The Calder Cup is the playoff championship trophy of the American Hockey League. The second oldest such professional ice hockey playoff trophy after the NHL's Stanley Cup, it was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is named after Frank Calder, who was the first president of the National Hockey League. The Calder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the Rookie of the Year in the National Hockey League, was also named after Calder.
The cup is made of sterling silver and Brazilian mahogany.
In its current shape, it has a two-tiered square base with commemorative plaques for each of the AHL's 20 most recent champions - 12 on the bottom tier and 8 on the top tier. Each time a new championship plaque is added, the oldest plaque is retired and joins a display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
While on tour, an official keeper accompanies the Calder Cup. It is etiquette for the keeper to use white ceremonial gloves to carry and manipulate the trophy in public.
Currently, these duties are assigned to the AHL's Manager of Team Businesses Services, Nathan Costa of Springfield, Mass.
The Hershey Bears have won the Cup more times than any other team, with eleven victories in franchise history. The Cleveland Barons come in second with nine; the Springfield Indians/Kings are third with seven. Eight teams have won back-to-back championships; the Springfield Indians of 1960-62 is the only team to have won three straight Calder Cup championships.
On three occasions an AHL club has won the Calder Cup and its NHL affiliate also won the Stanley Cup. In both 1976 and 1977 the Montreal Canadiens and affiliates Nova Scotia Voyageurs won both trophies. In 1995, the New Jersey Devils and Albany River Rats achieved the same feat.
The playoff MVP is awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy.
List of winners[]
- Key
- (#)–Number of Calder Cups won at the time
Note: All Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winners played for the winning team, unless otherwise noted.
Season | Winning Team | Series | Losing Team | Jack A. Butterfield Trophy |
---|---|---|---|---|
1936–37 | Syracuse Stars (1) | 3–1 | Philadelphia Ramblers | Not Awarded |
1937–38 | Providence Reds (1) | 3–1 | Syracuse Stars | |
1938–39 | Cleveland Barons (1) | 3–1 | Philadelphia Ramblers | |
1939–40 | Providence Reds (2) | 3–0 | Pittsburgh Hornets | |
1940–41 | Cleveland Barons (2) | 3–2 | Hershey Bears | |
1941–42 | Indianapolis Capitals (1) | 3–2 | Hershey Bears | |
1942–43 | Buffalo Bisons (1) | 3–0 | Indianapolis Capitals | |
1943–44 | Buffalo Bisons (2) | 4–0 | Cleveland Barons | |
1944–45 | Cleveland Barons (3) | 4–2 | Hershey Bears | |
1945–46 | Buffalo Bisons (3) | 4–3 | Cleveland Barons | |
1946–47 | Hershey Bears (1) | 4–3 | Pittsburgh Hornets | |
1947–48 | Cleveland Barons (4) | 4–0 | Buffalo Bisons | |
1948–49 | Providence Reds (3) | 4–3 | Hershey Bears | |
1949–50 | Indianapolis Capitals (2) | 4–0 | Cleveland Barons | |
1950–51 | Cleveland Barons (5) | 4–3 | Buffalo Bisons | |
1951–52 | Pittsburgh Hornets (1) | 4–2 | Providence Reds | |
1952–53 | Cleveland Barons (6) | 4–3 | Pittsburgh Hornets | |
1953–54 | Cleveland Barons (7) | 4–2 | Hershey Bears | |
1954–55 | Pittsburgh Hornets (2) | 4–2 | Buffalo Bisons | |
1955–56 | Providence Reds (4) | 4–0 | Cleveland Barons | |
1956–57 | Cleveland Barons (8) | 4–1 | Rochester Americans | |
1957–58 | Hershey Bears (2) | 4–2 | Springfield Indians | |
1958–59 | Hershey Bears (3) | 4–2 | Buffalo Bisons | |
1959–60 | Springfield Indians (1) | 4–1 | Rochester Americans | |
1960–61 | Springfield Indians (2) | 4–0 | Hershey Bears | |
1961–62 | Springfield Indians (3) | 4–1 | Buffalo Bisons | |
1962–63 | Buffalo Bisons (4) | 4–3 | Hershey Bears | |
1963–64 | Cleveland Barons (9) | 4–0 | Quebec Aces | |
1964–65 | Rochester Americans (1) | 4–1 | Hershey Bears | |
