Prince of Wales Trophy

Description: First awarded in 1925-26, the Prince of Wales Trophy is presented annually “to the Eastern Conference team that advances to the Stanley Cup Final.”

History: His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, donated the trophy to the NHL in 1925. It originally was awarded to the winner of the first game played in Madison Square Garden on Dec. 15, 1925 (MTL 3 at NYA 1). It then was awarded to the NHL playoff champion in 1925-26 and 1926-27. From 1927-28 through 1937-38, the award was presented to the regular-season champion of the American Division of the NHL. (The team finishing first in the Canadian Division received the O’Brien Trophy during these years.) From 1938-39, when the NHL reverted to one section, to 1966-67, it was presented to the team winning the NHL regular-season championship. With expansion in 1967-68, it again became a divisional trophy, awarded to the regular-season champions of the East Division through the 1973-74 season. Beginning in 1974-75, it was awarded to the regular-season winner of the conference bearing the name of the trophy. From 1981-82 to 1992-93, the trophy was presented to the playoff champion in the Wales Conference. Since 1993-94, the trophy has been presented to the playoff champion in the Eastern Conference. (Due to the unique playoff format amid the COVID‑19 pandemic, in 2020‑21 it was given to the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning-New York Islanders Stanley Cup Semifinals series.)

2025-26 Winner: The Carolina Hurricanes won their third Prince of Wales Trophy (and first since 2005-06) by defeating the Ottawa Senators in the First Round (4-0), Philadelphia Flyers in the Second Round (4-0) and Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final (4-1).