J. Ross Robertson Cup

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.

Not to be confused with J. Ross Robertson Cup (senior ice hockey) or J. Ross Robertson Cup (intermediate ice hockey).

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 recentPeterborough Petes (10)

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
SeasonChampionTotal goalsFinalistOHA Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result[note 2]
1910–11Kingston Frontenacs21–11Orillia Hockey Clubnot applicable[note 3]
1911–12Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers16–7Orillia Hockey Club
1912–13Orillia Hockey Club14–8Woodstock Juniors
1913–14Orillia Hockey Club13–7University of Toronto Schools
1914–15University of Toronto Schools16–11Berlin Union Jacks
1915–16Toronto Aura Lee6–4Berlin Union Jacks
1916–17Toronto Aura Lee18–5Kitchener Union Jacks
1917–18Toronto De La Salle College10–8Barrie Canoe Club
1918–19University of Toronto Schools8–7Woodstock Juniors1919 Memorial Cup champion
1919–20Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers15–8Stratford Midgets1920 Memorial Cup champion
1920–21Stratford Midgets7–3Queen's University1921 Memorial Cup finalist
1921–22Toronto Aura Lee6–4Toronto St. Mary'sEastern Canada finalist
1922–23Kitchener Colts7–4University of Toronto Schools1923 Memorial Cup finalist
1923–24Owen Sound Greys12–7Kitchener Colts1924 Memorial Cup champion
1924–25Toronto Aura Lee14–11Owen Sound Greys1925 Memorial Cup finalist
1925–26Queen's University7–4Owen Sound Greys1926 Memorial Cup finalist
1926–27Owen Sound Greys7–3Newmarket Redmen1927 Memorial Cup champion
1927–28Toronto Marlboros4–3Newmarket RedmenEastern Canada finalist
1928–29Toronto Marlboros4–3Kitchener Greenshirts1929 Memorial Cup champion
1929–30West Toronto Nationals11–9Niagara Falls Cataracts1930 Memorial Cup finalist
1930–31Niagara Falls Cataracts12–7West Toronto NationalsEastern Canada finalist
1931–32Toronto Marlboros4–1Newmarket RedmenEastern 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
SeasonChampionSeries
(W–L–T)		FinalistOHA / OHL Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result[note 5][note 6]
1932–33Newmarket Redmen2–1–1Stratford Midgets1933 Memorial Cup champion
1933–34Toronto St. Michael's Majors2–0Stratford Midgets1934 Memorial Cup champion
1934–35Kitchener GreenshirtsDefault
[note 7]		Oshawa Majorsdid not participate[note 7]
1935–36West Toronto Nationals2–0Kitchener Greenshirts1936 Memorial Cup champion
1936–37Toronto St. Michael's Majors3–2Stratford MidgetsEastern Canada quarter-finalist
1937–38Oshawa Generals3–0Guelph Indians1938 Memorial Cup finalist
1938–39Oshawa Generals3–0Toronto Native Sons1939 Memorial Cup champion
1939–40Oshawa Generals3–2Toronto Marlboros1940 Memorial Cup champion
1940–41Oshawa Generals4–3Toronto MarlborosEastern Canada finalist
1941–42Oshawa Generals3–2Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters1942 Memorial Cup finalist
1942–43Oshawa Generals4–1Brantford Lions1943 Memorial Cup finalist
1943–44Oshawa Generals4–1Toronto St. Michael's Majors1944 Memorial Cup champion
1944–45Toronto St. Michael's Majors4–0Galt Red Wings1945 Memorial Cup champion
1945–46Toronto St. Michael's Majors4–2Oshawa Generals1946 Memorial Cup finalist
1946–47Toronto St. Michael's Majors4–0Galt Red Wings1947 Memorial Cup champion
1947–48Barrie Flyers4–2Windsor Spitfires1948 Memorial Cup finalist
1948–49Barrie Flyers4–0Toronto MarlborosEastern Canada finalist
1949–50Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters4–2Windsor SpitfiresEastern Canada finalist
1950–51Barrie Flyers4–2Toronto Marlboros1951 Memorial Cup champion
1951–52Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters4–1St. Catharines Teepees1952 Memorial Cup champion
