Kanada-malja

Kanada-malja
SportIce hockey
Awarded forPlayoff champion of the SM-liiga
History
First award1951
First winnerTampereen Ilves (9) (SM-sarja)
Most winsTampereen Tappara (20)
Most recentTampereen Tappara (20)

The Kanada-malja, or Poika (Literally "Boy" or "Son"),[1] is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the winner of the Finnish SM-liiga playoffs. Kanada-malja is Finnish for "Canada Bowl"; the trophy is so named because it was donated by Canada's Finnish community in 1950.[2][3]

The Kanada-malja was originally given for the winner of the SM-sarja, but in 1975 when SM-liiga replaced the SM-sarja, the Kanada-malja has been given to the SM-liiga winner.

In 1991 a copy of the Kanada-malja was made and the original was given for display at Suomen Jääkiekkomuseo ("Finnish Ice Hockey Museum"). After the final game, the champion team of the playoffs is presented with the original Kanada-malja, but afterward the cup is returned to the museum and replaced with the copy.[4][5]

The original trophy is made of nickel silver and the copy is entirely made of silver.

The winner of the regular season title receives the "Harry Lindbladin muistopalkinto" (Harry Lindblad Memorial Trophy), which is not considered as prestigious as the Kanada-malja.

  1. ^ "Kanada-maljaa on runnottu juhlissa vuosikymmeniä, Poika on ollut jopa polttopuina". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  2. ^ A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey: Ka Archived 2007-06-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Kanada-malja on Suomen arvokkain kiertopalkinto". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  4. ^ [1](in Finnish)
  5. ^ "SM-liigan mestaruuspytyllä värikäs historia – tiesitkö tämän Kanada-maljasta?". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.