| π Image Taylor Heise holding the Walter Cup in 2024 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Competition |
|
| Awarded for | Playoff champion of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) |
| History | |
| First award | 2024 |
| First winner | Minnesota Frost[a] |
| Most wins | Minnesota Frost (2) |
| Most recent | Montreal Victoire (1st) (2026) |
The Walter Cup (French: La coupe Walter) is a trophy awarded to the winner of the PWHL Walter Cup Finals (French: La Finale de la Coupe Walter de la LPHF), an annual best-of-five series that determines the champion of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).[1] It is named in honor of PWHL co-founders and spouses Mark Walter and Kimbra Walter. Two teams have won the Cup since its establishment: the Minnesota Frost, with victories in both 2024 and 2025, and the MontrΓ©al Victoire with victory in the 2026 PWHL Finals.
History
[edit]On April 4, 2024, the Professional Women's Hockey League announced in a press release the name of the trophy awarded to the league's playoff champion team, the Walter Cup.[1] The name Walter Cup was proposed by Billie Jean King, one of the two initiators of the Professional Women's Hockey League and member of the league's advisory board. It is named in honor of Mark and Kimbra Walter to recognize their commitment to enabling the creation of the PWHL, an important milestone in the history of women's hockey.
Design
[edit]The sterling silver trophy is created in partnership with jeweler Tiffany & Co. and manufactured in their workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The cup weighs approximately 35 pounds, measures 24 inches in height and over 13 inches in width. It rests on a ring around which sits six 'W's, symbol of the PWHL, and rays of light representing the dawn of a new era in women's hockey. It is located at the top of angled rods, identifying the playing ice marked with skating marks, on which sits hockey sticks. The rods rest on a removable base, representing a puck, on which the name of the winning team each year will be written.[2]
List of winners
[edit]| Year | Winning team | Series | Losing team | Playoff MVP | Winning coach | Win # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Minnesota Frost[a] | 3β2 | Boston Fleet[b] | Taylor Heise | Ken Klee | 1 |
| 2025 | Minnesota Frost | 3β1 | Ottawa Charge | Gwyneth Philips | Ken Klee | 2 |
| 2026 | Montreal Victoire | 3β1 | Ottawa Charge | Marie-Philip Poulin | Kori Cheverie | 1 |
See also
[edit]- Isobel Cup, awarded to winners of the predecessor Premier Hockey Federation competition.
- Clarkson Cup, awarded to the Canadian women's national champion team.
References
[edit]Notes
- ^ a b The Frost played the 2024 season as PWHL Minnesota.
- ^ The Fleet played the 2024 season as PWHL Boston.
Citations
- ^ a b "Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Introduces the Water Cup as its Championship Trophy". April 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ "PWHL unveils Walter Cup as championship trophy". Retrieved April 5, 2024.
