Walter Cup
Professional Women's Hockey League championship trophy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Walter Cup (French: La coupe Walter) is a trophy awarded to the winner of the PWHL Finals, 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-founder Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra. The only team to have won the Cup since its establishment is the Minnesota Frost, with victories in both 2024 and 2025.
Taylor Heise holding the Walter Cup in 2024 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Competition | PWHL playoffs / PWHL Finals |
| Awarded for | Playoff champion of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) |
| History | |
| First award | 2024 |
| First winner | PWHL Minnesota |
| Most wins | Minnesota Frost (2) |
| Most recent | Minnesota Frost (2nd) (2025) |
History
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
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
| Year | Winning team | Series | Losing team | Playoff MVP | Winning coach | Win # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Minnesota Frost[a] | 3–2 | Boston Fleet[b] | Taylor Heise | Ken Klee | 1 |
| 2025 | Minnesota Frost | 3–1 | Ottawa Charge | Gwyneth Philips | Ken Klee | 2 |
See also
- Isobel Cup, awarded to winners of the predecessor National Women's Hockey League / Premier Hockey Federation competition
