The Allan Cup is a trophy that was donated by Sir Montague Allan in 1908 for amateur hockey teams to compete for each year to replace the Stanley Cup, whose tournament had become a professional competition. At that time the team that won it defended it against any challengers. In 1914 the Allan Cup competition was changed to a once a year format in which teams from across the nation would compete in.
Since 1984 the Cup has been competed for by teams in the Senior AAA category. The original Cup has been retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and a replica is presented to the champions.
The Allan Cup means a lot to hockey. It has been won by teams from every province and from the Yukon, as well as by two teams from the United States which played in Canadian leagues. The city with the most Allan Cup championships is Thunder Bay with 10, including four won as Port Arthur before the city’s amalgamation.