Western Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior
ice hockey
league based in Western Canada
and the Northwestern United States
. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League
(CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup
, Canada's national junior championship.
The WHL was founded in 1966 with seven teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is the brainchild of Bill Hunter, who intended to build a western league capable of competing with the top leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Originally considered an "outlaw league" by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
, the WHL was sanctioned as the top junior league in Western Canada when junior hockey was reorganized in 1970. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 18 times since the league became eligible to compete for the trophy.
Today, the WHL comprises 22 teams, divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 12 teams from Manitoba
, Saskatchewan
, Alberta
and British Columbia
, while the Western Conference comprises ten teams from British Columbia
, and the US states of Washington and Oregon
.
, the Edmonton Oil Kings' owner, Bill Hunter, was growing concerned about the state of junior hockey in western Canada. Each of the West's four provinces had its own junior league, and Hunter felt that this put them at a disadvantage when competing nationally against the powerful leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Desiring stronger competition, Hunter's Oil Kings competed in the Alberta Senior Hockey League rather than the Alberta Junior Hockey League
.
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
(CAHA) informed the Oil Kings that they were required to play in a junior hockey league for the 1966–67 season or would be held ineligible to compete for the Memorial Cup. This led Hunter to form a new league with five former members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
(SJHL), the Estevan Bruins
, Regina Pats
, Saskatoon Blades
, Moose Jaw Canucks
, and Weyburn Red Wings
, to leave the SJHL and join the Oil Kings and the Calgary Buffaloes in a new league known as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League. Despite concerns that this new league would see the demise of the Alberta and Saskatchewan leagues, the governing bodies in both provinces sanctioned the new league. The CAHA did not, however, declaring the CMJHL to be an "outlaw league" and suspending all teams and players from participation in CAHA sanctioned events. The new league accused the CAHA of overstepping its boundaries and with the support of the players and their families, chose to play the season regardless.
The CMJHL renamed itself the Western Canada Hockey League in 1967, adding four new teams to total 11 as the league stretched east into Manitoba. Concerns over the WCHL's relationship with the CAHA led the Pats, Canucks and Red Wings to withdraw before the 1968–69 season, returning to the SJHL. When the CAHA reorganized junior hockey in 1971, it named the WCHL one of three Tier I Major-Junior leagues, along with the Ontario Hockey Association
's Tier I division (now the Ontario Hockey League
) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
.
The first decade of the WCHL saw constant expansion and franchise movement as the league spread throughout the West. The Flin Flon Bombers
became the league's first powerhouse team, led by future NHL
stars Bobby Clarke
and Reggie Leach
. The Brandon Wheat Kings
and Swift Current Broncos
joined in 1967, the Medicine Hat Tigers
in 1970. The WCHL truly became a western league in 1971 when Estevan moved to B.C. to become the New Westminster Bruins
, joined by expansion franchises the Victoria Cougars and Vancouver Nats
.
In the mid 1970s, the New Westminster Bruins became the WCHL's first true dynasty, capturing four consecutive championships between 1975 and 1978. The Bruins also won back-to-back Memorial Cups in 1977 and 1978.
In 1976, the Oil Kings succumbed to the competing Edmonton Oilers
of the World Hockey Association
and relocated to Portland
to become the Winter Hawks
, the WCHL's first American franchise. With the addition of American teams in Seattle
and Billings
a year later, the WCHL shortened its name to the Western Hockey League.
Early in the 1980–81 WHL season, Medicine Hat Tigers GM/Coach Pat Ginnell
traded blows with a linesman during a bench clearing brawl against the Lethbridge Broncos
. Ginnell was found guilty of assault, fined $360, and suspended for 36 games by the WHL. In March 1982 a violent brawl between the Regina Pats
and Calgary Wranglers
saw the two teams collectively fined $2250 and players suspended for 73 games combined. Pats coach Bill LaForge
would end up in a courtroom later that season when he got into an altercation with a fan. LaForge was acquitted when the judge noted that it was hard to convict a man for assault when faced with "an obnoxious person trying to get into the coach's area." LaForge resigned following the season after serving three separate suspensions.
On January 19, 1983, the Seattle Breakers dealt the rights to Tom Martin
to the Victoria Cougars in exchange for the Cougars' team bus. The deal made perfect sense: the Breakers were unable to sign Martin, who wanted to play in his home town of Victoria, and the Cougars were unable to use the bus (which they had purchased from the folded Spokane Flyers
) because they were unwilling to pay the taxes and duties required to register the vehicle in Canada.
On December 30, 1986, tragedy struck the Swift Current Broncos when their bus slid off an icy highway and rolled on the way to Regina for a game. Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Brent Ruff, and Chris Mantyka were killed. The Broncos retired their numbers, and still wear a commemorative patch in remembrance of the four players who died. The WHL later renamed its award for most valuable player as the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
in their honour.
