1996–97 WHL season 4515217 210960268 2008-05-08T03:46:15Z 24.84.181.198 /* Western Conference */ The '''1996–97 WHL season''' was the 31st season for the [[Western Hockey League]]. Eighteen teams completed a 72 game season. The [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]] won the [[President's Cup (WHL)|President's Cup]]. ==League notes== *The [[Edmonton Ice]] joined the WHL as it's 18th franchise, playing out of the Central division. *The [[Swift Current Broncos]] moved to the East division. ==Regular season== ===Final standings=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! width="45%" | East Division ! width="5%" | GP ! width="5%" | W ! width="5%" | L ! width="5%" | T ! width="7.5%" | Pts ! width="7.5%" | GF ! width="7.5%" | GA |- | '''x [[Brandon Wheat Kings]]'''||72 ||47 ||24 ||1 ||95 ||339 ||208 |- | '''x [[Swift Current Broncos]]''' ||72 ||44 ||23 ||5 ||93 ||336 ||243 |- | '''x [[Regina Pats]]''' ||72 ||42 ||27 ||3 ||87 ||326 ||259 |- | '''x [[Moose Jaw Warriors]]''' ||72 ||36 ||29 ||7 ||79 ||278 ||240 |- | '''x [[Prince Albert Raiders]]''' ||72 ||29 ||34 ||9 ||67 ||235 ||262 |- | '''[[Saskatoon Blades]]''' ||72 ||18 ||48 ||6 ||42 ||227 ||344 |- |} {| class="wikitable" |- ! width="45%" | Central Division ! width="5%" | GP ! width="5%" | W ! width="5%" | L ! width="5%" | T ! width="7.5%" | Pts ! width="7.5%" | GF ! width="7.5%" | GA |- | '''x [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]]'''||72 ||47 ||22 ||3 ||97 ||342 ||248 |- | '''x [[Red Deer Rebels]]'''||72 ||43 ||26 ||3 ||89 ||317 ||297 |- | '''x [[Medicine Hat Tigers]]''' ||72 ||39 ||32 ||1 ||79 ||270 ||278 |- | '''[[Calgary Hitmen]]'''||72 ||15 ||53 ||4 ||34 ||199 ||360 |- | '''[[Edmonton Ice]]'''||72 ||14 ||56 ||2 ||30 ||231 ||395 |- |} {| class="wikitable" |- ! width="45%" | West Division ! width="5%" | GP ! width="5%" | W ! width="5%" | L ! width="5%" | T ! width="7.5%" | Pts ! width="7.5%" | GF ! width="7.5%" | GA |- | '''x [[Portland Winter Hawks]]''' ||72 ||46 ||21 ||5 ||97 ||300 ||196 |- | '''x [[Seattle Thunderbirds]]''' ||72 ||41 ||27 ||4 ||86 ||311 ||249 |- | '''x [[Spokane Chiefs]]''' ||72 ||35 ||33 ||4 ||74 ||260 ||235 |- | '''x [[Kelowna Rockets]]''' ||72 ||35 ||35 ||2 ||72 ||298 ||314 |- | '''x [[Kamloops Blazers]]''' ||72 ||28 ||37 ||7 ||63 ||256 ||285 |- | '''x [[Prince George Cougars]]''' ||72 ||28 ||39 ||5 ||61 ||238 ||287 |- | '''[[Tri-City Americans]]''' ||72 ||22 ||43 ||7 ||51 ||225 ||288 |- |} ===Scoring leaders=== ''Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in Minutes'' {| class="wikitable" |- ! width="30%" | Player ! width="30%" | Team ! width="7.5%" | GP ! width="7.5%" | G ! width="7.5%" | A ! width="7.5%" | Pts ! width="7.5%" | PIM |- | [[Todd Robinson]] || [[Portland Winter Hawks]] || 71 || 38 || 96 || 134 || 53 |- | [[Byron Ritchie]] || [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]] || 63 || 50 || 76 || 126 || 86 |- | [[Patrick Marleau]] || [[Seattle Thunderbirds]] || 71 || 51 || 74 || 125 || 22 |- | [[Peter Schaefer]] || [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] || 61 || 49 || 74 || 123 || 66 |- | [[B.J. Young]] || [[Red Deer Rebels]] || 63 || 58 || 56 || 114 || 72 |- | [[Josh St. Louis]] || [[Swift Current Broncos]] || 65 || 57 || 51 || 108 || 20 |- | [[Brett McLean]] || [[Kelowna Rockets]] || 72 || 44 || 60 || 104 || 89 |- | [[Kelly Smart]] || [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] || 69 || 39 || 60 || 99 || 8 |- | [[Josh Holden]] || [[Regina Pats]] || 58 || 49 || 49 || 98 || 111 |- | [[Greg Schmidt]] || [[Red Deer Rebels]] || 66 || 45 || 53 || 98 || 97 |- |} ===Goaltending Leaders=== ''Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Total Ice Time; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties ; GA = Goals Against; SO = Total Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average'' {| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable" |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="27.5%" | Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="27.5%" | Team ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | TOI ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | T ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | SO ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Sv% ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GAA |- |[[Brian Elder]]||[[Brandon Wheat Kings]]||52 ||2930 ||32 ||15 ||0 ||132 ||2 ||.906 ||2.70 |- |[[Brent Belecki]]||[[Portland Winter Hawks]]||27 ||1568 ||17 ||7 ||1 ||71 ||1 ||.909 ||2.72 |- |[[Chris Wickenheiser]]||[[Red Deer Rebels|Red Deer]]/[[Portland Winter Hawks|Portland]]||41 ||2428 ||24 ||14 ||3 ||110 ||3 ||.913 ||2.72 |- |[[David Haun]]||[[Brandon Wheat Kings]]||27 ||1442 ||15 ||9 ||1 ||72 ||1 ||.898 ||3.00 |- |[[Donavon Nunweiler]]||[[Moose Jaw Warriors]]||56 ||3278 ||27 ||21 ||5 ||166 ||6 ||.907 ||3.04 |- |} ==WHL Playoffs== ===Conference Quarterfinals=== *Top eight teams in the Eastern Conference (East and Central divisions) qualified for playoffs *Top six teams in the Western Conference (division) qualified for the playoffs ====Eastern Conference==== {| cellspacing="10" | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Lethbridge vs. Prince Albert |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 19 || align="right" | Prince Albert 2 || '''4 Lethbridge''' |- | March 21 || align="right" | Prince Albert 1 || '''2 Lethbridge''' |- | March 23 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 4 Prince Albert |- | March 24 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 4 Prince Albert |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Lethbridge wins series 4–0''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Swift Current vs. Medicine Hat |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 18 || align="right" | Medicine Hat 1 || '''8 Swift Current''' |- | March 20 || align="right" | '''Swift Current 5''' || 1 Medicine Hat |- | March 22 || align="right" | Medicine Hat 1 || '''5 Swift Current''' |- | March 23 || align="right" | '''Swift Current 4''' || 2 Medicine Hat |- |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Swift Current wins series 4–0''''' |} |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Brandon vs. Moose Jaw |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 20 || align="right" | '''Moose Jaw 4''' || 2 Brandon |- | March 21 || align="right" | '''Moose Jaw 4''' || 3 Brandon |- | March 23 || align="right" | '''Brandon 5''' || 4 Moose Jaw |- | March 24 || align="right" | '''Brandon 3''' || 2 Moose Jaw |- | March 26 || align="right" | '''Moose Jaw 3''' || 2 Brandon || OT |- | March 28 || align="right" | Brandon 2 || '''3 Moose Jaw''' || OT |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Moose Jaw wins series 4–2''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Red Deer vs. Regina |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 20 || align="right" | Regina 4 || '''6 Red Deer''' |- | March 21 || align="right" | Regina 4 || '''5 Red Deer''' || OT |- | March 23 || align="right" | '''Red Deer 6''' || 2 Regina |- | March 24 || align="right" | Red Deer 1 || '''5 Regina''' |- | March 26 || align="right" | Regina 1 || '''5 Red Deer''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Red Deer wins series 4–1''''' |} |} ====Western Conference==== {| cellspacing="10" | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Portland vs. Prince George |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 21 || align="right" | Prince George 2 || '''5 Portland''' |- | March 22 || align="right" | '''Prince George 5''' || 3 Portland |- | March 25 || align="right" | Portland 0 || '''4 