![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Memorial_Cup_at_the_2015_championship.jpg/640px-Memorial_Cup_at_the_2015_championship.jpg&w=640&q=50)
List of Memorial Cup champions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champion. Each year the champions from three CHL member leagues—the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host team—compete in the Memorial Cup Tournament. The OHL's Saginaw Spirit are the defending champions.
![A silver cup attached to a large black base with several medallions each engraved with the name of the team and players for each successive champion.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Memorial_Cup_at_the_2015_championship.jpg/640px-Memorial_Cup_at_the_2015_championship.jpg)
Known originally as the OHA Memorial Cup, it was donated in 1919 by the Ontario Hockey Association in honour of the soldiers who died fighting for Canada in World War I. In 2010, the trophy was rededicated to honour all soldiers who died for Canada in any conflict. From its donation in 1919 until 1971, the Memorial Cup was awarded via a series of playoffs to the junior hockey champion of Canada. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association moved to the current tournament format in 1972 when it divided Junior A hockey into two tiers, naming the Memorial Cup as the championship of the Major Junior rank. Sixty teams across the CHL's three member leagues are eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup, representing nine provinces and four American states.
The Western Hockey League has won the title 19 times since the adoption of the three league tournament format in 1972. The Ontario Hockey League has 18 titles, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has 14.[1]
Since the creation of the Memorial Cup, the Toronto Marlboros have won the most titles with seven. Among currently active teams, the Oshawa Generals lead with five titles, the latest one in 2015, while the Regina Pats follow with four.