2002–03 WHL season

2002–03 WHL season
League	Western Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Number of teams	19
Regular season
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy	Kelowna Rockets (1)
Season MVP	Josh Harding (Regina Pats)
Top scorer	Erik Christensen (Kamloops Blazers)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVP	Jesse Schultz (Rockets)
Finals champions	Kelowna Rockets (1)
Runners-up	Red Deer Rebels

2002–03 CHL season
League	Canadian Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Number of teams	55
OHL
QMJHL
WHL
Memorial Cup
Finals champions	Kitchener Rangers (OHL) (2nd title)
Runners-up	Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)

The 2002–03 WHL season was the 37th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Nineteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kelowna Rockets won both the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the league's best regular season team and the President's Cup as playoff champion, both for the first time. The Rockets thus earned a berth in the 2003 Memorial Cup tournament.

Regular season

Eastern Conference

East Division	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
x Brandon Wheat Kings	72	43	17	9	3	98	258	187
x Moose Jaw Warriors	72	36	22	11	3	86	266	208
x Saskatoon Blades	72	40	27	5	0	85	234	205
x Regina Pats	72	25	28	14	5	69	171	217
Prince Albert Raiders	72	27	37	3	5	62	185	258

Central Division	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
x Red Deer Rebels	72	50	17	3	2	105	271	160
x Swift Current Broncos	72	38	24	7	3	86	240	215
x Medicine Hat Tigers	72	29	34	2	7	67	278	314
x Calgary Hitmen	72	27	36	7	2	63	240	260
Lethbridge Hurricanes	72	28	39	2	3	61	236	303

Western Conference

B.C. Division	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
x Kelowna Rockets	72	51	14	6	1	109	311	164
x Kamloops Blazers	72	39	27	5	1	84	261	222
x Kootenay Ice	72	36	25	6	5	83	234	202
x Vancouver Giants	72	26	37	5	4	61	217	292
x Prince George Cougars	72	26	41	3	2	57	257	317

U.S. Division	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
x Seattle Thunderbirds	72	44	22	3	3	94	280	224
x Spokane Chiefs	72	26	36	6	4	62	216	261
x Portland Winter Hawks	72	19	40	8	5	51	192	243
Tri-City Americans	72	20	44	3	5	47	240	335

• Prince George Crosses over into U.S. Division playoffs

Scoring leaders

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

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Erik Christensen	Kamloops Blazers	67	54	54	108	60
Jesse Schultz	Kelowna Rockets	72	53	51	104	47
Jeremy Jackson	Lethbridge Hurricanes	65	44	58	102	83
Matt Ellison	Red Deer Rebels	72	40	56	96	80
Chris St. Jaques	Medicine Hat Tigers	70	31	65	96	78
Brooks Laich	Seattle Thunderbirds	60	41	53	94	65
Jeremy Williams	Swift Current Broncos	72	41	52	93	117
Dylan Stanley	Tri-City Americans	72	34	59	93	60
David Bararuk	Moose Jaw Warriors	66	29	64	93	44
Nigel Dawes	Kootenay Ice	72	47	45	92	54

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

Player	Team	GP	Min	W	L	T	GA	SO	SV%	GAA
Kelly Guard	Kelowna Rockets	53	3018	39	10	3	97	6	.911	1.93
Geoff McIntosh	Brandon Wheat Kings	23	1337	12	6	4	46	2	.914	2.06
Cam Ward	Red Deer Rebels	57	3367	40	13	2	118	5	.920	2.10
Jeff Glass	Kootenay Ice	35	1884	15	16	2	77	4	.909	2.45
Blake Grenier	Moose Jaw Warriors	41	2356	23	8	8	100	5	.911	2.55

