The 1981–82 WHL season was the 16th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL), featuring twelve teams completing a 72-game regular season. The Lethbridge Broncos won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for posting the best record during the regular season. In the playoffs, the Portland Winter Hawks became the first American-based club to win the President's Cup championship when they defeated the Regina Pats in the championship series. This also made the Winter Hawks the first American team to compete for the Memorial Cup at the 1982 tournament.
The season was the first for the Kamloops Junior Oilers, after the New Westminster Bruins relocated to Kamloops prior to the season. The season also marked the end of the Spokane Flyers organization, as it ceased operations on December 2, 1981, after playing only 26 games. As such, although the season began with thirteen teams, only twelve completed the season.
Team changes The New Westminster Bruins are relocated to Kamloops, British Columbia, becoming the Kamloops Junior Oilers.
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Jock Callander Regina Pats 71 79 111 190 59 Dave Michayluk Regina Pats 72 62 111 173 128 Bruce Eakin Saskatoon Blades 66 42 125 167 120 Jim McGeough Billings Bighorns 71 93 66 159 142 Ken Yaremchuk Portland Winter Hawks 72 58 99 157 181 Marc Habscheid Saskatoon Blades 55 64 87 151 74 Dale Derkatch Regina Pats 71 62 80 142 92 Kelly Glowa Brandon Wheat Kings 72 59 78 137 87 Brian Shaw Portland Winter Hawks 69 56 76 132 193 Wally Schreiber Regina Pats 68 56 68 124 68 Mike Moller Lethbridge Broncos 49 41 81 122 38
1982 WHL Playoffs
First round Lethbridge defeated Billings 4 games to 1 Regina defeated Brandon 4 games to 0 Calgary defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 1
Division semi-finals Lethbridge earned a bye Regina defeated Calgary 3 games to 1 Portland defeated Kamloops 4 games to 0 Seattle defeated Victoria 4 games to 0
Division finals Regina defeated Lethbridge 4 games to 3 Portland defeated Seattle 4 games to 2
WHL Championship Portland defeated Regina 4 games to 1
All-Star game
On January 19, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 4–2 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, before a crowd of 3,500.
WHL awards Most Valuable Player: Mike Vernon, Calgary WranglersTop Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Jock Callander, Regina PatsMost Sportsmanlike Player: Mike Moller, Lethbridge BroncosTop Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Gary Nylund, Portland Winter HawksRookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Dale Derkatch, Regina PatsTop Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Mike Vernon, Calgary WranglersCoach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Jack Sangster, Seattle BreakersRegular season champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Lethbridge Broncos
All-Star teams First Team Second Team Goal Mike Vernon Calgary Wranglers Dave Ross Seattle BreakersDefense Gary Nylund Portland Winter Hawks Gord Kluzak Billings Bighorns Garth Butcher Regina Pats Randy Moller Lethbridge BroncosCenter Bruce Eakin (tied) Saskatoon Blades Marc Habscheid Saskatoon Blades Ken Yaremchuk (tied) Portland Winter Hawks - - Left Wing Todd Strueby Saskatoon Blades Paul Cyr Victoria Cougars Right Wing Mike Moller Lethbridge Broncos Dave Michayluk Regina Pats
See also 1982 NHL entry draft 1981 in sports 1982 in sports
References
2005–06 WHL Guide