The last 15 years in the WHL have been marked by another period of expansion and the return of the league to Western Canada's major cities. The Kamloops Blazers
became the WHL's second dynasty in the early 1990s when they won both the WHL Championship and Memorial Cup three times in four years between 1992 and 1995. The Kelowna Rockets
have become the third dynasty, winning three WHL titles in 2003, 2005, and 2009; and winning the Memorial Cup as host city in 2004. The Portland Winterhawks became the first American team to win the Memorial Cup, winning it in 1983 while hosting the tournament. The Hawks won the Memorial Cup again in 1998 in Spokane, Washington.
In 1995, the Calgary Hitmen
were born when a group of investors, including Bret "the Hitman" Hart
, from whom the team got its name, were granted an expansion franchise. Despite early fears that the WHL could not succeed in an NHL city, the Hitmen have been a major success, averaging as many as 10,000 fans per game in 2004–05. The Hitmen were followed one year later by the Edmonton Ice
, who failed after only two seasons because of conflicts with the Edmonton Oilers
. The team would become the Kootenay Ice
, who have become a major success in Cranbrook, British Columbia
, despite being one of the smallest markets in the league. In the new millennium, the league has given birth to four new expansion teams—the Vancouver Giants
in 2001, the Everett Silvertips
in 2003, the Chilliwack Bruins
in 2005, and the Edmonton Oil Kings
in 2007, as the Oilers have taken an interest in cultivating a junior team in the Alberta capital.
The WHL is stereotypically known for producing large, hard-hitting defencemen and gritty power forwards, although recently a high percentage of quality goaltenders have come out of the league as well, as evidenced by the fact that the five of the last six winners of the CHL Goaltender of the Year
award have come from the WHL.
Since 2006 Shaw TV
has become the television partner with the league in Canada airing a game every Friday Night and other select games throughout the season as well as one round of every playoff series. Starting in 2009 FSN Northwest
agreed to air some games throughout the northwest United States
.
On February 21, 2011, the defending champions Calgary Hitmen
hosted the Regina Pats
, who are Canada's oldest major-junior hockey team, at McMahon Stadium for an outdoor game in conjunction with the 2011 Heritage Classic
. The WHL teams wore retro inspired jerseys. The Spokane Chiefs
also announced they would host the Kootenay Ice
outdoors on January 15, 2011, being the first game of such. The 2010–2011 season was the first to be featured in EA Sports
NHL 11
video game including all the teams and rosters.
For the 2010–11
season, the WHL comprises 22 teams divided into two conferences, making it the largest league in the CHL; the Ontario Hockey League
has 20 teams and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
has 18. The WHL has member teams across four Canadian provinces, and two American states. The Eastern Conference comprises teams from Manitoba
, Saskatchewan
, Alberta
and eastern British Columbia
. The Western Conference is made up of teams based in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon
.
The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, with the division winners declared the top two seeds in the first round of the post-season. The four remaining teams in each conference are reseeded by regular season points in the second round of the playoffs.
9-million. Each team maintains an academic advisor, who monitors the academic progress of all players along with the league's Director of Education Services.
Canadian universities and colleges recruit extensively from the WHL, affording graduating players the opportunity to continue playing hockey as they attend post-secondary institutions. The U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA), though, considers graduates of the WHL (and the other two CHL members, the OHL
and QMJHL
) to be professionals and thus ineligible to participate in college hockey
programs in the United States. Players hoping to receive scholarships to, and play for, American universities must play Junior A hockey in one of the Canadian Junior Hockey League's member organizations or the United States Hockey League
to retain their NCAA eligibility.
is an annual event which teams select players from bantam hockey league age groups, 14 or 15 years old. The order of selection depends on the final standings of the teams, the last place team selects first the second to last will choose second and so on.
Players aged 15–20 are eligible to play in the WHL, though 15-year-olds are permitted to play only five games unless their midget team's season has ended. Also, each team is allowed to have only three 20-year-olds on their rosters, unless there is an expansion team, in which case five 20-year-olds are eligible to play. Each team is permitted to carry only two non-North American players. Each of the CHL's three member leagues are granted exclusive territorial rights to players from within North America. The WHL holds rights to players from the four western provinces, the U.S. Pacific Northwest and other designated U.S. states west of the Mississippi River, and the Yukon
, Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
.
has been captured by a WHL team 18 times since the league's founding
Team
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league based in Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
and the Northwestern United States
Northwestern United States
The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States, and consistently include the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, to which part of southeast Alaska is also sometimes included...
. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
(CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, Canada's national junior championship.
The WHL was founded in 1966 with seven teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is the brainchild of Bill Hunter, who intended to build a western league capable of competing with the top leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Originally considered an "outlaw league" by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
, the WHL was sanctioned as the top junior league in Western Canada when junior hockey was reorganized in 1970. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 18 times since the league became eligible to compete for the trophy.
