen victories in franchise history. TheCleveland Baronscome in second with nine; theSpringfield Indians/Kingsare third with seven. Eight teams have won back-to-back championships; theSpringfield Indiansof 1960–62 are the only team to have won three straight Calder Cup championships.
On three occasions an AHL club has won the Calder Cup coincidentally with its NHL affiliate winning the Stanley Cup: in1976and1977when theMontreal Canadiensand their AHL affiliate, theNova Scotia Voyageursboth won, and in1995,when theNew Jersey DevilsandAlbany River Ratsboth won.[1]this also occurred with itsECHLaffiliate theSouth Carolina Stingrayswon the Kelly Cup coincidentally with its AHL affiliateHershey Bearsboth won.
The Calder Cup was not awarded in 2020 and 2021 as the AHL did not hold a playoff due to effects of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[2]
History[edit]
The trophy is named afterFrank Calder,who was the first president of theNational Hockey League.[1]TheCalder Memorial Trophy,which is awarded annually to the Rookie of the Year in theNational Hockey League,was also named after Calder.
As a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic,the2019–20 AHL seasonwas cancelled and the Calder Cup was not awarded in 2020. Previously, it had been the oldest continuously awarded professional ice hockey playoff trophy, having been presented annually from 1936–37 to 2018–19.[N 2]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- Notes
- ^TheCanadian-American Hockey LeagueandInternational Hockey Leagueplayed interlocking schedules in 1936–37 and 1937–38 under the name "International-American Hockey League" (IAHL) and simultaneously established the Calder Cup as the playoff championship trophy for the combined circuit. After two seasons under this makeshift arrangement, the two leaguesformally mergedas the IAHL in June, 1938, and two years later changed its name to its current one, the American Hockey League, effective with the 1940–41 season retaining the Calder Cup as its playoff trophy.
- ^The Stanley Cup was first awarded in1893to theMontreal Hockey Club,the champions of theAmateur Hockey Association of Canada.The NHL acquiredexclusive controlof the Stanley Cup as its playoff championship trophy in1927,and has awarded it annually since then, except for 2005 when there was no season or tournament because of the2004–05 NHL lockout.The Calder Cup had been presented annually without interruption by the AHL since it was first awarded in1937,henceforth it was the oldest continuously awarded trophy in North American professional hockey.
- Citations
- ^ab"Story of the Calder Cup".American Hockey League. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-04-19.Retrieved2008-06-03.
- ^"American Hockey League Announces Plans for 2021 Playoffs, Sets Calendar for 2021-22".OurSports Central.April 29, 2021.