5 Reasons No Trophy Will Ever Match the Stanley Cup in 'Cool Factor'

This is no ordinary prize. This is the Stanley Cup, and it's a behemoth weighing in at a whopping 34.5 pounds.

Players must undergo a grueling 82 game regular season and four separate best-of-seven series in order to get their hands on this baby.

The Stanley Cup showcases more than just the most skilled players in the game.

Heart and desire have been shown to trump talent on days when losing is simply not an option.

It is an unforgiving competition that separates the men from the boys.

For these reasons alone, I think it is safe to say that any team to hoist the Cup deserves it.

Here are some examples of why this elusive trophy is so special to so many people.

Tradition of the Cup

Since 1893, before the NHL had even come into existence, the Stanley Cup has been making the rounds to some of the top athletes in the world.

The first team to lift the cup was the Montreal Hockey Club, back when the league was known as the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada.

The trophy has since been passed on over 100 times and has gained prestige ever since.

With famed winners such as Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky, it's no wonder why players spend countless nights dreaming of their chance to skate around the ice as a Stanley Cup champion.

Day with the Cup

This Cup has seen crazier things than most people will see in their entire lives.

Most sporting trophies are locked up in cabinets with a sign that says "please do not touch the glass." This is not the case with the Cup.

An unofficial tradition sees each player of the winning team receive an exclusive day with the trophy with which to do whatever they please.

We've heard stories of dogs eating from the cup, and even babies being baptized in it.

Some people see these antics as an act of disrespect but come on, it's all in good fun.

Drunk off the Cup

It is the only trophy in the sporting world with a bowl big enough to get an entire team feeling a little bit tipsy.

A tradition introduced by the Winnipeg Victorias in 1896 has seen the Stanley Cup champions fill the top of the cup with champagne and indulge in their sweet victory.

The 2011 Boston Bruins did it in style with a $100,000 bottle.

Let's hope the winner between the Kings and the Devils can find a way to top that this year.

Don't Touch the Cup

Adding to the magic of the elusive trophy: unless you have won the cup, don't expect to be touching the cup.

The exclusive club of Stanley Cup champions are the lucky few with the ability to say that they have grasped the holy grail in their hands.

The idea of the tradition is that the Cup is something a player must earn, not something that is handed to them.

It is considered sacrilegious to think otherwise.

Traveling with the Cup

Nothing better than a nice vacation.

The Stanley Cup is one of the most well-traveled prizes in the world of sport.

It has clocked up thousands of miles and by now must surely have gained some serious travel rewards. From Niagara Falls to Afghanistan, this trophy has seen it all.

Don't be surprised to see it show up in a city near you in the not-too-distant future.