Sports season
2007–08 WHL season |
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League | Western Hockey League |
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Sport | Hockey |
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Duration | Preseason August 29, 2007 – September 15, 2007 Regular season September 20, 2007 – March 16, 2008 Playoffs March 21, 2008 – May 7, 2008 |
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Number of teams | 22 |
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TV partner(s) | Shaw TV |
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Finals champions | Spokane Chiefs (2) |
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WHL seasons |
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← 2006–07 2008–09 → |
The 2007–08 WHL season was the 42nd season of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[1] The regular season began on September 20, 2007,[2] and ended on March 16, 2008.[3] The WHL Playoffs began on March 21, 2008,[4] and ended on May 7, 2008.[5]
A new expansion team, the Edmonton Oil Kings, joined the league bringing the WHL to 22 teams that played a 72-game season. The Spokane Chiefs won the Ed Chynoweth Cup, defeating the Lethbridge Hurricanes in four games. Spokane would go on to capture the Memorial Cup.
League notes
- The Oil Kings joined the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, bringing the Eastern Conference to twelve teams, while the Western Conference remained at ten. The new team in Alberta's capital is the fourth WHL team to represent the city of Edmonton, preceded by the original Oil Kings franchises that played in the 1960s and 1970s, and later the Edmonton Ice, who played two seasons from 1996 to 1998 before relocating to the Kootenays.
- The playoff format was revised so that the top eight teams in the conference qualify for the playoffs, as opposed to the top four in each division. Division winners are guaranteed a top two seed in each conference.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; x = Clinched playoff berth; y = Clinched conference title
Eastern Conference
East Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Rank |
x Regina Pats | 72 | 44 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 94 | 217 | 206 | 2 |
x Brandon Wheat Kings | 72 | 42 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 90 | 253 | 209 | 6 |
x Swift Current Broncos | 72 | 41 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 89 | 244 | 205 | 7 |
x Moose Jaw Warriors | 72 | 37 | 21 | 6 | 8 | 88 | 229 | 214 | 8 |
Saskatoon Blades | 72 | 29 | 34 | 3 | 6 | 67 | 182 | 229 | 9 |
Prince Albert Raiders | 72 | 26 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 57 | 196 | 248 | 10 |
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SOL = Shootout losses ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
2008 WHL Playoffs
Overview
Conference quarter-finals
Eastern Conference
Moose Jaw vs. Calgary | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Moose Jaw 1 | 5 Calgary | March 23 | Moose Jaw 4 | 2 Calgary | March 25 | Calgary 8 | 3 Moose Jaw | March 26 | Calgary 3 | 1 Moose Jaw | March 28 | Moose Jaw 4 | 2 Calgary | March 30 | Calgary 4 | 2 Moose Jaw | Calgary wins 4–2 | | Swift Current vs. Regina | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Swift Current 1 | 2 Regina | March 22 | Swift Current 5 | 3 Regina | March 25 | (OT) Regina 4 | 3 Swift Current | March 26 | Regina 4 | 5 Swift Current (2OT) | March 28 | Swift Current 6 | 3 Regina | March 29 | Regina 2 | 5 Swift Current | Swift Current wins 4–2 | |
Brandon vs. Lethbridge | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Brandon 1 | 2 Lethbridge | March 22 | Brandon 3 | 4 Lethbridge | March 25 | Lethbridge 4 | 3 Brandon | March 26 | Lethbridge 1 | 5 Brandon | March 28 | Lethbridge 3 | 4 Brandon | March 30 | Brandon 0 | 4 Lethbridge | Lethbridge wins 4–2 | | Kootenay vs. Medicine Hat | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Kootenay 5 | 2 Medicine Hat | March 22 | (OT) Kootenay 4 | 3 Medicine Hat | March 25 | Medicine Hat 1 | 2 Kootenay | March 26 | Medicine Hat 5 | 3 Kootenay | March 28 | Kootenay 3 | 1 Medicine Hat | Kootenay wins 4–1 | |
Western Conference
