2014–15 WHL season explained

2014–15 WHL season
Color:	E03A3E
Color Text:	FFFFFF
League:	Western Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Duration:	Regular season September 19, 2014 – March 22, 2015 Playoffs March 26, 2015 – May 13, 2015
Playoffs:	Playoffs
Playoffs Mvp Link:	WHL Playoff MVP
Playoffs Mvp:	Leon Draisaitl (Rockets)
Finals Champ:	Kelowna Rockets (4)
Finals Runner-Up:	Brandon Wheat Kings
No Of Teams:	22
Tv:	Shaw TV, Rogers Sportsnet, Root Sports Northwest
Season:	Regular season
Season Champ Name:	Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Season Champs:	Brandon Wheat Kings (5)
Mvp Link:	Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
Mvp:	Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks)
Top Scorer Link:	Bob Clarke Trophy
Top Scorer:	Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks)
Seasonslistnames:	WHL
Prevseason Year:	2013–14
Nextseason Year:	2015–16

2014–15 CHL season
Color:	4B489D
Color Text:	FFF
League:	Canadian Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Duration:	OHL September 2014 – March 2015 QMJHL September 2014 – March 2015 WHL September 19, 2014 – March 22, 2015
No Of Teams:	60
Tv:	RDS, Rogers Sportsnet, Rogers TV, Shaw TV
Playoffs:	Memorial Cup
Finals Champ:	Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Num Championships:	5
Finals Runner-Up:	Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

The 2014–15 WHL season was the 49th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 19, 2014, and ended on March 22, 2015. The Brandon Wheat Kings won their fifth Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for best regular season record. The playoffs began on March 26, 2015, and ended on May 13, 2015. The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Wheat Kings in the final to win their fourth Ed Chynoweth Cup and a berth in the 2015 Memorial Cup tournament, which was held at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec.^[1] The Rockets lost the Memorial Cup final to the Oshawa Generals, 2–1 in overtime.^[2]

Standings

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1	Brandon Wheat Kings xyz	72	53	11	4	4	340	219	114
2	Regina Pats x	72	37	24	5	6	263	238	85
3	Swift Current Broncos x	72	34	33	1	4	221	245	73

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1	Calgary Hitmen xy	72	45	22	1	4	289	203	95
2	Medicine Hat Tigers x	72	45	23	2	2	268	213	94
3	Red Deer Rebels x	72	38	23	5	6	240	227	87

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(Top 2 qualify for playoffs)
	Kootenay Ice x	CE	72	37	31	1	3	245	248	78
	Edmonton Oil Kingsx	CE	72	34	31	4	3	217	204	75
		EA	72	32	35	4	1	221	266	69
		EA	72	31	37	2	2	215	257	66
		CE	72	20	44	5	3	202	304	48
		EA	72	19	49	2	2	195	308	42

Divisions: EA – East, CE – Central

x – Clinched Playoff spot, y – Clinched Division, z- Clinched regular season title

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1	Kelowna Rockets xy	72	53	13	5	1	305	183	112
2	Victoria Royals x	72	39	29	3	1	244	219	82
3	Prince George Cougars x	72	31	36	2	3	222	295	67

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1	Everett Silvertips xy	72	43	20	3	6	242	199	95
2	Portland Winterhawks x	72	43	23	2	4	287	237	92
3	Seattle Thunderbirds x	72	38	25	4	5	218	201	85

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(Top 2 qualify for playoffs)
1	Spokane Chiefs x	U.S.	72	34	34	3	1	219	229	72
2	Tri-City Americans x	U.S.	72	31	38	0	3	190	242	65
3		B.C.	72	28	37	4	3	214	258	63
4		B.C.	72	27	41	2	2	189	251	58

bold – Clinched Playoff spot, y – Clinched Division,

Divisions: BC – B.C., US – U.S.

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

Players are listed by points, then goals.^[3]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts.	PIM
align=left	Oliver Bjorkstrand	align=left	Portland Winterhawks	59	63	55	118	35
align=left	Trevor Cox	align=left	Medicine Hat Tigers	69	29	80	109	57
align=left	Tim McGauley	align=left	Brandon Wheat Kings	72	42	63	105	24
align=left	Cole Sanford	align=left	Medicine Hat Tigers	72	50	45	95	71
align=left	Cole Ully	align=left	Kamloops Blazers	69	34	60	94	32
align=left	Nick Merkley	align=left	Kelowna Rockets	72	20	70	90	79
align=left	Nic Petan	align=left	Portland Winterhawks	54	15	74	89	41
align=left	Adam Helewka	align=left	Spokane Chiefs	69	44	43	87	59
align=left	Brayden Point	align=left	Moose Jaw Warriors	60	38	49	87	46
align=left	Adam Tambellini	align=left	Calgary Hitmen	71	47	39	86	30

Leading goaltenders

These are the goaltenders that led the league in GAA that played at least 1440 minutes.^[4]

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%
align=left	Carter Hart	align=left	Everett Silvertips	30	1648	18	5	2	3	4	2.29	.915
align=left	Taran Kozun	align=left	Seattle Thunderbirds	60	3486	33	19	4	4	4	2.41	.915
align=left	Jackson Whistle	align=left	Kelowna Rockets	50	2962	34	10	5	0	4	2.55	.909
align=left	Mack Shields	align=left	Calgary Hitmen	49	2630	27	16	0	2	2	2.67	.900
align=left	Austin Lotz	align=left	Everett Silvertips	48	2721	25	15	1	3	4	2.73	.901

