Royal Bank/Centennial Cup - National Championship

The Centennial and Royal Bank Cup Winners

The Manitoba Centennial Trophy was presented to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) by the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association to commemorate their centennial year of 1970.

It was in 1970 that the CAHA reconfigured their junior tier, creating two separate classifications - Major Junior and Junior "A." The Major Junior class encompassed the teams that made up the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League while the Junior "A" section included the remaining junior teams within the association. With the Memorial Cup established as a trophy exclusively for teams in the "Canadian Major Junior Hockey League", the Manitoba Centennial Trophy served as the trophy for the champions of this new Junior "A" division.

There were actually three versions of the trophy made during its run as the National Junior 'A' Championship. The reasons for this is as yet still unknown but, it is believed to be a combination of possibly a missing trophy (later turning up) and/or someone deciding they needed a better one.

The first trophy, with the bison on the top (picture, top left), is the original Centennial Cup that was presented by MAHA. The second trophy, with the hockey player on top (pictured to the left), as was presented to the Vernon Lakers in 1990 (the years this was in use is still not known). The third version (pictured to the right and recreated from a program image), similar to the original, was silver tiered with a bowl on top that not only had the team names engraved, but all the players names as well. It was this Centennial Cup that was being used when it was retired.

- info provided by Izak Westgate - Hockey Hall of Fame

The Red Deer Rustlers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League defeated the Charlottetown Islanders in 1971 to claim the inaugural Canadian Junior A Championship and Manitoba Centennial Trophy, often referred to as the "Centennial Cup".

The Manitoba Centennial Cup trophy was retired following the championships of 1995. A new trophy was presented by the Royal Bank of Canada, to represent the National Junior 'A' Champions of Canada. The offical name of the new trophy is Royal Bank of Canada Cup but, is commonly referred to as either the RBC Cup, RBC or Royal Bank Cup.

In May of 1996, the Vernon Vipers defeated the Melfort Mustangs winning the inaugural Royal Bank Cup in Melfort, Saskatchewan, continuing the fine tradition of a National Junior 'A' Championship.

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Centennial Cup Winners

Teams play a best-of-seven series, East vs West.

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1971 - RED DEER RUSTLERS (AJHL) ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Charlottetown Islanders (MarJHL), 4 games to 2
1972 - GUELPH CMCs (SOJHL)
vs Red Deer Rustlers (AJHL) ^[3] ^[4] ^[6], 4 games to 0
1973 - PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE TERRIERS (MJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL), 4 games to 1
1974 - SELKIRK STEELERS (MJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Smith Falls Bears (CJHL), 4 games to 3
1975 - SPRUCE GROVE METS (AJHL) ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Guelph CMCs "Biltmore Mad Hatters" (OHA), 4 games to 2
1976 - ROCKLAND NATIONALS (CJHL)
vs Spruce Grove Mets (AJHL) ^[3]^[4] ^[6] , 4 games to 1
1977 - PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL), 4 games to 0
1978 - GUELPH HOLODAY PLATERS (OHA)
Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6], 4 games to 0

A "Host" team was added for tournament play. Teams play a tournament round-robin. Each team plays each other twice with the top two playing a one game final.

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1979 - PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Sherwood Parkdale Metros (MarJHL), 5-3 at

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1980 - RED DEER RUSTLERS (AJHL) ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs North York Rangers (OHA), 3-2
1981 - PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Belleville Bulls (OHA), 6-2

Teams again play a best-of-seven game series, East vs West.

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1982 - PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Guelph Platers (OHA), 4 games to 0
1983 - NORTH YORK RANGERS (OJHL)
vs Abbotsford Flyers (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6], 4 games to 0
1984 - WEYBURN RED WINGS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Orillia Travelways (OHA) , 4 games to 3

Teams [East, West, Central and Host] play a tournament round-robin. Each team plays each other once, with the top three entering the playoffs. The top team directly enters the final and the other two play a semi-final.

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1985 - ORILLIA TRAVELWAYS (OHA)
vs Penticton Knights (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6] , 4-2
1986 - PENTICTON KNIGHTS (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Cole Harbour Colts (MarJHL) , 7-4
1987 - RICHMOND SOCKEYES (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Humboldt Broncos (SJHL), 5-2
1988 - NOTRE DAME HOUNDS (SJHL) ^[4] ^[6]
vs Halifax Lions (MarJHL), 3-2
1989 - THUNDER BAY FLYERS (USHL)
vs Summerside Capitals (MarJHL), 4-1
Note:Vernon Lakers of the (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6] participated

The 'Pacific Region' (BC / Alta) was added to the tournament. The teams play a round-robin with the four top teams making the two semi-final games, 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3. The semi-final winners play for the Championship.

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1990 - VERNON LAKERS (BCJHL) ^[6]
vs New Westminster Royals (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6], 6-5
1991 - VERNON LAKERS (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Sudbury Cubs (NOJHA), 8-4
1992 - THUNDER BAY FLYERS (USHL)
vs Winkler Flyers (ManJHL), 10-1
Note: Vernon Lakers (BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]Semi-Finalist
1993 - KELOWNA SPARTANS ((BCJHL) ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
Chateauguay Elites (QJAHL),7-2
1994 - OLDS GRIZZLYS (AJHL)^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
Kelowna Spartans (BCJHL) ^[6], 5-4
Note: Kelowna entered Centennial Cup Tournament as Olds is was also the Host
1995 - CALGARY CANUCKS (AJHL) ^[3] ^[4] ^[6]
vs Gloucester Rangers (CJHL) , 5-4