Today, the WHL comprises 22 teams, divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 12 teams from Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, while the Western Conference comprises ten teams from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and the US states of Washington and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
History
Despite winning the 1966 Memorial CupMemorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, the Edmonton Oil Kings' owner, Bill Hunter, was growing concerned about the state of junior hockey in western Canada. Each of the West's four provinces had its own junior league, and Hunter felt that this put them at a disadvantage when competing nationally against the powerful leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Desiring stronger competition, Hunter's Oil Kings competed in the Alberta Senior Hockey League rather than the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
.
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
(CAHA) informed the Oil Kings that they were required to play in a junior hockey league for the 1966–67 season or would be held ineligible to compete for the Memorial Cup. This led Hunter to form a new league with five former members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
(SJHL), the Estevan Bruins
Estevan Bruins
The Estevan Bruins are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Estevan, Saskatchewan and plays at the brand new Spectra Place. Radio station CJSL AM 1280 broadcasts Bruins games.-History:...
, Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
, Saskatoon Blades
Saskatoon Blades
The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.-History:...
, Moose Jaw Canucks
Moose Jaw Canucks
The Moose Jaw Canucks were a junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They were one of the founding members of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1966 following a rebellion within the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League...
, and Weyburn Red Wings
Weyburn Red Wings
The Weyburn Red Wings are a junior ice hockey team, based in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and currently playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. They play their home games at the Weyburn Colosseum which has a seating capacity of 1,950. The team colours are red and white. The team logo is the...
, to leave the SJHL and join the Oil Kings and the Calgary Buffaloes in a new league known as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League. Despite concerns that this new league would see the demise of the Alberta and Saskatchewan leagues, the governing bodies in both provinces sanctioned the new league. The CAHA did not, however, declaring the CMJHL to be an "outlaw league" and suspending all teams and players from participation in CAHA sanctioned events. The new league accused the CAHA of overstepping its boundaries and with the support of the players and their families, chose to play the season regardless.
The CMJHL renamed itself the Western Canada Hockey League in 1967, adding four new teams to total 11 as the league stretched east into Manitoba. Concerns over the WCHL's relationship with the CAHA led the Pats, Canucks and Red Wings to withdraw before the 1968–69 season, returning to the SJHL. When the CAHA reorganized junior hockey in 1971, it named the WCHL one of three Tier I Major-Junior leagues, along with the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Tier I division (now the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
.
Early years
Flin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a junior ice hockey team and current member of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League , and are based in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. The team moved and became the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1978, but the Flin Flon Bomber name was retained...
became the league's first powerhouse team, led by future NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
stars Bobby Clarke
Bobby Clarke
Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
and Reggie Leach
Reggie Leach
Reginald Joseph Leach is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. He is best known for his time in Philadelphia, winning a Stanley Cup with...
. The Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
and Swift Current Broncos
Swift Current Broncos
The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos...
joined in 1967, the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
in 1970. The WCHL truly became a western league in 1971 when Estevan moved to B.C. to become the New Westminster Bruins
New Westminster Bruins
The New Westminster Bruins were a junior ice hockey team from the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:* 1971–1981...
, joined by expansion franchises the Victoria Cougars and Vancouver Nats
Vancouver Nats
The Vancouver Nats were a junior ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia that played two seasons in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1971–73...
.
In the mid 1970s, the New Westminster Bruins became the WCHL's first true dynasty, capturing four consecutive championships between 1975 and 1978. The Bruins also won back-to-back Memorial Cups in 1977 and 1978.
In 1976, the Oil Kings succumbed to the competing Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and relocated to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to become the Winter Hawks
Portland Winter Hawks
The Portland Winterhawks are a major junior ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon, playing in the Western Hockey League, a member league in the Canadian Hockey League. They play their home games at the Memorial Coliseum, though typically a few games each season are also played in the...
, the WCHL's first American franchise. With the addition of American teams in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
a year later, the WCHL shortened its name to the Western Hockey League.
Brawling '80s
The 1980s were marked by several brawls that involved police intervention, one of the most bizarre trades in hockey history, and the tragic deaths of four players in a bus crash.Early in the 1980–81 WHL season, Medicine Hat Tigers GM/Coach Pat Ginnell
Pat Ginnell
Patrick "Patty" Ginnell was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and junior league coach. He played a total of ten seasons professionally in the Western Hockey League and International Hockey League...
traded blows with a linesman during a bench clearing brawl against the Lethbridge Broncos
Lethbridge Broncos
The Lethbridge Broncos were a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League from 1974 until 1986. They played at the Lethbridge Sportsplex.-Season-by-season record:...
