By June 14, either the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Nashville Predators will be crowned the 2017 Stanley Cup champions.
In doing so, the winning team will have an impact on one of the most legendary trophies in sports. This year’s Stanley Cup-winning roster will be the last team to have their names engraved on the bottom ring of the trophy, meaning more space will need to be created at the top, according to The Hockey News.
That said, some legendary teams and players from the 1950s and 1960s will be removed from the Cup in the coming year, including two household names that particularly stick out: Maurice “Rocket” Richard and Gordie Howe.
Richard won eight championships with the Montreal Canadiens. He also was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a single season. Each year, the Rocket Richard trophy is awarded to the NHL player with the most goals in a season, in honor of the Canadiens legend.
The late Gordie Howe, better known as “Mr. Hockey,” also will be wiped from the trophy. Howe played a remarkable 26 seasons in the NHL, and was a part of four Cup-winning teams.
While these legendary names will soon be erased from the trophy, they never will be erased from the deep history of the game.
Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
