# Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy

The Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League West Division's most outstanding player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division. Either this trophy winner or the winner of the Terry Evanshen Trophy also receives the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Player Award.
The Nicklin Memorial Trophy was donated to the Western Interprovincial Football Union in 1946 by the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, in memory of their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Jeff Nicklin, who was killed in action on March 24, 1945. Nicklin was known as an outstanding defensive end for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before he entered military service.
When first donated, the trophy was awarded annually to the player in the Western Division considered to be the most valuable to his team. Since 1973, the trophy is awarded to the Most Outstanding Player of the West Division. As part of the failed American expansion in 1995, the trophy was awarded to the Most Outstanding Player of the North Division.

## Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners (1946–1972)

| Year | Player | Position | Team |
| Jeff Nickln Memorial Trophy winners (1946—1972) ||||
| 1946 | Bill Wusyk | Wide receiver | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1947 | Bob Sandberg | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1948 | Keith Spaith | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1949 | Keith Spaith | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1950 | Lindy Berry | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1951 | Glenn Dobbs | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1952 | Jack Jacobs | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1953 | John Henry Johnson | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1954 | Jackie Parker | Running back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1955 | Ken Carpenter | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1956 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1957 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1958 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1959 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1960 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1961 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1962 | Eagle Day | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1963 | Joe Kapp | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 1964 | Tom Brown | Linebacker | BC Lions |
| 1965 | George Reed | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1966 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1967 | Peter Liske | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1968 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1969 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1970 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1971 | Don Jonas | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1972 | Mack Herron | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |

## Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners (1973–present)

Bold indicates a player who went on to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
| Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners (1973—present) ||||
| 1973 | George McGowan | Wide receiver | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1974 | Tom Wilkinson | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1975 | Willie Burden | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1976 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1977 | Jerry Tagge | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 1978 | Tom Wilkinson | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1979 | Waddell Smith | Wide receiver | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1980 | Dieter Brock | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1981 | Dieter Brock | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1982 | Tom Scott | Slotback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1983 | Warren Moon | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1984 | Willard Reaves | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1985 | Mervyn Fernandez | Wide receiver | BC Lions |
| 1986 | James Murphy | Wide receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1987 | Brian Kelly | Wide receiver | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1988 | David Williams | Wide receiver | BC Lions |
| 1989 | Tracy Ham | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1990 | Craig Ellis | Slotback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1991 | Doug Flutie | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 1992 | Doug Flutie | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1993 | Doug Flutie | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1994 | Doug Flutie | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1995 | Dave Sapunjis | Slotback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1996 | Robert Mimbs | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1997 | Jeff Garcia | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1998 | Kelvin Anderson | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1999 | Allen Pitts | Slotback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2000 | Dave Dickenson | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2001 | Kelvin Anderson | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2002 | Milt Stegall | Slotback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2003 | Dave Dickenson | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 2004 | Casey Printers | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 2005 | Corey Holmes | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2006 | Geroy Simon | Slotback | BC Lions |
| 2007 | Kerry Joseph | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2008 | Henry Burris | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2009 | Joffrey Reynolds | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2010 | Henry Burris | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2011 | Travis Lulay | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 2012 | Jon Cornish | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2013 | Jon Cornish | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2014 | Solomon Elimimian | Linebacker | BC Lions |
| 2015 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2016 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2017 | Mike Reilly | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 2018 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2019 | Cody Fajardo | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2020 | Season cancelled – COVID-19 | Season cancelled – COVID-19 | Season cancelled – COVID-19 |
| 2021 | Zach Collaros | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2022 | Zach Collaros | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2023 | Brady Oliveira | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2024 | Brady Oliveira | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |

## Most Outstanding Player in the Western Interprovincial Football Union or Western Football Conference (1953–1972)

Note: Prior to 1973 the Canadian Football League West Division's Most Outstanding Player was not the winner of the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy, which was a separate award.
Bold indicates a player who went on to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
| Most Outstanding Player in the Western Interprovincial Football Union or Western Football Conference (1946—1972) ||||
| 1953 | Billy Vessels | Running back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1954 | Rollie Miles | Halfback/linebacker/Defensive back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1955 | Jackie Parker | Halfback/Quarterback/Defensive back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1955 | Ken Carpenter | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1956 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1957 | Jackie Parker | Running back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1958 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1959 | Johnny Bright | Running back | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1960 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1961 | Jackie Parker | Quarterback | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1962 | Tommy Joe Coffey | Wide receiver | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1963 | Joe Kapp | Quarterback | BC Lions |
| 1964 | Lovell Coleman | Running back | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1965 | George Reed | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1966 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1967 | Peter Liske | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1968 | George Reed | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1969 | George Reed | Running back | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1970 | Ron Lancaster | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1971 | Don Jonas | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1972 | Mack Herron | Running back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |