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The Memorial Cup is the championship trophy of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Each year the champions from three CHL member leagues; the WHL, the OHL, and the QMJHL, and the host CHL team, compete in the MasterCard Memorial Cup Tournament 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 Team

Champions in bold, runners-up in italics

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 Beauport Harfangs hosted the 1991 tournament however were not guaranteed a berth. The Harfangs were eliminated in the playoffs. The QMJHL championship runners-up Drummondville Voltigeurs were awarded this berth. The Harfangs were based in Beauport, Quebec, a suburban town of Quebec City; However, the tournament was played in the Colisee de Quebec.

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.

• 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

• Memorial Cup web site