J. Ross Robertson Cup

Not to be confused with J. Ross Robertson Cup (senior ice hockey) or J. Ross Robertson Cup (intermediate ice hockey).
"Robertson Cup" redirects here. For the USA Hockey Tier II junior national playoff trophy, see North American Hockey League § Robertson Cup winners.

J. Ross Robertson Cup
Sterling silver bowl atop of a wooden plinth
SportIce hockey
LeagueOntario Hockey League
Awarded forPlayoffs champion
CountryCanada
History
First award1910–11
First winnerKingston Frontenacs
Most winsOshawa Generals (13)
Most recentLondon Knights (5)

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 J. Ross Robertson Cup has continuously been awarded as the playoffs championship trophy for the top tier of junior hockey in Ontario. The cup transitioned from the Ontario Hockey Association to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League in 1974, and has been the championship trophy of the Ontario Hockey League since 1980. The winner of the J. Ross Robertson Cup has been eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup as the junior hockey champion of Canada since 1919.

History

Black and white photo of Robertson sitting with arms folded
John Ross Robertson

The J. Ross Robertson Cup was donated by John Ross Robertson on November 19, 1910, to be awarded annually to the champion of the junior ice hockey division in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).[1] Robertson served as president of the OHA from 1899 to 1905, had founded the Toronto Evening Telegram in 1876, helped establish The Hospital for Sick Children, and was a member of the House of Commons of Canada for Toronto East.[2] He was against professionalism in sports, and felt that "sport should be pursued for its own sake, for when professionalism begins, true sport ends".[3]

The OHA first established a junior hockey division for the 1892–93 season, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup was first awarded during the 1910–11 season.[1][4] The cup is a sterling silver bowl 18.5 inches (47 cm) tall, engraved with a hockey-playing scene and interlaced maple leaves in bas-relief.[1] The cup is the third of three similarly named trophies Robertson donated to the OHA, which included the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the annual champions of the senior division, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the annual champions of intermediate division.[2][5]

The Memorial Cup was founded in 1919, which gave the opportunity for each season's J. Ross Robertson Cup winner to partake in national playoffs arranged by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for the junior hockey championship of Canada.[6] The national playoffs culminated in an east-versus-west final, and the Eastern Canada junior champion was also awarded the George Richardson Memorial Trophy from 1932 to 1971.[7] In 1972, the Memorial Cup format changed to a round-robin tournament and the J. Ross Robertson Cup winner received an automatic berth in the tournament along with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League champions.[6]

The OHA split junior hockey into A and B levels for the 1933–34 season. The junior-A level competed for the J. Ross Robertson Cup, and the junior-B level competed for the newly established Sutherland Cup.[8] The J. Ross Robertson Cup remained the playoffs championship trophy for the top tier of junior hockey in the OHA. The cup was awarded to the OHA Major Junior A Series champion from 1972 to 1974, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League champion from 1974 to 1980, and has been the championship trophy of the Ontario Hockey League since 1980.[9]

The Ontario Hockey League established the Bobby Orr Trophy and the Wayne Gretzky Trophy in 1999, for the respective Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions which compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup.[10] The Wayne Gretzky 99 Award was established in 1999, and is given to the most valuable player of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs at the conclusion of the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals.[11]

List of cup winners

1911 to 1932

Black and white team photo with three rows of players surrounding the trophy
The 1910-11 Kingston Frontenacs won the J. Ross Robertson Cup and were billed by the OHA as the "junior champions of Canada".[12]
Printing which depicts the trophy
J. Ross Robertson Cup c. 1915

The OHA's J. Ross Robertson Cup champion was determined by a total-goals series from 1911 to 1932. The number of games played varied by season from one to three games.[13][14]

