The Stanley Cup Playoffs are an annual tournament that determines the champion of the National Hockey League (NHL), awarding the winner the prestigious Stanley Cup. The NHL comprises 32 teams across the United States and Canada. Only eight teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs, where they compete in four rounds, with each series being in a best-of-seven format. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for the most Stanley Cup titles in the league. Popular NHL teams include the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, and others.
The Stanley Cup dates back to 1893 when it was first purchased by Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley with the intention of awarding it to the top amateur team in Canada. The Stanley Cup has been awarded every year鈥攅xcept in 1919 due to the Spanish flu epidemic and in 2005 because of the lockout鈥攁nd became the exclusive trophy of the NHL starting in 1947, although NHL teams began competing for it in 1926. Standing nearly three feet tall and weighing almost 35 pounds, it is unique in that every member of the winning team has their name engraved on it, and it is the oldest trophy contested by professional athletes in North America.
