Walter Cup

Walter Cup
Taylor Heise holding the Walter Cup in 2024
SportIce hockey
Competition
Awarded forPlayoff champion of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
History
First award2024
First winnerMinnesota Frost
Most winsMinnesota Frost (2)
Most recentMontreal Victoire (1st) (2026)

The Walter Cup (French: La coupe Walter) is the championship trophy awarded to the winner of the Walter Cup playoffs (French: Séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Walter de la LPHF), which culminate in an annual best-of-five series that determines the champion of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). The trophy is named in honour of PWHL co-founders and spouses Mark Walter and Kimbra Walter. Two teams have won the Cup since its establishment: the Minnesota Frost in both 2024 and 2025, and the Montreal Victoire in 2026.

The Walter Cup is permanently on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. In contrast to the Stanley Cup, a replica of the Walter Cup is made for each year's champions.

History

The founding of the PWHL in 2023 as the top level of professional women's hockey in North America raised the question of what championship the new league's teams would play for. Both the defunct Canadian Women's Hockey League and Premier Hockey Federation had historical trophies in the Clarkson Cup and Isobel Cup, respectively, and it was suggested that one or both might have been fitting for the new league, including by Adrienne Clarkson, the namesake of the former. However, on April 4, 2024, the PWHL announced in a press release that it would unveil a new championship trophy. The name Walter Cup was proposed by Billie Jean King, one of the two initiators of the league and member of the league's advisory board, in honour of the league's financial backers, Mark and Kimbra Walter, to recognize their commitment to enabling the creation of the PWHL.

On May 29, 2024, Minnesota became the first Walter Cup champions when they defeated Boston 3–0 in the fifth and deciding game of the inaugural season's championship series. Minnesota was successful in defending their title, winning a second Walter Cup championship in 2025 by defeating the Ottawa Charge in the Final. In 2026, the Montréal Victoire became the first Canadian team—and the first team other than Minnesota—to win the Walter Cup championship when they defeated the Charge in the Final.

On August 21, 2026, the PWHL reported that the replica of the trophy made for the 2026 champion Victoire went missing while in transit to Lethbridge, Alberta, the hometown of Victoire forward Dara Greig. The trophy was found three days later and returned to the Victoire. The League did not disclose where it was found nor the circumstances surrounding its disappearance.

Design

The sterling silver Walter Cup trophy was designed by the luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. The cup weighs approximately 35 pounds, measures 24 inches in height and over 13 inches in width. It rests on a ring around which sits six 'W's, symbol of the PWHL, and rays of light representing the dawn of a new era in women's hockey. It is located at the top of angled rods, identifying the playing ice marked with skating marks, on which sits hockey sticks. The rods rest on a removable base, representing a puck, on which the name of the winning team each year is engraved.

List of winners

YearWinning teamSeriesLosing teamPlayoff MVPWinning coachWin #
2024Minnesota Frost3–2Boston FleetTaylor HeiseKen Klee1
2025Minnesota Frost3–1Ottawa ChargeGwyneth PhilipsKen Klee2
2026Montreal Victoire3–1Ottawa ChargeMarie-Philip PoulinKori Cheverie1

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 The Frost played the 2024 season as PWHL Minnesota.
  2. ↑ The Fleet played the 2024 season as PWHL Boston.

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Introduces the Water Cup as its Championship Trophy". April 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  2. ↑ Kennedy, Ian (June 28, 2024). "Walter Cup and Other PWHL Items Make Permanent Home in Hockey Hall of Fame". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Replica of PWHL's championship trophy missing, league says". ESPN. Associated Press. August 21, 2026. Archived from the original on August 22, 2026. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ Clarkson, Adrienne (December 9, 2023). "Women's hockey should have its own trophy gifted by a governor-general: The Clarkson Cup". The Globe and Mail (Op-ed). Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  5. ↑ Boswell, Randy (November 21, 2023). "Revive the Clarkson Cup as the prize the Women's Professional Hockey League will compete for". Ottawa Citizen (Op-ed). Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026 – via MSN.
  6. ↑ Kennedy, Ian (April 4, 2024). "PWHL Unveils Championship Trophy 'The Walter Cup' Made By Tiffany & Co". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  7. ↑ Salvian, Hailey (May 30, 2024). "PWHL Minnesota wins first-ever Walter Cup championship". The Athletic. The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Minnesota Frost capture second Walter Cup title". Sportsnet. Associated Press. May 27, 2025. Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Montreal Victoire win Walter Cup, beating Ottawa 4-0 to become 1st Canadian PWHL champion". CBC Sports. The Associated Press. May 20, 2026. Archived from the original on May 21, 2026. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Missing PWHL championship trophy found, returned to Victoire". ESPN. Associated Press. August 24, 2024. Archived from the original on August 25, 2026. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "PWHL unveils Walter Cup as championship trophy". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. April 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.