Has The Stanley Cup Ever Been Dropped?

Lord Stanley’s Cup is perhaps the most famous trophy in North America, being the trophy presented to the annual winner of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Traditionally, the captain of the winning team is the first to lift the Cup, passing it along to the rest of the team so that every one may take a lap around the ice with it. For some players, it is the pinnacle of their careers.

For others, it is a goal that may never be reached. Some players even managed to lift it multiple times in their careers. Despite being revered as The Holy Grail by some, the Cup has found itself in some precarious situations throughout the years. It is no secret that players are quite fond of drinking alcohol, particularly champagne, from the bowl of the Cup, but has the Stanley Cup ever been dropped?

Short answer? Yes. Like a lot. But some of the stories are absolutely hilarious and crazy. The long answer is that even though the Stanley Cup is beloved by all those who seek to win it, they cannot help but bring it along for their shenanigans after having earned it.

Each player is granted an entire day to spend with the Cup after winning the playoffs, so it has been all over North America and spent some time in Europe. However, there is no doubt that it has spent most of its time in Canada, the home of hockey. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for most Stanley Cups won with 24 championships, making them the most decorated Canadian team. The Detroit Red Wings hold the American record with 11 Cups.

The Misadventures of Lord Stanley’s Cup: Pre-Presentation Cup Era

The oldest legend of the Stanley Cup being dropped or damaged dates back to 1905 when the members of the Ottawa team, then named the Silver Seven, supposedly attempted to drop-kicked the Cup across a canal. It was then allegedly found the next morning on the frozen-over canal. Despite conflicting reports disputing the validity of this story, it is quite funny to picture a team working hard all season to then consequently drop-kick the trophy they just won.

Both Lynn and Muzz Patrick, sons of Lester Patrick, attempted to engrave their names on the Cup with a nail in 1925. They had found it in the basement after their father, the coach of the Victoria Cougars, had won it. Funnily enough, they both had their names permanently engraved on the Cup later on as members of the 1940 New York Rangers. After that season, the Rangers’ management burned their recently paid-off mortgage for Madison Square Garden in the bowl. This led to what some believe to be a curse on the Rangers, causing a 54-year drought.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were too exuberant in their celebrations after winning in 1962. In the excitement, the Cup was dropped in a bonfire, causing significant damage which was repaired at the team’s expense.

Oddly, there are multiple accounts of people urinating in the bowl, making the thought of every player drinking out of it somewhat disgusting.

After nearly 80 years of debauchery, the Cup was replaced with the Presentation Cup in 1970. This was done with the intention of preserving the original Cup while also allowing the winning teams to continue celebrating with it. A duplicate named the Permanent Cup resides in the Hockey Hall of Fame for visitors to see it on display while the Presentation Cup spends its time with the players and coaches until it is to be prepared for the next year.

The Misadventures of Lord Stanley’s Cup: Presentation Cup Era

While the Cup may have been replaced, that did not stop the players from finding new ways to drop or damage it.

In 1987, Mark Messier of the Edmonton Oilers took the Cup with him to a club in St. Albert, leading to it being mysteriously bent in different places. Most curiously, it was repaired in an automobile shop.

Another recurring idea that players have is to throw the Cup into a pool. This happened multiple times in 1991 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens and again in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Stanley Cup thankfully stayed out of too much trouble until 2008 when it was pushed off a counter in Chris Chelios’ Chili Bar. This took place after the Red Wings’ victory parade and supposedly caused somewhat significant damage.

Perhaps the only video documentation of the Cup being dropped came in 2011 when Michael Ryder, a forward for the Boston Bruins, set it on a table that then proceeded to fall over. This was all caught on video and shows a distressed crowd react to watching Lord Stanley’s Cup fall right before their eyes.

Watch: Bruins forward Michael Ryder places Cup on table and it falls during a press event after their 2011 Cup win:

Most recently, the Cup was infamously dropped during the 2021 victory parade for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Forward Patrick Maroon accidentally dropped it due to inclement weather, leaving a large dent that had to be repaired before the players got their days with it.