Memorial Cup
The
Memorial Cup is the championship trophy of the
Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Each year the Memorial Cup Tournament features the champions from three CHL member leagues (
WHL,
OHL,
QMJHL) and the host
CHL team, competing for the top prize in Junior Men's (Under 21)
ice hockey.
The Memorial Cup, originally the
OHA Memorial Cup was donated in
1919 by the
Ontario Hockey Association (the precursor to the
Ontario Hockey League) as a memorial to the Canadian dead of
World War I. It was awarded to the junior hockey champions of
Canada. It started as an
East versus West format where the
George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions from the East would play the
Abbott Cup champions from the West.
From 1919 to
1928, the Memorial Cup Final was a two-game total goals affair between a champion from Eastern Canada and a champion from Western Canada, both of which were determined through a series of playdowns under the auspices of the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. In
1929 the Memorial Cup Final became a best-of-three series.
When the junior ranks were further divided in
1934 between Junior 'A' and Junior 'B', the Memorial Cup served as the Junior 'A' championship trophy, and the
Sutherland Cup became the Junior 'B' trophy. From
1937 the Memorial Cup was a best-of-five series, and in
1943 reverted back to a best-of-seven series.
For the 1971-1972 season, the Junior 'A' rank was further split into the Major Junior rank and a second-tier rank (referred nowadays as Junior 'A'), with the Memorial Cup serving as the Major Junior championship trophy, and the
Manitoba Centennial Trophy, and later the
Royal Bank Cup, serving as the second tier championship trophy.
In
1972, the Memorial Cup was contested between three teams: the champions of the three leagues of the
Canadian Hockey League: the
President's Cup Champs (WHL),
J. Ross Robertson Cup Champs (OHL), and the
President's Cup Champs (QMJHL), along with a round-robin tournament format and single-game playoff to determine the winner.
The
1983 Memorial Cup tournament saw the inclusion of a fourth team, the team hosting the event, which was the
Portland Winter Hawks. The tournament was held in
Portland, Oregon, and marked the first time that an
American city hosted the Memorial Cup. The host Winter Hawks also won the Cup that year, becoming the first American team to win the Memorial Cup. This four-team tournament, with the host team being rotated between the three leagues, is the format that continues to be used today.
*
Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy - (MVP)
*
George Parsons Trophy - (Sportsmanship)
*
Hap Emms Memorial Trophy - (Outstanding Goaltender)
*
Ed Chynoweth Trophy - (Leading scorer)
*
Memorial Cup All-Star Team1919 to 1971
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Host City (Cities) | | 1919 | University of Toronto Schools | Regina Patricias | Toronto, ON |
| 1920 | Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers | Selkirk Juniors | Toronto, ON |
| 1921 | Winnipeg Falcons | Stratford Midgets | Toronto, ON |
| 1922 | Fort William War Veterans | Regina Patricias | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1923 | University of Manitoba Bisons | Kitchener Greenshirts | Toronto, ON |
| 1924 | Owen Sound Greys | Calgary Canadians | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1925 | Regina Patricias | Toronto Aura Lee | Toronto, ON |
| 1926 | Calgary Canadians | Queen's University | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1927 | Owen Sound Greys | Port Arthur West End Jrs. | Toronto, ON |
| 1928 | Regina Monarchs | Ottawa Gunners | Toronto, ON |
| 1929 | Toronto Marlboros | Elmwood Millionaires | Toronto, ON |
| 1930 | Regina Pats | West Toronto Nationals | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1931 | Elmwood Millionaires | Ottawa Primroses | Toronto, ON & Ottawa, ON |
| 1932 | Sudbury Cub Wolves | Winnipeg Monarchs | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1933 | Newmarket Redmen | Regina Patricias | Toronto, ON |
| 1934 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Edmonton Athletics | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1935 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Sudbury Cub Wolves | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1936 | West Toronto Nationals | Saskatoon Wesleys | Toronto, ON |
