The trophy was originally known as the OHA Memorial Cup and was donated by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in 1919 to be awarded to the junior champion of Canada. From its inception until 1971, the Memorial Cup was open to all Junior A teams in the country and was awarded following a series of league, provincial and regional playoffs culminating in an east-west championship. The three-league tournament format began in 1972 when the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association divided the Junior A rank into two tiers, naming the Memorial Cup as the championship of the Major Junior level.
The Memorial Cup was proposed by Captain James T. Sutherland during World War I, who wanted to create a trophy as a memorial to remember the OHA's players who died during the war. When the trophy was created, it was dedicated in honour of the soldiers who died fighting for Canada in the war. During the 2010 tournament, it will be rededicated to honour all soldiers who died fighting for Canada in any conflict.
Memorial Cup Awards
- 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
2010-11 St John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
| 2009-10 | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) |
| 2008-09 | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) |
| 2007-08 | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
| 2006-07 | Vancouver Giants (WHL) |
| 2005-06 | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 2004-05 | London Knights (OHL) |
| 2003-04 | Kelowna Rockets (WHL) |
| 2002-03 | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) |
| 2001-02 | Kootenay Ice (WHL) |
| 2000-01 | Red Deer Rebels (WHL) |
| 1999-00 | Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) |
| 1998-99 | Ottawa 67's (OHL) |
| 1997-98 | Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) |
| 1996-97 | Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) |
| 1995-96 | Granby Predateurs (QMJHL) |
| 1994-95 | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
| 1993-94 | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
| 1992-93 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) |
| 1991-92 | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
| 1990-91 | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
| 1989-90 | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
| 1988-89 | Swift Current Broncos (WHL) |
| 1987-88 | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) |
| 1986-87 | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) |
| 1985-86 | Guelph Platers (OHL) |
| 1984-85 | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) |
| 1983-84 | Ottawa 67's (OHL) |
| 1982-83 | Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) |
| 1981-82 | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) |
| 1980-81 | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 1979-80 | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 1978-79 | Peterborough Petes (OHL) |
| 1977-78 | New Westminster Bruins (WHL) |
| 1976-77 | New Westminster Bruins (WHL) |
| 1975-76 | Hamilton Fincups (OHL) |
| 1974-75 | Toronto Marlboros (OHL) |
| 1973-74 | Regina Pats (WHL) |
| 1972-73 | Toronto Marlboros (OHL) |
| 1971-72 | Cornwall Royals |
| 1970-71 | Quebec Remparts |
| 1969-70 | Montreal Junior Canadiens |
| 1968-69 | Montreal Junior Canadiens |
| 1967-68 | Niagara Falls Flyers |
| 1970-71 | Quebec Remparts |
| 1966-67 | Toronto Marlboros |
| 1965-66 | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 1964-65 | Niagara Falls Flyers |
| 1963-64 | Toronto Marlboros |
| 1962-63 | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 1961-62 | Hamilton Red Wings |
| 1960-61 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors |
| 1959-60 | St. Catharines Tee Pees |
| 1958-59 | Winnipeg Braves |
| 1957-58 | Ottawa-Hull Canadiens |
| 1956-57 | Flin Flon Bombers |
| 1955-56 | Toronto Marlboros |
| 1954-55 | Toronto Marlboros |
| 1953-54 | St. Catharines Tee Pees |
| 1952-53 | Barrie Flyers |
| 1951-52 | Guelph Biltmores |
| 1950-51 | Barrie Flyers |
| 1949-50 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1948-49 | Montreal Royals |
| 1947-48 | Port Arthur West End Bruins |
| 1946-47 | Toronto St. Michael's |
| 1945-46 | Winnipeg Monarchs |
| 1944-45 | Toronto St. Michael's |
| 1943-44 | Oshawa Generals |
| 1942-43 | Winnipeg Rangers |
| 1941-42 | Portage La Prairie Terriers |
| 1940-41 | Winnipeg Rangers |
| 1939-40 | Oshawa Generals |
| 1938-39 | Oshawa Generals |
| 1937-38 | St. Boniface Seals |
| 1936-37 | Winnipeg Monarchs |
| 1935-36 | West Toronto Nationals |
| 1934-35 | Winnipeg Monarchs |
| 1933-34 | Toronto St. Michael's |
| 1932-33 | Newmarket Reds |
| 1931-32 | Sudbury Wolves |
| 1930-31 | Winnipeg Elmwoods Millionaires |
| 1929-30 | Regina Pats |
| 1928-29 | Toronto Marlboros |
| 1927-28 | Regina Monarchs |
| 1926-27 | Owen Sound Greys |
| 1925-26 | Calgary Canadians |
| 1924-25 | Regina Pats |
| 1923-24 | Owen Sound Greys |
| 1922-23 | University of Manitoba |
| 1921-22 | Fort William War Veterans |
| 1920-21 | Winnipeg Falcons |
| 1919-20 | Toronto Canoe Club |
| 1918-19 | University of Toronto Schools |
