The Stanley Cup is the most famous trophy in sports, but it’s also the most abused. What a way to go! For such a legendary cup, it’s seen everything: from reckless parades to disrespectful bars. Here are 12 times the Stanley Cup was dropped, dented, lost, burned, and even stolen — and lived to tell the tale.
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Cracked by the Panthers (2025)
Just hours after hoisting the Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers cracked the bowl and dented the base — during their on-ice celebration and later at a bar in Fort Lauderdale. Just another day for the Stanley Cup, which has seen all of it. Good thing the Cupkeepers at the Hockey Hall of Fame were already prepping for the repairs before the parade.
Dropped at Tampa Bay’s Boat Parade (2021)
In 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated their win with a boat parade—but it got too rowdy. The Cup fell and got damaged during the party. It had to be sent to Montreal for repairs. Apparently, trophies and boats don’t mix well.
Avalanche Dent It Right After Winning (2022)
Right after the Colorado Avalanche won the Cup in 2022, player Nicolas Aube-Kubel was skating to the team photo, tripped, and fell—with the Cup in his hands! The base got dented before they even had a chance to take the picture. An unforgettable entrance, for sure.
Dropped Into a Bonfire (1962)
After winning in 1962, a Toronto Maple Leafs player accidentally dropped the Cup into a bonfire at a backyard party. It got badly burned and needed a lot of fixing. Safe to say—keep the Cup away from open flames!
Used as a Flower Pot (1906)
After winning in 1906, the Montreal Wanderers left the Cup at a photographer’s studio. The story goes that it was used to grow geraniums until someone came to pick it up. Imagine finding flowers growing out of hockey’s greatest prize.
Almost Thrown Into a Lake (1907)
The Kenora Thistles once got into a heated argument about player eligibility. Things got so heated that someone threatened to throw the Cup into Lake of the Woods. Thank goodness someone put a stop to that.
Buried in a Basement (1925)
In 1925, Lester Patrick’s sons found the Stanley Cup in their basement and scratched their names into it with a nail. Not the smartest move—but years later, their names were officially engraved for real. They just couldn’t wait!
Used to Burn a Mortgage (1940)
After the New York Rangers paid off their mortgage on Madison Square Garden in 1940, they celebrated by throwing the papers into the Cup and burning them. Some people believe this was a curse—the Rangers didn’t win another Cup for 54 years.
Baby Peed in It (1964)
When Toronto player Red Kelly took a picture of his son inside the Cup, he had no idea his little boy would pee in it. Now, it’s one of the funniest Stanley Cup stories ever told.
Stolen from the Hall of Fame (1970s)
In one of the weirdest hockey heists ever, thieves broke into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the 1970s and stole several trophies, including parts of the original Stanley Cup. While most were found quickly, the engraved collar went missing for seven years before it turned up in a Toronto cleaning shop. By then, the league had already started using a replacement Cup.
Sank to the Bottom of a Pool (1991 & 2002)
Mario Lemieux and friends threw the Cup into a swimming pool at a party in 1991. It sunk to the bottom. Someone had to dive in and pull it out. Dominik Hašek did the same thing in 2002.
Dogs, Beds, and Nightclubs
Clark Gillies let his dog eat out of the Cup. Bryan Trottier reportedly slept with it. Mark Messier bent it in a nightclub. At one point, it was even accidentally dropped into a canal. But every time, it was patched up and kept going—because nothing can keep the Stanley Cup down.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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