J. Ross Robertson Cup

The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Ontario Hockey League playoff championship. It was presented by and named for John Ross Robertson, the president of the Ontario Hockey Association who served from 1899 to 1905.
Originally it was awarded to the winner of the OHA's junior playoffs. In 1933–34 it was re-designated for annual presentation to the association's Junior A champion. The first Junior A winners were the Toronto St. Michael's Majors.
When the top junior level in Ontario was again separated into two categories in 1970–71, the Robertson Cup remained with the higher tier as its championship trophy. This has remained constant through the series changing its name to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League in 1974 and to the Ontario Hockey League in 1980.
==History==
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). 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. He was against professionalism in sports, and felt that "sport should be pursued for its own sake, for when professionalism begins, true sport ends".
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. The cup is a sterling silver bowl tall, engraved with a hockey-playing scene and interlaced maple leaves in bas-relief. 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.Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 8–9
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.Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 26–27 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.Podnieks, Andrew (2005), pp. 42–43 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.
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.Fitsell, J.W. (Bill) (2012), p. 78 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 1980.2017–18 OHL Media Information Guide, pp. 168–169
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.2017–18 OHL Media Information Guide, p. 145 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.
==List of cup winners==
===1911 to 1932===
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.Ontario Hockey Association (2006), p. W-13Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 11
List of winning teams and finalists from 1911 to 1932.
Season 	Champion 	Total goals	Finalist 	OHA Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result
1910–11	Kingston Frontenacs 	21–11 	Orillia Hockey Club 	not applicable
1911–12	Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers 	16–7 	Orillia Hockey Club 	not applicable
1912–13	Orillia Hockey Club 	14–8 	Woodstock Juniors 	not applicable
1913–14	Orillia Hockey Club 	13–7 	University of Toronto Schools	not applicable
1914–15	University of Toronto Schools	16–11 	Berlin Union Jacks 	not applicable
1915–16	Toronto Aura Lee 	6–4 	Berlin Union Jacks 	not applicable
1916–17	Toronto Aura Lee 	18–5 	Kitchener Union Jacks 	not applicable
1917–18	Toronto De La Salle College 	10–8 	Barrie Canoe Club 	not applicable
1918–19	University of Toronto Schools	8–7 	Woodstock Juniors 	1919 Memorial Cup champion
1919–20	Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers 	15–8 	Stratford Midgets 	1920 Memorial Cup champion
1920–21	Stratford Midgets 	7–3 	Queen's University 	1921 Memorial Cup finalist
1921–22	Toronto Aura Lee 	6–4 	Toronto St. Mary's 	Eastern Canada finalist
1922–23	Kitchener Colts 	7–4 	University of Toronto Schools	1923 Memorial Cup finalist
1923–24	Owen Sound Greys 	12–7 	Kitchener Colts 	1924 Memorial Cup champion
1924–25	Toronto Aura Lee 	14–11 	Owen Sound Greys 	1925 Memorial Cup finalist
1925–26	Queen's University 	7–4 	Owen Sound Greys 	1926 Memorial Cup finalist
1926–27	Owen Sound Greys 	7–3 	Newmarket Redmen 	1927 Memorial Cup champion
1927–28	Toronto Marlboros 	4–3 	Newmarket Redmen 	Eastern Canada finalist
1928–29	Toronto Marlboros 	4–3 	Kitchener Greenshirts 	1929 Memorial Cup champion
1929–30	West Toronto Nationals 	11–9 	Niagara Falls Cataracts 	1930 Memorial Cup finalist
1930–31	Niagara Falls Cataracts 	12–7 	West Toronto Nationals 	Eastern Canada finalist
1931–32	Toronto Marlboros 	4–1 	Newmarket Redmen 	Eastern 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.
List of OHA (to 1979) / OHL (since 1980) winning teams and runner-up finalists since 1933.