. Ginnell was found guilty of assault, fined $360, and suspended for 36 games by the WHL. In March 1982 a violent brawl between the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
and Calgary Wranglers
Calgary Wranglers
The Calgary Wranglers were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Hockey League from 1977 until 1987. The Wranglers played their home games in Calgary, Alberta, at the Stampede Corral.-Season-by-season Record:...
saw the two teams collectively fined $2250 and players suspended for 73 games combined. Pats coach Bill LaForge
Bill LaForge
Bill LaForge was a Canadian ice hockey head coach. He was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He coached the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League into the Memorial Cup tournament of 1984...
would end up in a courtroom later that season when he got into an altercation with a fan. LaForge was acquitted when the judge noted that it was hard to convict a man for assault when faced with "an obnoxious person trying to get into the coach's area." LaForge resigned following the season after serving three separate suspensions.
On January 19, 1983, the Seattle Breakers dealt the rights to Tom Martin
Tom Martin (ice hockey)
Tom Martin is a Canadian former ice hockey player. He was a fourth round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets, 74th overall, at the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. He played 92 National Hockey League games for the Jets, Hartford Whalers and Minnesota North Stars in a career predominantly spent in the American...
to the Victoria Cougars in exchange for the Cougars' team bus. The deal made perfect sense: the Breakers were unable to sign Martin, who wanted to play in his home town of Victoria, and the Cougars were unable to use the bus (which they had purchased from the folded Spokane Flyers
Spokane Flyers
The Spokane Flyers were a junior ice hockey team that played one and a half seasons in the Western Hockey League from 1980–1982. They played in Spokane, Washington, United States.-History:...
) because they were unwilling to pay the taxes and duties required to register the vehicle in Canada.
On December 30, 1986, tragedy struck the Swift Current Broncos when their bus slid off an icy highway and rolled on the way to Regina for a game. Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Brent Ruff, and Chris Mantyka were killed. The Broncos retired their numbers, and still wear a commemorative patch in remembrance of the four players who died. The WHL later renamed its award for most valuable player as the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the Western Hockey League's Player of the Year.The trophy is named in honour of four members of the Swift Current Broncos who were killed on December 30, 1986 in the Swift Current Broncos bus crash, an accident that occurred when the team bus...
in their honour.
Modern league
Kamloops Blazers
The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:...
became the WHL's second dynasty in the early 1990s when they won both the WHL Championship and Memorial Cup three times in four years between 1992 and 1995. The Kelowna Rockets
Kelowna Rockets
The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place....
have become the third dynasty, winning three WHL titles in 2003, 2005, and 2009; and winning the Memorial Cup as host city in 2004. The Portland Winterhawks became the first American team to win the Memorial Cup, winning it in 1983 while hosting the tournament. The Hawks won the Memorial Cup again in 1998 in Spokane, Washington.
In 1995, the Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...
were born when a group of investors, including Bret "the Hitman" Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, from whom the team got its name, were granted an expansion franchise. Despite early fears that the WHL could not succeed in an NHL city, the Hitmen have been a major success, averaging as many as 10,000 fans per game in 2004–05. The Hitmen were followed one year later by the Edmonton Ice
Edmonton Ice
The Edmonton Ice were a junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta that played two seasons in the Western Hockey League.Despite the long held belief that Major-Junior hockey could not compete against the NHL, the WHL expanded to Calgary in 1995, and to Edmonton in 1996...
, who failed after only two seasons because of conflicts with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. The team would become the Kootenay Ice
Kootenay Ice
The Kootenay Ice are a major junior ice hockey team based in Cranbrook, British Columbia and competing in the Western Hockey League. The team plays its home games at the Cranbrook Recreational Complex, also nicknamed the RecPlex.-History:...
, who have become a major success in Cranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the...
, despite being one of the smallest markets in the league. In the new millennium, the league has given birth to four new expansion teams—the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
in 2001, the Everett Silvertips
Everett Silvertips
The Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear...
in 2003, the Chilliwack Bruins
Chilliwack Bruins
The Chilliwack Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, based out of Chilliwack, British Columbia. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the Bruins...
in 2005, and the Edmonton Oil Kings
Edmonton Oil Kings
This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings...
in 2007, as the Oilers have taken an interest in cultivating a junior team in the Alberta capital.
The WHL is stereotypically known for producing large, hard-hitting defencemen and gritty power forwards, although recently a high percentage of quality goaltenders have come out of the league as well, as evidenced by the fact that the five of the last six winners of the CHL Goaltender of the Year
CHL Goaltender of the Year
The CHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given out annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League.-Winners:*2010–11 Darcy Kuemper, Red Deer Rebels*2009–10 Jake Allen, Drummondville Voltigeurs*2008–09 Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls...
award have come from the WHL.
Since 2006 Shaw TV
Shaw TV
Shaw TV is a locally-based community channel service operated by cable TV company Shaw Communications, and is available to Shaw Cable subscribers in most major communities throughout western Canada....
has become the television partner with the league in Canada airing a game every Friday Night and other select games throughout the season as well as one round of every playoff series. Starting in 2009 FSN Northwest
FSN Northwest
Root Sports Northwest is a United States regional sports network available in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska...
agreed to air some games throughout the northwest United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
On February 21, 2011, the defending champions Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...
hosted the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
, who are Canada's oldest major-junior hockey team, at McMahon Stadium for an outdoor game in conjunction with the 2011 Heritage Classic
2011 Heritage Classic
The 2011 Heritage Classic was a regular season outdoor National Hockey League game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames. The game was played at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on February 20, 2011. The Flames defeated the Canadiens by a score of 4–0 before a crowd of...
