The 1967–68 WCJHL season was the second season of the
Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL). The league adopted its new name after being known as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League in its inaugural season. The season featured eleven teams, up from seven during the inaugural season, and a 60-game regular season. The
Flin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in Flin Flon, a city located on the Manitoba–Saskatchewan provincial border. The Bombers are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), which is a member of the Canadia ...
, playing their first season in the league, topped the season standings with 47 wins. In the playoffs, the Bombers faced the
Estevan Bruins
The Estevan Bruins are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Junior "A" Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The team is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and plays at Affinity Place. They were founded in 1971, when a previous fran ...
in the championship series. The Bruins won the series, claiming the
President's Cup.
League notes
The WCJHL added four new teams for its second season, including three based in
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, increasing the league's presence across Western Canada. The
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadians, Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. Founded in 1936, the team was for three decades a successful junior team playing principally in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Whe ...
,
Flin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in Flin Flon, a city located on the Manitoba–Saskatchewan provincial border. The Bombers are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), which is a member of the Canadia ...
, and
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
all joined in Manitoba, while the
Swift Current Broncos became the league's sixth team based in
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
. The Calgary Buffaloes, meanwhile, adopted a new name, becoming the
Calgary Centennials.
The league's name change reflected in part a temporary truce with the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; ) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction included senior ice hockey leagues and the Allan Cup, ...
(CAHA), which had not sanctioned the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League upon its inception.
The WCJHL agreed to abide by CAHA regulations, which could allow the league to receive development subsidies and the ability to compete for the
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three Junior ice hockey, major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tou ...
—the inaugural CMJHL champion
Moose Jaw Canucks had been ineligible for the
1967 Memorial Cup. The agreement allowed the Estevan Bruins to contest the
1968 Memorial Cup
The 1968 Memorial Cup was the 50th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of junior A ice hockey. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Niagara Falls ...
; they would lose the final to the
Niagara Falls Flyers
The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982.
B ...
.
This would be the only season for the league under the WCJHL name. After the season, the league dropped "Junior" from its name.
Team changes
*The
Calgary Buffaloes are renamed the
Calgary Centennials.
*The
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadians, Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. Founded in 1936, the team was for three decades a successful junior team playing principally in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Whe ...
join the league as an expansion franchise.
*The
Flin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in Flin Flon, a city located on the Manitoba–Saskatchewan provincial border. The Bombers are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), which is a member of the Canadia ...
join the league as an expansion franchise.
*The
Swift Current Broncos join the league as an expansion franchise.
*The
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
join the league as an expansion franchise.
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders
''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes''
1968 WCJHL playoffs
Quarterfinals
* Flin Flon defeated Regina 4 games to 0
* Estevan defeated Winnipeg 4 games to 0
* Edmonton defeated Saskatoon 3 games to 2 with 2 ties
* Moose Jaw defeated Brandon 4 games to 3 with 1 tie
Semifinals
* Flin Flon defeated Edmonton 4 games to 1 with 1 tie
* Estevan defeated Moose Jaw 4 games to 0 with 1 tie
Finals
* Estevan defeated Flin Flon 4 games to 0 with 1 tie
All-star game
The 1967–68 WCJHL all-star game was held in
Estevan, Saskatchewan, with the WCJHL All-stars defeating the
Estevan Bruins
The Estevan Bruins are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Junior "A" Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The team is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and plays at Affinity Place. They were founded in 1971, when a previous fran ...
8–7 before a crowd of 2500.
Awards
All-star teams
See also
*
1967 in sports
*
1968 in sports
References
* 2005–06 WHL Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:1967-68 Wchl Season
Western Hockey League seasons
WCHL