List of winning teams and finalists from 1911 to 1932.[note 1]

denotes team later won that season's national Memorial Cup championship
Season Champion Total goals Finalist OHA Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result[note 2]
1910–11 Kingston Frontenacs 21–11 Orillia Hockey Club not applicable[note 3]
1911–12 Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers 16–7 Orillia Hockey Club
1912–13 Orillia Hockey Club 14–8 Woodstock Juniors
1913–14 Orillia Hockey Club 13–7 University of Toronto Schools
1914–15 University of Toronto Schools 16–11 Berlin Union Jacks
1915–16 Toronto Aura Lee 6–4 Berlin Union Jacks
1916–17 Toronto Aura Lee 18–5 Kitchener Union Jacks
1917–18 Toronto De La Salle College 10–8 Barrie Canoe Club
1918–19 University of Toronto Schools 8–7 Woodstock Juniors 1919 Memorial Cup champion
1919–20 Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers 15–8 Stratford Midgets 1920 Memorial Cup champion
1920–21 Stratford Midgets 7–3 Queen's University 1921 Memorial Cup finalist
1921–22 Toronto Aura Lee 6–4 Toronto St. Mary's Eastern Canada finalist
1922–23 Kitchener Colts 7–4 University of Toronto Schools 1923 Memorial Cup finalist
1923–24 Owen Sound Greys 12–7 Kitchener Colts 1924 Memorial Cup champion
1924–25 Toronto Aura Lee 14–11 Owen Sound Greys 1925 Memorial Cup finalist
1925–26 Queen's University 7–4 Owen Sound Greys 1926 Memorial Cup finalist
1926–27 Owen Sound Greys 7–3 Newmarket Redmen 1927 Memorial Cup champion
1927–28 Toronto Marlboros 4–3 Newmarket Redmen Eastern Canada finalist
1928–29 Toronto Marlboros 4–3 Kitchener Greenshirts 1929 Memorial Cup champion
1929–30 West Toronto Nationals 11–9 Niagara Falls Cataracts 1930 Memorial Cup finalist
1930–31 Niagara Falls Cataracts 12–7 West Toronto Nationals Eastern Canada finalist
1931–32 Toronto Marlboros 4–1 Newmarket Redmen Eastern Canada quarter-finalist

1933 to present

Since 1933, the J. Ross Robertson Cup champion has been determined by either the most wins in total-games series, or the most points earned in a series.[13][14]

List of OHA (to 1979) / OHL (since 1980) winning teams and runner-up finalists since 1933.[note 4]

