Prince of Wales Trophy holds strong history
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| Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, right, accepts the Prince of Wales Trophy from NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly after the Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres to win the 2007 Eastern Conference championship. |
by Todd Anderson
The Eastern Conference-champion Ottawa Senators will hold the rights to one of the most historic trophies in the NHL until the Stanley Cup semifinals are played in 2008.
Ottawa won the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time in team history after beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in the 2007 Eastern Conference championship.
The trophy was originally donated to the NHL in 1924 by the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII, and was awarded from 1927-28 to 1937-38 to the team finishing first in the American Division of the league.
When the NHL turned into a single-division league the following season in 1938-39, the trophy was given to the top team in the regular-season standings. The NHL expanded in 1967-68 and, once again, the Prince of Wales Trophy was awarded to a divisional champion, this time to the East Division winners. Beginning in 1974-75, it was presented to the Prince of Wales Conference champions and starting in 1981-82 to 1993 the trophy was presented to the playoff champion in the Wales Conference. Since the 1993-94 season, it has been given to the Eastern Conference playoff champions.
This season marks the second time the Senators have won a major team trophy. In 2002-03, Ottawa won the President's Trophy as the NHL's regular-season champions with 113 points.
Heatley named to NHL's first all-star team
After scoring 50 goals for a second straight season and establishing a club record with 105 points, the NHL named Senators forward Dany Heatley to its first-all-star team last night at the 2007 NHL Awards Show.
Heatley led all right-wingers with 75 first-place votes from representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. He also received 27 second-place votes and five third-place votes.
After a 50-goal, 103-point season in 2005-06, Heatley was named to the NHL's second all-star team.
Click here for a recap of all award winners.
Click here to view the 2006-07 all-star teams.
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