The Montreal Victoire’s Walter Cup championship trophy, which went missing during shipment, has been located and returned to the team, as confirmed by the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Monday. The PWHL, while expressing gratitude for the assistance in the search and the fans’ support, did not disclose specific details.
Last week, the trophy vanished en route to Lethbridge, Alberta, where it was scheduled to be with Victoire forward Dara Greig. A different container arrived at the destination, not the one containing the trophy as shipped by the PWHL. The league humorously remarked, “Even the Walter Cup can have a bit of an off-season adventure,” anticipating the continued celebrations of the Victoire with their cup.
Although the exact location where the trophy was found and the circumstances surrounding its disappearance remain unclear, the PWHL stated that the cup had been “lost in shipment.” The league had been collaborating with its shipping partner to locate the missing trophy.
It is important to note that the missing trophy was not the one awarded to teams on the ice after winning the championship. The official championship trophy is permanently housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
The lost trophy was identified as the team’s “keeper” cup, a replica of the original Walter Cup designed by Tiffany & Co., made of sterling silver, weighing approximately 16 kilograms, and standing at about 61 centimeters tall. Montreal clinched the cup by defeating Ottawa in Game 4 of a best-of-five series in May, marking the team as the PWHL’s inaugural Canadian champion, following Minnesota’s back-to-back titles.
Named in honor of PWHL founder and major benefactor Mark Walter and his wife, Kimbra, the trophy pays tribute to their contributions. Walter, who holds ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers and recently reached an agreement to divest his controlling interest in the Los Angeles Lakers, has left a lasting legacy within the league.