The Montreal Victoire’s Walter Cup championship trophy, which went missing during shipment, has been located and returned to the team, as announced by the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Monday. The PWHL expressed gratitude to those involved in the search and to the fans for their support.
Last week, the trophy vanished while en route to Lethbridge, Alberta, where it was intended to be with Victoire forward Dara Greig. Despite a container arriving, the one carrying the trophy was not among them, causing a temporary setback.
The PWHL humorously remarked on the trophy’s unexpected journey, stating, “Turns out, even the Walter Cup can have a little off-season adventure. We’re eager to see the Victoire continue their celebrations with their cup.” The circumstances surrounding the trophy’s disappearance and discovery remain unclear, with the league attributing it to being “lost in shipment.” Efforts were made with the shipping company to locate the missing item.
It is essential to note that the missing trophy was not the one awarded on the ice during the championship victory. The official trophy is permanently displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The trophy in question was a replica, known as the team’s “keeper” cup, modeled after the original Walter Cup, designed by Tiffany & Co., weighing approximately 16 kilograms and standing at about 61 centimeters in height.
In May, Montreal secured the cup by defeating Ottawa in Game 4 of a best-of-five series, becoming the first Canadian champion in the PWHL, following Minnesota’s previous two titles. The Walter Cup is named after PWHL founder and major supporter Mark Walter and his wife, Kimbra. Mark Walter, who holds ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently made headlines by agreeing to sell his controlling stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.