The Memorial Cup—Canada’s Junior Trophy

As the First World War drew to a close, Canadians once again paid full attention to what was happening on the rinks. The new Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) had established itself as the official governing body of amateur hockey in the country, and much thought was given within the organization on the best way to honour the many soldiers of the Commonwealth who had lost their lives on the battlefields of France.

In 1919, the Ontario Hockey Association suggested the CHA sponsor a new competition, open only to teams stocked with players 20 years of age or younger. The national champion of this competition would win the OHA Memorial Cup, named in honour of the war dead. Just like the Allan Cup, the final would be decided between Western and Eastern finalists.

After a series of playdowns, the Regina Pats faced off against the University of Toronto and the U of T routed the Pats 29-8 in a two-game, total-goals series. The Pats, still in existence in the Western Hockey League today, have the distinction of being the oldest junior team in the country—they have won the Cup three times, in 1926, 1930 and 1974.

In 1924, the Calgary Canadians became the first Alberta-based team to play for the Memorial Cup, but the Calgarians were beaten by the Owen Sound Greys. Two years later, the Canadians became Alberta’s first Memorial Cup champions; the team built by hockey guru Eddie Poulin defeated Queens University thanks to a winning goal from Paul Thompson.

In 1934, the qualification rules for the Memorial Cup changed; it became the trophy of the junior "A" champions of the country, as the CHA reclassified junior teams into elite "A" pools and "B" hockey. That year, an Edmonton team made it to the final for the first time, the Athletics. But the Edmonton side was overmatched by the St. Michael’s Majors, the feeder team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Future Maple Leafs’ star Art Jackson scored the Cup-winning goal. The Athletics would return to the final in 1939, but were again beaten by the Ontario champs, the Oshawa Generals.

Edmonton finally enjoyed memorial Cup parties in 1963 and 1966 as the Oil Kings established themselves as the top program in Canadian junior hockey.

In 1971, the trophy was reserved for the champions of Canadian Major Junior Hockey, and in 1972 the East/West playdown system was scrapped for a new, four-team format that still exists today. The Memorial Cup is awarded to a host city, and the hosts and champions of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League compete in a four-team round robin tournament, with the Cup-deciding final a one-game, sudden-death affair.

As the major junior leagues expanded south of the border, it was only a matter of time before an American would claim the title. In 1983, the city of Portland, Oregon hosted the championships—the first time the final was not played on Canadian soil—and the Portland Winter Hawks became the first non-Canadian Memorial Cup champs that season. In 1991, the Spokane Chiefs became the second American team to win the Memorial Cup.

More Alberta glory came in 1987 and 1988, when the Medicine Hat Tigers became back-to-back champions, led by future Vancouver Canucks star Trevor Linden. In 2001, the Red Deer Rebels beat the Val D’Or Foreurs in a thrilling final thanks to an overtime winner from Oilers’ draft pick Doug Lynch.

ALBERTA’S MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPS
1926 - Calgary Canadians
1963 - Edmonton Oil Kings
1966 - Edmonton Oil Kings
1987 - Medicine Hat Tigers
1988 - Medicine Hat Tigers
2001 - Red Deer Rebels

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