Turner Cup

Turner Cup
SportIce hockey
CompetitionTurner Cup Playoffs
Awarded forPlayoff champion of the International Hockey League
History
First award1946
Final award2010
First winnerDetroit Auto Club
Most winsFort Wayne Komets
Most recentFort Wayne Komets

The Turner Cup was the championship trophy of the International Hockey League from 1945 to 2001 and the renamed United Hockey League from 2007 to 2010. The Cup was named for Joe Turner, a goaltender from Windsor, Ontario. Turner became professional with the Detroit Red Wings organization, and played one season with the Indianapolis Capitals in the American Hockey League. Turner was killed in Belgium during World War II, while serving with the United States Army.

It was the championship trophy to the incarnation of the IHL that existed from 1945 to 2001 before it was retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame. In July 2007, the United Hockey League officially changed its name to "International Hockey League". The new IHL put forth a request to the Hockey Hall of Fame to take a controlling interest in the Turner Cup. The name Turner Cup was restored on September 24, 2007 as a tribute to the original IHL. When the incarnation of the IHL that existed from 2007 to 2010 folded, the Cup was retired again and looked to be put back in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Champions and finalists

Season Champion Finalist Games
1946 Detroit Auto Club Detroit Bright's Goodyears 2-1
1947 Windsor Spitfires Detroit Bright's Goodyears 3-0
1948 Toledo Mercurys Windsor Hettche Spitfires 4-1
1949 Windsor Hettche Spitfires Toledo Mercurys 4-3
1950 Chatham Maroons Sarnia Sailors 4-3
1951 Toledo Mercurys Grand Rapids Rockets 4-1
1952 Toledo Mercurys Grand Rapids Rockets 4-2
1953 Cincinnati Mohawks Grand Rapids Rockets 4-0
1954 Cincinnati Mohawks Johnstown Jets 4-2
1955 Cincinnati Mohawks Troy Bruins 4-3
1956 Cincinnati Mohawks Toledo-Marion Mercurys 4-0
1957 Cincinnati Mohawks Indianapolis Chiefs 3-0
1958 Indianapolis Chiefs Louisville Rebels 4-3
1959 Louisville Rebels Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1960 St. Paul Saints Fort Wayne Komets 4-3
1961 St. Paul Saints Muskegon Zephyrs 4-1
1962 Muskegon Zephyrs St. Paul Saints 4-0
1963 Fort Wayne Komets Minneapolis Millers 4-1
1964 Toledo Blades Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1965 Fort Wayne Komets Des Moines Oak Leafs 4-2
1966 Port Huron Flags Dayton Gems 4-1
1967 Toledo Blades Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1968 Muskegon Mohawks Dayton Gems 4-1
1969 Dayton Gems Muskegon Mohawks 3-0
1970 Dayton Gems Port Huron Flags 4-3
1971 Port Huron Flags Des Moines Oak Leafs 4-2
1972 Port Huron Wings Muskegon Mohawks 4-2
1973 Fort Wayne Komets Port Huron Wings 4-2
1974 Des Moines Capitols Saginaw Gears 4-2
1975 Toledo Goaldiggers Saginaw Gears 4-3
1976 Dayton Gems Port Huron Flags 4-0
1977 Saginaw Gears Toledo Goaldiggers 4-3
1978 Toledo Goaldiggers Port Huron Flags 4-3
1979 Kalamazoo Wings Grand Rapids Owls 4-3
1980 Kalamazoo Wings Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1981 Saginaw Gears Kalamazoo Wings 4-0
1982 Toledo Goaldiggers Saginaw Gears 4-1
1983 Toledo Goaldiggers Milwaukee Admirals 4-2
1984 Flint Generals Toledo Goaldiggers 4-0
1985 Peoria Rivermen Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-3
1986 Muskegon Lumberjacks Fort Wayne Komets 4-0
1987 Salt Lake Golden Eagles Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-2
1988 Salt Lake Golden Eagles Flint Spirits 4-2
1989 Muskegon Lumberjacks Salt Lake Golden Eagles 4-1
1990 Indianapolis Ice Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-0
1991 Peoria Rivermen Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1992 Kansas City Blades Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-0
1993 Fort Wayne Komets San Diego Gulls 4-0
1994 Atlanta Knights Fort Wayne Komets 4-2
1995 Denver Grizzlies Kansas City Blades 4-0
1996 Utah Grizzlies Orlando Solar Bears 4-0
1997 Detroit Vipers Long Beach Ice Dogs 4-2
1998 Chicago Wolves Detroit Vipers 4-3
1999 Houston Aeros Orlando Solar Bears 4-3
2000 Chicago Wolves Grand Rapids Griffins 4-2
2001 Orlando Solar Bears Chicago Wolves 4-1
2002–07 Cup not awarded
2008 Fort Wayne Komets Port Huron IceHawks 4-3
2009 Fort Wayne Komets Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-1
2010 Fort Wayne Komets Flint Generals 4-1

Championships by franchise

Total Franchise (teams) Season(s)
9 Toledo Mercurys (3) /Blades (2) /Goaldiggers (4) 1948, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1967, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1983
7 Fort Wayne Komets 1963, 1965, 1973, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2010
5 Cincinnati Mohawks 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957
4 Muskegon Zephyrs (1) / Mohawks (1) / Lumberjacks (2) 1962, 1968, 1986, 1989
3 Port Huron Flags (2) / Wings (1) 1966, 1971, 1972
3 Dayton Gems 1969, 1970, 1976
3 Salt Lake Golden Eagles (2) / Detroit Vipers (1) 1987, 1988, 1997
2 Windsor (Hettche) Spitfires 1947, 1949
2 St. Paul Saints 1960, 1961
2 Saginaw Gears 1977, 1981
2 Kalamazoo Wings 1979, 1980
2 Peoria Rivermen 1985, 1991
2 Denver / Utah Grizzlies 1995, 1996
2 Chicago Wolves 1998, 2000
1 Detroit Auto Club 1946
1 Chatham Maroons 1950
1 Indianapolis Chiefs 1958
1 Louisville Rebels 1959
1 Des Moines Capitols 1974
1 Flint Generals 1984
1 Indianapolis Ice 1990
1 Kansas City Blades 1992
1 Atlanta Knights 1994
1 Houston Aeros 1999
1 Orlando Solar Bears 2001

References