Emanuele Badessi
Il Prince of Wales Trophy (o Wales Trophy) è il trofeo NHL assegnato alla squadra che si aggiudica la Eastern Conference, analogamente al Clarence Campbell Bowl per la Western Conference. E’ più antico del suo omologo ad ovest e vede la luce nel 1923-24 quando il Principe del Galles lo dona alla NHL; al tempo veniva assegnato alla squadra vincitrice dei Palyoff della NHL che avrebbero affrontato i vincitori della Western Canada Hockey League per la Stanley Cup. Successivamente divenne il premio per i vincitori della stagione regolare NHL (l’antenato dell’ attuale President Trophy) e poi col passare del tempo e dei cambiamenti ai regolamenti è arrivato ad essere il premio per i vincitori della Eastern Conference. Come per il Clarence Campbell anche il Wales Trophy è oggetto della medesima superstizione da parte dei giocatori. La squadra che vanta il maggior numero di Wales Trophy nella propria bacheca è quella dei Montreal Canadiens, che lo ha portato a casa per ben 25 volte (sollevando poi per 17 volte la Stanley Cup).
Di Seguito i vincitori del trofeo sotto le varie denominazioni (Fonte www.wikipedia.org)
American Division regular season champions (1927–38)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1927–28 | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1928–29 | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| 1929–30 | Boston Bruins | 3 |
| 1930–31 | Boston Bruins | 4 |
| 1931–32 | New York Rangers | 1 |
| 1932–33 | Boston Bruins | 5 |
| 1933–34 | Detroit Red Wings | 1 |
| 1934–35 | Boston Bruins | 6 |
| 1935–36 | Detroit Red Wings | 2 |
| 1936–37 | Detroit Red Wings | 3 |
| 1937–38 | Boston Bruins | 7 |
Regular Season champions (1938–67)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1938–39 | Boston Bruins | 8 |
| 1939–40 | Boston Bruins | 9 |
| 1940–41 | Boston Bruins | 10 |
| 1941–42 | New York Rangers | 2 |
| 1942–43 | Detroit Red Wings | 4 |
| 1943–44 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 |
| 1944–45 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 |
| 1945–46 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
| 1946–47 | Montreal Canadiens | 6 |
| 1947–48 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 |
| 1948–49 | Detroit Red Wings | 5 |
| 1949–50 | Detroit Red Wings | 6 |
| 1950–51 | Detroit Red Wings | 7 |
| 1951–52 | Detroit Red Wings | 8 |
| 1952–53 | Detroit Red Wings | 9 |
| 1953–54 | Detroit Red Wings | 10 |
| 1954–55 | Detroit Red Wings | 11 |
| 1955–56 | Montreal Canadiens | 7 |
| 1956–57 | Detroit Red Wings | 12 |
| 1957–58 | Montreal Canadiens | 8 |
| 1958–59 | Montreal Canadiens | 9 |
| 1959–60 | Montreal Canadiens | 10 |
| 1960–61 | Montreal Canadiens | 11 |
| 1961–62 | Montreal Canadiens | 12 |
| 1962–63 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 |
| 1963–64 | Montreal Canadiens | 13 |
| 1964–65 | Detroit Red Wings | 13 |
| 1965–66 | Montreal Canadiens | 14 |
| 1966–67 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1 |
East Division regular season champions (1967–74)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1967–68 | Montreal Canadiens | 15 |
| 1968–69 | Montreal Canadiens | 16 |
| 1969–70 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2 |
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | 11 |
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | 12 |
| 1972–73 | Montreal Canadiens | 17 |
| 1973–74 | Boston Bruins | 13 |
Wales Conference regular season champions (1974–81)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–75 | Buffalo Sabres | 1 |
| 1975–76 | Montreal Canadiens | 18 |
| 1976–77 | Montreal Canadiens | 19 |
| 1977–78 | Montreal Canadiens | 20 |
| 1978–79 | Montreal Canadiens | 21 |
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 |
| 1980–81 | Montreal Canadiens | 22 |
Wales Conference playoffs champions (1981–93)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | New York Islanders | 1 |
| 1982–83 | New York Islanders | 2 |
| 1983–84 | New York Islanders | 3 |
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 |
| 1985–86 | Montreal Canadiens | 23 |
| 1986–87 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
| 1987–88 | Boston Bruins | 14 |
| 1988–89 | Montreal Canadiens | 24 |
| 1989–90 | Boston Bruins | 15 |
| 1990–91 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
| 1991–92 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| 1992–93 | Montreal Canadiens | 25 |
Eastern Conference playoffs champions (1993–present)
| Season | Winner | Win # |
|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | New York Rangers | 3 |
| 1994–95 | New Jersey Devils | 1 |
| 1995–96 | Florida Panthers | 1 |
| 1996–97 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 |
| 1997–98 | Washington Capitals | 1 |
| 1998–99 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 |
| 1999–2000 | New Jersey Devils | 2 |
| 2000–01 | New Jersey Devils | 3 |
| 2001–02 | Carolina Hurricanes | 1 |
| 2002–03 | New Jersey Devils | 4 |
| 2003–04 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 |
| 2004–05 | No winner because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout | Season canceled |
| 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | 2 |
| 2006–07 | Ottawa Senators | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 |
| 2008–09 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 |
| 2009–10 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 |
| 2010–11 | Boston Bruins | 16 |
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Devils | 5 |