2005–06 WHL season explained
The 2005–06 WHL season was the 40th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72-game schedule. The Vancouver Giants won their first President's Cup, defeating the Moose Jaw Warriors in the championship series and earning a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup tournament. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record for the first time since 1985–86.
League notes
Following changes introduced by the National Hockey League following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the WHL announced that it would adopt many of the new rules put in place by the National Hockey League this season to increase scoring, including:[1]
Ties no longer possible, with games tied at the end of overtime proceeding to a shootout. Shootout losses count as one point in the standings.
- Tighter standards of officiating, especially as it relates to obstruction fouls.
- Introduction of the goaltender restriction zone, or the "trapezoid". Goaltenders are forbidden from playing the puck in the corners behind the goal line. A violation will merit a two-minute delay of game penalty.
- Tag-up offside rule will be used.
- The centre-ice red line will no longer be considered for the purpose of determining an offside (two-line) pass.
- Any player who shoots the puck over the glass and out of play from their defensive zone will receive a delay of game penalty.
- Any team called for icing the puck from within their defensive zone will not be permitted a line change. Unlike the NHL, any team that ices the puck from their half of the neutral zone will be permitted to change.
The WHL did not immediately modify the goal and blue lines to increase the size of the offensive zones like the NHL, as the league felt that the teams did not have enough time to modify their arenas. Only the Calgary Hitmen, sharing an arena with the NHL's Calgary Flames, played using the new alignment. The new standard was to be employed by the remaining teams beginning in the 2006–07 season.
Internet broadcasts
On September 14, 2005, Commissioner Ron Robison announced the league's intention to broadcast the entire 2005–06 season and playoffs live online on a pay-per-view basis.[2] Partnering with streaming media company INSINC, this marked the first time in WHL history that fans, media and scouts were able to watch WHL action online.
Regular season
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 |
|---|
| | 72 | 49 | 53 | 102 | 122 |
| | 72 | 42 | 51 | 93 | 85 |
| | 71 | 37 | 55 | 92 | 16 |
| | 64 | 48 | 42 | 90 | 34 |
| | 72 | 51 | 37 | 88 | 82 |
| | 72 | 35 | 50 | 85 | 85 |
| | 65 | 36 | 47 | 83 | 69 |
| | 70 | 41 | 38 | 79 | 37 |
| 70 | 38 | 37 | 75 | 25 | | | 72 | 33 | 42 | 75 | 30 |
| | 68 | 27 | 48 | 75 | 61 |
|
Goaltending leaders
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
| Player | Team | GP | Min | W | L | SOL | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|
| | 54 | 3237 | 38 | 12 | 4 | 93 | 11 | .926 | 1.72 |
| | 55 | 3319 | 36 | 13 | 5 | 105 | 11 | .912 | 1.90 |
| | 67 | 3791 | 37 | 23 | 3 | 121 | 4 | .925 | 1.91 |
| | 62 | 3741 | 42 | 14 | 5 | 130 | 6 | .916 | 2.09 |
| | 47 | 2671 | 30 | 15 | 1 | 94 | 8 | .926 | 2.11 |
|
2006 WHL Playoffs
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Moose Jaw vs. Brandon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Brandon 1 | 5 Moose Jaw | | March 25 | Brandon 2 | 1 Moose Jaw | | March 27 | Moose Jaw 2 | 3 Brandon | | March 30 | Moose Jaw 4 | 1 Brandon | | April 2 | Brandon 0 | 1 Moose Jaw | | April 4 | Moose Jaw 5 | 0 Brandon | | Moose Jaw wins 4–2 | |
| | Saskatoon vs. Regina |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Regina 2 | 3 Saskatoon | OT | | March 25 | Regina 1 | 4 Saskatoon | | March 28 | Saskatoon 4 | 5 Regina | OT | | March 29 | Saskatoon 5 | 3 Regina | | March 31 | Regina 5 | 2 Saskatoon | | April 4 | Saskatoon 5 | 1 Regina | | Saskatoon wins 4–2 | |
|
| Medicine Hat vs. Swift Current |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Swift Current 2 | 5 Medicine Hat | | March 25 | Swift Current 1 | 7 Medicine Hat | | March 28 | Medicine Hat 7 | 1 Swift Current | | March 29 | Medicine Hat 3 | 2 Swift Current | OT | | Medicine Hat wins 4–0 | |
