In 1892, the then Governor General of Canada, Lord Frederick Arthur Stanley, dedicated a Silver Bowl to the people of the Dominion of Canada for, "the champion hockey team in the Dominion."
The Stanley Cup became the ultimate prize for Canadian hockey teams, awarded first in 1893 to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (AAA). The cup has been won every year since (except 2005 - the Black Year of the Lockout - when the NHL refused to release the Cup to another League).
In 1919, the Stanley Cup Champions, Montreal Canadiens, traveled to Seattle to play a post-Championship exhibition series with the Seattle Metropolitans. The series was cancelled because of the Great Influenza Epidemic. The Americans still like to refer to 1919 as "no decision."
In 1926, the National Hockey League "adopted" Lord Stanley's Cup as their own and have possessed it up to this writing.
Not every Canadian agrees with this "adoption" or the teams that have been proclaimed champions.
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In an article in The Lawyers Weekly entitled "Does the Stanley Cup belong to the NHL or the Canadian people?" Tim Gilbert wrote, "If the Stanley Cup is not a charitable purpose trust, then the trust fails and the property reverts to the grantor, and outside the control of the NHL. As Lord Stanley was Governor General when he gave the cup, the cup may revert back to the Office of the Governor General. In this way the cup may truly belong to the people of Canada." Go to lawersweekly.ca to read the full article...
What it comes down to is this: Lord Stanley, the16th Earl of Derby, Governor General of the Dominion of Canada, at his own expense, gave to us his "challenge cup which should be held from year to year by the champion hockey team in the Dominion."
Which means that Lord Stanley's Silver Bowl belongs to the last Canadian Team standing at the end of the Regular or Post Season!
There is no way around that.
Therefore, the Stanley Cup Champions for 2010 are the Montreal Canadiens!
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And it follows that the "official" record books are wrong. Since only teams from the Dominion of Canada can be awarded Lord Frederick's Cup, the Real Champions aren't always recognized.
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Who then, are the REAL Lord Stanley's Champions? Which, from the original Montreal AAA in 1893 to 2010's Montreal Canadiens, was the LAST CANADIAN TEAM STANDING each year?
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1893 - Montreal AAA
1894 - Montreal AAA
1895 - Montreal Victorias
1896 - Winnipeg Victorias
1897 - Montreal Victorias
1998 - Montreal Victorias
1899 - Montreal Shamrocks
1900 - Montreal Shamrocks
1901 - Winnipeg Victorias
1902 - Winnipeg Victorias
1903 - Montreal AAA
1904 - Ottawa Senators
1905 - Ottawa Senators
1906 - Ottawa Senators
1907 - Kenora Thistles
1908 - Montreal Wanderers
1909 - Ottawa Senators
1910 - Montreal Wanderers
1911 - Ottawa Senators
1912 - Quebec Bulldogs
1913 - Quebec Bulldogs
1914 - Toronto Blueshirts
1915 - Vancouver Millionaires
1916 - Montreal Canadiens
1917 - Montreal Canadiens
1918 - Toronto Arenas
1919 - Montreal Canadiens
1920 - Ottawa Senators
1921 - Ottawa Senators
1922 - Toronto St Pats
1923 - Ottawa Senators
1924 - Montreal Canadiens
1925 - Victoria Cougars
1926 - Montreal Maroons
1927 - Ottawa Senators
1928 - Montreal Maroons
1929 - Montreal Canadiens
1930 - Montreal Canadiens
1931 - Montreal Canadiens
1932 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1933 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1934 - Montreal Maroons
1935 - Montreal Maroons
1936 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1037 - Montreal Canadiens
1938 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1939 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1940 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1941 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1942 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1943 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1944 - Montreal Canadiens
1945 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1946 - Montreal Canadiens
1947 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1948 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1949 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1950 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1951 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1952 - Montreal Canadiens
1953 - Montreal Canadiens
1954 - Montreal Canadiens
1955 - Montreal Canadiens
1956 - Montreal Canadiens
1957 - Montreal Canadiens
1958 - Montreal Canadiens
1959 - Montreal Canadiens
1960 - Montreal Canadiens
1961 - Montreal Canadiens
1962 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1963 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1964 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1965 - Montreal Canadiens
1966 - Montreal Canadiens
1967 - Toronto Maple Leafs
1968 - Montreal Canadiens
1969 - Montreal Canadiens
1970 - Montreal Canadiens
1971 - Montreal Canadiens
1972 - Montreal Canadiens
1973 - Montreal Canadiens
1974 - Montreal Canadiens
1975 - Montreal Canadiens
1976 - Montreal Canadiens
1977 - Montreal Canadiens
1978 - Montreal Canadiens
1979 - Montreal Canadiens
1980 - Montreal Canadiens
1981 - Calgary Flames
1982 - Vancouver Canucks
1983 - Edmonton Oilers
1984 - Edmonton Oilers
1985 - Edmonton Oilers
1986 - Montreal Canadiens
1987 - Edmonton Oilers
1988 - Edmonton Oilers
1989 - Calgary Flames
1990 - Edmonton Oilers
1991 - Edmonton Oilers
1992 - Edmonton Oilers
1993 - Montreal Canadiens
1994 - Vancouver Canucks
1995 - Vancouver Canucks
1996 - Montreal Canadiens
1997 - Edmonton Oilers
1998 - Ottawa Senators
1999 - Toronto Maple Leafs
2000 - Toronto Maple Leafs
2001 - Toronto Maple Leafs
2003 - Ottawa Senators
2004 - Calgary Flames
2005 - (Lockout)
2006 - Edmonton Oilers
2007 - Ottawa Senators
2008 - Montreal Canadiens
2009 - Vancouver Canucks
2010 - Montreal Canadiens
Concluding Rant:
Since Lord Stanley gave his Cup for "the champion hockey team in the Dominion," it's not the right of anyone but a True Canadian team to be awarded it.
Perhaps the Right Honourable Stephen Harper can step in. Prime Minister Harper has proven himself to be a man of vision, honour and a true patriot - as well as an expert on Hockey History. Shouldn't the Stanley Cup be put back in the care of the Governor General's office?
Since when was Expansion and Selling Out The Game In The States a "Good thing for Hockey in Canada?"
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- Brian Alan Burhoe
Tags:
calgary flames, canadian hockey teams, champion hockey team in the dominion, cup, dominion of canada, edmonton oilers, kenora thistles, lord stanley, montreal canadiens, national hockey league, nhl, ottawa senators, quebec bulldogs, real stanley cup champions, shamrocks, stanley cup, toronto maple leafs, toronto st pats, vancouver canucks, victorias
Posted at: 03:01 PM | Add Comment
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