Ed Chynoweth Cup

The Ed Chynoweth Cup is an ice hockey club championship trophy awarded to the playoff champion of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Originally called the President's Cup when the league was founded in 1966, the trophy was renamed in 2007 to honour Ed Chynoweth's long service to junior hockey in Canada. The WHL champion earns a berth into the Memorial Cup tournament, Canada's junior hockey championship. The Kamloops Blazers have won the most WHL championships with six, followed by the Medicine Hat Tigers with five. The Spokane Chiefs were the first team to win the renamed trophy in the 2007–08 WHL season. The current (2022–23) holders of the Ed Chynoweth Cup are the Seattle Thunderbirds.

For the award given to the Memorial Cup leading scorer, see Ed Chynoweth Trophy.
Ed Chynoweth Cup
SportIce hockey
CompetitionWestern Hockey League
Awarded forPlayoff championship
History
First award1966
First winnerMoose Jaw Canucks
Most winsKamloops Blazers (6)
Most recentSeattle Thunderbirds (2)

History

The Western Hockey League was founded in 1966 by seven teams from Saskatchewan and Alberta who were hoping to improve the quality of junior hockey in western Canada.[1] Despite gaining approval from the governing bodies of both provinces, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) objected to the formation of the interprovincial league, refusing to sanction the circuit and suspending all players and officials who participated in the league from participation in any CAHA league or event.[2] Declared an "outlaw league" by the CAHA, the WHL's founders chose to play on, though the league was ruled ineligible to participate in the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship.[1]

The first President's Cup champion was the Moose Jaw Canucks in 1967.[3] In 1971, CAHA reorganized the top level of junior hockey into two tiers, sanctioning the WHL as the top league in western Canada and one of three leagues that formed the Major Junior tier, along with the Ontario Hockey Association—now the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)—and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League—now the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Together, these three leagues form the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The 1971 WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings faced the Quebec Remparts in the 1972 Memorial Cup final, which nearly failed to materialize as the OHA and QMJHL initially refused to face the western champion. The Oil Kings were ultimately defeated by Quebec in an abbreviated best-of-three series, as opposed to the normal best-of-seven.[4] Three years later, in 1974, the Regina Pats became the first WHL champion to win the national title.[5]

The New Westminster Bruins emerged as the first dynasty in WHL history, winning four consecutive championships between 1975 and 1978, along with two Memorial Cups in 1977 and 1978.[3][6] In 1976, the Portland Winter Hawks became the first American-based team in the WHL, and six years later, the 1981–82 Winter Hawks recorded more firsts, becoming the first American team to win the President's Cup and the first American team to compete for the Memorial Cup.[7][8] One year later, the Winter Hawks won the 1983 Memorial Cup to become the first American champions, and the first to win the Memorial Cup without winning its own league title; Portland participated by virtue of hosting the tournament despite losing the WHL final to the Lethbridge Broncos.[9]

On December 30, 1986, four members of the Swift Current Broncos—Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Brent Ruff and Chris Mantyka—were killed when the team bus crashed outside Swift Current.[10] The community rallied around the team, and less than three years later, the Broncos emerged as the top team in the CHL. Featuring Scott Kruger's younger brothers Darren and Trevor, the 1988–89 Broncos became the first team in WHL history to sweep their way through the playoffs, winning the President's Cup without losing a single game in the post-season.[11] The Broncos faced the host Saskatoon Blades in the 1989 Memorial Cup final, defeating their provincial rivals in the first all-WHL national championship.[12] The Kamloops Blazers dominated the WHL in the early 1990s, capturing four league championships between 1990 and 1995 and three Memorial Cups to cap a period where WHL teams won seven Memorial Cup championships in a nine-year period between 1987 and 1995.[3][5]

In 2007, the league renamed the championship trophy the Ed Chynoweth Cup in honour of Ed Chynoweth's long tenure with the league.[3] Chynoweth had served as president of both the WHL and CHL, from 1972 and 1975 respectively, until leaving both posts in 1995 to form the Edmonton Ice. He remained with the franchise through its transfer to Kootenay and until his death in 2008.[3] Chynoweth was described by OHL commissioner David Branch as being "the architect of the Canadian Hockey League as we know it today".[13] Chynoweth was posthumously elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.[14]

List of winners
  • Number in parentheses denotes total championships won to that point
The Calgary Hitmen celebrate after winning the 2010 championship