| 1937 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Copper Cliff Redmen | Toronto, ON |
| 1938 | St. Boniface Seals | Oshawa Generals | Toronto, ON |
| 1939 | Oshawa Generals | Edmonton Athletic Club | Toronto, ON |
| 1940 | Oshawa Generals | Kenora Thistles | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1941 | Winnipeg Rangers | Montreal Royals | Toronto, ON |
| 1942 | Portage la Prairie Terriers | Oshawa Generals | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1943 | Winnipeg Rangers | Oshawa Generals | Toronto, ON |
| 1944 | Oshawa Generals | Trail Smoke Eaters | Toronto, ON |
| 1945 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Moose Jaw Canucks | Toronto, ON |
| 1946 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Toronto, ON |
| 1947 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Moose Jaw Canucks | Winnipeg, MB; Moose Jaw, SK & Regina, SK |
| 1948 | Port Arthur West End Bruins | Barrie Flyers | Toronto, ON |
| 1949 | Montreal Royals | Brandon Wheat Kings | Winnipeg, MB & Brandon, MB |
| 1950 | Montréal Junior Canadiens | Regina Pats | Montreal, QC & Toronto, ON |
| 1951 | Barrie Flyers | Winnipeg Monarchs | Winnipeg, MB & Brandon, MB |
| 1952 | Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters | Regina Pats | Toronto, ON |
| 1953 | Barrie Flyers | St. Boniface Canadiens | Winnipeg, MB & Brandon, MB |
| 1954 | St. Catharines Teepees | Edmonton Oil Kings | Toronto, ON |
| 1955 | Toronto Marlboros | Regina Pats | Regina, SK |
| 1956 | Toronto Marlboros | Regina Pats | Toronto, ON |
| 1957 | Flin Flon Bombers | Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | Flin Flon, MB & Regina, SK |
| 1958 | Ottawa-Hull Jr. Canadiens | Regina Patricias | Ottawa, ON & Hull, QC |
| 1959 | Winnipeg Braves | Peterborough TPT Petes | Winnipeg, MB & Brandon, MB |
| 1960 | St. Catharines Teepees | Edmonton Oil Kings | St. Catharines, ON & Toronto, ON |
| 1961 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton, AB |
| 1962 | Hamilton Red Wings | Edmonton Oil Kings | Hamilton, ON; Guelph, ON & Kitchener, ON |
| 1963 | Edmonton Oil Kings | Niagara Falls Flyers | Edmonton, AB |
| 1964 | Toronto Marlboros | Edmonton Oil Kings | Toronto, ON |
| 1965 | Niagara Falls Flyers | Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton, AB |
| 1966 | Edmonton Oil Kings | Oshawa Generals | Toronto, ON |
| 1967 | Toronto Marlboros | Port Arthur Marrs | Thunder Bay, ON |
| 1968 | Niagara Falls Flyers | Estevan Bruins | Niagara Falls, ON & Montreal, QC |
| 1969 | Montréal Junior Canadiens | Regina Patricias | Montreal, QC & Regina, SK |
| 1970 | Montréal Junior Canadiens | Weyburn Red Wings | Montreal, QC |
| 1971 | Québec Remparts | Edmonton Oil Kings | Quebec City, QC |
1972 to 1982
Champions in
bold, runners-up in
italics| Year | West | Ontario | Quebec | Host city | | 1972 | Edmonton Oil Kings | Peterborough Petes | Cornwall Royals | Ottawa, ON |
| 1973 | Medicine Hat Tigers | Toronto Marlboros | Québec Remparts | Montreal, QC |
| 1974 | Regina Pats | St. Catharines Black Hawks | Québec Remparts | Calgary, AB |
| 1975 | New Westminster Bruins | Toronto Marlboros | Sherbrooke Beavers | Kitchener, ON |
| 1976 | New Westminster Bruins | Hamilton Fincups | Québec Remparts | Montreal, QC |
| 1977 | New Westminster Bruins | Ottawa 67's | Sherbrooke Beavers | New Westminster, BC |
| 1978 | New Westminster Bruins | Peterborough Petes | Trois-Rivières Draveurs | Sudbury, ON & Sault Ste. Marie, ON |
| 1979 | Brandon Wheat Kings | Peterborough Petes | Trois-Rivières Draveurs | Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, QC & Verdun, QC |
| 1980 | Regina Pats | Peterborough Petes | Cornwall Royals | Brandon, MB & Regina, SK |
| 1981 | Victoria Cougars | Kitchener Rangers | Cornwall Royals | Windsor, ON |
| 1982 | Portland Winter Hawks | Kitchener Rangers | Sherbrooke Castors | Hull, QC |
1983 to Present
Note A: The first two games of the 1985 Memorial Cup were played in Shawinigan. The remainder of the series was played in Drummondville. The reason for the switch of venue was that the Jacques Plante Arena in Shawingan had many support pillars that interfered with television coverage.