1952–53Barrie Flyers5–3Toronto St. Michael's Majors1953 Memorial Cup champion
1953–54St. Catharines Teepees4–3Toronto Marlboros1954 Memorial Cup champion
1954–55Toronto Marlboros4–2St. Catharines Teepees1955 Memorial Cup champion
1955–56Toronto Marlboros4–1Barrie Flyers1956 Memorial Cup champion
1956–57Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters4–2St. Catharines TeepeesEastern Canada finalist
1957–58Toronto Marlboros4–1–1Hamilton Tiger CubsEastern Canada finalist
1958–59Peterborough TPT Petes3–2–3Toronto St. Michael's Majors1959 Memorial Cup finalist
1959–60St. Catharines Teepees4–1–1Toronto St. Michael's Majors1960 Memorial Cup champion
1960–61Toronto St. Michael's Majors4–2–1Guelph Royals1961 Memorial Cup champion
1961–62Hamilton Red Wings4–1Toronto St. Michael's Majors1962 Memorial Cup champion
1962–63Niagara Falls Flyers4–2Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons1963 Memorial Cup finalist
1963–64Toronto Marlboros4–0–1Montreal Junior Canadiens1964 Memorial Cup champion
1964–65Niagara Falls Flyers4–1Toronto Marlboros1965 Memorial Cup champion
1965–66Oshawa Generals4–1Kitchener Rangers1966 Memorial Cup finalist
1966–67Toronto Marlboros4–0Hamilton Red Wings1967 Memorial Cup champion
1967–68Niagara Falls Flyers4–3–1Kitchener Rangers1968 Memorial Cup champion
1968–69Montreal Junior Canadiens4–0–2St. Catharines Black Hawks1969 Memorial Cup champion
1969–70Montreal Junior Canadiens4–2Toronto Marlboros1970 Memorial Cup champion
1970–71St. Catharines Black Hawks4–0Toronto MarlborosEastern Canada finalist
1971–72Peterborough Petes3–0–2Ottawa 67's1972 Memorial Cup finalist
1972–73Toronto Marlboros3–2–2Peterborough Petes1973 Memorial Cup champion
1973–74St. Catharines Black Hawks4–0–1Peterborough Petes3rd place at 1974 Memorial Cup
1974–75Toronto Marlboros4–3Hamilton Fincups1975 Memorial Cup champion
1975–76Hamilton Fincups4–2Sudbury Wolves1976 Memorial Cup champion
1976–77Ottawa 67's4–2London Knights1977 Memorial Cup finalist
1977–78Peterborough Petes4–3Hamilton Fincups1978 Memorial Cup finalist
1978–79Peterborough Petes4–3Niagara Falls Flyers1979 Memorial Cup champion
1979–80Peterborough Petes4–0Windsor Spitfires1980 Memorial Cup finalist
1980–81Kitchener Rangers3–0–3Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds1981 Memorial Cup finalist
1981–82Kitchener Rangers4–0–1Ottawa 67's1982 Memorial Cup champion
1982–83Oshawa Generals4–0Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds1983 Memorial Cup finalist
1983–84Ottawa 67's3–1–2Kitchener Rangers1984 Memorial Cup champion
Kitchener, 1984 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
1984–85Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds4–2–1Peterborough Petes3rd place at 1985 Memorial Cup
1985–86Guelph Platers3–2–2Belleville Bulls1986 Memorial Cup champion
1986–87Oshawa Generals4–3North Bay Centennials1987 Memorial Cup finalist
1987–88Windsor Compuware Spitfires4–0Peterborough Petes1988 Memorial Cup finalist
1988–89Peterborough Petes4–2Niagara Falls Thunder3rd place at 1989 Memorial Cup
1989–90Oshawa Generals4–3Kitchener Rangers1990 Memorial Cup champion
Kitchener 1990 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
1990–91Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds4–2Oshawa Generals4th place at 1991 Memorial Cup
1991–92Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds4–3North Bay Centennials1992 Memorial Cup finalist
1992–93Peterborough Petes4–1Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsPeterborough, 1993 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
Sault Ste. Marie, 1993 Memorial Cup champion
1993–94North Bay Centennials4–3Detroit Junior Red Wings4th place at 1994 Memorial Cup
1994–95Detroit Junior Red Wings4–2Guelph Storm1995 Memorial Cup finalist
