2008–09 WHL season
The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the Western Hockey League. The regular season began on September 18, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The WHL Playoffs commenced on March 20, 2009, and the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, took place from November 26–27, 2008. The Kelowna Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions.
WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth.
2008–09: Ed Chynoweth's season
The Commissioner of the Western Hockey League, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth, who died on April 22, 2008. His death occurred just over a year after the WHL Championship trophy was changed in his honour. Ed Chynoweth was the principle builder of Major Junior hockey in Canada as President of the WHL and CHL over the past four decades. Throughout the entire 2008–09 season, the helmets of all the players and officials will display an "EC" decal, representing Ed's initials.Notable dates
; Offseason- June 17, 2008 — former WHL Commissioner, 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, Saskatchewan were chosen as hosts to the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.
- July 10, 2008 — the WHL and INSINC extended their WHL WEB TV partnership.
- July 23, 2008 — 18 WHL players attended Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp in Ottawa, Ontario.
- July 30, 2008 — longtime 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 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament.
- August 7, 2008 — 53 players from 17 states 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 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, with a 6–3 win over Russia.
- September 18, 2008 — a special tribute involving members of the Chynoweth family took place prior to the season opener between the Spokane Chiefs and Kootenay Ice.
- September 18, 2008 — the Spokane Chiefs were ranked as the top team in the league, according to the annual preseason rankings.
- September 19, 2008 — WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth, who died on April 22, 2008.
- 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.
- March 20, 2009 — the start of the WHL Playoffs.
Regular season
The 2008–09 WHL season will also be highlighted with the Canada Russia Challenge, an annual CHL showcase event. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge, featured a two-game series between Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, on November 26, 2008 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and the second game took place on November 27, 2008 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
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; Eastern Conference
; Western Conference
; Conference standings
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts. | PIM |
| Casey Pierro-Zabotel | Vancouver Giants | 72 | 36 | 79 | 115 | 52 |
| Brandon Kozun | Calgary Hitmen | 72 | 40 | 68 | 108 | 58 |
| Brett Sonne | Calgary Hitmen | 62 | 48 | 52 | 100 | 58 |
| Evander Kane | Vancouver Giants | 61 | 48 | 48 | 96 | 89 |
| Prince Albert Raiders | 72 | 35 | 57 | 92 | 104 | |
| Colin Long | Kelowna Rockets | 68 | 33 | 58 | 91 | 28 |
| Brayden Schenn | Brandon Wheat Kings | 70 | 32 | 56 | 88 | 82 |
| Calgary Hitmen | 67 | 53 | 34 | 87 | 64 | |
| Kamloops Blazers | 72 | 29 | 57 | 86 | 72 | |
| Tyler Ennis | Medicine Hat Tigers | 61 | 43 | 42 | 85 | 21 |
Goaltending leaders
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% |
| Dustin Tokarski | Spokane Chiefs | 54 | 3264 | 34 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1.97 | .937 |
| Adam Brown | Kelowna Rockets | 29 | 1514 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.02 | .912 |
| Martin Jones | Calgary Hitmen | 55 | 3295 | 45 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2.08 | .915 |
| Tyson Sexsmith | Vancouver Giants | 52 | 3109 | 39 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2.26 | .898 |
| Chet Pickard | Tri-City Americans | 50 | 2947 | 35 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2.28 | .921 |
| Mark Guggenberger | Kelowna Rockets* | 49 | 2717 | 29 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.41 | .915 |
| Torrie Jung | Edmonton Oil Kings | 48 | 2809 | 20 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2.56 | .912 |
| Braden Holtby | Saskatoon Blades | 61 | 3571 | 40 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2.62 | .910 |
| Juha Metsola | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 53 | 3086 | 25 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2.80 | .907 |
| Andrew Hayes | Brandon Wheat Kings | 46 | 2638 | 30 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2.84 | .901 |
Players
2008 NHL Entry Draft
In total, 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.
- June 9, 2008 — Bretton Stamler agrees to play for the UNB Varsity Reds hockey club.
Trades
Canada Russia Challenge
The ADT Canada Russia Challenge is a six-game series featuring four teams: three from the Canadian Hockey League versus Russia's National Junior hockey team. Within the Canadian Hockey League umbrella, one team from each of its three leagues — the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League — compete in two games against the Russian junior team.The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge was held in six cities across Canada, with two cities for each league within the Canadian Hockey League. The series begun on November 17, 2008, and concluded on November 27, 2008. Both Western Hockey League games were held in the province of Saskatchewan. Former Prince Albert Raider forward Dan Hodgson was Honorary Captain for the final game in the series, held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on November 27, 2008.
All six games were televised nationwide on Rogers Sportsnet, along with RDS broadcasting both games from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Results
In the first game of the two part series between Team QMJHL and the Russian Selects, Team QMJHL scored five goals en route to a 5–3 win in front of 4,378 fans at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Kmitri Kugryshev of the Russian Selects and goaltender Olivier Roy of Team QMJHL, were named the ADT Players of the Game for their respective teams. The Russian Selects evened the ADT Canada Russia Challenge, winning the second game after having registered four goals in a 4–3 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 6,451 assembled at Harbour Station in Saint John, New Brunswick.2009 WHL Playoffs
Overview
Conference Quarter-finals
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference Semi-finals
Conference Finals
WHL Championship
Memorial Cup
The 91st MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Rimouski, Quebec.WHL awards
- Source
All-Star Teams
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
† Unanimous selection- Source: