The modern one-piece Stanley Cup was introduced in 1958.
Before that redesign, the trophy had accumulated separate rings and bands bearing the names of champions. Between 1924 and 1940, additions made it unusually tall, leading to the nickname “Stovepipe Cup.” In 1947, the Cup was reduced in size, but the surviving rings were not all uniform.
The 1958 redesign created the familiar one-piece structure: a five-band barrel capable of holding the names of 13 winning teams on each band. This was not a brand-new championship trophy; it was a redesigned form of the same historic Cup, preserving the tradition of engraving champions’ names.
The bands still require periodic maintenance. When the bottom band fills, the top band is removed and retired for display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The remaining bands move upward, and a blank band is added below. That system lets the Cup continue collecting champions without growing indefinitely.