The Walter Cup is currently unaccounted for — specifically, the version that belongs to the Montreal Victoire, champions of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, as reported by the league to The Associated Press on Friday.
In a brief statement, the PWHL noted that the trophy “did not arrive as anticipated at its latest destination,” and mentioned, “we are collaborating with the shipping company to find it.”
The trophy was intended to be delivered to Lethbridge, Alberta, for a scheduled visit with Victoire forward Dara Greig, according to a source familiar with the arrangements who requested anonymity since the league had not disclosed this information. While the shipping container arrived, the Walter Cup was notably absent, prompting Greig to postpone her scheduled event with the trophy on Thursday, which was set to take place at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
The current whereabouts of the Walter Cup remain unknown. Unlike the NHL, which has a dedicated representative to accompany the Stanley Cup during its travels, the PWHL lacks a similar arrangement for its trophy.
The version of the Walter Cup that is missing is not the one presented to teams on the ice upon winning the championship; that particular trophy is permanently displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
Instead, the missing trophy is a version awarded to championship-winning teams for their retention.
This team-specific trophy, like the original, is crafted from sterling silver and designed by Tiffany & Co. It weighs approximately 35 pounds (16 kilograms) and stands around 24 inches (61 centimeters) tall and 13 inches (33 centimeters) wide.
The cup is supported by two rods that resemble hockey sticks. Engraved on the cup are six W’s, symbolizing the league’s six founding franchises. The base of the cup is designed to resemble a puck, featuring the names of the championship teams.
Montreal secured the cup by defeating Ottawa in Game 4 of a best-of-five series in May, making them the first Canadian team to capture the PWHL title. Minnesota previously won the league’s first two championships.
The trophy is named in honor of Mark Walter, the PWHL’s founder and primary investor, along with his wife Kimbra.