denotes team later won that season's national Memorial Cup championship
Season Champion Series
(W–L–T)		 Finalist OHA / OHL Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result[note 5][note 6]
1932–33 Newmarket Redmen 2–1–1 Stratford Midgets 1933 Memorial Cup champion
1933–34 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 2–0 Stratford Midgets 1934 Memorial Cup champion
1934–35 Kitchener Greenshirts Default
[note 7]		 Oshawa Majors did not participate[note 7]
1935–36 West Toronto Nationals 2–0 Kitchener Greenshirts 1936 Memorial Cup champion
1936–37 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 3–2 Stratford Midgets Eastern Canada quarter-finalist
1937–38 Oshawa Generals 3–0 Guelph Indians 1938 Memorial Cup finalist
1938–39 Oshawa Generals 3–0 Toronto Native Sons 1939 Memorial Cup champion
1939–40 Oshawa Generals 3–2 Toronto Marlboros 1940 Memorial Cup champion
1940–41 Oshawa Generals 4–3 Toronto Marlboros Eastern Canada finalist
1941–42 Oshawa Generals 3–2 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 1942 Memorial Cup finalist
1942–43 Oshawa Generals 4–1 Brantford Lions 1943 Memorial Cup finalist
1943–44 Oshawa Generals 4–1 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 1944 Memorial Cup champion
1944–45 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 4–0 Galt Red Wings 1945 Memorial Cup champion
1945–46 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 4–2 Oshawa Generals 1946 Memorial Cup finalist
1946–47 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 4–0 Galt Red Wings 1947 Memorial Cup champion
1947–48 Barrie Flyers 4–2 Windsor Spitfires 1948 Memorial Cup finalist
1948–49 Barrie Flyers 4–0 Toronto Marlboros Eastern Canada finalist
1949–50 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 4–2 Windsor Spitfires Eastern Canada finalist
1950–51 Barrie Flyers 4–2 Toronto Marlboros 1951 Memorial Cup champion
1951–52 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 4–1 St. Catharines Teepees 1952 Memorial Cup champion
1952–53 Barrie Flyers 5–3 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 1953 Memorial Cup champion
1953–54 St. Catharines Teepees 4–3 Toronto Marlboros 1954 Memorial Cup champion
1954–55 Toronto Marlboros 4–2 St. Catharines Teepees 1955 Memorial Cup champion
1955–56 Toronto Marlboros 4–1 Barrie Flyers 1956 Memorial Cup champion
1956–57 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 4–2 St. Catharines Teepees Eastern Canada finalist
1957–58 Toronto Marlboros 4–1–1 Hamilton Tiger Cubs Eastern Canada finalist
1958–59 Peterborough TPT Petes 3–2–3 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 1959 Memorial Cup finalist
1959–60 St. Catharines Teepees 4–1–1 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 1960 Memorial Cup champion
1960–61 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 4–2–1 Guelph Royals 1961 Memorial Cup champion
1961–62 Hamilton Red Wings 4–1 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 1962 Memorial Cup champion
1962–63 Niagara Falls Flyers 4–2 Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons 1963 Memorial Cup finalist
1963–64 Toronto Marlboros 4–0–1 Montreal Junior Canadiens 1964 Memorial Cup champion
1964–65 Niagara Falls Flyers 4–1 Toronto Marlboros 1965 Memorial Cup champion
1965–66 Oshawa Generals 4–1 Kitchener Rangers 1966 Memorial Cup finalist
1966–67 Toronto Marlboros 4–0 Hamilton Red Wings 1967 Memorial Cup champion
1967–68 Niagara Falls Flyers 4–3–1 Kitchener Rangers 1968 Memorial Cup champion
1968–69 Montreal Junior Canadiens 4–0–2 St. Catharines Black Hawks 1969 Memorial Cup champion
1969–70 Montreal Junior Canadiens 4–2 Toronto Marlboros 1970 Memorial Cup champion
1970–71 St. Catharines Black Hawks 4–0 Toronto Marlboros Eastern Canada finalist
1971–72 Peterborough Petes 3–0–2 Ottawa 67's 1972 Memorial Cup finalist
1972–73 Toronto Marlboros 3–2–2 Peterborough Petes 1973 Memorial Cup champion
1973–74 St. Catharines Black Hawks 4–0–1 Peterborough Petes 3rd place at 1974 Memorial Cup
1974–75 Toronto Marlboros 4–3 Hamilton Fincups 1975 Memorial Cup champion
1975–76 Hamilton Fincups 4–2 Sudbury Wolves 1976 Memorial Cup champion
1976–77 Ottawa 67's 4–2 London Knights 1977 Memorial Cup finalist
