After facing some travel mishaps this summer, the Professional Women’s Hockey League is contemplating the idea of appointing a “Keeper of the Cup” to oversee the Walter Cup more closely. Jayna Hefford, the league’s executive vice-president of hockey operations, mentioned the potential plan while acknowledging the league’s current priorities in building and developing. She expressed confidence that the Cup will continue to travel and make appearances to engage fans.
The league encountered an incident last month when the championship trophy was misplaced en route to Lethbridge, Alta., where it was supposed to be with Montreal Victoire forward Dara Greig. Although a container arrived, it did not contain the Cup as intended. The PWHL later confirmed that the Cup had been temporarily lost during shipment but was eventually located and returned to the team.
In a separate incident in early September, former Victoire forward Shiann Darkangelo revealed on social media that the Cup did not arrive in time for an event in Brighton, Mich. The PWHL did not comment on this second occurrence, but it was reported that the same shipping company was involved in both cases.
Hefford acknowledged the challenges of moving the Cup to various locations but emphasized the importance of sharing it with fans to create lasting memories. She expressed the league’s commitment to continuing the Cup’s travels while hoping to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The original Walter Cup, designed by Tiffany & Co., is housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame, while a replica is used for on-ice championship presentations. Hefford clarified that despite delays, the Cup was never lost as its whereabouts were always known.
In a comparable approach to the National Hockey League, which employs multiple Cup keepers for the Stanley Cup, the PWHL is considering a similar strategy for the Walter Cup to ensure its security during events and public appearances. The league recently announced plans to host its inaugural all-star event in Toronto on March 7, with the upcoming season schedule and training camp details to be unveiled shortly.