1995–96Peterborough Petes4–3Guelph StormPeterborough, 1996 Memorial Cup finalist
Guelph, 4th place at 1996 Memorial Cup[note 6]
1996–97Oshawa Generals4–2Ottawa 67's3rd place at 1997 Memorial Cup
1997–98Guelph Storm4–1Ottawa 67's1998 Memorial Cup finalist
1998–99Belleville Bulls4–3London Knights3rd place at 1999 Memorial Cup
1999–2000Barrie Colts4–3Plymouth Whalers2000 Memorial Cup finalist
2000–01Ottawa 67's4–2Plymouth Whalers4th place at 2001 Memorial Cup
2001–02Erie Otters4–1Barrie Colts3rd place at 2002 Memorial Cup
2002–03Kitchener Rangers4–1Ottawa 67's2003 Memorial Cup champion
2003–04Guelph Storm4–0Mississauga IceDogs4th place at 2004 Memorial Cup
2004–05London Knights4–1Ottawa 67'sLondon, 2005 Memorial Cup champion
Ottawa, 3rd place at 2005 Memorial Cup[note 6]
2005–06Peterborough Petes4–0London Knights4th place at 2006 Memorial Cup
2006–07Plymouth Whalers4–2Sudbury Wolves3rd place at 2007 Memorial Cup
2007–08Kitchener Rangers4–3Belleville BullsKitchener, 2008 Memorial Cup finalist
Belleville, 3rd place at 2008 Memorial Cup[note 6]
2008–09Windsor Spitfires4–1Brampton Battalion2009 Memorial Cup champion
2009–10Windsor Spitfires4–0Barrie Colts2010 Memorial Cup champion
2010–11Owen Sound Attack4–3Mississauga St. Michael's MajorsOwen Sound, 4th place at 2011 Memorial Cup
Mississauga, 2011 Memorial Cup finalist[note 6]
2011–12London Knights4–1Niagara IceDogs2012 Memorial Cup finalist
2012–13London Knights4–3Barrie Colts3rd place at 2013 Memorial Cup
2013–14Guelph Storm4–1North Bay Battalion2014 Memorial Cup finalist
2014–15Oshawa Generals4–1Erie Otters2015 Memorial Cup champion
2015–16London Knights4–0Niagara IceDogs2016 Memorial Cup champion
2016–17Erie Otters4–1Mississauga Steelheads2017 Memorial Cup finalist
2017–18Hamilton Bulldogs4–2Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds3rd place at 2018 Memorial Cup
2018–19Guelph Storm4–2Ottawa 67's3rd place at 2019 Memorial Cup
2019–20OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded[22]
2020–21Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[23]
2021–22Hamilton Bulldogs4–3Windsor Spitfires2022 Memorial Cup finalist
2022–23Peterborough Petes4–2London Knights3rd place at 2023 Memorial Cup

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. 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. 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. John Ross Robertson fonds, Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Libraries, 1918
      2. "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. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
      5. Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 8–9
      6. 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. Ontario Hockey Association (2006), p. W-13
      14. 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. 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.icon of an open green padlock
      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
      • Bell, Aaron (2017). 2017–18 OHL Media Information Guide (PDF). Scarborough, Ontario: Ontario Hockey League. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
      • Fitsell, J.W. (Bill) (2012). Captain James T. Sutherland: The Grand Old Man of Hockey & The Battle for the Original Hockey Hall of Fame. Kingston, Ontario: Quarry Heritage Books. ISBN 978-1-55082-374-5.
      • Lapp, Richard M.; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. ISBN 1-55017-170-4.
      • Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2005). Silverware. Bolton, Ontario: Fenn Publishing Company. ISBN 1-55168-296-6.
      • Annual Report: Constitution, Regulations and Rules of Competition. Cambridge, Ontario: Ontario Hockey Association. 2006.

      See also
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