By season
Season Winning team[3] Finalist[15] Games[15][a] Memorial Cup result
1966–67 Moose Jaw Canucks (1) Regina Pats 4–1 Ineligible[b]
1967–68 Estevan Bruins (1) Flin Flon Bombers 4–0–1 Estevan lost final[16][b]
1968–69 Flin Flon Bombers (1) Edmonton Oil Kings 4–2 Ineligible[b]
1969–70 Flin Flon Bombers (2) Edmonton Oil Kings 4–0 Ineligible[b]
1970–71 Edmonton Oil Kings (1) Flin Flon Bombers 4–1–1 Edmonton lost final[17]
1971–72 Edmonton Oil Kings (2) Regina Pats 4–1 Edmonton finished third[18]
1972–73 Medicine Hat Tigers (1) Saskatoon Blades 3–0–2 Medicine Hat finished third[19]
1973–74 Regina Pats (1) Calgary Centennials 4–0 Regina won Memorial Cup[6]
1974–75 New Westminster Bruins (1) Saskatoon Blades 4–3 New Westminster lost final[20]
1975–76 New Westminster Bruins (2) Saskatoon Blades 4–2–1 New Westminster lost final[21]
1976–77 New Westminster Bruins (3) Brandon Wheat Kings 4–1 New Westminster won Memorial Cup[6]
1977–78 New Westminster Bruins (4) Billings Bighorns 4–0 New Westminster won Memorial Cup[6]
1978–79 Brandon Wheat Kings (1) Portland Winter Hawks 4–2 Brandon lost final[22]
1979–80 Regina Pats (2) Victoria Cougars 4–1 Regina finished third[23]
1980–81 Victoria Cougars (1) Calgary Wranglers 4–3 Victoria finished third[24]
1981–82 Portland Winter Hawks (1) Regina Pats 4–1 Portland finished third[25]
1982–83 Lethbridge Broncos (1) Portland Winter Hawks 4–1 Portland won Memorial Cup[c]
Lethbridge finished fourth[26]
1983–84 Kamloops Blazers (1) Regina Pats 4–3 Kamloops finished third[27]
1984–85 Prince Albert Raiders (1) Kamloops Blazers 4–0 Prince Albert won Memorial Cup[6]
1985–86 Kamloops Blazers (2) Medicine Hat Tigers 4–1 Kamloops finished third[28]
Portland finished fourth[d]
1986–87 Medicine Hat Tigers (2) Portland Winter Hawks 4–3 Medicine Hat won Memorial Cup[6]
1987–88 Medicine Hat Tigers (3) Kamloops Blazers 4–2 Medicine Hat won Memorial Cup[6]
1988–89 Swift Current Broncos (1) Portland Winterhawks 4–0 Swift Current won Memorial Cup[12]
Saskatoon lost final[e]
1989–90 Kamloops Blazers (3) Lethbridge Hurricanes 4–1 Kamloops finished fourth[29]
1990–91 Spokane Chiefs (1) Lethbridge Hurricanes 4–0 Spokane Won Memorial Cup[6]
1991–92 Kamloops Blazers (4) Saskatoon Blades 4–3 Kamloops won Memorial Cup[6]
Seattle finished third[f]
1992–93 Swift Current Broncos (2) Portland Winter Hawks 4–3 Swift Current finished fourth[30]
1993–94 Kamloops Blazers (5) Saskatoon Blades 4–3 Kamloops Won Memorial Cup[6]
1994–95 Kamloops Blazers (6) Brandon Wheat Kings 4–2 Kamloops won Memorial Cup[6]
Brandon finished third[g]
1995–96 Brandon Wheat Kings (2) Spokane Chiefs 4–1 Brandon finished third[31]
1996–97 Lethbridge Hurricanes (1) Seattle Thunderbirds 4–0 Lethbridge lost final[32]
1997–98 Portland Winter Hawks (2) Brandon Wheat Kings 4–0 Portland won Memorial Cup[6]
Spokane finished third[h]
1998–99 Calgary Hitmen (1) Kamloops Blazers 4–1 Calgary lost final[33]
1999–2000 Kootenay Ice (1) Spokane Chiefs 4–2 Kootenay finished fourth[34]
2000–01 Red Deer Rebels (1) Portland Winter Hawks 4–1 Red Deer won Memorial Cup[6]
Regina finished third[i]
2001–02 Kootenay Ice (2) Red Deer Rebels 4–2 Kootenay won Memorial Cup[6]
2002–03 Kelowna Rockets (1) Red Deer Rebels 4–2 Kelowna finished third[35]
2003–04 Medicine Hat Tigers (4) Everett Silvertips 4–0 Kelowna won Memorial Cup[j]
Medicine Hat finished third[36]
2004–05 Kelowna Rockets (2) Brandon Wheat Kings 4–1 Kelowna finished fourth[37]
2005–06 Vancouver Giants (1) Moose Jaw Warriors 4–0 Vancouver finished third[38]
2006–07 Medicine Hat Tigers (5) Vancouver Giants 4–3 Vancouver won Memorial Cup[k]
Medicine Hat lost final[39]
2007–08 Spokane Chiefs (2) Lethbridge Hurricanes 4–0 Spokane won Memorial Cup[6]
2008–09 Kelowna Rockets (3) Calgary Hitmen 4–2 Kelowna lost final
2009–10 Calgary Hitmen (2) Tri-City Americans 4–1 Brandon lost final[l]
Calgary finished third
2010–11 Kootenay Ice (3) Portland Winterhawks 4–1 Kootenay finished third
2011–12 Edmonton Oil Kings (1) Portland Winterhawks 4–3 Edmonton finished fourth
2012–13 Portland Winterhawks (3) Edmonton Oil Kings 4–2 Portland lost final[m]
Saskatoon finished fourth
2013–14 Edmonton Oil Kings (2) Portland Winterhawks 4–3 Edmonton won Memorial Cup
2014–15 Kelowna Rockets (4) Brandon Wheat Kings 4–0 Kelowna lost final
2015–16 Brandon Wheat Kings (3) Seattle Thunderbirds 4–1 Brandon finished fourth
Red Deer lost semifinal
2016–17 Seattle Thunderbirds (1) Regina Pats 4–2 Seattle finished fourth
2017–18 Swift Current Broncos (3) Everett Silvertips 4–2 Swift Current finished fourth
Regina lost final
2018–19 Prince Albert Raiders (2) Vancouver Giants 4–3 Prince Albert finished fourth
2019–20 WHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — Ed Chynoweth Cup not awarded[40]
2020–21 WHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — Ed Chynoweth Cup not awarded[41]
2021–22 Edmonton Oil Kings (3) Seattle Thunderbirds 4–2 Edmonton finished fourth
2022–23 Seattle Thunderbirds (2) Winnipeg Ice 4–1 Seattle lost final

By team
Team Won Lost Years Won Years Lost Finals Appearances
Kamloops Blazers 6 3 1983–84, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95 1984–85, 1987–88, 1998–99 9
Edmonton Oil Kings[n] 5 3 1970–71, 1971–72, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2021–22 1968–69, 1969–70, 2012–13 8
Medicine Hat Tigers 5 1 1972–73, 1986–87, 1987–88, 2003–04, 2006–07 1985–86 6
New Westminster Bruins 4 0 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78 — 4
Kelowna Rockets 4 0 2002–03, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2014–15 — 4
Portland Winterhawks 3 9 1981–82, 1997–98, 2012–13 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2000–01, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 12
Brandon Wheat Kings 3 5 1978–79, 1995–96, 2015–16 1976–77, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2014–15 8
Swift Current Broncos 3 0 1988–89, 1992–93, 2017–18 — 3
Kootenay Ice 3 0 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2010–11 — 3
Regina Pats 2 5 1973–74, 1979–80 1966–67, 1971–72, 1981–82, 1983–84, 2016–17 7
Seattle Thunderbirds 2 3 2016–17, 2022–23 1996–97, 2015–16, 2021–22 5
Flin Flon Bombers 2 2 1968–69, 1969–70 1967–68, 1970–71 4
Spokane Chiefs 2 2 1990–91, 2007–08 1995–96, 1999–2000 4
Calgary Hitmen 2 1 1998–99, 2009–10 2008–09 3
Prince Albert Raiders 2 0 1984–85, 2018–19 — 2
Lethbridge Hurricanes 1 3 1996–97 1989–90, 1990–91, 2007–08 4
Red Deer Rebels 1 2 2000–01 2001–02, 2002–03 3
Vancouver Giants 1 2 2005–06 2006–07, 2018–19 3
Victoria Cougars 1 1 1980–81 1979–80 2
Moose Jaw Canucks 1 0 1966–67 — 1
Estevan Bruins 1 0 1967–68 — 1
Saskatoon Blades 0 5 — 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1991–92, 1993–94 5
Everett Silvertips 0 2 — 2003–04, 2017–18 2
Calgary Centennials 0 1 — 1973–74 1
Billings Bighorns 0 1 — 1977–78 1
Calgary Wranglers 0 1 — 1980–81 1
Moose Jaw Warriors 0 1 — 2005–06 1
Tri-City Americans 0 1 — 2009–10 1
Winnipeg Ice 0 1 — 2022–23 1