Conference Quarter-finals

Eastern Conference

(C2) Medicine Hat Tigers vs (C3) Red Deer Rebels

Western Conference

(U2) Portland Winterhawks vs. (U3) Seattle Thunderbirds

Conference Semi-finals

Eastern Conference

(C1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (C2) Medicine Hat Tigers

Western Conference

(U1) Everett Silvertips vs. (U2) Portland Winterhawks

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference

(E1) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (C1) Calgary Hitmen

Western Conference

(B1) Kelowna Rockets vs. (U2) Portland Winterhawks

WHL Championship

(E1) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (B1) Kelowna Rockets

Playoff scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Nic Petan		17	10	18	28	20
Leon Draisaitl		19	10	18	28	12
Nick Merkley		19	5	22	27	18
Adam Tambellini		16	13	13	26	10
Oliver Bjorkstrand		17	13	12	25	10
Tyson Baillie		19	10	14	24	24
Rourke Chartier		16	13	7	20	2
Peter Quenneville		19	10	10	20	4
Jayce Hawryluk		16	10	9	19	24
John Quenneville		19	10	9	19	18

Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV& = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player	Team	GP	Mins	W	L	GA	SO	Sv%	GAA
		4	153	3	0	5	0	.934	1.96
		11	710	5	6	27	0	.929	2.28
		10	657	5	5	25	1	.924	2.28
		6	438	2	4	17	0	.916	2.33
		5	308	1	4	12	0	.934	2.34

WHL awards

Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy	Regular season champions	Brandon Wheat Kings
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy	Player of the Year	Oliver Bjorkstrand	Portland Winterhawks
Bob Clarke Trophy	Top Scorer	Oliver Bjorkstrand	Portland Winterhawks
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy	Top Defenseman	Shea Theodore	Seattle Thunderbirds
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy	Rookie of the year	Nolan Patrick	Brandon Wheat Kings
Del Wilson Trophy	Top Goaltender	Taran Kozun	Seattle Thunderbirds
WHL Plus-Minus Award	Top Plus-Minus Rating	Oliver Bjorkstrand	Portland Winterhawks
Brad Hornung Trophy	Most Sportsmanlike Player	Rourke Chartier	Kelowna Rockets
Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy	Scholastic Player of the Year	Nick McBride	Prince Albert Raiders
Jim Donlevy Memorial Trophy	Scholastic team of the Year	Kamloops Blazers
Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy	Coach of the Year	John Paddock	Regina Pats
Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy	Executive of the Year	Kelly McCrimmon	Brandon Wheat Kings
Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy	Top Official	Reagan Vetter
St. Clair Group Trophy	Marketing/Public Relations Award	Kelowna Rockets
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy	Humanitarian of the Year	Taylor Vickerman	Tri-City Americans
WHL Playoff MVP	WHL Finals Most Valuable Player	Leon Draisaitl	Kelowna Rockets
Professional Hockey Achievement Academic Recipient	Alumni Achievement Awards

All-Star Teams

Eastern Conference

First Team		Pos.	Second Team
Player	Team		Player	Team
Tristan Jarry	Edmonton Oil Kings	G	Jordan Papirny	Brandon Wheat Kings
Ivan Provorov	Brandon Wheat Kings	D	Rinat Valiev	Kootenay Ice
Travis Sanheim	Calgary Hitmen	D	Colby Williams	Regina Pats
Trevor Cox	Medicine Hat Tigers	F	Cole Sanford	Medicine Hat Tigers
Tim McGauley	Brandon Wheat Kings	F	Sam Reinhart	Kootenay Ice
Brayden Point	Moose Jaw Warriors	F	Adam Tambellini	Calgary Hitmen

Western Conference

First Team^[5]		Pos.	Second Team
Player	Team		Player	Team
Taran Kozun	Seattle Thunderbirds	G	Eric Comrie	Tri-City Americans
Shea Theodore	Seattle Thunderbirds	D	Joe Hicketts	Victoria Royals
Madison Bowey	Kelowna Rockets	D	Josh Morrissey	Kelowna Rockets
Oliver Bjorkstrand	Portland Winterhawks	F	Nic Petan	Portland Winterhawks
Cole Ully	Kamloops Blazers	F	Nick Merkley	Kelowna Rockets
Rourke Chartier	Kelowna Rockets	F	Adam Helewka	Spokane Chiefs

See also

• List of WHL seasons
• 2014–15 OHL season
• 2014–15 QMJHL season
• 2015 in ice hockey
• 2014 in ice hockey

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 Subway Super Series

Notes and References

1. News: 2015-05-14 . Kelowna Rockets sweep Brandon Wheat Kings to win WHL, advance to Memorial Cup . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527001820/https://thehockeynews.com/news/kelowna-rockets-sweep-brandon-wheat-kings-to-win-whl-advance-to-memorial-cup . 2022-05-27 . 2024-05-17 . . Sports Illustrated.
2. News: 2015-05-31 . Generals down Rockets in OT to win Memorial Cup . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150602040902/https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/generals-down-rockets-in-ot-to-win-memorial-cup/ . 2015-06-02 . 2024-05-17 . . Canadian Press.
3. Web site: WHL Regular Season: Scoring leaders . October 18, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141011075443/http://www.whl.ca/stats/show/type/top_scorers/ls_season/last . October 11, 2014 . dead .
4. http://www.whl.ca/stats/show/top_goalies/last/0 WHL Regular Season: Goaltending leaders
5. http://whl.ca/article/whl-announces-all-stars-and-awards-finalists-2015 WHL ANNOUNCES ALL-STARS & AWARDS FINALISTS