The 2018 Memorial Cup (branded as the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a four-team, round-robin format tournament that was held at Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan from May 18–27, 2018. It was the 100th Memorial Cup championship of junior ice hockey, and determined the champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The CHL chose to allow all three of its constituent leagues to bid for hosting the 100th Memorial Cup, instead of the usual rotation between its leagues. The Regina Pats won the right to host the tournament, over bids from the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Oshawa Generals.
The Memorial Cup honours all Canadian military personnel killed in combat, and was founded in the wake of World War I in 1919. The Cup embarked on a tour across Canada for its centennial celebrations, which also included the release of a commemorative coin, and a special postage stamp. The CHL also held a "team of the century" contest for previous Memorial Cup champions, which was won by the 2005 London Knights.
The tournament featured the three champion teams of the CHL's constituent leagues, along with the host team Regina Pats. The Hamilton Bulldogs represented the Ontario Hockey League, and the Swift Current Broncos represented the Western Hockey League. The Acadie–Bathurst Titan from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League won their first Memorial Cup, defeating the host Regina Pats 3–0 in the championship game. Sam Steel from the Regina Pats was the tournament's top scorer, and named its most valuable player. The 2018 event was the final Memorial Cup sponsored by Mastercard, since Kia Motors became the new title sponsor at the 2019 Memorial Cup.
Background
The Memorial Cup was established by Captain James T. Sutherland in 1919 after he returned from serving in World War I. The deaths of Scotty Davidson, and George Richardson served as inspiration for the trophy. The Cup was donated to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in March 1919, then known as the "OHA Memorial Cup". It was dedicated in remembrance of Canadian soldiers who died during World War I. The Memorial Cup later became the championship trophy of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and in 2010 it was rededicated to honour "all Canadian military personnel killed in combat".
Host bidding process The CHL chose to allow all three of its constituent leagues to bid for hosting the 100th Memorial Cup. Since 1983 the three leagues had rotated hosting of the event. It would have been the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) turn to host in 2018, but an exception was made where the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and the Western Hockey League (WHL) were also allowed to bid. The regular rotation continued as of the 2019 Memorial Cup, with hosting duties assigned to a team from the QMJHL.
Each league was given a deadline of November 16, 2017, to submit a short list of up to two bids per league for the 2018 event. On January 23, 2018, the CHL announced who would sit on the committee to select the host team. Committee members included Michael Akpata (Canadian Armed Forces retiree), Paul Beeston (former president of the Toronto Blue Jays), Colin Campbell (National Hockey League), Scott Smith (Hockey Canada), Al Coates (Hockey Canada), Serge Fortin (TVA Sports), and Scott Moore (Sportsnet). The three league commissioners, David Branch (OHL), Gilles Courteau (QMJHL), and Ron Robison (WHL), observed on the committee which was chaired by CHL legal counsel Gord Kirke.
Formal bids to host event were put forth by the Hamilton Bulldogs, Oshawa Generals, and the Regina Pats. Each team made a bid presentation to the committee on January 25, 2017. Previously, the Kelowna Rockets and the Ottawa 67's had shown interest in bidding for hosting duties, but withdrew before the presentation process.
Hamilton's home arena was FirstOntario Centre with a capacity of 17,383 people, and the host site of the 1990 Memorial Cup. The largest attendance for a Memorial Cup game was the sold out 1990 final at the same arena in Hamilton. The host team in 1990 was the Dukes of Hamilton, but they withdrew from playing in the Cup due to a poor regular season. Oshawa's home arena was General Motors Centre with a capacity of 6,125 people. The Generals previously hosted the 1987 Memorial Cup, and had recently won the 2015 Memorial Cup. Oshawa had won the most Memorial Cup championships for any active CHL team as of 2017, with five titles to their name.
Regina's home arena was Brandt Centre with a capacity of 6,200 people, and host site of the 2001 Memorial Cup. Regina had also co-hosted the 1980 Memorial Cup along with Brandon, Manitoba. The Pats were also the oldest franchise in the CHL, having first played in 1917. The Pats had competed in the most championship games in the Cup's history at 12 times, with victories in 1925, 1930 and 1974. The Pats also played in the very first final, in the 1919 Memorial Cup. On February 18, 2017, the CHL announced the Regina Pats as the host team for the 100th Memorial Cup.
100th anniversary celebrations
The CHL unveiled a 100th anniversary logo for the Memorial Cup on October 12, 2017. It included wheat sheaves symbolic of the Canadian Prairies where Regina is located, and the poppy to honour the fallen soldiers to whom the Memorial Cup is dedicated. The CHL and Canada Post produced a 100th anniversary postage stamp, released on May 18, 2018, which featured two Regina players from the inaugural 1919 Memorial Cup. The CHL also distributed a commemorative coin for the event, in cooperation with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The 100th anniversary logo was also worn as a patch by all players and on-ice officials, for the duration of the 2017–18 season commencing on Remembrance Day.
Don Cherry was named an honorary chairman of the 100th anniversary celebrations, and the CHL announced that the Memorial Cup would tour across Canada during the 2017–18 season, beginning on November 18, 2017. The cities included in the tour were, Barrie, Bathurst, Brandon, Calgary, Chicoutimi, Edmonton, Halifax, Kingston, Moncton, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Quebec City, Regina, Sarnia, St. Catharines, Swift Current, and Vancouver. CHL games were broadcast Saturday afternoons on Sportsnet during the season, and the home team of that televised game was allowed promotional use of the Memorial Cup trophy for one week as part of the tour. The Cup's tour began at CFB Borden and the Santa Claus parade in Barrie, and later visited Niagara Falls and Fort George.