. The WHL teams wore retro inspired jerseys. The Spokane Chiefs
Spokane Chiefs
The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the...
also announced they would host the Kootenay Ice
Kootenay Ice
The Kootenay Ice are a major junior ice hockey team based in Cranbrook, British Columbia and competing in the Western Hockey League. The team plays its home games at the Cranbrook Recreational Complex, also nicknamed the RecPlex.-History:...
outdoors on January 15, 2011, being the first game of such. The 2010–2011 season was the first to be featured in EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
NHL 11
NHL 11
NHL 11 is an ice hockey video game celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the NHL series. The game was developed by EA Canada, published by EA Sports, and released in North America on September 7, 2010, with all other regions receiving the game within two weeks...
video game including all the teams and rosters.
Member teams
2010–11 WHL season
The 2010–11 WHL season is the 45th season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 24, 2010 and ended on March 20, 2011. The 2010 Subway Super Series, featuring Team WHL versus Team Russia, took place from November 17–18, 2010....
season, the WHL comprises 22 teams divided into two conferences, making it the largest league in the CHL; the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
has 20 teams and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
has 18. The WHL has member teams across four Canadian provinces, and two American states. The Eastern Conference comprises teams from Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and eastern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Western Conference is made up of teams based in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, with the division winners declared the top two seeds in the first round of the post-season. The four remaining teams in each conference are reseeded by regular season points in the second round of the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
| Division | Team | City | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Brandon Wheat Kings Brandon Wheat Kings The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the... |
Brandon Brandon, Manitoba Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance... , Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Westman Communications Group Place |
| Moose Jaw Warriors Moose Jaw Warriors The Moose Jaw Warriors are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League which are based out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The team plays its home games at Mosaic Place. The franchise moved to Moose Jaw from Winnipeg after the 1983–84 season, where they had previously been named the... |
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Mosaic Place Mosaic Place Mosaic Place is a multi-purpose arena in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. It will host curling and ice hockey and will be home to the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. It is scheduled to open on August 19th, 2011 and seat 4,500 spectators... |
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| Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert... |
Prince Albert Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan... , Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Art Hauser Centre Art Hauser Centre The Art Hauser Centre is a multi-purpose arena in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was built in 1971 and is home to the Prince Albert Raiders Ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League... |
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| Regina Pats Regina Pats The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:... |
Regina Regina, Saskatchewan Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox... , Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Brandt Centre Brandt Centre The Brandt Centre, formerly Regina Agridome, is an indoor arena in Regina, Saskatchewan. Built in 1977, it is the home arena for the WHL's Regina Pats and also hosts concerts, rodeos and the like. It replaced Regina Exhibition Stadium... |
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| Saskatoon Blades Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.-History:... |
Saskatoon Saskatoon Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344.... , Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Credit Union Centre Credit Union Centre Credit Union Centre is an arena, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated near the city's northern entrance, the facility opened in February, 1988 with a seating capacity of around 7,800. It was expanded to 11,330 for the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1990... |
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| Swift Current Broncos Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos... |
Swift Current, Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Credit Union iPlex | |
| Central | Calgary Hitmen Calgary Hitmen The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner... |
Calgary Calgary Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Scotiabank Saddledome |
| Edmonton Oil Kings Edmonton Oil Kings This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Rexall Place Rexall Place Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL... |
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| Kootenay Ice Kootenay Ice The Kootenay Ice are a major junior ice hockey team based in Cranbrook, British Columbia and competing in the Western Hockey League. The team plays its home games at the Cranbrook Recreational Complex, also nicknamed the RecPlex.-History:... |
Cranbrook Cranbrook, British Columbia Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Cranbrook Recreational Complex Cranbrook Recreational Complex The Cranbrook Recreation Complex is a 4,264-seat arena in Cranbrook, British Columbia... |
|
| Lethbridge Hurricanes Lethbridge Hurricanes The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Conference of the Western Hockey League in Lethbridge, Alberta. They play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.-History:... |
Lethbridge Lethbridge Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
ENMAX Centre ENMAX Centre The ENMAX Centre is a 5,479-seat multi-purpose arena, in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.It features a full-size ice rink, a running track, racquetball courts and squash courts. An outdoor sports field, with capacity for 2,000 people, is adjacent to the centre... |
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| Medicine Hat Tigers Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena.... |
Medicine Hat, Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Medicine Hat Arena Medicine Hat Arena The Medicine Hat Arena is a 4,006-seat multi-purpose arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. It was built in 1970 to replace the old rink that burned down in a fire where the Medicine Hat Inn is now situated. It is home to the Medicine Hat Tigers Ice hockey team... |
|