Season 	Champion 	Serieswins-losses-ties 	Finalist 	OHA / OHL Champion's subsequent Memorial Cup result
1932–33 	Newmarket Redmen 	2–1–1 	Stratford Midgets 	1933 Memorial Cup champion
1933–34 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	2–0 	Stratford Midgets 	1934 Memorial Cup champion
1934–35 	Kitchener Greenshirts 	Default 	Oshawa Majors 	did not participate
1935–36 	West Toronto Nationals 	2–0 	Kitchener Greenshirts 	1936 Memorial Cup champion
1936–37 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	3–2 	Stratford Midgets 	Eastern Canada quarter-finalist
1937–38 	Oshawa Generals 	3–0 	Guelph Indians 	1938 Memorial Cup finalist
1938–39 	Oshawa Generals 	3–0 	Toronto Native Sons 	1939 Memorial Cup champion
1939–40 	Oshawa Generals 	3–2 	Toronto Marlboros 	1940 Memorial Cup champion
1940–41 	Oshawa Generals 	4–3 	Toronto Marlboros 	Eastern Canada finalist
1941–42 	Oshawa Generals 	3–2 	Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 	1942 Memorial Cup finalist
1942–43 	Oshawa Generals 	4–1 	Brantford Lions 	1943 Memorial Cup finalist
1943–44 	Oshawa Generals 	4–1 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	1944 Memorial Cup champion
1944–45 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	4–0 	Galt Red Wings 	1945 Memorial Cup champion
1945–46 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	4–2 	Oshawa Generals 	1946 Memorial Cup finalist
1946–47 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	4–0 	Galt Red Wings 	1947 Memorial Cup champion
1947–48 	Barrie Flyers 	4–2 	Windsor Spitfires 	1948 Memorial Cup finalist
1948–49 	Barrie Flyers 	4–0 	Toronto Marlboros 	Eastern Canada finalist
1949–50 	Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 	4–2 	Windsor Spitfires 	Eastern Canada finalist
1950–51 	Barrie Flyers 	4–2 	Toronto Marlboros 	1951 Memorial Cup champion
1951–52 	Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 	4–1 	St. Catharines Teepees 	1952 Memorial Cup champion
1952–53 	Barrie Flyers 	5–3 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	1953 Memorial Cup champion
1953–54 	St. Catharines Teepees 	4–3 	Toronto Marlboros 	1954 Memorial Cup champion
1954–55 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–2 	St. Catharines Teepees 	1955 Memorial Cup champion
1955–56 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–1 	Barrie Flyers 	1956 Memorial Cup champion
1956–57 	Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 	4–2 	St. Catharines Teepees 	Eastern Canada finalist
1957–58 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–1–1 	Hamilton Tiger Cubs 	Eastern Canada finalist
1958–59 	Peterborough TPT Petes 	3–2–3 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	1959 Memorial Cup finalist
1959–60 	St. Catharines Teepees 	4–1–1 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	1960 Memorial Cup champion
1960–61 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	4–2–1 	Guelph Royals 	1961 Memorial Cup champion
1961–62 	Hamilton Red Wings 	4–1 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	1962 Memorial Cup champion
1962–63 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	4–2 	Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons 	1963 Memorial Cup finalist
1963–64 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–0–1 	Montreal Junior Canadiens 	1964 Memorial Cup champion
1964–65 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	4–1 	Toronto Marlboros 	1965 Memorial Cup champion
1965–66 	Oshawa Generals 	4–1 	Kitchener Rangers 	1966 Memorial Cup finalist
1966–67 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–0 	Hamilton Red Wings 	1967 Memorial Cup champion
1967–68 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	4–3–1 	Kitchener Rangers 	1968 Memorial Cup champion
1968–69 	Montreal Junior Canadiens 	4–0–2 	St. Catharines Black Hawks 	1969 Memorial Cup champion