1977–78 Peterborough Petes 4–3 Hamilton Fincups 1978 Memorial Cup finalist
1978–79 Peterborough Petes 4–3 Niagara Falls Flyers 1979 Memorial Cup champion
1979–80 Peterborough Petes 4–0 Windsor Spitfires 1980 Memorial Cup finalist
1980–81 Kitchener Rangers 3–0–3 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 1981 Memorial Cup finalist
1981–82 Kitchener Rangers 4–0–1 Ottawa 67's 1982 Memorial Cup champion
1982–83 Oshawa Generals 4–0 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 1983 Memorial Cup finalist
1983–84 Ottawa 67's 3–1–2 Kitchener Rangers 1984 Memorial Cup champion
Kitchener, 1984 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
1984–85 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4–2–1 Peterborough Petes 3rd place at 1985 Memorial Cup
1985–86 Guelph Platers 3–2–2 Belleville Bulls 1986 Memorial Cup champion
1986–87 Oshawa Generals 4–3 North Bay Centennials 1987 Memorial Cup finalist
1987–88 Windsor Compuware Spitfires 4–0 Peterborough Petes 1988 Memorial Cup finalist
1988–89 Peterborough Petes 4–2 Niagara Falls Thunder 3rd place at 1989 Memorial Cup
1989–90 Oshawa Generals 4–3 Kitchener Rangers 1990 Memorial Cup champion
Kitchener 1990 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
1990–91 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4–2 Oshawa Generals 4th place at 1991 Memorial Cup
1991–92 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4–3 North Bay Centennials 1992 Memorial Cup finalist
1992–93 Peterborough Petes 4–1 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Peterborough, 1993 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
Sault Ste. Marie, 1993 Memorial Cup champion
1993–94 North Bay Centennials 4–3 Detroit Junior Red Wings 4th place at 1994 Memorial Cup
1994–95 Detroit Junior Red Wings 4–2 Guelph Storm 1995 Memorial Cup finalist
1995–96 Peterborough Petes 4–3 Guelph Storm Peterborough, 1996 Memorial Cup finalist
Guelph, 4th place at 1996 Memorial Cup[note 6]
1996–97 Oshawa Generals 4–2 Ottawa 67's 3rd place at 1997 Memorial Cup
1997–98 Guelph Storm 4–1 Ottawa 67's 1998 Memorial Cup finalist
1998–99 Belleville Bulls 4–3 London Knights 3rd place at 1999 Memorial Cup
1999–2000 Barrie Colts 4–3 Plymouth Whalers 2000 Memorial Cup finalist
2000–01 Ottawa 67's 4–2 Plymouth Whalers 4th place at 2001 Memorial Cup
2001–02 Erie Otters 4–1 Barrie Colts 3rd place at 2002 Memorial Cup
2002–03 Kitchener Rangers 4–1 Ottawa 67's 2003 Memorial Cup champion
2003–04 Guelph Storm 4–0 Mississauga IceDogs 4th place at 2004 Memorial Cup
2004–05 London Knights 4–1 Ottawa 67's London, 2005 Memorial Cup champion
Ottawa, 3rd place at 2005 Memorial Cup[note 6]
2005–06 Peterborough Petes 4–0 London Knights 4th place at 2006 Memorial Cup
2006–07 Plymouth Whalers 4–2 Sudbury Wolves 3rd place at 2007 Memorial Cup
2007–08 Kitchener Rangers 4–3 Belleville Bulls Kitchener, 2008 Memorial Cup finalist
Belleville, 3rd place at 2008 Memorial Cup[note 6]
2008–09 Windsor Spitfires 4–1 Brampton Battalion 2009 Memorial Cup champion
2009–10 Windsor Spitfires 4–0 Barrie Colts 2010 Memorial Cup champion
2010–11 Owen Sound Attack 4–3 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors Owen Sound, 4th place at 2011 Memorial Cup
Mississauga, 2011 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
2011–12 London Knights 4–1 Niagara IceDogs 2012 Memorial Cup finalist
2012–13 London Knights 4–3 Barrie Colts 3rd place at 2013 Memorial Cup
2013–14 Guelph Storm 4–1 North Bay Battalion 2014 Memorial Cup finalist
2014–15 Oshawa Generals 4–1 Erie Otters 2015 Memorial Cup champion
2015–16 London Knights 4–0 Niagara IceDogs 2016 Memorial Cup champion
2016–17 Erie Otters 4–1 Mississauga Steelheads 2017 Memorial Cup finalist
2017–18 Hamilton Bulldogs 4–2 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3rd place at 2018 Memorial Cup
2018–19 Guelph Storm 4–2 Ottawa 67's 3rd place at 2019 Memorial Cup
2019–20 OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded[22]
2020–21 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[23]
2021–22 Hamilton Bulldogs 4–3 Windsor Spitfires 2022 Memorial Cup finalist
2022–23 Peterborough Petes 4–2 London Knights 3rd place at 2023 Memorial Cup
2023–24 London Knights 4–0 Oshawa Generals 2024 Memorial Cup finalist