| Red Deer Rebels Red Deer Rebels The Red Deer Rebels are a Western Hockey League junior ice hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. They play their home games at the ENMAX Centrium.... |
Red Deer Red Deer, Alberta Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
ENMAX Centrium ENMAX Centrium The ENMAX Centrium is a two-tier 6,706-seat multi-purpose arena in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. It was built in 1991 and is home to the Red Deer Rebels hockey team. When utilizing floor seating, the arena can hold a maximum of 6,828 people... |
Western Conference
| Division | Team | City | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC | Kamloops Blazers Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:... |
Kamloops, British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Interior Savings Centre Interior Savings Centre The Interior Savings Centre is a 5,658-seat multi-purpose arena in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the Kamloops Blazers Ice hockey team.... |
| Kelowna Rockets Kelowna Rockets The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place.... |
Kelowna Kelowna Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Prospera Place Prospera Place Prospera Place, formerly known as Skyreach Place, is a 6,886-seat multi-purpose arena, in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It replaced the old Kelowna Memorial Arena, though it is still in use for smaller venues and sports.... |
|
| Prince George Cougars Prince George Cougars The Prince George Cougars are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The team is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and plays its home games at the CN Centre... |
Prince George Prince George, British Columbia Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
CN Centre CN Centre The CN Centre is a 5,967-seat multi-purpose arena, in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It was designed by PBK Architects, opened in 1995 and is owned by the City of Prince George. There are 14 luxury suites... |
|
| Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... |
Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Pacific Coliseum Pacific Coliseum Pacific Coliseum is an indoor arena, at Hastings Park, in Vancouver, British Columbia.Completed in 1968, at the former site of the Pacific National Exhibition, the arena currently holds 16,281, for ice hockey, though capacity at its opening was 15,713.... |
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| Victoria Royals | Victoria Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre The Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre is an indoor arena located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is the largest arena in British Columbia outside of Vancouver. It is primarily used for ice hockey, previously the home arena of the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL, and currently the home of... |
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| U.S. | Everett Silvertips Everett Silvertips The Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear... |
Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and... , Washington, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Comcast Arena at Everett Comcast Arena at Everett Comcast Arena at Everett is a $83.3 million dollar muti-purpose complex, in Everett, Washington, designed and developed by the City of Everett Public Facilities District. The arena opened in September 2003.... |
| Portland Winterhawks | Portland Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... , Oregon Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Memorial Coliseum & Rose Garden Rose Garden Arena Rose Garden, commonly known as the Rose Garden Arena, is the primary indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is suitable for large indoor events of all sorts, including basketball, ice hockey, rodeos, circuses, conventions, ice shows, concerts, and dramatic productions... |
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| Seattle Thunderbirds Seattle Thunderbirds The Seattle Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team based in Kent, a suburb of Seattle, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, and play in the ShoWare Center... |
Seattle, Washington, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
ShoWare Center | |
| Spokane Chiefs Spokane Chiefs The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the... |
Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena a multi-purpose arena, located in Spokane, Washington, USA.It is home to the Spokane Chiefs, of the WHL and the Spokane Shock, of the AFL.-Construction:... |
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| Tri-City Americans Tri-City Americans The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center... |
Kennewick, Washington Kennewick, Washington Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Toyota Center Toyota Center (Kennewick) The Toyota Center is an multi-purpose arena in Kennewick, Washington, USA.The arena opened in 1988 as the Tri-Cities Coliseum... |
Education
The WHL has taken a much greater role in its players educational needs in recent years. The league operates a scholarship program that offers one full year of tuition, textbooks and compulsory fees for each season they play in the WHL. Since the program was introduced in 1993, more than 3000 scholarships of this caliber have been handed out at a total value of c$Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
9-million. Each team maintains an academic advisor, who monitors the academic progress of all players along with the league's Director of Education Services.
Canadian universities and colleges recruit extensively from the WHL, affording graduating players the opportunity to continue playing hockey as they attend post-secondary institutions. The U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA), though, considers graduates of the WHL (and the other two CHL members, the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
and QMJHL
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
) to be professionals and thus ineligible to participate in college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
programs in the United States. Players hoping to receive scholarships to, and play for, American universities must play Junior A hockey in one of the Canadian Junior Hockey League's member organizations or the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
to retain their NCAA eligibility.
Player eligibility
The WHL Bantam DraftWHL Bantam Draft
The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the teams of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. The draft's order of selection depends on where the team finishes in the league standings. The teams that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the...
is an annual event which teams select players from bantam hockey league age groups, 14 or 15 years old. The order of selection depends on the final standings of the teams, the last place team selects first the second to last will choose second and so on.
