Memorial Cup host Saginaw Spirit unveils commemorative jersey for tournament opening game – Sports News

As hosts of this year’s Memorial Cup, the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit are continuing their tradition of special jerseys honouring war veterans.

The Spirit unveiled commemorative jerseys honoring fallen military personnel during the Memorial Cup arrival parade on Thursday, May 23. The team will wear the jerseys in their tournament opener against the WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, May 24.

The jersey is primarily red with a blue shoulder yoke and a wide blue stripe around the waist. Below the waist stripe are the Canadian and American flags. The front of the shirt features a grey background with the silhouettes of two soldiers saluting on either side of a memorial. The artwork is set within a blue circular frame with red laurels on the sides and a poppy on top.

The sleeves feature a blue stripe with white borders, the sleeve numbers are set in a monochromatic white block font, the left shoulder features a patch with a silhouette of the Memorial Cup trophy and the number 24 on the inside, and the right shoulder features the main Saginaw Spirit logo.

The back of the jersey was not revealed during Friday’s parade presentation.

The teams competing in the Memorial Cup this season are:

• London Knights (OHL Champions)
• Drummondville Voltigeur (QMJHL Champions)
• Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL Champions)
• Saginaw Spirit (hosts; lost to London in OHL Western Conference Final)

This marks the 104th time the Commemorative Cup has been presented. The Cup was originally donated by the Ontario Hockey Association in 1919 to commemorate soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. In 2010, it was rededicated to the memory of all Canadian military personnel killed in action.

Since the league adopted the round-robin format in 1972, WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times, OHL teams 17 times and QMJHL teams 14 times, including the Quebec Remparts in 2023.

This year marks the first year the Memorial Cup has been held in Michigan and the first time an American OHL city has hosted the tournament. Other American cities that have hosted the Memorial Cup include Portland, Oregon (1983, 1986), Seattle, Washington (1992) and Spokane, Washington (1998).