The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the Western Hockey League (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 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. 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's National Junior Team Development Camp. June 26, 2008 — The WHL entered into a partnership with Hockey Manitoba, providing additional financial support for their hockey system. July 7, 2008 — Saskatoon 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, Ontario. July 30, 2008 — Brandon Wheat Kings athletic trainer Rob "Stofe" Stouffer died of liver cancer. 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 and Kootenay Ice. October 15, 2008 — The 2010 Memorial Cup was awarded to Brandon. January 3, 2009 — The Seattle Thunderbirds moved into their new arena, Showare Center, in Kent, Washington. January 14, 2009 — The 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game was held in Oshawa, Ontario.
Regular season
Standings
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
Player2008–09 WHL Regular season: Scoring leaders . Retrieved on February 25, 2009. Team GP G A Pts. PIM Vancouver Giants 72 36 79 115 52 Calgary Hitmen 72 40 68 108 58 Calgary Hitmen 62 48 52 100 58 Vancouver Giants 61 48 48 96 89 Prince Albert Raiders 72 35 57 92 104 Kelowna Rockets 68 33 58 91 28 Brandon Wheat Kings 70 32 56 88 82 Calgary Hitmen 67 53 34 87 64 Kamloops Blazers 72 29 57 86 72 Medicine Hat Tigers 61 43 42 85 21
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
Player 2008–09 WHL Regular season: Goaltending leaders . Retrieved on December 22, 2009. Team GP Mins W L OTL SOL SO GAA SV% Spokane Chiefs 54 3264 34 18 0 2 7 1.97 .937 Kelowna Rockets 29 1514 18 5 0 1 2 2.02 .912 Calgary Hitmen 55 3295 45 5 3 1 7 2.08 .915 Vancouver Giants 52 3109 39 9 2 2 6 2.26 .898 Tri-City Americans 50 2947 35 12 0 3 6 2.28 .921
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.Donlevy (2008), 2.
2008 NHL Entry Draft (WHL draftees) 1st round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team5 Luke Schenn18Kelowna RocketsToronto Maple Leafs11 Kyle Beach18Everett SilvertipsChicago Blackhawks12 Tyler Myers18Kelowna RocketsBuffalo Sabres13 Colten Teubert18Regina PatsLos Angeles Kings14 Zach Boychuk18Lethbridge HurricanesCarolina Hurricanes18 Chet Pickard18Tri-City AmericansNashville Predators19 Luca Sbisa18Lethbridge HurricanesPhiladelphia Flyers22 Jordan Eberle18Regina PatsEdmonton Oilers26 Tyler Ennis18Medicine Hat TigersBuffalo Sabres
2nd round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team46 Colby Robak18Brandon Wheat KingsFlorida Panthers48 Mitch Wahl18Spokane ChiefsCalgary Flames53 Travis Hamonic18Moose Jaw WarriorsNew York Islanders57 Eric Mestery18Tri-City AmericansWashington Capitals
3rd round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team69 Michael Stone18Calgary HitmenPhoenix Coyotes72 Jyri Niemi18Saskatoon BladesNew York Islanders78 Lance Bouma18Vancouver GiantsCalgary Flames79 Zack Smith20Swift Current BroncosOttawa Senators84 Jacob DeSerres18Seattle ThunderbirdsPhiladelphia Flyers85 Brandon McMillan18Kelowna RocketsAnaheim Ducks87 Ian Schultz18Calgary HitmenSt. Louis Blues88 Geordie Wudrick18Swift Current BroncosLos Angeles Kings
4th round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team93 Braden Holtby18Saskatoon BladesWashington Capitals99 Colin Long18Kelowna RocketsPhoenix Coyotes111 Dale Weise18Swift Current BroncosNew York Rangers112 Matt Delahey18Regina PatsNew Jersey Devils117 James Wright18Vancouver GiantsTampa Bay Lightning
5th round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team122 Dustin Tokarski18Spokane ChiefsTampa Bay Lightning127 Matt Calvert18Brandon Wheat KingsColumbus Blue Jackets131 Prab Rai18Seattle ThunderbirdsVancouver Canucks132 Teigan Zahn18Saskatoon BladesChicago Blackhawks137 Brent Regner18Vancouver GiantsColumbus Blue Jackets144 Joel Broda18Moose Jaw WarriorsWashington Capitals
6th round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team156 Jared Spurgeon18Spokane ChiefsNew York Islanders168 Ryley Grantham18Moose Jaw WarriorsCalgary Flames176 Matt Tassone18Swift Current BroncosDallas Stars
7th round # Nat. Player Age WHL team NHL team191 Morgan Clark18Red Deer RebelsVancouver Canucks193 Jordan Bendfeld18Medicine Hat TigersEdmonton Oilers
Contracts and scholarships June 6, 2008 — Brett Martyniuk signs a WHL Players Contract with the Tri-City Americans. June 9, 2008 — Bretton Stamler agrees to play for the UNB Varsity Reds hockey club.
