The 2020–21 WHL season was the 55th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The season began on February 26 and ended on May 12.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a late start, the season was shortened from 68 to 24 games, and the WHL officially termed the season as a "developmental season". Teams played within their respective divisions only: the Central Division consisted exclusively of Alberta-based teams, the U.S. Division played exclusively in Washington state, all B.C.-based teams played from either Sandman Centre or Prospera Place in Kamloops and Kelowna, British Columbia, and all East Division games were played at Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan.
In Alberta due to protocols agreed upon by the league, a five-day period was required between games involving different opponents. Therefore, all Central Division games were scheduled as home-and-home series on weekends only, and thus no team was scheduled to play more than one opponent per-week.
On April 19, citing logistical issues and interprovincial travel restrictions, and following the cancellation of the 2021 Memorial Cup, the WHL announced that it had cancelled the playoffs. Therefore, no league champion was declared for the second season in a row.
Standings
Statistics Scoring leaders
Players are listed by points, then goals.
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Winnipeg Ice 24 13 30 43 28 Brandon Wheat Kings 24 13 24 37 29 Everett Silvertips 23 16 18 34 14 Everett Silvertips 23 12 22 34 12 Vancouver Giants 22 11 23 34 29 Winnipeg Ice 24 14 19 33 27 Edmonton Oil Kings 19 9 24 33 17 Vancouver Giants 22 15 17 32 14 Brandon Wheat Kings 21 10 22 32 39 Saskatoon Blades 24 10 22 32 8
Leading goaltenders These are the goaltenders that lead the league in GAA that have played at least 420 minutes.WHL Regular Season: Goaltending leaders. Retrieved on February 27, 2021.
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 Team GP Mins W L OTL SOL SO GAA Sv% Edmonton Oil Kings 19 1144 17 1 0 1 4 1.57 0.941 Everett Silvertips 22 1298 18 3 0 0 4 1.80 0.940 Kamloops Blazers 18 1086 15 3 0 0 3 2.15 0.921 Vancouver Giants 15 832 7 8 0 0 4 2.16 0.915 Winnipeg Ice 9 538 6 3 0 0 1 2.23 0.917
WHL awards
Award Name Winner WHL Champions Ed Chynoweth Cup Not Awarded Regular season champions Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy not awarded Player of the Year Four Broncos Memorial Trophy Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg Ice Top Scorer Bob Clarke Trophy Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg Ice Top Defenceman Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy Braden Schneider, Brandon Wheat Kings Rookie of the Year Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy Connor Bedard, Regina Pats Top Goaltender Del Wilson Trophy Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips Top Plus-Minus Rating WHL Plus-Minus Award Jake Neighbours, Edmonton Oil Kings Most Sportsmanlike Player Brad Hornung Trophy Eli Zummack, Spokane Chiefs Scholastic Player of the Year Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy Ethan Peters, Edmonton Oil KingsScholastic team of the Year Jim Donlevy Memorial Trophy not awarded Coach of the Year Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy Executive of the Year Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy Top Official Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy Marketing/Public Relations Award St. Clair Group Trophy Humanitarian of the Year Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy WHL Finals Most Valuable Player airBC Trophy Not Awarded Alumni Achievement Awards Professional Hockey AchievementAcademic Recipient not awarded
See also List of WHL seasons 2020–21 OHL season 2020–21 QMJHL season 2020 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 Subway Super Series