1969–70 	Montreal Junior Canadiens 	4–2 	Toronto Marlboros 	1970 Memorial Cup champion
1970–71 	St. Catharines Black Hawks 	4–0 	Toronto Marlboros 	Eastern Canada finalist
1971–72 	Peterborough Petes 	3–0–2 	Ottawa 67's 	1972 Memorial Cup finalist
1972–73 	Toronto Marlboros 	3–2–2 	Peterborough Petes 	1973 Memorial Cup champion
1973–74 	St. Catharines Black Hawks 	4–0–1 	Peterborough Petes 	3rd place at 1974 Memorial Cup
1974–75 	Toronto Marlboros 	4–3 	Hamilton Fincups 	1975 Memorial Cup champion
1975–76 	Hamilton Fincups 	4–2 	Sudbury Wolves 	1976 Memorial Cup champion
1976–77 	Ottawa 67's 	4–2 	London Knights 	1977 Memorial Cup finalist
1977–78 	Peterborough Petes 	4–3 	Hamilton Fincups 	1978 Memorial Cup finalist
1978–79 	Peterborough Petes 	4–3 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	1979 Memorial Cup champion
1979–80 	Peterborough Petes 	4–0 	Windsor Spitfires 	1980 Memorial Cup finalist
1980–81 	Kitchener Rangers 	3–0–3 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	1981 Memorial Cup finalist
1981–82 	Kitchener Rangers 	4–0–1 	Ottawa 67's 	1982 Memorial Cup champion
1982–83 	Oshawa Generals 	4–0 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	1983 Memorial Cup finalist
1983–84 	Ottawa 67's 	3–1–2 	Kitchener Rangers 	1984 Memorial Cup champion
1983–84 	Ottawa 67's 	3–1–2 	Kitchener Rangers 	Kitchener, 1984 Memorial Cup finalist
1984–85 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	4–2–1 	Peterborough Petes 	3rd place at 1985 Memorial Cup
1985–86 	Guelph Platers 	3–2–2 	Belleville Bulls 	1986 Memorial Cup champion
1986–87 	Oshawa Generals 	4–3 	North Bay Centennials 	1987 Memorial Cup finalist
1987–88 	Windsor Compuware Spitfires 	4–0 	Peterborough Petes 	1988 Memorial Cup finalist
1988–89 	Peterborough Petes 	4–2 	Niagara Falls Thunder 	3rd place at 1989 Memorial Cup
1989–90 	Oshawa Generals 	4–3 	Kitchener Rangers 	1990 Memorial Cup champion
1989–90 	Oshawa Generals 	4–3 	Kitchener Rangers 	Kitchener 1990 Memorial Cup finalist
1990–91 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	4–2 	Oshawa Generals 	4th place at 1991 Memorial Cup
1991–92 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	4–3 	North Bay Centennials 	1992 Memorial Cup finalist
1992–93 	Peterborough Petes 	4–1 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	Peterborough, 1993 Memorial Cup finalist
1992–93 	Peterborough Petes 	4–1 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	Sault Ste. Marie, 1993 Memorial Cup champion
1993–94 	North Bay Centennials 	4–3 	Detroit Junior Red Wings 	4th place at 1994 Memorial Cup
1994–95 	Detroit Junior Red Wings 	4–2 	Guelph Storm 	1995 Memorial Cup finalist
1995–96 	Peterborough Petes 	4–3 	Guelph Storm 	Peterborough, 1996 Memorial Cup finalist
1995–96 	Peterborough Petes 	4–3 	Guelph Storm 	Guelph, 4th place at 1996 Memorial Cup
1996–97 	Oshawa Generals 	4–2 	Ottawa 67's 	3rd place at 1997 Memorial Cup
1997–98 	Guelph Storm 	4–1 	Ottawa 67's 	1998 Memorial Cup finalist
1998–99 	Belleville Bulls 	4–3 	London Knights 	3rd place at 1999 Memorial Cup
1999–2000	Barrie Colts 	4–3 	Plymouth Whalers 	2000 Memorial Cup finalist
2000–01 	Ottawa 67's 	4–2 	Plymouth Whalers 	4th place at 2001 Memorial Cup
2001–02 	Erie Otters 	4–1 	Barrie Colts 	3rd place at 2002 Memorial Cup
2002–03 	Kitchener Rangers 	4–1 	Ottawa 67's 	2003 Memorial Cup champion
2003–04 	Guelph Storm 	4–0 	Mississauga IceDogs 	4th place at 2004 Memorial Cup
2004–05 	London Knights 	4–1 	Ottawa 67's 	London, 2005 Memorial Cup champion
2004–05 	London Knights 	4–1 	Ottawa 67's 	Ottawa, 3rd place at 2005 Memorial Cup
2005–06 	Peterborough Petes 	4–0 	London Knights 	4th place at 2006 Memorial Cup
2006–07 	Plymouth Whalers 	4–2 	Sudbury Wolves 	3rd place at 2007 Memorial Cup
2007–08 	Kitchener Rangers 	4–3 	Belleville Bulls 	Kitchener, 2008 Memorial Cup finalist
