logo
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
Peter Pocklington’s 1984 mistake changed Stanley Cup protocols
Peter Pocklington celebrates the Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup victory, featured in the May 22, 1984 issue of the Edmonton Journal (Left). CREDIT: Edmonton Journal. Basil Pocklington's name is X'ed out of the Stanley Cup (right).
Michael Menzies
Jul 9, 2026, 18:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 9, 2026, 18:37 EDT
Comments
In the throes of the NHL off-season, there is Stanley Cup controversy, one with roots back to the Edmonton Oilers’ victory in 1984. 
Images have been released of the Carolina Hurricanes’ addition to the Stanley Cup band, an honoured tradition of engraving the names of the players and team members onto the trophy to be immortalized. 
However, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon may have gone too far in the eyes of many in the hockey world by having his wife and their five children’s names engraved on the trophy as well, taking up two rows at the top of Carolina’s slot. 
This seems to go over and above the ever-expanding family inclusions to the Stanley Cup that have become more prevalent in recent years. 
For example, the 2024-25 Florida Panthers engravings include four additional members of owner Vincent Viola’s family, but they hold roles within the organization. The 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings also had several members of the Ilitch family included, but they also held positions within the club.  

What was the Basil Pocklington Stanley Cup controversy?

Notably, the Edmonton Oilers had a similar controversy back in the 1980s that ushered in modern protocols. 
When the Oilers won their first Cup back in 1983-84, owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name, Basil Pocklington, engraved beside his. Basil had no affiliation with the Oilers other than his son owning the team. The league hadn’t checked the validity of each name on Peter’s submitted list, so Basil Pocklington was on the Cup. 
This detail was eventually noticed, and the Hockey Hall of Fame got involved and covered up his name with X’s. 
The ever-charismatic and later reviled “Peter Puck” would claim that this was the engraver’s error, mistaking Basil’s name in the list for the group that was supposed to receive miniature replica Cups instead.   
To no avail. Besides, it isn’t clear this was any mistake. 
“Dad was quite annoyed,” Pocklington remembered in his 2009 book I’d Trade Him Again: On Gretzky, Politics and the Pursuit of the Perfect Deal. “He couldn’t understand why they’d do that. I said, ‘Dad, those are the rules. You know the bureaucracies of this world.’”
Never afraid of speaking his mind, Pocklington may have felt vindicated upon the Oilers’ momentous victory in 1984. When the Oilers entered the NHL in 1979, Pocklington famously said Edmonton would win the Stanley Cup in five years.

What are the official NHL protocols for Stanley Cup engraving?

This sneaky manoeuvre forced the league and Hockey Hall of Fame to lay out specific guidelines about who was eligible to be on the Cup. 
Basil Pocklington was the first time a name had been crossed off the Cup, and it’s happened just once since. In 2021, Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich’s name was etched out of the 2010 champions’ slot due to sexual assault charges and further allegations that he had assaulted player Kyle Beach.   
The threshold is 41 regular-season games or one Stanley Cup Final for a player to have their name etched onto the chalice. However, the team can petition the league if there are “extenuating circumstances” for why a player should be included. 
The oldest champions currently on the Cup are the 1965-66 Montreal Canadiens, as previous bands are flattened and displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame to keep the Cup the same weight of 34.5 pounds. 
It’s a 13-year cycle until one band is full and the oldest one of the five is retired. The last replacement was done before the 2018-19 season.
Basil Pocklington’s row of X’s will have some life in it yet. 
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

GOLF WITH OILERSNATION PERSONALITIES!

Ever wanted to hit the golf course with your favourite Nation personalities? Now’s your chance! Bid now for an exclusive experience at the Nation Golf Tournament driven by GMC on Friday, August 28, 2026 at Mill Woods Golf Course including a round of golf with your favs, a banquet meal, and an unforgettable day in support of Gregor’s Grads.
Bidding closes on July 31, 2026 at Noon, so don’t miss out. Place your bid now at Nationgear.ca and we’ll see you on the course!
Oilers TalkEditorials
MORE NEWS. IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Breaking News