Players aged 15–20 are eligible to play in the WHL, though 15-year-olds are permitted to play only five games unless their midget team's season has ended. Also, each team is allowed to have only three 20-year-olds on their rosters, unless there is an expansion team, in which case five 20-year-olds are eligible to play. Each team is permitted to carry only two non-North American players. Each of the CHL's three member leagues are granted exclusive territorial rights to players from within North America. The WHL holds rights to players from the four western provinces, the U.S. Pacific Northwest and other designated U.S. states west of the Mississippi River, and the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
.
Memorial Cup champions
The Memorial CupMemorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
has been captured by a WHL team 18 times since the league's founding
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1995 Memorial Cup The 1995 Memorial Cup occurred May 13-May 21 at the Riverside Coliseum in Kamloops, British Columbia. Participating teams were the host Kamloops Blazers, who were also the champions of the Western Hockey League, as well as the WHL runner-up Brandon Wheat Kings, and the winners of the Quebec Major... : Kamloops Blazers Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:... 1994 Memorial Cup The 1994 Memorial Cup was held May 14-22 at the Colisée de Laval in Laval, Quebec. Participating teams were the host Laval Titan from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as well as the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League, which were... : Kamloops Blazers Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:... 1992 Memorial Cup The 1992 Memorial Cup occurred May 9-May 17 at the Coliseum in Seattle, Washington. Participating teams were the Western Hockey League host Seattle Thunderbirds, as well as the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League which were the Verdun... : Kamloops Blazers Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:... 1991 Memorial Cup The 1991 Memorial Cup occurred May 11-May 19 at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec. Participating teams were the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Chicoutimi Saguenéens and runner-up Drummondville Voltigeurs, as well as the winners of the Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey... : Spokane Chiefs Spokane Chiefs The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the... 1989 Memorial Cup The 1989 Memorial Cup occurred May 6-13 at the brand new Saskatchewan Place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Participating teams were the Western Hockey League champion Swift Current Broncos, the WHL hosts, the Saskatoon Blades, as well as the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and... : Swift Current Broncos Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos... 1988 Memorial Cup The 1988 Memorial Cup occurred May 7-May 14 at the Centre Georges-Vézina in Chicoutimi, Quebec. Participating teams were the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Hull Olympiques, the QMJHL runner-up, the Drummondville Voltigeurs, as well as the winners of the Western Hockey League and... : Medicine Hat Tigers Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena.... |
1987 Memorial Cup The 1987 Memorial Cup occurred May 9-May 15 at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium in Oshawa, Ontario. Oshawa earned the right to host by winning a "Super Series" between themselves and the champions of the Emms Division, the North Bay Centennials. Given that Oshawa defeated North Bay in the OHL finals as... : Medicine Hat Tigers Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena.... 1985 Memorial Cup The 1985 Memorial Cup occurred May 11-May 18 at the Shawinigan Municipal Auditorium in Shawinigan, Quebec and at Centre Civique in Drummondville, Quebec. The tournament was originally only to be played in Shawinigan, but support columns in the seats of the ancient Auditorium made televising the... : Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert... 1983 Memorial Cup The 1983 Memorial Cup was held between May 7 and May 14 at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. Participating teams were the host team Portland Winter Hawks along with the Oshawa Generals, Verdun Juniors and Lethbridge Broncos who had won the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major Junior... : Portland Winter Hawks Portland Winter Hawks The Portland Winterhawks are a major junior ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon, playing in the Western Hockey League, a member league in the Canadian Hockey League. They play their home games at the Memorial Coliseum, though typically a few games each season are also played in the... 1978 Memorial Cup The 1978 Memorial Cup occurred May 6-May 13 at the Sudbury Community Arena in Sudbury, Ontario, and at the Sault Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey... : New Westminster Bruins New Westminster Bruins The New Westminster Bruins were a junior ice hockey team from the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:* 1971–1981... 1977 Memorial Cup The 1977 Memorial Cup occurred May 8-May 14 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Ottawa 67's, Sherbrooke Castors and New... : New Westminster Bruins New Westminster Bruins The New Westminster Bruins were a junior ice hockey team from the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:* 1971–1981... 1974 Memorial Cup The 1974 Memorial Cup occurred May 5-May 12 at the Stampede Corral in Calgary, Alberta. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the St. Catharines Black Hawks, Quebec Remparts and Regina Pats... : Regina Pats Regina Pats The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:... |
Records
Individual- Most goals in a season: 108, Ray FerraroRay FerraroRaymond Ferraro is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers , New York Islanders , New York Rangers , Los Angeles Kings , Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues...
, 1983–84 - Most assists in a season: 136, Rob Brown, 1986–87
- Most points in a season: 212, Rob Brown, 1986–87
- Most penalty minutes in a season: 511, Brent Gogol, 1977–78
- Most points in a season, rookie: 145, Petr NedvedPetr NedvedPetr Nedvěd is a Czech Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He currently plays centre for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga.- Biography :...
, 1989–90 - Most points in a season, defenceman: 140, Cam PlanteCam PlanteCam Plante is a former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the seventh round, 128th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He played two games in the National Hockey League with the Maple Leafs in the 1984–85 season.Plante holds the Western Hockey...
