2008–09 WHL Season
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The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL). The regular season began on September 18, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring ''Team WHL'' versus the ''Russian Selects'', took place mid-season from November 26 to 27, 2008. The Calgary Hitmen won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy with the best regular season record. The playoffs commenced on March 20, and concluded on May 9. The
Kelowna Rockets The Kelowna Rockets are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing their home games at Prospera Place. The Rockets a ...
won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions, defeating the Hitmen in the championship series and earning a berth at the 2009 Memorial Cup tournament. WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth.


2008–09: Ed Chynoweth's season

WHL Commissioner Ron Robison dedicated the 2008–09 season to long-time league president Ed Chynoweth, who died on April 22, 2008. His death occurred just over a year after the WHL Championship trophy was renamed in his honour. Throughout the 2008–09 season, the helmets of all the players and officials displayed a commemorative decal.


League notes

; Off-season * June 17, 2008 — Ed Chynoweth was elected to the
Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
. * June 20–21, 2008 — 37 WHL players were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. * June 24, 2008 — 16 WHL players were invited to the National Men's Under-18 Selection Camp. * June 25, 2008 — 17 WHL players were invited to the
Hockey Canada Hockey Canada (which merged with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1994) is the national governing body of ice hockey and ice sledge hockey in Canada. It is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and controls the majority ...
's National Junior Team Development Camp. * June 26, 2008 — The WHL entered into a partnership with Hockey
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 ...
, providing additional financial support for their hockey system. * July 7, 2008 —
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
and Regina were chosen as hosts to the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship. * July 23, 2008 — 18 WHL players attended Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp in
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. * July 30, 2008 —
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 ...
athletic trainer Rob "Stofe" Stouffer died of
liver cancer Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...
. * August 5, 2008 — 10 WHL players were named to Canada's Under-18 Summer Team at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. * August 7, 2008 — 6 WHL players were invited to the 2008 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York. * August 16, 2008 — Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team claimed first place at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka tournament, with a 6–3 win over Russia. ; Regular season * September 18, 2008 — A tribute involving members of the Chynoweth family took place prior to the season opener between the
Spokane Chiefs The Spokane Chiefs are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Spokane, Washington. The Chiefs play in the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing home games at Spokane Arena. The Chiefs are two-time M ...
and Kootenay Ice. * October 15, 2008 — The 2010 Memorial Cup was awarded to Brandon. * January 3, 2009 — The
Seattle Thunderbirds The Seattle Thunderbirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in the city of Kent, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League. Founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats, the team arrive ...
moved into their new arena, Showare Center, in
Kent, Washington Kent is a city in King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metropolitan area and had a population of 136,588 as of the 2020 Unit ...
. * January 14, 2009 — The 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game was held in
Oshawa Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe. It ...
,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
.


Regular season


Standings

''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes'' ; Divisions ; Conference standings


Eastern Conference Tiebreaker


Prince Albert Raiders vs. Edmonton Oil Kings


Scoring leaders

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''


Leading goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout Losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; Sv% = Save percentage ''


Players


2008 NHL Entry Draft

37 WHL players were selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. This was more than any other hockey league in the world.


Contracts and scholarships

* June 6, 2008 — Brett Martyniuk signs a WHL ''Players Contract'' with the
Tri-City Americans The Tri-City Americans are an American major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League and based in Kennewick, Washington. Founded in 1966 as the Calgary Buffaloes, the team settled in Kennewick in 1988 after a number of re ...
. * June 9, 2008 — Bretton Stamler agrees to play for the UNB Varsity Reds hockey club.


Trades


Canada-Russia Challenge

The ADT Canada Russia Challenge was a six-game series featuring four teams: three from the
Canadian Hockey League The Canadian Hockey League (CHL; , LCH) is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three me ...
(CHL)—one team from each of the QMJHL, the OHL, and the WHL—versus Russia's national junior hockey team. The 2008 series was held in six cities across Canada. The series begun on November 17, 2008, and concluded on November 27, 2008. Both Western Hockey League games were held in Saskatchewan. Former Prince Albert Raider forward Dan Hodgson was Honorary Captain for the final game in the series, held in
Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...
on November 27, 2008.


Results


2009 WHL Playoffs


Overview


Conference Quarter-finals


Eastern Conference


(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (8) Edmonton Oil Kings


(2) Saskatoon Blades vs. (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes


(3) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (6) Kootenay Ice


(4) Swift Current Broncos vs. (5) Medicine Hat Tigers


Western Conference


(1) Vancouver Giants vs. (8) Prince George Cougars


(4) Spokane Chiefs vs. (5) Seattle Thunderbirds


(2) Tri-City Americans vs. (7) Seattle Thunderbirds


(3) Kelowna Rockets vs. (6) Kamloops Blazers


Conference Semi-finals


Conference semifinals


Eastern conference


=(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes

=


=(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes

=


Western conference


=(1) Vancouver Giants vs. (4) Spokane Chiefs

=


(2) Tri-City Americans vs. (3) Kelowna Rockets


Conference Finals


(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (3) Brandon Wheat Kings


(1) Vancouver Giants vs. (3) Kelowna Rockets


WHL Championship


(E1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (W3) Kelowna Rockets


Memorial Cup

The 91st
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 ...
was held in
Rimouski Rimouski ( ; ) is a city in Quebec, Canada. Rimouski is located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, at the mouth of the Rimouski River. It has a population of 48,935 (as of 2021). Rimouski, whose motto is ''Legi patrum fidelis'' (Faithful to ...
,
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
.


WHL awards

*Sourc
WHL Announces 2008-09 Award Winners


All-Star Teams

* Source
WHL Announces 2008–09 Conference All-Star Teams and Award Finalists


See also

* List of WHL seasons *
2008–09 OHL season The 2008–09 OHL season was the 29th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 17, 2008 and concluded on March 15, 2009. The OHL inaugurated the Mickey R ...
*
2008–09 QMJHL season The 2008–09 QMJHL season was the 40th season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The regular season began on September 11, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring ''Team QMJHL'' ...
* 2008 in ice hockey * 2009 in ice hockey


References


External links


Official website of the Western Hockey League

Official website of the Canadian Hockey League

Official website of the MasterCard Memorial Cup

Official website of the Home Hardware Top Prospects Game

Official website of the ADT Canada Russia Challenge
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008-09 WHL season Western Hockey League seasons WHL WHL