The CHL held an online vote to select a "team of the century" from the previous 99 Memorial Cup champions, and posted historical photos, rosters, and tournament summaries for each season. The four top teams were the 1995 Kamloops Blazers, the 2000 Rimouski Océanic, the 2005 London Knights, and the 2013 Halifax Mooseheads. The 2005 London Knights were announced as the "team of the century" during the second period of the final game in the 2018 Memorial Cup.
The 2018 Memorial Cup tournament began on May 17, 2018, with the opening ceremonies hosted by Brent Butt and Adam Growe at Mosaic Stadium. The Snowbirds performed a fly-by of the stadium before the opening concert. Musical acts included a tribute to the Humboldt Broncos bus crash by the Regina Symphony Orchestra, and other performances by Jess Moskaluke, Chad Brownlee, and the Eagles.
Road to the Cup The Regina Pats were given a berth in the 2018 Memorial Cup in their role as the host team. The remaining three berths were given to the playoffs champions of each constituent league of the CHL.
OHL playoffs
The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first place in the Eastern conference with 93 points, and the third overall in the league. The team was led in scoring by Matthew Strome with 37 goals, and Brandon Saigeon with 70 points. In the playoffs, the Bulldogs defeated the Ottawa 67's in five games in round one, then the Niagara IceDogs in five games in round two, and the Kingston Frontenacs in five games in round three to reach the finals. Hamilton defeated the top-ranked Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in six games to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup, and earn a berth in the 2018 Memorial Cup.
Playoffs bracket
QMJHL playoffs
The Acadie–Bathurst Titan finished first place in the Maritimes division with 96 points, and second overall in the league. The team was led in scoring by Jeffrey Truchon-Viel with 39 goals, and Antoine Morand with 76 points. In the playoffs, the Titan defeated the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in six games in the first round, then swept both the Sherbrooke Phoenix, and the Victoriaville Tigres in rounds two and three to reach the finals. Acadie–Bathurst defeated the top-ranked Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in six games to win the President's Cup, and earn a berth in the 2018 Memorial Cup.
Playoffs bracket
WHL playoffs
The Swift Current Broncos finished second place in the Eastern division with 103 points, the second highest point total in the league. The team featured three 100-point-scorers, including Glenn Gawdin (56 goals and 125 points), Aleksi Heponiemi (90 assists and 118 points), and Tyler Steenbergen (47 goals and 102 points). In the playoffs, the Broncos defeated the Regina Pats in seven games in the first round, the top-ranked Moose Jaw Warriors in seven games in the second round, and the Lethbridge Hurricanes in six games in the third round to reach the finals. Swift Current defeated the Everett Silvertips in six games to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup, and earn a berth in the 2018 Memorial Cup.
Playoffs bracket
Team rosters Rosters as listed on the Memorial Cup web site for Regina, Acadie–Bathurst, Hamilton, and Swift Current.
Regina Pats Head coach: John Paddock Position # PlayerG30Ryan KubicG33Max PaddockD2Aaron HymanD3Libor HájekD4Cale FleuryD5Josh MahuraD28Brady PouteauD40Parker GavlasD55Liam SchiolerF10Austin PrattF11Tanner SidawayF13Jared LegienF19Jake LeschyshynF20Emil OksanenF21Nick HenryF23Sam SteelF24Koby MorrisseauF25Scott MahovlichF26Bryce PlattF29Logan NijhoffF32Robbie HolmesF41Cameron HebigF77Matt Bradley
Acadie–Bathurst Titan Head coach: Mario Pouliot Position # PlayerG31Evan FitzpatrickG35Joseph MurdacaD8Zachery BennettD13Adam HolwellD14Keenan MacIsaacD26Olivier GalipeauD29Michal IvanD45Elijah FrancisD53Noah DobsonF9Samuel L'ItalienF11Mitchell BalmasF12Domenic MalatestaF16Jordan MaherF18Cole RafuseF25Jeffrey VielF27Ethan CrossmanF28Samuel AsselinF42Marc-André LeCouffeF61Liam MurphyF71Justin DucharmeF88Antoine MorandF98German Rubtsov
Hamilton Bulldogs Head coach: John Gruden Position # PlayerG29Nick DonofrioG33Kaden FulcherD5Justin LemckeD22Jack HanleyD24Connor WaltersD42Ben GleasonD52Nicolas MattinenD61Riley StillmanF10Nick CaamanoF11Isaac NurseF14William BittenF16Owen BurnellF17Brandon SaigeonF18Matthew StromeF19Ben GaraganF27Robert ThomasF28Marián StudeničF34Arthur KaliyevF40Ryan MooreF44MacKenzie Entwistle
Swift Current Broncos Head coach: Emanuel Viveiros Position # PlayerG30Joel HoferG74Stuart SkinnerD2Colby SissonsD3Josh AndersonD4Jacson AlexanderD5Artyom MinulinD6Sahvan KhairaD7Noah KingD36Connor HorningF10Kaden ElderF13MacKenzie WightF15Glenn GawdinF16Kole GableF17Tyler SteenbergenF19Beck MalenstynF20Aleksi HeponiemiF23Max PattersonF25Tanner NagelF26Andrew FytenF29Giorgio EstephanF34Matteo Gennaro
Tournament games The 2018 Memorial Cup tournament was played from May 18 to 27, 2018. (All game times are UTC −4.)
Round-robin The first round-robin game featured the host team Regina Pats, versus the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Robert Thomas scored to give Hamilton a first-period lead, before Sam Steel tied the game for Regina on a power play goal in the first minute of the second period. Each team scored once more in the second period, and were tied 2–2 until the final minute of the third period. Nick Henry scored with 33 seconds remaining to give Regina the game one victory.