Minneapolis, Oct. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jostens is the proud partner of repeat Stanley Cup Champions the Tampa Bay Lightning. In a private ceremony this evening, players, coaching staff and ownership received their 2021 Stanley Cup Championship Ring.
“It is truly incredible to witness a team win back-to-back Stanley Cups, and the Tampa Bay Lightning have solidified their place once again in NHL history,” said Chris Poitras VP & COO of Jostens Professional Sports Division. “The relentless dedication, hard work and persistence displayed by the Lightning is reflected in their 2021 Stanley Cup Championship Ring, and Jostens is proud to reveal it is the largest ring by carats in our 125 year history.”
Returning to the NHL Playoffs in 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning once more displayed incredible dedication and physical prowess. The Stanley Cup Final proved to be no exception with the Lightning reigning triumphant over the Montreal Canadiens to be crowned back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. This feat, achieved by fewer than 10 other franchises in the NHL, deserved to be celebrated in even more spectacular fashion. Crafted in 14-karat white gold with diamonds and genuine sapphires, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2021 Stanley Cup Championship Ring boldly commemorates their place in Stanley Cup history.
“Our previous partnership with Jostens resulted in a spectacular ring and an overall fantastic celebration,” said Lightning CEO Steve Griggs. “It is a uniquely special opportunity to be working with them again less than a year later to celebrate our second Stanley Cup in two seasons. This ring is the culmination of a year of determination and sacrifices and pays homage to the dedicated fans of Bolts Nation.”
The ring top features the iconic Lightning logo created from 30 custom-cut genuine sapphires set atop a bed of 45 brilliant custom-cut and baguette diamonds. Accenting the top and bottom of the ring top is the title earned by the Lightning in their 2021 season, STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS, with a total of 22 tapered baguette genuine sapphires set underneath.
In an incredible feat of ring engineering, the top of the ring opens like a book to reveal special details from the team’s 2021 season. The left side of the interior references the shared team sentiment of LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, the mutual feeling the players had knowing given contracts, the salary cap, the expansion draft and other circumstances, that these would be some of their last games played together. The 2021 roster is immortalized in the ring surrounding the phrase where each player’s jersey number is featured. On the opposite side, the center reads CUP PARADE REPEAT, a nod to the franchise’s back-to-back Cup wins. The words encircling the outside of the crest hold significant meaning to the team, from Nikita Kucherov’s fierce defending of Andrei Vasilevskiy at his Cup-winning press conference with #1 BS, to the mantra of head coach Jon Cooper in the locker room before Game 5 against Montreal, PROCESS OVER OUTCOME. WORK OVER HOPE. The final detail lays within the three diamonds set between the phrases. These are symbolic of the Lightning’s three Stanley Cup victories in franchise history.
An additional 56 diamonds are intricately hand set and cascade around the ring top. Along the top and bottom edges of the ring are 10 princess-cut diamonds for a total of 20.
The left side of the ring features the home of the Lightning, TAMPA BAY, accented with blue in the background. Below is the recipient’s name, once again created in contrasting white gold and blue. Below their name, players will receive their jersey number in blue within a circle that has the details of skate marks on ice in the background.
The right side of the ring displays the team name, LIGHTNING, featuring two Stanley Cups underneath with the championship year dates in blue, honoring the Lightning’s astounding back-to-back victories. Completing the side is a sea of Bolts fans accenting the bottom, seeming to hold up the two Stanley Cups, paying homage to clinching their second of the back-to-back titles at home with their fans in 2021.
Following spectacular design from 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Championship Ring is once again set with an incredible number of diamonds that flow from the top of the ring, wrapping around the sides and palm, which proudly displays the words BACK 2 BACK. In total, there are an incredible 214 diamonds hand set on the sides of the rings.
The interior of the ring features the Lightning logo created from custom blue ceramic. To the right are the series results from the team’s 2021 playoff journey. Below these details is the phrase CLINCHING SHUTOUTS, an NHL record shattered by goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy by recording shutouts in five straight series-clinching games going back to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final win over the Dallas Stars. Two final details complete the storytelling of the interior of the ring—the Lightning’s playoff record over the last two seasons of 32–13, which features no back-to-back losses, and players also receive their unique signature on the interior palm side.
Lightning has struck twice; first in winning their back-to-back Stanley Cups, and second in a ring that has once more changed the landscape of Championship Rings. The Lightning’s 2021 Stanley Cup Championship Ring boasts an incredible 273 round diamonds, 45 custom-cut diamonds, 20 princess-cut diamonds, 30 custom-cut sapphires and 22 tapered-baguette sapphires for a total gem carat weight of approximately 31.67 carats, once again making history as the largest ring by carats in Jostens history.
THE FAN COLLECTION
To share the excitement of the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, Jostens is proud to present Bolts Nation with the official Stanley Cup Championship jewelry collection. Lightning fans can capture their piece of history and celebrate the success of the franchise with a wide selection of items. All pieces in the collection take inspiration from the official Championship Ring awarded to the Lightning and are available now for a limited time. Order online at: www.jostens.com/lightning
Once again, the Lightning are excited to extend a unique opportunity to fans who wish to purchase an exclusive piece of Stanley Cup history. The Limited Edition Ring is the most similar in design to the ring awarded to the organization made available to the public. To honor the 2021 Conn Smythe winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy #88, only 88 rings will be made available for purchase. The Limited Edition Ring is also available online at: www.jostens.com/lightning.
In addition to crafting the Tampa Bay Lightning 2021 Stanley Cup Championship Ring, Jostens also created their 2020 Stanley Cup Championship Ring and 2004 Stanley Cup Championship Ring.
ABOUT JOSTENS
Jostens is a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company’s products include yearbooks, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K–12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Founded in 1897 and based in Minneapolis, Minn., Jostens is owned by Platinum Equity and can be found online at www.jostens.com.
Attachments
- Jostens 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning Championship Ring
- Jostens 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning Championship Ring
