Manitoba, Hershey join 72 years of tradition

caldercup_white.jpgWhen the puck drops in Winnipeg on Saturday for the start of the 2009 Calder Cup Finals, it will continue a long tradition of championship hockey for one of the premier leagues in the world.

The Calder Cup, the American Hockey League’s ultimate prize, is named after the National Hockey League’s first president, Frank Calder. Mr. Calder was instrumental in the formation of the AHL in the mid-1930’s and served as president of the NHL until his death in 1943.

 

The Calder Cup, which gained its current design in 2001, is awarded annually to the AHL playoff champion.

Over the last 72 years, more than 1,000 different players and coaches have won the American Hockey League’s most coveted prize, the Calder Cup. From Abgrall (Dennis, 1975 Springfield Indians) to Zombo (Rick, 1986 Adirondack Red Wings), they represent every championship team from the 1937 Syracuse Stars to the 2008 Chicago Wolves.

The names of the players, coaches and support staff from the 20 most recent winners adorn the base of the Calder Cup; the plates containing all previous years’ champions are on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

72 Years of Champions: The Teams
72 Years of Champions: The Players