The Terry Evanshen Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League East Division's Most Outstanding Player, chosen from the nominees of each team in the division. Either this trophy winner or the winner of the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy will also receive the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Player Award.
The Evanshen Trophy was named for Terry Evanshen, who was a star wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes, the Calgary Stampeders, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. After his retirement from football, Terry Evanshen was involved in a car crash in 1988 that nearly killed and caused him to have severe brain damage, which caused him to have memory loss. Evanshen was able to successfully overcome his battle with memory loss and lives a full life.
In 1994, the CFL adopted the Terry Evanshen Trophy to be awarded annually to the Most Outstanding Player of the East Division. The Terry Evanshen Trophy ended up replacing the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy which was officially retired in 1994 at the request of the Russel family (it was re-established in 2003 to recognize the players in the Quebec conference of U Sports football, with the winner being nominated for the national Hec Crighton Trophy). As part of the failed American expansion in 1995, the trophy was awarded to the Most Outstanding Player of the South Division.
Terry Evanshen Trophy winners Bold indicates a player who went on to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award YearPlayerPositionTeam Terry Evanshen Trophy winners (1994—present)1994 Mike Pringle Running back 1995 Mike Pringle Running back 1996 Doug Flutie Quarterback 1997 Doug Flutie Quarterback 1998 Mike Pringle Running back 1999 Danny McManus Quarterback 2000 Mike Pringle Running back 2001 Khari Jones Quarterback 2002 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2003 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2004 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2005 Damon Allen Quarterback 2006 Charles Roberts Running back 2007 Kevin Glenn Quarterback 2008 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2009 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2010 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2011 Anthony Calvillo Quarterback 2012 Chad Owens Wide receiver/Kick returner 2013 Ricky Ray Quarterback 2014 Ricky Ray Quarterback 2015 Henry Burris Quarterback 2016 Ernest Jackson Wide receiver 2017 Ricky Ray Quarterback 2018 Jeremiah Masoli Quarterback 2019 Brandon Banks Wide receiver 2020 season cancelled - covid 192021 William Stanback Running back 2022 Geno Lewis Wide receiver 2023 Chad Kelly Quarterback 2024 Bo Levi Mitchell Quarterback 2025 Bo Levi Mitchell Quarterback
See Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy to view other recipients of the Most Outstanding Player of the East Division.
References 2023 CFL Guide