The 2004-05 NHL lockout occurred three months after the completion of this final, lasting over ten months and led to the postponement of the 2005 Final, with the league not returning to compete for the Cup until 2006. The Montreal Canadiens were defending champions, having won the previous year's Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The trophy itself is a silver bowl, 28 inches in diameter and 16 inches deep, with a solid gold base and two handles made from Indian silver. It was designed by Charles L. Wigington and manufactured by the Thomas Shrewsbury & Co. Jewellers in London. The original cost $10,543.38 (approximately $150,000 in today's dollars). It was given as a gift from Canada to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on his graduation from McGill University in 1875. He in turn gave it to his friend Andrew G. DeLaHunt, who brought it with him when he moved to Montreal the following year. The medal is now held by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
DeLaHunt sold the medal to John A. Martin, who in turn donated it to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) in 1889. The MAAA then granted rights to the Stanley Cup to be used as a championship trophy for ice hockey.
The 1919 Stanley Cup final was the first and only occasion in NHL history when the series was postponed during a non-lockout year. The National Hockey League had no control over which teams would play for the championship at the time, so it was not possible to reschedule the series. However, since there were still two games to be played, the champions were determined by a best of three format instead of the previously used best of five.
Therefore, the title was awarded to Montreal Canadiens by default because Boston Bruins did not travel to Canada to play their final game as they were suspended by the league for breaking away from the other teams and forming a new league with some of the best hockey players in the world. The suspension came after two games had been played between these two teams, which Montreal won 1-0.
This is also the only time that has happened in any major North American professional sports league.
The next season began on Oct. 6, 1920, but only eight teams remained in the league because Ottawa Senators had gone bankrupt and failed to show up for a game against Victoria Aristocrats. The remaining teams played a round-robin schedule to determine the champion, with Montreal winning the title by finishing with a record of 5-1-0.
For the first time since the 1918 flu pandemic, no Stanley Cup champion was crowned as a result of the lockout. Many fans were outraged, questioning if the NHL held total ownership of the Cup.
2004–05 NHL season The 2004–05 NHL season marked the 88th season of the National Hockey League. Due to an unresolved lockout that began on September 16, 2004, the whole 1,230-game schedule that was slated to begin in October was officially canceled on February 16, 2005.
The Stanley Cup was being contested for the 105th time. It was the Wings' seventh Stanley Cup, the fourth consecutive time a Finals was swept, and the most recent (as of 2021). The previous record was held by the Canadiens and their six straight sweeps from 1956 to 1961.
Why were the Blackhawks so dominant? The short answer is that they had better players at every position. The Blackhawks were led by two-time MVP Patrick Kane and three-time winner Jonathan Toews, who both played over 80 games. They were joined on the roster by five other first-team All-Stars. In the net, Corey Crawford was unbeatable: He went 33-4 in the regular season and won four games in five attempts against Tampa Bay in the playoffs.
Blackhawks center Duncan Keith was awarded the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the league. Keith led all defensemen with 26 points (three goals, 23 assists) and was plus-26. In addition to Keith, Chicago had three other first-team all-stars: Brent Seabrook (defence), Andrew Shaw (defense), and Patrick Sharp (wing).
The 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs, the National Hockey League's (NHL) postseason competition, started on April 16, 1997, following the conclusion of the 1996-97 NHL season. The sixteen eligible teams, eight from each conference, competed in best-of-seven series for conference quarter-finals, semi-finals, and championships, with the runner-up determined by a best-of-seven series...
The Dallas Stars won their first Stanley Cup in 1999, defeating the Nashville Predators 4 games to 2 in the final.
The Colorado Avalanche became the first team from a small market to win the Cup when they beat the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 1 in 2001. They were joined by the Vancouver Canucks in 2007 and Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 as large city teams won the Cup.
The Boston Bruins, who have played in the most consecutive playoff seasons with 24, are the most successful franchise, having won six titles. The Detroit Red Wings, who have the second most consecutive seasons with 18, are next with two wins. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who have the third most consecutive seasons with 14, have won one title.
There have been nine different franchises that have appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals, with the Chicago Black Hawks having the most appearances with seven. The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs have four apiece. The California Golden Seals, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks have three victories each.
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