A century of the Cup.

• Author: Barrett, Wayne M.

"NINE-TEEN NEV-ER! Nine-teen nev-er!" came the raucous chant from the Nassau Coliseum cheap seats. New York Islander fans were having fun at the expense of the New Jersey Devils--and why not? For years, the Islander faithful have delighted in tormenting long-suffering New York Ranger rooters with the mean-spirited, but totally appropriate, rink-rattling jeer of "Nine-teen for-ty! Nine-teen for-ty!" --the last year in which the inept Broadway Blueshirts won the Stanley Cup. The Devils, of course, never have taken home Lord Stanley's ultimate prize, thus the Jersey twist on the old Ranger albatross. Islander followers have reason to gloat. While recent times have been lean on Long Island--both in terms of hockey titles and economic solvency--the Isles nevertheless are one of only four franchises ever to win four consecutive Stanley Cups.

Holding on to hockey history can be a comfort, especially this season, as the Stanley Cup--the oldest professional team trophy in the Western Hemisphere--celebrates its centennial. Unfortunately for the sport's traditionalists, the NHL is trying to force-feed the dawning of a new era. Its rookie commissioner (NBA import Gary Bettman) is preaching the commandment of nonviolence and espousing the virtues of bottom-line economics, all the while hoping to turn North America's most gritty game into a spring version of the Super Bowl on ice--endless Madison Avenue profiteering with the sloth-bellied sportswriters coming along for the ride. Still, even Bettman and his marketing minions can't dull the luster of Lord Stanley's Cup, first awarded to the Montreal AAA club in 1893.

"Victor/Victoria"

Three years later, it was the 19th-century Valentine's version of "Victor/Victoria" as the Winnipeg Victorias victimized the Montreal Victorias on Feb. 14, 1896. The day before New Year's Eve of that same year, Montreal reclaimed the Cup from Winnipeg, the first of four straight finals triumphs, the last of which again matched the "opposing" Victorias. The Winnipeg version earned its second "Victor-y" in 1901 and again in 1902, before regaining its bridesmaid status in the next two championship contests.

The old franchise names evoke memories of a time when games were played outdoors with no boards, no subs, and certainly no Zamboni. Among the Stanley Cup winners in the early years of the 20th century were the Ottawa Silver Seven and Ottawa Senators (certainly no relation to today's expansion flops); the Vancouver...