Kamloops vs. Tri-City | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Kamloops 1 | 6 Tri-City | March 22 | Kamloops 1 | 4 Tri-City | March 25 | Tri-City 4 | 3 Kamloops | March 26 | Tri-City 6 | 2 Kamloops | Tri-City wins 4–0 | | Chilliwack vs. Vancouver | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Chilliwack 1 | 2 Vancouver | March 22 | Chilliwack 2 | 3 Vancouver | March 25 | (3OT) Vancouver 4 | 3 Chilliwack | March 26 | Vancouver 2 | 1 Chilliwack | Vancouver wins 4–0 | |
Everett vs. Spokane | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Everett 2 | 5 Spokane | March 22 | Everett 1 | 4 Spokane | March 26 | Spokane 4 | 1 Everett | March 28 | (OT) Spokane 3 | 2 Everett | Spokane wins 4–0 | | Kelowna vs. Seattle | Date | Away | Home | March 21 | Kelowna 3 | 2 Seattle | March 22 | Kelowna 3 | 1 Seattle | March 24 | (OT) Seattle 3 | 2 Kelowna | March 25 | Seattle 6 | 4 Kelowna | March 27 | Kelowna 2 | 6 Seattle | March 29 | Seattle 3 | 4 Kelowna (OT) | April 1 | Kelowna 2 | 4 Seattle | Seattle wins 4–3 | |
Conference semi-finals
Eastern Conference |
Swift Current vs. Calgary | Date | Away | Home | April 4 | Calgary 2 | 3 Swift Current | April 5 | Calgary 5 | 2 Swift Current | April 8 | Swift Current 5 | 6 Calgary (2OT) | April 9 | Swift Current 2 | 3 Calgary | April 11 | Swift Current 5 | 2 Calgary | April 12 | Calgary 8 | 4 Swift Current | Calgary wins 4–2 | | Kootenay vs. Lethbridge | Date | Away | Home | April 4 | Kootenay 3 | 2 Lethbridge | April 5 | Kootenay 4 | 5 Lethbridge (OT) | April 8 | Lethbridge 5 | 2 Kootenay | April 9 | (2OT) Lethbridge 2 | 1 Kootenay | April 11 | Kootenay 0 | 3 Lethbridge | Lethbridge wins 4–1 | |
Western Conference |
Vancouver vs. Spokane | Date | Away | Home | April 4 | Vancouver 4 | 1 Spokane | April 6 | Vancouver 1 | 4 Spokane | April 9 | Spokane 3 | 2 Vancouver | April 11 | Spokane 1 | 3 Vancouver | April 12 | Spokane 4 | 0 Vancouver | April 14 | Vancouver 1 | 3 Spokane | Spokane wins 4–2 | | Seattle vs. Tri-City | Date | Away | Home | April 4 | Seattle 7 | 1 Tri-City | April 5 | Seattle 0 | 4 Tri-City | April 8 | Tri-City 3 | 2 Seattle | April 9 | (OT) Tri-City 3 | 2 Seattle | April 11 | Seattle 0 | 4 Tri-City | Tri-City wins 4–1 | |
Conference finals
Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
Lethbridge vs. Calgary | Date | Away | Home | April 17 | Lethbridge 5 | 2 Calgary | April 18 | (OT) Lethbridge 4 | 3 Calgary | April 22 | Calgary 0 | 6 Lethbridge | April 23 | Calgary 2 | 4 Lethbridge | Lethbridge wins 4–0 | | Spokane vs. Tri-City | Date | Away | Home | April 18 | (2OT) Spokane 1 | 0 Tri-City | April 20 | Spokane 0 | 1 Tri-City (2OT) | April 21 | Tri-City 0 | 2 Spokane | April 22 | (OT) Tri-City 3 | 2 Spokane | April 26 | (2OT) Spokane 4 | 3 Tri-City | April 28 | (OT) Tri-City 2 | 1 Spokane | April 29 | Spokane 4 | 1 Tri-City | Spokane wins 4–3 | |
WHL Championship
Lethbridge vs. Spokane |
Date | Away | Home |
May 2 | Lethbridge 1 | 4 Spokane |
May 3 | Lethbridge 2 | 5 Spokane |
May 6 | (OT) Spokane 2 | 1 Lethbridge |
May 7 | Spokane 4 | 1 Lethbridge |
Spokane wins 4-0 |
Memorial Cup
The 90th MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Kitchener, Ontario.[6] It began on May 16, and concluded on May 25, 2008.
WHL awards
All-Star Teams
- source: Western Hockey League press release
2008 Bantam Draft
First round[7]
Notes
- ^ "Edmonton Expansion Franchise Opens 2007-08 WHL Season". WHL. September 20, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "WHL and SHAW Announce 2007-08 Schedule". WHL. September 20, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "HAWKS END SEASON ON WINNING NOTE". WHL. March 17, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "WHL Announces 2008 Playoffs Opening-Round Schedule". WHL. March 18, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "SPOKANE CHIEFS CAPTURE ED CHYNOWETH CUP". WHL. March 18, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Kitchener Rangers to Host 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup". Ontario Hockey League (OHL). May 9, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "2008 WHL Bantam Draft: Round 1". WHL. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
See also
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 Home Hardware Top Prospects Game
- Official website of the ADT Canada Russia Challenge