Trades Date Deal made June 3, 2008 Red Deer Rebels Seattle Thunderbirds Mike Krgovich → 5th-round pick → ← Steve Oursov RD trades Krgovich and conditional 5th-round pick in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft – SEA trades Oursov. June 12, 2008 Tri-City Americans Swift Current Broncos 5th-round pick → ← Scott Macauley TC trades conditional 5th-round pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft – SC trades Macauley. September 20, 2008 Kootenay Ice Kelowna Rockets Kris Lazaruk → ← 4th-round pick KTN trades Lazaruk – KEL trades conditional 4th-round pick in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft. September 22, 2008 Tri-City Americans Moose Jaw Warriors Kyle Birch → ← 5th-round pick TC trades Birch – MJ trades conditional 5th-round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. September 27, 2008 Lethbridge Hurricanes Edmonton Oil Kings 7th-round pick → ← Brent Henke LET trades 7th-round pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft – EDM trades Henke. September 29, 2008 Brandon Wheat Kings Kamloops Blazers 3rd-round pick → ← James Priestner BDN trades 3rd-round pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft – KAM trades Priestner.
Canada-Russia Challenge The ADT Canada Russia Challenge was a six-game series featuring four teams: three from the Canadian Hockey League (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 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
Eastern conference
(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes
(3) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (6) Medicine Hat Tigers
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
Playoff scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIMJamie Benn Kelowna Rockets 191320339Cody Almond Kelowna Rockets 2210172718Joel Broda Calgary Hitmen 1811132418Mikael Backlund Kelowna Rockets 1913102326Tyler Myers Kelowna Rockets 2252029Kyle Bortis Calgary Hitmen 18416202Tyler Ennis Medicine Hat Tigers 118111910Brandon Kozun Calgary Hitmen 18712198Ian Duval Tri-City Americans 221081810Brayden Schenn Brandon Wheat Kings 128101812
Playoff leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV& = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team GP Mins W L GA SO Sv% GAA Dustin Tokarski Spokane Chiefs 12812 7 5 23 10.9471.70 Martin Jones Calgary Hitmen 181095 14 4 34 20.9211.86 Tyson Sexsmith Vancouver Giants 171150 10 7 36 10.9271.88 Braden Holtby Saskatoon Blades 7414 3 4 16 00.9122.32Mark Guggenberger Kelowna Rockets 221374 16 6 54 30.9072.36
Memorial Cup
The 91st Memorial Cup was held in Rimouski, Quebec.
WHL awards
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy Regular season champions Calgary Hitmen Four Broncos Memorial Trophy Player of the Year Brett Sonne Calgary Hitmen Bob Clarke Trophy Top Scorer Casey Pierro-Zabotel Vancouver Giants Bill Hunter Trophy Top Defenseman Jonathon Blum Vancouver Giants Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy Rookie of the Year Brett Connolly Prince George Cougars Del Wilson Trophy Top Goaltender Chet Pickard Tri-City Americans WHL Plus-Minus Award Top Plus-Minus Rating Paul Postma Calgary Hitmen Brad Hornung Trophy Most Sportsmanlike Player Tyler Ennis Medicine Hat Tigers Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy Scholastic Player of the Year Stefan Elliott Saskatoon Blades Jim Donlevy Memorial Trophy Scholastic team of the Year Prince Albert Raiders Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy Coach of the Year Don Hay Vancouver Giants Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy Executive of the Year Kelly Kisio Calgary Hitmen Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy Top Official Chris Savage St. Clair Group Trophy Marketing/Public Relations Award Mike Bortolussi Medicine Hat Tigers Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy Humanitarian of the Year Taylor Procyshen Tri-City Americans WHL Playoff MVP WHL Finals Most Valuable Player Tyler Myers Kelowna Rockets Professional Hockey AchievementAcademic Recipient Alumni Achievement Awards Trevor LindenDan Hulak
Source WHL Announces 2008-09 Award Winners
All-Star teams