Which trophy is presented to the NHL playoff champion?

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

The Cup began as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, then Canada’s governor general. It was first awarded in 1893 to the Montreal Hockey Club. Early competitions used challenge games and league championships rather than today’s NHL playoff format.

Professional teams became eligible in 1906, and the Cup became the NHL’s official championship trophy in 1947. It is not replaced every year: the winning club receives the presentation version, while the original bowl and a permanent replica are preserved by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Common mix-ups include the Grey Cup, awarded to the Canadian Football League champion; the Memorial Cup, awarded in Canadian junior hockey; and the Calder Cup, awarded to the American Hockey League champion.