1965–66 | Rochester Americans (2) | 4–2 | Cleveland Barons | |
1966–67 | Pittsburgh Hornets (1)[A] | 4–0 | Rochester Americans | |
1967–68 | Rochester Americans (3) | 4–2 | Quebec Aces | |
1968–69 | Hershey Bears (4) | 4–1 | Quebec Aces | |
1969–70 | Buffalo Bisons (5) | 4–0 | Springfield Kings | |
1970–71 | Springfield Kings (4) | 4–0 | Providence Reds | |
1971–72 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1) | 4–2 | Baltimore Clippers | |
1972–73 | Cincinnati Swords (1) | 4–1 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | |
1973–74 | Hershey Bears (5) | 4–1 | Providence Reds | |
1974–75 | Springfield Indians (5) | 4–1 | New Haven Nighthawks | |
1975–76 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs (2) | 4–1 | Hershey Bears | |
1976–77 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs (3) | 4–2 | Rochester Americans | |
1977–78 | Maine Mariners (1) | 4–1 | New Haven Nighthawks | |
1978–79 | Maine Mariners (2) | 4–0 | New Haven Nighthawks | |
1979–80 | Hershey Bears (6) | 4–2 | New Brunswick Hawks | |
1980–81 | Adirondack Red Wings (1) | 4–2 | Maine Mariners | |
1981–82 | New Brunswick Hawks (1) | 4–1 | Binghamton Whalers | |
1982–83 | Rochester Americans (4) | 4–0 | Maine Mariners | |
1983–84 | Maine Mariners (3) | 4–1 | Rochester Americans | Bud Stefanski |
1984–85 | Sherbrooke Canadiens (1) | 4–2 | Baltimore Skipjacks | Brian Skrudland |
1985–86 | Adirondack Red Wings (2) | 4–2 | Hershey Bears | Tim Tookey |
1986–87 | Rochester Americans (5) | 4–3 | Sherbrooke Canadiens | David Fenyves |
1987–88 | Hershey Bears (7) | 4–0 | Fredericton Express | Wendell Young |
1988–89 | Adirondack Red Wings (3) | 4–1 | New Haven Nighthawks | Sam St. Laurent |
1989–90 | Springfield Indians (6) | 4–2 | Rochester Americans | Jeff Hackett |
1990–91 | Springfield Indians (7) | 4–2 | Rochester Americans | Kay Whitmore |
1991–92 | Adirondack Red Wings (4) | 4–3 | St. John's Maple Leafs | Allan Bester |
1992–93 | Cape Breton Oilers (1) | 4–1 | Rochester Americans | Bill McDougall |
1993–94 | Portland Pirates (1) | 4–2 | Moncton Hawks | Olaf Kölzig |
1994–95 | Albany River Rats (1) | 4–0 | Fredericton Canadiens | Corey Schwab & Mike Dunham |
1995–96 | Rochester Americans (6) | 4–3 | Portland Pirates | Dixon Ward |
1996–97 | Hershey Bears (8) | 4–1 | Hamilton Bulldogs | Mike McHugh |
1997–98 | Philadelphia Phantoms (1) | 4–2 | Saint John Flames | Mike Maneluk |
1998–99 | Providence Bruins (1) | 4–1 | Rochester Americans | Peter Ferraro |
1999–00 | Hartford Wolf Pack (1) | 4–2 | Rochester Americans | Derek Armstrong |
2000–01 | Saint John Flames (1) | 4–2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | Steve Begin |
2001–02 | Chicago Wolves (1) | 4–1 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | Pasi Nurminen |
2002–03 | Houston Aeros (1) | 4–3 | Hamilton Bulldogs | Johan Holmqvist |
2003–04 | Milwaukee Admirals (1) | 4–0 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | Wade Flaherty |
2004–05 | Philadelphia Phantoms (2) | 4–0 | Chicago Wolves | Antero Niittymaki |
2005–06 | Hershey Bears (9) | 4–2 | Milwaukee Admirals | Frederic Cassivi |
2006–07 | Hamilton Bulldogs (1) | 4–1 | Hershey Bears | Carey Price |
2007–08 | Chicago Wolves (2) | 4–2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | Jason Krog |
2008–09 | Hershey Bears (10) | 4–2 | Manitoba Moose | Michal Neuvirth |
2009–10 | Hershey Bears (11) | 4–2 | Texas Stars | Chris Bourque |
2010–11 | Binghamton Senators (1) | 4–2 | Houston Aeros | Robin Lehner |
2011–12 | Norfolk Admirals (1) | 4–0 | Toronto Marlies | Alexandre Picard |
2012-13 | Grand Rapids Griffins | 4-2 | Syracuse Crunch | Tomas Tatar |
^ A. Calder Cup won by second franchise known as the Pittsburgh Hornets. Previous franchise became the Rochester Americans.
^ B. Tim Tookey, Butterfield Trophy winner in 1985–86, played for the Hershey Bears.