, 1983–84 - Most hat-tricks in a season: 15, Ray Ferraro, 1983–84
- Most goals in a single game: 7, Five times, last by Kimbi DanielsKimbi DanielsKimbi Daniels is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Fort St. John Flyers of the North Peace Hockey League...
, 1990–91
Team
- Most wins in a season: 60, Victoria Cougars, 1980–81
- Most wins in an inaugural season: 35, Everett SilvertipsEverett SilvertipsThe Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear...
, 2003–04 - Most points in a season: 125, Brandon Wheat KingsBrandon Wheat KingsThe Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
, 1978–79 - Most goals in a season: 496, Kamloops BlazersKamloops BlazersThe Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:...
, 1986–87 - Fewest goals against in a season: 125, Kelowna RocketsKelowna RocketsThe Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place....
, 2003–04 - Most powerplay goals in a season: 180, Swift Current BroncosSwift Current BroncosThe Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos...
, 1988–89
Trophies and awards
- Ed Chynoweth Cup—playoff champions
- Scotty Munro Memorial TrophyScotty Munro Memorial TrophyThe Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the regular season champion of the Western Hockey League.It is named after one of the league's founders, Scotty Munro...
—regular season champions - Four Broncos Memorial TrophyFour Broncos Memorial TrophyThe Four Broncos Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the Western Hockey League's Player of the Year.The trophy is named in honour of four members of the Swift Current Broncos who were killed on December 30, 1986 in the Swift Current Broncos bus crash, an accident that occurred when the team bus...
—player of the year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman TrophyDaryl K. (Doc) Seaman TrophyThe Daryl K. Seaman Trophy is presented annually to the top scholastic player in the Western Hockey League. It is named for Daryl K. Seaman, a native of Calgary who worked for years to promote the cause of higher education in junior hockey....
—scholastic player of the year - Bob Clarke TrophyBob Clarke TrophyThe Bob Clarke Trophy is awarded annually to the top scorer in the Western Hockey League.It is named after National Hockey League Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke who was one of the WHL's early stars...
—top scorer - Brad Hornung TrophyBrad Hornung TrophyThe Brad Hornung Trophy is awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike player of the Western Hockey League.It is named after former Regina Pats player Brad Hornung who was paralyzed during a game on March 1, 1987.-List of winners:...
—most sportsmanlike player - Bill Hunter Memorial TrophyBill Hunter Memorial TrophyThe Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the defenceman of the year in the Western Hockey League.It is named after one of the league's founders, Bill Hunter, who was the driving force behind the creation of the WHL...
—top defencemen - Jim Piggott Memorial TrophyJim Piggott Memorial TrophyThe Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie in the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Jim Piggott who was the founder of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, as well as one of the first presidents of the league.- Winners :...
—rookie of the year - Del Wilson TrophyDel Wilson TrophyThe Del Wilson Trophy is awarded to the top goaltender of the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Del Wilson, who was the general manager of the Regina Pats when they won the Memorial Cup in 1974.- Winners :...
—top goaltender - Dunc McCallum Memorial TrophyDunc McCallum Memorial TrophyThe Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Coach of the Year in the Western Hockey League. It was named in honour of Dunc McCallum, who coached the Brandon Wheat Kings from 1976–81, compiling a 251–123–41 record during that time, winning the WHL Championship in 1979.-List of...
—coach of the year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial TrophyLloyd Saunders Memorial TrophyThe Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top executive in the Western Hockey League. It is named for former broadcaster Lloyd Saunders.-Winners:-See also:*OHL Executive of the Year...
—executive of the year - Allen Paradice Memorial TrophyAllen Paradice Memorial TrophyThe Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Western Hockey League to its top on-ice official as voted by the league's coaches and general managers....
—top official - St. Clair Group TrophySt. Clair Group TrophyThe St. Clair Group Trophy is awarded annually by the Western Hockey League to its top public relations and marketing personnel. It has been handed out since 1989–90.-List of winners:...
—marketing/public relations award - Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy—humanitarian of the year
- WHL Plus-Minus AwardWHL Plus-Minus AwardThe Plus-Minus Award is given annually to the player who finishes with the top plus/minus in the Western Hockey League. It has been awarded since 1987.-List of winners:...
- airBC Trophy—most valuable player in the playoffs
Commissioners
- Ed ChynowethEd ChynowethEd Chynoweth was the long time president of the Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League, a director of the CHL, team owner, pioneer, and one of the most influential men in junior ice hockey in Canada.Chynoweth became the WHL's first full-time president in 1972, a job he held until 1995,...
- 1972-95 - Dev Dley - 1995-2000
- Ron Robison - 2000–present
See also
- List of CHL franchise post-season droughts
- List of ice hockey leagues
- Ontario Hockey LeagueOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
- Quebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueQuebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueThe Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
- List of sports attendance figures