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 (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). 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 Wayne Gretzky Trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the Western 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 Bobby Orr Trophy winner.
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 Emms Trophy is presented annually to the regular season champion of the Central division in the Ontario Hockey League. The trophy was inaugurated in the 1975–76 season for the winner of the Emms division, the more westerly of the two divisions at the time. When the league realigned into three divisions in 1994–95, it has since been awarded to the Central division.
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 Emms Family Award is presented annually to the Rookie of the Year in the Ontario Hockey League. The winner is also nominated for the CHL Rookie of the Year. The award was donated by Hap Emms. Leighton "Hap" Emms was a coach, owner, general manager and pioneer of the game, with a 33-year presence in the Ontario Hockey Association. His involvement in the Barrie Flyers, Niagara Falls Flyers, and St. Catharines Black Hawks, led to eight Memorial Cup tournament appearances, winning four times.
Leighton Alfred Emms was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, team owner, and general manager, during nearly 60 years in hockey. Emms played 17 seasons of professional hockey as a left winger and a defenceman, including 10 seasons and 320 games in the National Hockey League. After playing, Emms had a 33-year presence in the Ontario Hockey Association, as the owner of the Barrie Flyers, Niagara Falls Flyers, and St. Catharines Black Hawks between 1945 and 1978. Teams that Emms coached or owned appeared in eight Memorial Cup tournaments, winning four Memorial Cups. He was nicknamed "Happy Emms" due to the sour look on his face, which was later shortened to "Hap Emms".
The George Parsons Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged to be the most sportsmanlike at the Memorial Cup tournament. It was first awarded in 1974. The trophy is named for George Parsons, a former Ontario Hockey Association player whose career was ended prematurely in 1939, due to an eye injury in a National Hockey League game. Parsons appeared in the 1933 Memorial Cup as a member of the West Toronto Nationals, and the 1934 Memorial Cup as a member of the Toronto Young Rangers. Parsons later became involved with CCM hockey, helping to develop hockey helmets and facial protection for player safety, that were approved by the Canadian Standards Association and endorsed by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1976.
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).
Kelly Guard is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria in Italy's Serie A. He helped lead the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to a Memorial Cup championship in 2004. He is currently the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Bakersfield Condors.
The 1997 Memorial Cup occurred May 10–18 at the Robert Guertin Centre in Hull, Quebec. It was the 79th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the host Hull Olympiques, who were also the champions of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as well as the QMJHL runner-up Chicoutimi Saguenéens, and the winners of the Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League, which were the Oshawa Generals and the Lethbridge Hurricanes respectively. The round-robin portion of the tournament also featured one of the greatest games in Memorial Cup history, in which Lethbridge trailed Hull 6-1 to start the third period of their game and stormed back to win 7-6 in overtime. The Olympiques won their first Memorial Cup, over Lethbridge.
Corey Hirsch is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He spent the majority of his National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks. He is also the former goaltending coach for the St. Louis Blues, having previously served the Toronto Maple Leafs along with François Allaire.
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.
