The Montreal Victoire, champions of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, are currently without their Walter Cup trophy, the league disclosed to The Associated Press. The PWHL released a statement indicating that the trophy did not reach its intended destination as scheduled and assured that efforts are underway in collaboration with the shipping company to locate it.
The trophy was anticipated to be delivered to Lethbridge, Alberta, for a celebratory event with Victoire player Dara Greig. However, upon the container’s arrival, the Walter Cup was missing, prompting Greig to postpone her scheduled appearance with the trophy at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena on Thursday.
Details regarding the last known location of the Walter Cup remain uncertain. Unlike the NHL’s Stanley Cup, the PWHL does not assign a dedicated individual to accompany the trophy during its travels to be with the players.
The missing Walter Cup in question is distinct from the ceremonial trophy awarded on the ice to the championship-winning team, which is permanently housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The missing version is a replica presented to the winning teams for their possession.
Both the original and team’s version of the cup, crafted by Tiffany & Co., are sterling silver trophies weighing approximately 35 pounds and standing at around 24 inches in height and 13 inches in width. The cup features six engraved W’s symbolizing the league’s founding franchises and rests on hockey stick-shaped rods, with the base showcasing the champions’ names.
Montreal secured the cup by triumphing over Ottawa in a decisive Game 4 of the championship series back in May, marking the PWHL’s first Canadian victor. The trophy is named after league founder and primary benefactor Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his wife Kimbra.