The Professional Women’s Hockey League disclosed to The Associated Press that the Walter Cup, belonging to the Montreal Victoire, the league’s champion team, is currently missing. The PWHL released a statement indicating that the trophy did not reach its intended destination as planned and is collaborating with the shipping company to track it down.
The trophy was scheduled to be transported to Lethbridge, Alberta, for a day with Victoire forward Dara Greig. However, upon arrival, the container was devoid of the Walter Cup, leading Greig to delay her trophy celebration, including a public event at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
The whereabouts of the missing Walter Cup remain unknown. Unlike the NHL’s Stanley Cup, the PWHL does not assign a dedicated individual to accompany the trophy on its travels to be with the players.
This missing version of the Walter Cup is separate from the one awarded to teams on the ice post-championship, as that is permanently displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The team’s version, like the original, is crafted from sterling silver by Tiffany & Co., weighing around 35 pounds and standing at approximately 24 inches in height and 13 inches in width.
The cup features six engraved W’s symbolizing the league’s original franchises, with its base representing a puck inscribed with championship team details. Montreal secured the cup by defeating Ottawa in Game 4 of a best-of-five series in May, becoming the first Canadian team to win the PWHL title. The trophy, named after PWHL founder Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra, honors their significant contributions to the league.