Prince George''' |- | March 26 || align="right" | Portland 2 || '''4 Prince George''' |- | March 29 || align="right" | Prince George 1 || '''2 Portland''' |- | March 31 || align="right" | Portland 2 || '''3 Prince George''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Prince George wins series 4–2''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Spokane vs. Kelowna |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 21 || align="right" | '''Spokane 5''' || 3 Kelowna |- | March 22 || align="right" | '''Spokane 5''' || 3 Kelowna |- | March 26 || align="right" | '''Kelowna 5''' || 2 Spokane |- | March 28 || align="right" | Kelowna 0 || '''4 Spokane''' |- | March 29 || align="right" | '''Kelowna 6''' || 3 Spokane |- | March 31 || align="right" | '''Spokane 5''' || 2 Kelowna |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Spokane wins series 4–2''''' |} |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Seattle vs. Kamloops |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 21 || align="right" | Kamloops 2 || '''5 Seattle''' |- | March 23 || align="right" | Kamloops 3 || '''7 Seattle''' |- | March 25 || align="right" | '''Seattle 4''' || 1 Kamloops |- | March 27 || align="right" | Seattle 2 || '''3 Kamloops''' |- | March 29 || align="right" | Kamloops 4 || '''5 Seattle''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Seattle wins series 4–1''''' |} |} ===Conference semifinals=== {| cellspacing="10" ! colspan="2" | Eastern Conference |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Lethbridge vs. Moose Jaw |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 31 || align="right" | Moose Jaw 2 || '''3 Lethbridge''' || OT |- | April 1 || align="right" | '''Moose Jaw 5''' || 4 Lethbridge || OT |- | April 3 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 3 Moose Jaw |- | April 4 || align="right" | Lethbridge 4 || '''5 Moose Jaw''' |- | April 6 || align="right" | Moose Jaw 1 || '''5 Lethbridge''' |- | April 8 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 4 Moose Jaw |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Lethbridge wins series 4–2''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Swift Current vs. Red Deer |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | March 31 || align="right" | '''Red Deer 5''' || 2 Swift Current |- | April 1 || align="right" | '''Red Deer 5''' || 3 Swift Current |- | April 3 || align="right" | Swift Current 2 || '''4 Red Deer''' |- | April 4 || align="right" | '''Swift Current 3''' || 2 Red Deer || OT |- | April 6 || align="right" | Red Deer 2 || '''11 Swift Current''' |- | April 8 || align="right" | Swift Current 2 || '''6 Red Deer''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Red Deer wins series 4–2''''' |} |} {| cellspacing="10" ! colspan="2" | Western Conference |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Spokane vs. Prince George |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | April 4 || align="right" | '''Prince George 5''' || 4 Spokane || OT |- | April 5 || align="right" | '''Prince George 4''' || 2 Spokane |- | April 7 || align="right" | Spokane 1 || '''2 Prince George''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Prince George wins series 3–0''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Seattle earns bye |} |} ===Conference finals=== {| cellspacing="10" ! Eastern Conference !! Western Conference |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Lethbridge vs. Red Deer |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | April 12 || align="right" | Red Deer 2 || '''3 Lethbridge''' || OT |- | April 13 || align="right" | '''Red Deer 7''' || 4 Lethbridge |- | April 15 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 3 Red Deer |- | April 16 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 6''' || 4 Red