Hamilton-born Ken Dryden won the Veznia Trophy four times while with the Canadiens. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator.

Hockey History

Hamilton Cup Winners
City has fielded winners on both a team and individual level

Although Hamilton did have a National Hockey League Club for a brief time in the 1920s, the city has never won a Stanley Cup.

And while it has never taken the brass ring in the sport, both teams and individuals have won many awards in NHL competition. There are several who have won other non-NHL awards as the best of their peers.

In amateur action, the Hamilton Tigers won the 1919 Allan Cup. The Hamilton Red Wings of 1962 won the Memorial Cup and the Hamilton Fincups also won this award in 1976.

The 2006-07 Hamilton Bulldogs won the American Hockey League’s Calder cup.

Babe Dye, a great player from Hamilton, won the NHL’s Art Ross Trophy back in 1925. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator

Other notable team efforts included the 1962-63 McMaster Marauder Men’s Hockey team, which won the University Cup that year, the first year it was awarded to the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union Hockey Champions.

Introduced at the first Canadian Women’s Hockey Championship held in Brantford in 1982, the Abby Hoffman Cup is presented annually, named after the noted athlete who played minor hockey on a boy’s team when young.

The Hamilton Hawks won this Cup in 1986 and 1987.

Individuals either from Hamilton or playing for a Hamilton-based team who have been recognized for their excellence include Pat Quinn, winner of the Jack Adams Award presented by the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association to the NHL coach judged to have made the biggest contribution to his team. Quinn won this award for the 1979-80 season with the Philadelphia Flyers and in 1991-92 with the Vancouver Canucks.

Babe Dye won the Art Ross Trophy for the 1924-25 NHL season while playing with St. Pats as the league’s top points leaders. Before going to Toronto, this Hamilton native played with the Hamilton Tigers in the 1920-21 season.

Pit Martin, who played junior for the Hamilton Red Wings, was one of the first recipients of the Bill Masterton Trophy. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator

Billy Burch won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL while he played with the Tigers of 1924-25. He was also awarded the Lady Byng Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player when he skated with the 1926-27 New York Americans, which was the former Tigers NHL franchise.

Hamilton-born Ken Dryden won the Vezina Trophy for the most outstanding goal tender in the NHL. The talented Dryden won this award in the 1972-73, 1975-76, 1977-78, and 1978-79 seasons while he played with the Montreal Canadiens.

Former Hamilton Red Wing Pit Martin, who went on to a fine NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks, won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1970 while a Black Hawk. This award is presented in honor of Bill Masterton, who died after hitting his head on the ice while playing with the Minnesota North Stars in 1968. This award stands for the utmost qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport.

Several Hamilton team players have won various amateur awards over the years.
Winning the Dave Pinkney Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League’s outstanding goalie have been Dennis Reggin, who played for the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1954, Bud Blom in 1961 when he played for the Hamilton Red Wings, and Al Jensen of the Hamilton Fincups for the 1977-78 season.

Winning the Red Tillson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player were Murray Oliver of the 1957-58 Hamilton Tiger Cubs, and Pit Martin with the 1961-62 Hamilton Red Wings.

The Max Kaminsky Trophy, awarded to the Most Sportsmanlike Player in the OHL after the former Saint Catharines Tee Pee coach, were Lowell MacDonald of the 1962 Tiger Cubs, Paul Henderson of the 1963 Red Wings, and Jimmy Peters, with the Red Wings in 1965. The trophy’s title was changed in 1974 to the William Hanley Trophy, named for the former secretary-manager of the Ontario Hockey Association. Dale McCourt of the 1975-76 Hamilton Fincups was honored with this award.

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