2003 WHL Playoffs

Conference Quarter-finals

Conference Semi-finals

Conference Finals

WHL Championship

E1

Brandon

4

E4

Regina

1

C1

Red Deer

4

C3

Medicine Hat

3

E2

Moose Jaw

4

E3

Saskatoon

2

E1

Brandon

1

Eastern

C1

Red Deer

4

C1

Red Deer

4

C4

Calgary

1

E1

Brandon

4

E2

Moose Jaw

3

C2

Swift Current

0

C3

Medicine Hat

4

C1

Red Deer

2

B1

Kelowna

4

B1

Kelowna

4

B4

Vancouver

0

B1

Kelowna

4

U2

Spokane

0

B2

Kamloops

2

B3

Kootenay

4

B1

Kelowna

4

Western

U1

Seattle

1

U1

Seattle

4

B5

Prince George

1

U1

Seattle

4

B3

Kootenay

1

U2

Spokane

4

U3

Portland

3

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

Brandon vs. Regina Date Away Home March 21 Regina 1 3 Brandon March 22 Regina 2 1 Brandon OT March 25 Brandon 3 1 Regina March 26 Brandon 2 1 Regina OT March 28 Regina 2 4 Brandon Brandon wins series 4–1	Moose Jaw vs. Saskatoon Date Away Home March 21 Saskatoon 3 0 Moose Jaw March 22 Saskatoon 4 5 Moose Jaw March 25 Moose Jaw 3 5 Saskatoon March 26 Moose Jaw 3 2 Saskatoon OT March 29 Saskatoon 1 3 Moose Jaw March 31 Moose Jaw 5 3 Saskatoon Moose Jaw wins series 4–2
Red Deer vs. Calgary Date Away Home March 21 Calgary 0 2 Red Deer March 22 Calgary 2 3 Red Deer March 25 Red Deer 4 2 Calgary March 26 Red Deer 1 2 Calgary March 29 Calgary 3 4 Red Deer Red Deer wins series 4–1	Swift Current vs. Medicine Hat Date Away Home March 21 Medicine Hat 3 2 Swift Current OT March 22 Medicine Hat 4 2 Swift Current March 25 Swift Current 3 6 Medicine Hat March 26 Swift Current 1 7 Medicine Hat Medicine Hat wins series 4–0

Western Conference

Kelowna vs. Vancouver Date Away Home March 22 Vancouver 0 10 Kelowna March 23 Vancouver 3 4 Kelowna 2OT March 26 Kelowna 2 0 Vancouver March 27 Kelowna 8 2 Vancouver Kelowna wins series 4–0	Kamloops vs. Kootenay Date Away Home March 21 Kootenay 2 1 Kamloops OT March 22 Kootenay 0 1 Kamloops March 25 Kamloops 2 3 Kootenay 2OT March 26 Kamloops 1 4 Kootenay March 29 Kootenay 6 7 Kamloops March 31 Kamloops 1 2OT Kootenay wins series 4–2
Seattle vs. Prince George Date Away Home March 22 Prince George 1 4 Seattle March 23 Prince George 3 7 Seattle March 26 Seattle 2 4 Prince George March 27 Seattle 3 1 Prince George March 29 Prince George 3 4 Seattle Seattle wins series 4–1	Spokane vs. Portland Date Away Home March 21 Spokane 2 4 Portland March 23 Spokane 1 3 Portland March 26 Portland 3 4 Spokane OT March 28 Portland 2 1 Spokane 2OT March 29 Portland 3 8 Spokane March 31 Spokane 3 2 Portland OT April 2 Portland 2 4 Spokane Spokane wins series 4–3

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference
Red Deer vs. Medicine Hat Date Away Home April 4 Medicine Hat 2 6 Red Deer April 5 Medicine Hat 0 3 Red Deer April 8 Red Deer 3 4 Medicine Hat April 9 Red Deer 3 6 Medicine Hat April 11 Medicine Hat 2 4 Red Deer April 13 Red Deer 2 3 Medicine Hat 2OT April 15 Medicine Hat 1 5 Red Deer Red Deer wins series 4–3	Brandon vs. Moose Jaw Date Away Home April 4 Brandon 2 3 Moose Jaw April 5 Brandon 2 1 Moose Jaw April 9 Moose Jaw 5 3 Brandon April 11 Moose Jaw 1 4 Brandon April 12 Moose Jaw 1 2 Brandon April 14 Brandon 6 7 Moose Jaw OT April 16 Moose Jaw 3 7 Brandon Brandon wins series 4–3

Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Spokane Date Away Home April 4 Spokane 1 6 Kelowna April 5 Spokane 1 5 Kelowna April 9 Kelowna 4 1 Spokane April 11 Kelowna 4 3 Spokane OT Kelowna wins series 4–0	Seattle vs. Kootenay Date Away Home April 5 Kootenay 2 4 Seattle April 7 Kootenay 0 4 Seattle April 9 Seattle 5 0 Kootenay April 10 Seattle 1 2 Kootenay 2OT April 12 Kootenay 1 2 Seattle OT Seattle wins series 4–1

Conference finals

Eastern Conference	Western Conference
Red Deer vs. Brandon Date Away Home April 18 Brandon 1 5 Red Deer April 19 Brandon 0 2 Red Deer April 22 Red Deer 5 1 Brandon April 23 Red Deer 1 2 Brandon April 25 Brandon 1 3 Red Deer Red Deer wins series 4–1	Kelowna vs. Seattle Date Away Home April 18 Seattle 4 5 Kelowna April 19 Seattle 3 6 Kelowna April 22 Kelowna 2 3 Seattle 2OT April 23 Kelowna 4 0 Seattle April 25 Seattle 2 4 Kelowna Kelowna wins series 4–1

