The Mowat Cup is emblematic of the Junior "A" ice hockey Championship of British Columbia (BC). The winner of the Mowat Cup historically moved on to play the winner of Alberta's Carling O'Keefe Cup for the Doyle Cup, signifying the Canadian Pacific Regions champion.
The Mowat Cup was donated to the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association by Mr. John Mowat of Victoria, BC, for competition in the 1927-28 hockey season.
In past years, junior teams in BC played in various regional leagues, including the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League, Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League and Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. Various formats for Mowat Cup competition usually saw the champions of these regional leagues compete for the Mowat Cup.
Since 1999, the Mowat Cup has been exclusive to the province-wide Junior "A" British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). As the BCHL already awarded the Fred Page Cup to its league champions, the BCHL champions were technically also the Mowat Cup champions; the league stopped using this joint Cups designation as of the 2016–17 season, simply awarding the Fred Page Cup.[1]
1927–28 – The first competition for the Cup was limited to a one-game affair, as more ice time was not available. Fernie defeated Ex-King George in Vancouver. Fernie had won the right to play in the final, having defeated Armstrong 17–1, Salmon Arm 16–4, and Revelstoke 7-1
1931–32 – The Trail Smoke Eaters won their first of 22 Mowat Cups over a run of 29 seasons. They defeated Merritt in Trail.
1943–44 – Trail won the Mowat Cup title, then the Western Canada finals, only to be defeated by the Oshawa Generals for the National Championship
1961–62 – Marked the initial year of the Okanagan-Mainline Junior "A" Hockey League and as their champions the Kamloops Rockets defeated the Trail Smoke Eaters in two straight games for the title.
1962–63 – Saw the last Mowat Cup victory for the Trail Smoke Eaters, at that time the champions of the Kootenay Junior Hockey League, as they defeated the New Westminster Royals of the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League.
1967–68 – The British Columbia Junior A Hockey League (BCJHL) was formed when New Westminster Royals and Victoria Cougars of the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League joined the four team Okanagan Junior Hockey League. The Penticton Broncos won the Mowat Cup in that first year.
1980–81 – Marked the inaugural season in which the BCJHL played the Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League for the Mowat Cup. The Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated the Prince George Spruce Kings (PCJHL) two straight in the best of three, 3-0 and 5–1.
1985–86 – The Penticton Knights became the first ever B.C. team to win the National Title as they defeated Prince George for the Mowat Cup, Calgary for the Doyle Cup, Winnipeg for the Abbott Cup and then won the Centennial Cup Tournament with a final win over host Cole Harbour.
1986–87 – The Richmond Sockeyes followed the Penticton lead defeating Quesnel Millionaires (PCJHL) for the Mowat Cup', Red Deer Rustlers (AJHL)for the Doyle Cup, Humboldt Broncos for the Abbott Cup and winning the Centennial Cup with a final win over host Humboldt.
1987–88 – The Vernon Lakers (BCJHL) defeated the Grande Prairie North Stars (PCJHL) 2–0 in best-of-three Mowat Cup. The Lakers then went on to beat the Red Deer Rustlers in the Doyle Cup (AJHL 4-2) and Humboldt Broncos (SJHL 4-2) in the Abbott Cup, the last true Western Canadian Junior A Championship. Vernon advanced to the Centennial Cup where they went 0–3, losing to the (eventual champion) Thunder Bay Flyers, Moncton Hawks and host Summerside (PEI) Capitals.
1989–90 – The Series was changed to the best of five for the first time. The New Westminster Royals (BCJHL) defeated Prince George Spruce Kings(PCJHL) in three straight.7-4, 8–5, 7–4. In the Centennial Cup, hosted by Vernon, the Vernon Lakers defeated New Westminster for the National Title with a come-from-behind 6–5 overtime win.
1991–92 – The Vernon Lakers (BCJHL) defeated Prince George Spruce Kings of the newly formed Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League in three straight. 5–1,7-5 and 5–2, for the 4th in five years.
1999 – the Mowat Cup becomes exclusive to the province-wide Junior "A" British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)
1999–2016 – the BCHL, by default, grants the Mowat Cup to its Fred Page Cup league champions
2017 – the BCHL retires the Mowatt Cup