The Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the

Canadian Football League West Division The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...

's most outstanding player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division. Either this trophy winner or the winner of the Terry Evanshen Trophy also receives the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Player Award. The Nicklin Memorial Trophy was donated to the

Western Interprovincial Football Union The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...

in 1946 by the

1st Canadian Parachute Battalion The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Canadian Army formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe, Landing in Normandy during Operation Tonga, in conjunction with the D-D ...

, in memory of their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel

Jeff Nicklin Lieutenant Colonel Jevon Albert "Jeff" Nicklin OBE (December 10, 1914 − March 24, 1945) was a Canadian Army officer and football player. He fought during World War II and was one of the first Canadians to jump on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and led the ...

, who was killed in action on March 24, 1945. Nicklin was known as an outstanding defensive end for the

Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fie ...

before he entered military service. When first donated, the trophy was awarded annually to the player in the Western Division considered to be the most valuable to his team.CFL Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy - Outstanding Player Western Division
/ref> Since 1973, the trophy is awarded to the Most Outstanding Player of the West Division. As part of the failed American expansion in

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...

, the trophy was awarded to the Most Outstanding Player of the North Division.

Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners (1946–1972)

Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners (1973–present)

Bold indicates a player who went on to win the

CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from ...

Most Outstanding Player in the
Western Interprovincial Football Union The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...
or Western Football Conference (1953–1972)

''Note:'' Prior to 1973 the

's Most Outstanding Player was not the winner of the ''Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy'', which was a separate award. Bold indicates a player who went on to win the

References

External links

Excerpt from ''JEFF NICKLIN: Hero of the Gridiron and the Battlefield'' film
from The War Amps Canadian Football League trophies and awards {{CFL