WHL Championship

Kelowna vs. Red Deer
Date	Away	Home
May 2	Red Deer 1	5 Kelowna
May 3	Red Deer 2	5 Kelowna
May 5	Kelowna 2	6 Red Deer
May 6	Kelowna 1	2 Red Deer
May 8	Red Deer 2	5 Kelowna
May 10	Kelowna 2	0 Red Deer
Kelowna wins series 4–2

All-Star game

All-Star festivities included a round robin between all-star squads from the three CHL leagues. On November 12, the WHL Eastern All-Stars defeated the QMJHL Lebel All-Stars 5–2 at Hull, Quebec before a crowd of 2,194. Then, on November 19, the WHL Western All-Stars defeated the OHL Eastern All-Stars 7–3 at Vancouver, British Columbia before a crowd of 7,046. With the victories, the WHL won the Hershey Cup as champion of the round robin format all-star tournament.

WHL awards

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Josh Harding, Regina Pats

Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Brett Dickie, Brandon Wheat Kings

Scholastic Team of the Year: Prince Albert Raiders

Bob Clarke Trophy (Top scorer): Erik Christensen, Kamloops Blazers

Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Boyd Gordon, Red Deer Rebels

Bill Hunter Trophy (Top Defenseman): Jeff Woywitka, Red Deer Rebels

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Matt Ellison, Red Deer Rebels

Del Wilson Trophy (Top Goaltender): Josh Harding, Regina Pats

Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year): Marc Habscheid, Kelowna Rockets

Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year): Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets

Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Best regular season record): Kelowna Rockets

Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy (Top Official): Steve Kozari

St. Clair Group Trophy (Marketing/Public Relations Award): Anne-Marie Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets, and Reid Pederson, Regina Pats

Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year): Ryan Craig, Brandon Wheat Kings

WHL Plus-Minus Award: Matthew Spiller, Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player: Jesse Schultz, Kelowna Rockets

All-Star Teams

Eastern Conference
	First Team		Second Team
Goal	Josh Harding	Regina Pats	Cam Ward	Red Deer Rebels
Defense	Jeff Woywitka	Red Deer Rebels	Stephen Mann	Saskatoon Blades
	Ian White	Swift Current Broncos	Nathan Paetsch	Moose Jaw Warriors
Forward	Ryan Craig	Brandon Wheat Kings	Jeremy Jackson	Lethbridge Hurricanes
	Jordin Tootoo	Brandon Wheat Kings	David Bararuk	Moose Jaw Warriors
	Boyd Gordon	Red Deer Rebels	Matt Ellison	Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference
	First Team		Second Team
Goal	Kelly Guard	Kelowna Rockets	Billy Thompson	Prince George Cougars
Defense	Tomas Slovak	Kelowna Rockets	Gerard Dicaire	Kootenay Ice
	Tomas Mojzis	Seattle Thunderbirds	Josh Gorges	Kelowna Rockets
Forward	Erik Christensen	Kamloops Blazers	Nigel Dawes	Kootenay Ice
	Jesse Schultz	Kelowna Rockets	Kiel McLeod	Kelowna Rockets
	Brooks Laich	Seattle Thunderbirds	Adam Courchaine	Vancouver Giants

• source: Western Hockey League press release

2003 Bantam draft

List of first round picks in the bantam draft.

#	Player	Nationality	WHL Team
1	Jonathan Toews (C)	Canada	Tri-City Americans
2	Ben Maxwell (C)	Canada	Kootenay Ice (via Lethbridge)
3	Zach Hamill (C)	Canada	Everett Silvertips
4	Ryan de Pape (RW)	Canada	Prince Albert Raiders
5	Sasha Golin (RW)	Canada	Portland Winter Hawks
6	Tyler Swystun (C)	Canada	Prince George Cougars
7	Jason Reese (LW)	United States	Vancouver Giants
8	Michael Reich (C)	Canada	Spokane Chiefs
9	Keegan Dansereau (RW)	Canada	Calgary Hitmen
10	Trevor Glass (D)	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers
11	Logan Pyett (D)	Canada	Regina Pats
12	Todd Panchyson (D)	Canada	Kootenay Ice
13	Victor Bartley (D)	Canada	Kamloops Blazers
14	Justin McCrae (C)	Canada	Saskatoon Blades
15	Brennan Wray (C)	Canada	Moose Jaw Warriors
16	Kyle Bortis (LW)	Canada	Swift Current Broncos
17	George Holloway (C)	Canada	Seattle Thunderbirds
18	Mike Cann (D)	Canada	Brandon Wheat Kings
19	Matthew Cline (C)	Canada	Red Deer Rebels
20	Craig Cuthbert (C)	Canada	Kelowna Rockets

See also

• 2003 NHL Entry Draft
• 2002 in sports
• 2003 in sports

References

• 2005–06 WHL Guide