| | Calgary vs. Lethbridge |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Calgary 3 | 2 Lethbridge | | March 25 | Calgary 2 | 5 Lethbridge | | March 28 | Lethbridge 6 | 4 Calgary | | March 30 | Lethbridge 1 | 2 Calgary | | April 1 | Lethbridge 2 | 3 Calgary | OT | | April 2 | Calgary 3 | 2 Lethbridge | OT | | Calgary wins 4–2 | |
| |
Western Conference
| Vancouver vs. Prince George |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Prince George 0 | 3 Vancouver | | March 25 | Prince George 2 | 0 Vancouver | | March 28 | Vancouver 6 | 0 Prince George | | March 29 | Vancouver 3 | 2 Prince George | OT | | April 1 | Prince George 2 | 5 Vancouver | | Vancouver wins 4–1 | |
| | Kelowna vs. Kootenay |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Kootenay 3 | 2 Kelowna | 2OT | | March 25 | Kootenay 1 | 5 Kelowna | | March 28 | Kelowna 3 | 4 Kootenay | | March 29 | Kelowna 5 | 4 Kootenay | | March 31 | Kootenay 1 | 4 Kelowna | | April 2 | Kelowna 5 | 2 Kootenay | | Kelowna wins 4–2 | |
|
| Everett vs. Tri-City |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Tri-City 0 | 4 Everett | | March 25 | Tri-City 2 | 1 Everett | | March 28 | Everett 2 | 1 Tri-City | OT | | March 29 | Everett 4 | 1 Tri-City | | March 31 | Tri-City 0 | 2 Everett | | Everett wins 4–1 | |
| | Seattle vs Portland |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| March 24 | Portland 5 | 8 Seattle | | March 25 | Portland 1 | 0 Seattle | | March 28 | Seattle 1 | 2 Portland | | March 31 | Seattle 6 | 3 Portland | | April 1 | Portland 3 | 2 Seattle | | April 4 | Seattle 5 | 2 Portland | | April 5 | Portland 4 | 3 Seattle | OT | | Portland wins 4–3 | |
| |
WHL Championship
| Vancouver vs. Moose Jaw |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
|---|
| May 5 | Moose Jaw 1 | 5 Vancouver |
| May 6 | Moose Jaw 5 | 7 Vancouver |
| May 8 | Vancouver 2 | 1 Moose Jaw |
| May 9 | Vancouver 6 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| Vancouver wins 4–0 | |
On November 30, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 9–2 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan before a crowd of 5,572.
On December 1, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 3–1 in Regina, Saskatchewan before a crowd of 4,662.
WHL awards
| Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Justin Pogge, Calgary Hitmen |
| Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Brennen Wray, Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Scholastic Team of the Year: Kootenay Ice |
| Bob Clarke Trophy (Top scorer): Troy Brouwer, Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Kris Russell, Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Bill Hunter Trophy (Top Defenseman): Kris Russell, Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Peter Mueller, Everett Silvertips |
| Del Wilson Trophy (Top Goaltender): Justin Pogge, Calgary Hitmen |
| Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year): Willie Desjardins, Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year): Scott Bonner, Vancouver Giants |
| Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Best regular season record): Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy (Top Official): Kyle Rehman |
| St. Clair Group Trophy (Marketing/Public Relations Award): Dave Andjelic, Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year): Wacey Rabbit, Saskatoon Blades |
| WHL Plus-Minus Award Paul Albers, Vancouver Giants
|
| WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants
| |
All-Star Teams
- source: Western Hockey League press release
2006 Bantam draft
The 2006 WHL Bantam Draft took place in Calgary on Thursday, May 4. It was the 17th annual draft to take place.
List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
See also
Notes and References
- News: 2005-08-22 . WHL Adopts Several Rule Changes for 2005-06 Season . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011344/http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=3151&showToc=1& . 2007-09-27 . Western Hockey League.
- Web site: WHL Announces New Internet Streaming Agreement – LIVE Internet Broadcasts – Prince George Cougars . 2022-05-10 . en-CA.