See also

Notes
  • a In some playoff years, ties were possible, and are noted in win–loss–tie format
  • b The league did not receive official sanctioning by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association until 1971, and thus was not eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup between 1967 and 1970.[42] In spite of this, the 1968 Estevan Bruins did compete in the Memorial Cup final, the only team in the WHL's first four years permitted to do so.[16]
  • c Portland qualified for the 1983 Memorial Cup as the host team.[9]
  • d Portland qualified for the 1986 Memorial Cup as the host team after New Westminster withdrew as the host.[43]
  • e Saskatoon qualified for the 1989 Memorial Cup as the host team.[12]
  • f Seattle qualified for the 1992 Memorial Cup as the host team.[44]
  • g Kamloops both hosted the 1995 Memorial Cup and qualified as the league winner. As the losing finalist, Brandon played as the WHL's second representative.[45]
  • h Spokane qualified for the 1998 Memorial Cup as the host team.[46]
  • i Regina qualified for the 2001 Memorial Cup as the host team.[47]
  • j Kelowna qualified for the 2004 Memorial Cup as the host team.[36]
  • k Vancouver qualified for the 2007 Memorial Cup as the host team.[48]
  • l Brandon qualified for the 2010 Memorial Cup as the host team.
  • m Saskatoon qualified for the 2013 Memorial Cup as the host team.[49]
  • n The original Oil Kings moved to Portland in 1976; the team was revived via expansion in 2007.

References
General
  • Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup. Harbour Publishing. ISBN 1-55017-170-4.
Specific
  1. "CMJHL may play without official sanction of CAHA". Calgary Herald. 1966-10-05. p. 55.
  2. "Buffaloes continue program". Calgary Herald. 1966-10-04. p. 14.
  3. "Ed Chynoweth Cup". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  4. The Memorial Cup, p.158
  5. Flett, Corey; Watts, Jessie, eds. (2008). 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 206.
  6. "Memorial Cup Winners". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2009-02-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. Matheson, Jim (1976-05-26). "Oil Kings get CAHA nod for move to Portland". Edmonton Journal. p. 67.
  8. The Memorial Cup, p.204
  9. The Memorial Cup, p.208
  10. Naylor, David; Leriche, Timothy (1986-12-31). "Tragedy hits hockey club". Calgary Sun. p. 5.
  11. The Memorial Cup, pp. 236–237
  12. The Memorial Cup, p.238
  13. "Former WHL President Chynoweth passes away". TSN. 2008-04-22. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  14. "Hockey Hall of Fame Announces 2008 Inductees". Hockey Hall of Fame. 2008-06-17. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  15. Flett, Corey; Watts, Jessie, eds. (2008). 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. pp. 146–186.
  16. The Memorial Cup, p.145
  17. The Memorial Cup, p.159
  18. The Memorial Cup, p.163
  19. The Memorial Cup, p.166
  20. The Memorial Cup, p.174
  21. The Memorial Cup, p.178
  22. The Memorial Cup, p.191
  23. The Memorial Cup, p.197
  24. The Memorial Cup, p.202
  25. The Memorial Cup, p.206
  26. The Memorial Cup, pp.210–211
  27. The Memorial Cup, p.216
  28. The Memorial Cup, p.225
  29. The Memorial Cup, p.242
  30. The Memorial Cup, p.257
  31. The Memorial Cup, p.271
  32. The Memorial Cup, p.277
  33. Sportak, Randy (1999-05-24). "'I'm in shock'". Calgary Sun. p. S2.
  34. Cook, Jon (2000-05-24). "Colts win Memorial Cup marathon". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved 2009-02-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  35. "The 2003 Memorial Cup". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  36. "The 2004 Memorial Cup". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  37. "The 2005 Memorial Cup". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  38. "The 2006 Memorial Cup". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  39. "Giants crowned 2007 Memorial Cup Champions". Slam! Sports. 2007-05-29. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2009-02-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  40. Johnston, Patrick (March 23, 2020). "COVID-19 forces cancellation of CHL playoffs and 2020 Memorial Cup". The Province. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  41. "WHL cancels 2021 playoffs, citing COVID-19 challenges". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  42. The Memorial Cup, p.141
  43. The Memorial Cup, p.223
  44. The Memorial Cup, p.251
  45. The Memorial Cup, p.264
  46. Weaver, Dan (1996-12-03). "A Memorial Day Spokane Awarded The Final Four Of Major Junior Hockey For 1998". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  47. "Regina to host 2001 Memorial Cup". CBC News. 1999-12-06. Archived from the original on 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  48. "Competing Teams Announced for MasterCard Memorial Cup". WHL. 2007-05-15. Archived from the original on 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  49. "Saskatoon Blades to host 2013 Memorial Cup". Sportsnet.ca. 2011-10-12. Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2011-10-12.

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