Notes

  1. ^ Champions, total goals and finalists as per the Ontario Hockey Association.[13]
  2. ^ Subsequent results as per Lapp & Macaulay.[15]
  3. ^ Inter-provincial and national playoffs for junior ice hockey under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association began with the establishment of the Memorial Cup in 1919.[14]
  4. ^ Champions, total games and finalists from 1933 to 1971 as per the Ontario Hockey Association.[16] Champions, total games and finalists since 1972 as per Hockey Database.[17]
  5. ^ Subsequent results from 1933 to 1971 as per Lapp & Macaulay.[18] Subsequent results since 1972 as per the Memorial Cup archives maintained by the Canadian Hockey League.[19]
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Starting in 1983, the Memorial Cup expanded to a four team tournament, with host team of the tournament receiving an automatic entry. In years when the OHL Memorial Cup host makes it to the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals, then both OHL Robertson Cup finalists entered the Memorial Cup tournament. (see 1987 Memorial Cup for the sole exception to this)
  7. ^ a b Though the Oshawa Majors defeated the Kitchener Greenshirts on the ice at the 1935 J. Ross Robertson Cup final, Kitchener filed a protest, believing Oshawa had used an ineligible player.
    After a lengthy review, the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) retroactively declared the series defaulted by Oshawa and awarded the trophy to the Kitchener Greenshirts.[20]
    While the OHA was reviewing the protest, Oshawa participated in the Eastern Canada playoffs to determine the Eastern representative for the 1935 Memorial Cup national championship.
    As such, the true 1935 Robertson Cup champion did not participate in the Memorial Cup effort.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c John Ross Robertson fonds, Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Libraries, 1918
  2. ^ a b "Robertson, John Ross—Biography—Honoured Builder". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. 1947. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  3. ^ Young, Scott (1989). 100 Years of Dropping the Puck. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart. pp. 46–47. ISBN 0-7710-9093-5.
  4. ^ "OHA History". Ontario Hockey Association. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 8–9
  6. ^ a b Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 26–27
  7. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 42–43
  8. ^ Fitsell, J.W. (Bill) (2012), p. 78
  9. ^ 2017–18 OHL Media Information Guide, pp. 168–169
  10. ^ 2017–18 OHL Media Information Guide, p. 145
  11. ^ "Wayne Gretzky 99 Award". Ontario Hockey League. Canadian Hockey League. May 12, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  12. ^ Fitsell, J.W. (Bill) (2012), p. 46
  13. ^ a b c Ontario Hockey Association (2006), p. W-13
  14. ^ a b c Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 11
  15. ^ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 11–46
  16. ^ Ontario Hockey Association (2006), pp. W-13–14
  17. ^ "Ontario Hockey League". Hockey Database. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  18. ^ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 46–160
  19. ^ "Memorial Cup Champions". Canadian Hockey League. 2019. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  20. ^ Brown, Babe; Attersley, Bobby (1978). A History of the Oshawa Generals. Vol. One. Toronto, Ontario: Chimo Publishing. p. 2. ISBN 0-920344-07-0.
  21. ^ "Oshawa Quits Puck Playoffs". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. March 26, 1935. p. 29.
  22. ^ Johnston, Patrick (March 23, 2020). "COVID-19 forces cancellation of CHL playoffs and 2020 Memorial Cup". The Province. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  23. ^ "OHL, top NHL Draft talent supplier, cancels season". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 23, 2021.

Sources

See also