The 2003–04 WHL season was the 38th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Twenty teams completed a 72-game season. The defending champion Kelowna Rockets won their second consecutive Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record; however, they failed to defend their playoff title as the Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup, their fourth in team history, defeating the expansion Everett Silvertips in the championship series. This gave Medicine Hat a berth in the 2004 Memorial Cup tournament, which, because it was hosted by Kelowna, also featured the Rockets, who went on to win the tournament.
League notes The Everett Silvertips joined the WHL as its 20th franchise, playing in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference. The Silvertips went on to post an historic inaugural season, breaking 10 junior hockey expansion team records. This included winning both a division title and conference title, winning a playoff series against the league's top regular season team, and becoming the first junior hockey expansion team to win a conference championship. The playoff format was simplified so that the top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, eliminating the possibility of cross-overs between divisions.
Regular season
Final standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Tyler Redenbach Swift Current Broncos 71 31 74 105 52 Jeremy Williams Swift Current Broncos 68 52 49 101 82 Kyle Brodziak Moose Jaw Warriors 70 39 54 93 58 Brad Schell Spokane Chiefs 71 35 57 92 47 Chris St. Jaques Medicine Hat Tigers 64 33 59 92 80 Chad Klassen Spokane Chiefs 72 35 56 91 67 Seth Leonard Prince Albert Raiders 72 50 40 90 53 Eric Fehr Brandon Wheat Kings 71 40 34 84 129 Adam Courchaine Vancouver Giants 70 39 43 82 34 Darren Reid Medicine Hat Tigers 67 33 48 81 194
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average Player Team GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAAKelly GuardKelowna Rockets62 3651 44 14 4 95 13 .925 1.56Jeff HarveyEverett Silvertips48 2684 24 15 5 89 3 .925 1.99Cam WardRed Deer Rebels56 3338 31 16 8 114 4 .926 2.05Mike BrodeurMoose Jaw Warriors41 2385 23 12 5 84 4 .929 2.11Michael WallPrince George/Everett36171612133652.9202.27
2004 WHL Playoffs
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
(E1) Moose Jaw Warriors vs. (E4) Regina Pats
(E2) Prince Albert Raiders vs. (E3) Brandon Wheat Kings
(C1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (C4) Swift Current Broncos
(C2) Red Deer Rebels vs. (C3) Calgary Hitmen
Western Conference
(B1) Kelowna Rockets vs. (B4) Swift Current Broncos
(B2) Vancouver Giants vs. (B5) Kamloops Blazers
(U1) Everett Silvertips vs. (U4) Spokane Chiefs
(U2) Portland Winterhawks vs. (U3) Tri-City Americans
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
(C1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (E3) Brandon Wheat Kings
(E1) Moose Jaw Warriors vs. (C2) Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference
(B1) Kelowna Rockets vs. (U3) Tri-City Americans
(U1) Everett Silvertips vs. (B2) Vancouver Giants
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
(C1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (C2) Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference
(B1) Kelowna Rockets vs. (U1) Everett Silvertips
WHL Championship
(C1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (U1) Everett Silvertips
RE/Max Canada-Russia Challenge
On November 26, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 4–1 in Calgary, Alberta before a crowd of 7,844.
On November 27, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 7–1 in Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 4,908.
WHL awards Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Cam Ward, Red Deer RebelsDaryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Devan Dubnyk, Kamloops BlazersScholastic Team of the Year: Portland WinterhawksBob Clarke Trophy (Top scorer): Tyler Redenbach, Swift Current BroncosBrad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Nigel Dawes, Kootenay IceBill Hunter Trophy (Top Defenseman): Dion Phaneuf, Red Deer RebelsJim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Gilbert Brule, Vancouver GiantsDel Wilson Trophy (Top Goaltender): Cam Ward, Red Deer RebelsDunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year): Kevin Constantine, Everett SilvertipsLloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year): Kelly Kisio, Calgary HitmenScotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Best regular season record): Kelowna RocketsAllen Paradice Memorial Trophy (Top Official): Rob MatsuokaSt. Clair Group Trophy (Marketing/Public Relations Award): Mark Stiles, Calgary HitmenDoug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year): Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter HawksWHL Plus-Minus Award: Andrew Ladd, Calgary HitmenWHL Playoff Most Valuable Player: Kevin Nastiuk, Medicine Hat Tigers
All-Star teams Eastern Conference First Team Second Team Goal Cam Ward Red Deer Rebels Rejean Beauchemin Prince Albert RaidersDefense Dion Phaneuf Red Deer Rebels Derek Meech Red Deer Rebels Mark Ardelan Prince Albert Raiders Aaron Rome Moose Jaw WarriorsForward Kyle Brodziak Moose Jaw Warriors Tomas Fleischmann Moose Jaw Warriors Ryan Getzlaf Calgary Hitmen Seth Leonard Prince Albert Raiders Jeremy Williams Swift Current Broncos Tyler Redenbach Swift Current BroncosWestern Conference First Team Second Team Goal Kelly Guard Kelowna Rockets Jeff Harvey Everett SilvertipsDefense Josh Gorges Kelowna Rockets Richie Regehr Portland Winter Hawks Braydon Coburn Portland Winter Hawks Shea Weber Kelowna RocketsForward Adam Courchaine Vancouver Giants Brandon Dubinsky Portland Winter Hawks Nigel Dawes Kootenay Ice Chad Klassen Spokane Chiefs Ryan Kinasewich Tri-City Americans Brad Schell Spokane Chiefs source: Western Hockey League press release
2004 Bantam Draft The 2004 WHL Bantam Draft was held at the WHL's head office in Calgary on April 29, 2004.
List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
# Player Nationality WHL Team 1 Ryan Kerr (D) Prince George Cougars 2 Colton Gillies (C) Saskatoon Blades 3 Thomas Hickey (D) Seattle Thunderbirds 4 Dwight King (C) Lethbridge Hurricanes 5 Brett Leffler (RW) Regina Pats 6 Brandon Sutter (RW) Red Deer Rebels (via Brandon) 7 John Negrin (D) Kootenay Ice 8 Drayson Bowman (C) Spokane Chiefs 9 Joel Broda (C) Tri-City Americans 10 Colton Sceviour (RW) Portland Winter Hawks 11 Keith Aulie (D) Brandon Wheat Kings (via Kamloops) 12 Paul Postma (D) Swift Current Broncos 13 Brett Sonne (C) Calgary Hitmen (via Everett) 14 Tyson Sexsmith (G) Vancouver Giants 15 Eric Doyle (D) Everett Silvertips (via Calgary) 16 Travis Dunstall (LW) Kamloops Blazers (via Red Deer) 17 Justin Palazzo (D) Prince Albert Raiders 18 Travis Ehrhardt (D) Moose Jaw Warriors 19 Jordie Deagle (LW) Medicine Hat Tigers 20 Luke Schenn (D) Kelowna Rockets
See also 2004 NHL entry draft 2003 in sports 2004 in sports
References
2005–06 WHL Guide