Note B: The 1986 tournament was originally scheduled for
New Westminster but the city withdrew as it was thought that Expo '86 in nearby
Vancouver would put too much of a strain on local hotels.
Note C: In 1987 the OHL organized a Super Series for the right to host the Memorial Cup tournament between the Leyden Division champions
Oshawa Generals, and the Emms Division champions
North Bay Centennials. The super series was played before the OHL playoffs commenced. Oshawa defeated North Bay 4 games to 3 for the right to host the Memorial Cup. Oshawa also won the OHL championship series deafeating North Bay 4 games to 3. Since Oshawa won both the Super Series and the OHL Championship, only three teams participated in the Memorial Cup.
Note D: The
Chicoutimi Sagueneens hosted the 1988 tournament however were not guaranteed a berth. The Saugeneens were eliminated in the playoffs. The QMJHL championship runners-up
Drummondville Voltigeurs were awarded this berth.
Note E: The
Hamilton Dukes (formerly Toronto Marlboros) hosted the 1990 tournament. However, due to the team's poor standing in the 1989 - 1990 season, the team stepped aside for the OHL championship runners-up.
Note F: The
Quebec Remparts hosted the 1991 tournament however were not guaranteed a berth. The Remparts were eliminated in the playoffs. The QMJHL championship runners-up
Drummondville Voltigeurs were awarded this berth.
Note G: The
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds won the right to host the 1993 Memorial Cup by defeating the
Peterborough Petes 4 games to 0 in a Super Series, much like how Oshawa hosted in 1987.
Note H: The
Kamloops Blazers were chosen to host, and also defeated the
Brandon Wheat Kings in the 1995 WHL championship series and chose to compete in the Memorial Cup schedule as the host. As runner-up, the
Brandon Wheat Kings competed as the WHL champions.
Note I: The
Peterborough Petes were chosen to host, and also defeated the
Guelph Storm in the 1996 OHL championship series and chose to compete in the Memorial Cup schedule as the host. As runner-up, the
Guelph Storm competed as the OHL champions.
Note J: The
Hull Olympiques were chosen to host, and also defeated the
Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the 1997 QMJHL championship series and chose to compete in the Memorial Cup schedule as the host. As runner-up, the
Chicoutimi Sagueneens competed as the QMJHL champions.
Note K: The
London Knights were chosen to host, and also defeated the
Ottawa 67's in the 2005 OHL championship series and chose to compete in the Memorial Cup schedule as the host. As runner-up, the
Ottawa 67's competed as the OHL champions.
Note L: The
Moncton Wildcats were chosen to host, and also defeated the
Québec Remparts in the 2006 QMJHL championship series and chose to compete in the Memorial Cup schedule as QMJHL champions. As runner-up, the
Québec Remparts competed as the host.
Champions by league (1969 to Present)
*Western Hockey League - 16
**Western Hockey League State/Provincial breakdown:
British Columbia 7;
Saskatchewan 3;
Alberta 3;
Oregon 2;
Washington 1
*Ontario Hockey League - 14
**Ontario Hockey League Provincial breakdown:
Ontario 12;
Quebec 2
*Quebec Major Junior Hockey League - 8
**Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Provincial breakdown:
Quebec 5;
Ontario 3
Source: Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup archive.