2007–08 	Kitchener Rangers 	4–3 	Belleville Bulls 	Belleville, 3rd place at 2008 Memorial Cup
2008–09 	Windsor Spitfires 	4–1 	Brampton Battalion 	2009 Memorial Cup champion
2009–10 	Windsor Spitfires 	4–0 	Barrie Colts 	2010 Memorial Cup champion
2010–11 	Owen Sound Attack 	4–3 	Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 	Owen Sound, 4th place at 2011 Memorial Cup
2010–11 	Owen Sound Attack 	4–3 	Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 	Mississauga, 2011 Memorial Cup finalist
2011–12 	London Knights 	4–1 	Niagara IceDogs 	2012 Memorial Cup finalist
2012–13 	London Knights 	4–3 	Barrie Colts 	3rd place at 2013 Memorial Cup
2013–14 	Guelph Storm 	4–1 	North Bay Battalion 	2014 Memorial Cup finalist
2014–15 	Oshawa Generals 	4–1 	Erie Otters 	2015 Memorial Cup champion
2015–16 	London Knights 	4–0 	Niagara IceDogs 	2016 Memorial Cup champion
2016–17 	Erie Otters 	4–1 	Mississauga Steelheads 	2017 Memorial Cup finalist
2017–18 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	4–2 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	3rd place at 2018 Memorial Cup
2018–19 	Guelph Storm 	4–2 	Ottawa 67's 	3rd place at 2019 Memorial Cup
2019–20 	OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded	OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded	OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded	OHL playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – J. Ross Robertson Cup not awarded
2020–21 	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	4–3 	Windsor Spitfires 	2022 Memorial Cup finalist
2022–23 	Peterborough Petes 	4–2 	London Knights 	3rd place at 2023 Memorial Cup
2023–24 	London Knights 	4–0 	Oshawa Generals 	TBD
==Championships by Team (1919 – present)==
Cups Won	Team Name 	Current Name
13 	Oshawa Generals 	same
10 	Toronto Marlboros 	Guelph Storm
10 	Peterborough Petes 	same
6 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors 	Mississauga Steelheads
5 	London Knights 	same
4 	Barrie Flyers 	Sudbury Wolves
4 	Kitchener Rangers 	same
3 	Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters 	Kitchener Rangers
3 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	Sudbury Wolves
3 	Ottawa 67's 	same
3 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 	same
3 	Windsor Spitfires 	same
3 	Guelph Storm 	same
2 	Montreal Junior Canadiens‡ 	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
2 	Owen Sound Greys 	same
2 	St. Catharines Black Hawks 	Saginaw Spirit
2 	St. Catharines Teepees 	Saginaw Spirit
2 	Toronto Aura Lee 	defunct
2 	West Toronto Nationals 	defunct
1 	Plymouth Whalers 	Flint Firebirds
1 	Barrie Colts 	same
1 	Belleville Bulls 	same
1 	Detroit Junior Red Wings 	Plymouth Whalers
1 	Erie Otters 	same
1 	Guelph Platers 	Owen Sound Attack
1 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	Brantford Bulldogs
1 	Hamilton Fincups 	Erie Otters
1 	Hamilton Red Wings 	Erie Otters
1 	Kitchener Colts 	defunct
1 	Kitchener Greenshirts † 	defunct
1 	North Bay Centennials 	Saginaw Spirit
1 	Owen Sound Attack 	same
1 	Queen's University 	no longer in OHA
1 	Stratford Midgets 	defunct
1 	Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers 	defunct
1 	University of Toronto Schools	no longer in OHA
‡The Montreal Junior Canadiens switched leagues after 1972.
†The Kitchener Greenshirts won the 1935 Championship by default, after the Oshawa Generals were disqualified for using an ineligible player. This was a different Kitchener Greenshirts team than the club that later became the Kitchener Canucks, and ultimately the Peterborough Petes.
==Gallery==
1966-Oshawa Generals.jpg|1966 J. Ross Robertson Cup Champions Oshawa Generals.
==See Also==
*Ed Chynoweth Cup - WHL
*President's Cup - QMJHL
Category:Ontario Hockey League trophies and awards
Category:Ontario Hockey Association Junior trophies