Memorial Cup remains deeply rooted in Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) history. For fifty-three seasons, 1919-1971, Manitoba Junior Hockey League clubs competed for the opportunity to earn the National title as Memorial Cup champions. The MJHL which began in 1917-18 as the Winnipeg & District Junior Hockey League until 1933, showed great success throughout five decades with a total of 18 appearances and 11 titles earned by member clubs.
In several of the early years the champion of the MJHL (Winnipeg & District Junior Hockey League) would be required by MAHA (Hockey Manitoba) to play a rural challenger for the opportunity to advance to the Western Canada Memorial Cup Playoffs which generally had the champions of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Thunder Bay. The winner of the Western Canada Memorial Cup Playoffs would advanced to the Memorial Cup Finals in a series against the Eastern Canada champion.
The Manitoba Centennial Trophy was presented to the CAHA (Hockey Canada) by the MAHA (Hockey Manitoba) in 1970-71. At that time, the CAHA reconfigured their junior tiers, creating two separate classifications – Major junior and Junior A. It was determined that the Memorial Cup, which had served as the CAHA’s national championship since 1919, would become the new championship trophy for the CMJHL (CHL) while the Manitoba Centennial Trophy served as the trophy for the champions of the new Junior A division (CJHL).
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Location | Abbott Cup (Western) | Provincial | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers | Selkirk Fishermen | Toronto, ON | def. Calgary Monarchs | League | def. Young Mens Lutheran Club |
| 1921 | Winnipeg Falcons | Stratford Midgets | Toronto, ON | def. Regina Victorias | League | def. Portage la Prairie |
| 1923 | University of Manitoba Bisons | Kitchener Colts | Toronto, ON | def. Calgary Canadians | def. Brandon Tigers | def. Winnipeg Victoria Bisons |
| 1929 | Toronto Marlboros | Elmwood Millionaires | Toronto, ON | def. Calgary Canadians-Falcons | def. Birtle-Minnedosa | def. Winnipeg Columbus Club |
| 1931 | Elmwood Millionaires | Ottawa Primrose | Toronto/Ottawa, ON | def. Regina Pats | League | def. Winnipeg Monarchs |
| 1932 | Sudbury Cub Wolves | Winnipeg Monarchs | Winnipeg, MB | def. Saskatoon Wesleys | def. Brandon Victorias | def. Kenora Thistles |
| 1935 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Sudbury Cub Wolves | Winnipeg, MB | def. Saskatoon Wesleys | def. The Pas Huskies | def. Elmwood Maple Leafs |
| 1937 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Copper Cliff Redmen | Toronto, ON | def. Saskatoon Wesleys | League | def. St. Boniface Seals |
| 1938 | St. Boniface Seals | Oshawa Generals | Toronto, ON | def. Edmonton Athletic Club | League | def. Winnipeg Monarchs |
| 1940 | Oshawa Generals | Kenora Thistles | Winnipeg, MB | def. Edmonton Athletic Club | League | def. Elmwood Maple Leafs |
| 1941 | Winnipeg Rangers | Montreal Junior Royals | Toronto, ON/Montreal, QC | def. Saskatoon Quakers | League | def. East Kildonan Bisons |
| 1942 | Portage Terriers | Oshawa Generals | Winnipeg, MB | def. Edmonton Maple Leafs | League | def. St. Boniface Athletics |
| 1943 | Winnipeg Rangers | Oshawa Generals | Toronto, ON | def. Saskatoon Quakers | League | def. St. Boniface Athletics |
| 1946 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Toronto, ON | def. Edmonton Canadians | League | def. Brandon Elks |
| 1949 | Montreal Junior Royals | Brandon Wheat Kings | Winnipeg/Brandon, MB | def. Calgary Buffalos | League | def. Winnipeg Canadiens |
| 1951 | Barrie Flyers | Winnipeg Monarchs | Winnipeg/Brandon, MB | def. Regina Pats | League | def. Brandon Wheat Kings |
| 1953 | Barrie Flyers | St. Boniface Canadiens | Winnipeg/Brandon, MB | def. Lethbridge Native Sons | League | def. Brandon Wheat Kings |
| 1959 | Winnipeg Braves | Peterborough Petes | Winnipeg/Brandon, MB | def. Flin Flon Bombers | League | def. St. Boniface Canadiens |
