The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. For the 2023–24 season, its three leagues and 60 teams represent nine Canadian provinces as well as four American states.
The Memorial Cup is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played among the champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL), and a host team, which alternates on an annual basis between the three member leagues. The Memorial Cup trophy was established by Captain James T. Sutherland to honour those who died in service during World War I. It was rededicated during the 2010 tournament to honour all soldiers who died fighting for Canada in any conflict.
The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Hockey League (CHL) trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the annual Memorial Cup tournament. The trophy was first awarded in 1972 and won by Richard Brodeur of the Cornwall Royals. Taylor Hall won the award in 2009 and 2010 with the Windsor Spitfires making him the first repeat winner in the trophy's history. Through the 2024 season, it has been won 22 times by players on a team representing the Western Hockey League (WHL), 15 by those from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and 14 by players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
The 2005 Memorial Cup was held May 21–29, 2005 at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. It was the 87th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The Cup tournament featured the champions from the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Kelowna Rockets; the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), the Rimouski Océanic; the Ottawa 67's representing the Ontario Hockey League (OHL); and the host team. Since the host team, the London Knights, won the Ontario Hockey League championship against the Ottawa 67's, the 67's earned the right to represent the OHL as the League runner-up.
The Bobby Orr Trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the Eastern conference playoffs in the Ontario Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1999. The winning team competes for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the OHL finals versus the Wayne Gretzky Trophy winner.
The Red Tilson Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding player (MVP) as voted by OHL writers and broadcasters. It was donated by The Globe and Mail, and first awarded in the 1944–45 OHA season by the Ontario Hockey Association. The trophy is named for Red Tilson, who played for the Oshawa Generals, and died during military service in World War II. Winners of the Red Tilson Trophy are nominated for the CHL Player of the Year award. The Red Tilson trophy resides in the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame, in the Tribute Communities Centre.
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and is the third of three similarly named trophies he established. His other eponymous trophies for the OHA include, the J. Ross Robertson Cup awarded to the annual champions of Allan Cup Hockey, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup which was awarded to the annual champions of the discontinued intermediate division.
The Hap Emms Memorial Trophy is awarded to the outstanding goaltender at the Memorial Cup of the Canadian Hockey League. The award is named after Leighton "Hap" Emms, a former NHL player, who had a 33 year presence in the Ontario Hockey Association as a coach, owner, general manager, pioneer of the game. During his involvement with the Barrie Flyers, Niagara Falls Flyers, and St. Catharines Black Hawks between 1945 and 1978; his teams appeared in eight Memorial Cup tournaments, winning four times. The Emms Trophy, and the Emms Family Award, are also named for Emms.
The Ed Chynoweth Trophy is awarded to the leading scorer at the Memorial Cup tournament. It was first awarded in 1996. In the case of a tie in points, the award is given to the player with the fewest games played. Should players tied in points have played the same number of games, the award goes to the player with the most goals scored.
The CHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given out annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League. It is chosen from the winners of the goaltending awards from the CHL's three constituent leagues: the Jim Rutherford Trophy (OHL), the Del Wilson Trophy (WHL), and the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy (QMJHL).
The 1996 Memorial Cup occurred May 11–19 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario. It was the 78th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the host Peterborough Petes, who were also the champions of the Ontario Hockey League, as well as the OHL runner-up Guelph Storm, and the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League, which were the Granby Prédateurs and the Brandon Wheat Kings. Granby won their first Memorial Cup, over Peterborough. It was the first time since 1971 that a team from the province of Quebec won the Cup.
The West Toronto Nationals were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1929 to 1936. Prior to that time, the team was known as the West Toronto Redmen, due to their red colour sweaters. Home games were played at Mutual Street Arena and later Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
George Henry Parsons was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 64 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Parsons suffered a career-ending eye injury in 1939, forcing him to retire from the National Hockey League. Parsons later became involved with CCM hockey and the development of hockey helmets and facial protection. The George Parsons Trophy is given annually to the player judged to be the most sportsmanlike at the Memorial Cup tournament.
The 2017 Memorial Cup was a four-team, round-robin format tournament held at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario from May 19–28, 2017. It was the 99th Memorial Cup championship, which determined the champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The tournament was hosted by the Windsor Spitfires, who won the right to host the tournament over undisclosed competition. Other participating teams were the OHL champion Erie Otters, the QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs, and the WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds. The tournament ended with the Windsor Spitfires winning their third Memorial Cup, defeating the Erie Otters 4–3 in the championship final.
The 2018 Memorial Cup was a four-team, round-robin format tournament that was held at Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan from May 18–27, 2018. It was the 100th Memorial Cup championship of junior ice hockey, and determined the champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The CHL chose to allow all three of its constituent leagues to bid for hosting the 100th Memorial Cup, instead of the usual rotation between its leagues. The Regina Pats won the right to host the tournament, over bids from the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Oshawa Generals.
The Memorial Cup All-Star Team is an annual selection of the best players at the Memorial Cup tournament. Six recipients are chosen for each Memorial Cup tournament: one goaltender, two defencemen, and three forwards. Players named to a Memorial Cup All-Star Team are also considered for the other four Memorial Cup tournament awards. The first All-Star team was selected in 1975.
The 2019 Memorial Cup was a four-team, round-robin format tournament held at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia from May 17–26, 2019. It was the 101st Memorial Cup championship which determine the champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The tournament was hosted by the Halifax Mooseheads, who won the right to host the tournament over the Moncton Wildcats. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies defeated the Halifax Mooseheads to win their first Memorial Cup. Mario Pouliot became the first coach to win consecutive Memorial Cups while leading different teams.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to ice hockey across the world, mirroring its impact across all sports. Across the world and to varying degrees, events and competitions have been cancelled or postponed.
