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When did the Stanley Cup become the prize for the NHL playoff champion?

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ice hockey Goalie Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights blocking a shot by Jakub Vrána of the Washington Capitals in game five of the 2018 Stanley Cup finals. The Capitals won the game and the series.

The Stanley Cup became the exclusive championship trophy for the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1926.12

Prior to this, the trophy—which was first awarded in 1893—was intended for the best hockey team in Canada and was contested by various clubs. Following the expansion of eligible teams to include those from the United States, the NHL eventually secured the Cup as its own prize for the league's playoff champion, a status it has maintained ever since.12