What is the name of the trophy awarded to the NHL playoff champion?

The trophy awarded to the NHL playoff champion is the Stanley Cup.

The trophy began as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup after Lord Stanley of Preston, Canada’s governor general, donated it in 1892. The Montreal Hockey Club became the first winner in 1893. At first, the Cup was contested by Canadian amateur clubs through challenge games and league competition rather than by the modern NHL playoff system.

Professional teams became eligible to compete for the trophy in the early twentieth century. The Stanley Cup became the de facto championship prize of the NHL in 1926, and it became the league’s formal championship trophy in 1947. The name is often shortened to simply “the Cup.”

The Stanley Cup is frequently confused with other NHL trophies. The Presidents’ Trophy goes to the team with the best regular-season record, the Hart Trophy honors the league’s most valuable player, and the Conn Smythe Trophy recognizes the most valuable player in the playoffs. None of those trophies represents the NHL championship itself.

The winning team traditionally receives the Cup on the ice and players often celebrate by drinking from it, one of the sport’s best-known traditions.