1996–97 WHL season explained
The 1996–97 WHL season was the 31st season of the Western Hockey League (WHL), featuring eighteen teams and a 72-game regular season. The Lethbridge Hurricanes won both the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions and the President's Cup as playoff champions, both for the first time in team history. The Hurricanes went on to finish as runners-up at the 1997 Memorial Cup tournament.
The Edmonton Ice joined the WHL as its eighteenth team, and the first to call Edmonton home since the second iteration of the Oil Kings left the city in 1979.
League notes
- The addition of the Edmonton Ice to the Central Division precipitated a realignment for the Swift Current Broncos, who moved to the East Division.
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 |
|---|
| | 71 | 38 | 96 | 134 | 53 |
| | 63 | 50 | 76 | 126 | 86 |
| | 71 | 51 | 74 | 125 | 22 |
| | 61 | 49 | 74 | 123 | 66 |
| | 63 | 58 | 56 | 114 | 72 |
| | 65 | 57 | 51 | 108 | 20 |
| | 72 | 44 | 60 | 104 | 89 |
| | 69 | 39 | 60 | 99 | 8 |
| | 58 | 49 | 49 | 98 | 111 |
| | 66 | 45 | 53 | 98 | 97 |
|
Goaltending leaders
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
1997 WHL Playoffs
- Top eight teams in the Eastern Conference (East and Central divisions) qualified for playoffs
- Top six teams in the Western Conference (division) qualified for the playoffs
Conference Quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Lethbridge vs. Prince Albert |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 19 | Prince Albert 2 | 4 Lethbridge | | March 21 | Prince Albert 1 | 2 Lethbridge | | March 23 | Lethbridge 5 | 4 Prince Albert | | March 24 | Lethbridge 5 | 4 Prince Albert | | Lethbridge wins series 4–0 | |
| | Swift Current vs. Medicine Hat |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 18 | Medicine Hat 1 | 8 Swift Current | | March 20 | Swift Current 5 | 1 Medicine Hat | | March 22 | Medicine Hat 1 | 5 Swift Current | | March 23 | Swift Current 4 | 2 Medicine Hat | | Swift Current wins series 4–0 | |
|
| Brandon vs. Moose Jaw |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 20 | Moose Jaw 4 | 2 Brandon | | March 21 | Moose Jaw 4 | 3 Brandon | | March 23 | Brandon 5 | 4 Moose Jaw | | March 24 | Brandon 3 | 2 Moose Jaw | | March 26 | Moose Jaw 3 | 2 Brandon | OT | | March 28 | Brandon 2 | 3 Moose Jaw | OT | | Moose Jaw wins series 4–2 | |
| | Red Deer vs. Regina |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 20 | Regina 4 | 6 Red Deer | | March 21 | Regina 4 | 5 Red Deer | OT | | March 23 | Red Deer 6 | 2 Regina | | March 24 | Red Deer 1 | 5 Regina | | March 26 | Regina 1 | 5 Red Deer | | Red Deer wins series 4–1 | |
| |
Western Conference
| Portland vs. Prince George |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 21 | Prince George 2 | 5 Portland | | March 22 | Prince George 5 | 3 Portland | | March 25 | Portland 0 | 4 Prince George | | March 26 | Portland 2 | 4 Prince George | | March 29 | Prince George 1 | 2 Portland | | March 31 | Portland 2 | 3 Prince George | | Prince George wins series 4–2 | |
| | Spokane vs. Kelowna |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 21 | Spokane 5 | 3 Kelowna | | March 22 | Spokane 5 | 3 Kelowna | | March 26 | Kelowna 5 | 2 Spokane | | March 28 | Kelowna 0 | 4 Spokane | | March 29 | Kelowna 6 | 3 Spokane | | March 31 | Spokane 5 | 2 Kelowna | | Spokane wins series 4–2 | |
|
| Seattle vs. Kamloops |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 21 | Kamloops 2 | 5 Seattle | | March 23 | Kamloops 3 | 7 Seattle | | March 25 | Seattle 4 | 1 Kamloops | | March 27 | Seattle 2 | 3 Kamloops | | March 29 | Kamloops 4 | 5 Seattle | | Seattle wins series 4–1 | |
| |
WHL Championship
| Lethbridge vs. Seattle |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| April 25 | Seattle 2 | 7 Lethbridge |
| April 26 | Seattle 1 | 4 Lethbridge |
| April 29 | Lethbridge 3 | 1 Seattle |
| April 30 | Lethbridge 5 | 1 Seattle |
| Lethbridge wins series 4–0 | |
All-Star game
On January 22, the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 7–5 at Spokane, Washington before a WHL record crowd of 10,455.
WHL awards
| Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Peter Schaefer, Brandon Wheat Kings |
| Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Stefan Cherneski, Brandon Wheat Kings |
| Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Todd Robinson, Portland Winter Hawks |
| Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Kelly Smart, Brandon Wheat Kings |
| Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Chris Phillips, Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Donavon Nunweiler, Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Brian Boucher, Tri-City Americans |
| Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Brent Peterson, Portland Winter Hawks |
| Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Todd McLellan, Swift Current Broncos |
| Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Tom Kowal |
| Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Pat Garrity, Red Deer Rebels |
| WHL Humanitarian of the Year Jesse Wallin, Red Deer Rebels
|
| WHL Plus-Minus Award Peter Schaefer, Brandon Wheat Kings
|
| WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player Blaine Russell, Lethbridge Hurricanes
| |
All-Star Teams
See also
References