Deer |- | April 18 || align="right" | Red Deer 2 || '''5 Lethbridge''' |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Lethbridge wins series 4–1''''' |} | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Seattle vs. Prince George |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | April 10 || align="right" | '''Prince George 3''' || 2 Seattle || 2OT |- | April 11 || align="right" | Prince George 1 || '''4 Seattle''' |- | April 14 || align="right" | '''Seattle 5''' || 2 Prince George |- | April 15 || align="right" | Seattle 3 || '''4 Prince George''' |- | April 18 || align="right" | Prince George 1 || '''4 Seattle''' |- | April 20 || align="right" | '''Seattle 6''' || 1 Prince George |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Seattle wins series 4–2''''' |} |} ===WHL Championship=== {| cellspacing="10" |- | valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" ! bgcolor="#DDDDDD" colspan="4" | Lethbridge vs. Seattle |- ! Date !! Away !! Home |- | April 25 || align="right" | Seattle 2 || '''7 Lethbridge''' |- | April 26 || align="right" | Seattle 1 || '''4 Lethbridge''' |- | April 29 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 3''' || 1 Seattle |- | April 30 || align="right" | '''Lethbridge 5''' || 1 Seattle |- align="center" | colspan="4" | '''''Lethbridge wins series 4–0''''' |} ==All-Star Game== On [[January 22]], the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 7–5 at [[Spokane, Washington]] before a WHL record crowd of 10,455. ==WHL awards== {| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" |Player of the Year - [[Four Broncos Memorial Trophy]]: [[Peter Schaefer]], [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |- |Scholastic Player of the Year - [[Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy]]: [[Stefan Cherneski]], [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |- |Top Scorer - [[Bob Clarke Trophy]]: [[Todd Robinson]], [[Portland Winter Hawks]] |- |Most Sportsmanlike Player - [[Brad Hornung Trophy]]: [[Kelly Smart]], [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |- |Top Defenseman - [[Bill Hunter Trophy (WHL)|Bill Hunter Trophy]]: [[Chris Phillips]], [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]] |- |Rookie of the Year - [[Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy]]: [[Donavon Nunweiler]], [[Moose Jaw Warriors]] |- |Top Goaltender - [[Del Wilson Trophy]]: [[Brian Boucher]], [[Tri-City Americans]] |- |Coach of the Year - [[Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy]]: [[Brent Peterson]], [[Portland Winter Hawks]] |- |Executive of the Year - [[Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy]]: [[Todd McLellan]], [[Swift Current Broncos]] |- |Regular season Champions - [[Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy]]: [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]] |- |Top Official - [[Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy]]: [[Tom Kowal]] |- |Marketing/Public Relations Award - [[St. Clair Group Trophy]]: Pat Garrity, [[Red Deer Rebels]] |- |[[WHL Humanitarian of the Year Award|Humanitarian of the Year]] - [[Jesse Wallin]], [[Red Deer Rebels]] |- |[[WHL Plus-Minus Award]]: [[Peter Schaefer]], [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |- |Playoff Most Valuable Player - [[airBC Trophy]]: [[Blaine Russell]], [[Lethbridge Hurricanes]] |} ==See also== *[[1997 Memorial Cup]] *[[1997 NHL Entry Draft]] *[[1996 in sports]] *[[1997 in sports]] ==References== *[http://www.whl.ca whl.ca] * 2005–06 WHL Guide {{start box}} {{succession box | before = [[1995–96 WHL season]] | after = [[1997–98 WHL season]] | title = [[List of WHL seasons|WHL seasons]] | years = | }} {{end box}} [[Category:Western Hockey League seasons]] [[Category:1996 in ice hockey|WHL]] [[Category:1997 in ice hockey|WHL]]