Western Hockey League facts for kids

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a top junior ice hockey league for young players in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. It's one of three main leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), which is the highest level of junior hockey in Canada. The other two leagues are the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Teams in the WHL play to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The team that wins this cup then gets to play for the Memorial Cup, which is Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times!

The WHL has 22 teams. These teams are split into two conferences, each with two divisions. The Eastern Conference has 11 teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The Western Conference also has 11 teams, but they are from British Columbia and the American states of Washington and Oregon.

The league started in 1966 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL). It had seven teams from Saskatchewan and Alberta. In 1967, it changed its name to the Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL). Then, in 1968, it became the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Finally, in 1978, it became the Western Hockey League (WHL) when teams from the United States joined.

The idea for the league came from Bill Hunter. He wanted to create a strong western league that could compete with the best leagues in Ontario and Quebec. He worked with Scotty Munro, Del Wilson, and Jim Piggott to make it happen. At first, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) called it an "outlaw league." But in 1970, when junior hockey in Canada was reorganized, the WHL finally became a recognized top junior league.

Quick facts for kids
Western Hockey League

Formerly	Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (1966–67) Western Canada Junior Hockey League (1967–68) Western Canada Hockey League (1968–1978)
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1966
Commissioner	Ron Robison
No. of teams	22
Countries	Canada (16 teams) United States (6 teams)
Headquarters	Calgary, Alberta
Most recent champion(s)	Moose Jaw Warriors (1)
Most titles	Kamloops Blazers (6)
TV partner(s)	Canada TSN RDS CBC United States KRCW-TV KZJO

The Story of the WHL

How the League Began

Even after winning the 1966 Memorial Cup, Edmonton Oil Kings owner Bill Hunter was worried about junior hockey in Western Canada. Each of the four western provinces had its own junior league. Hunter felt this made it hard for them to compete against bigger leagues in Ontario and Quebec. He wanted stronger competition.

The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) told the Oil Kings they had to play full-time in a junior league for the 1966–67 season. If not, they couldn't play for the Memorial Cup. This led Hunter to support Estevan Bruins owner Scotty Munro's idea to create a new Western junior league. Five teams from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) joined the Oil Kings and the Calgary Buffaloes. They formed the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL).

CAHA did not approve this new league. They called the CMJHL an "outlaw league." They also stopped its teams and players from joining CAHA events, including the Memorial Cup. But the new league decided to play anyway. They even started legal action against CAHA.

In May 1967, the CMJHL changed its name to the Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL). Four new teams joined, including the Swift Current Broncos and three teams from Manitoba. A new agreement between CAHA and the NHL came into effect in July 1967. This agreement changed how junior players were developed. With this sorted, CAHA finally approved the WCHL. This allowed the league champion Estevan Bruins to play for the 1968 Memorial Cup.

However, in May 1968, Hunter announced the league would use an age limit of 21. This was different from the CAHA-NHL agreement. The WCJHL said a lower age limit meant fewer talented players and less ticket sales. Because of this, CAHA again suspended the league and its players.

In June 1968, the WCJHL changed its name to the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). They also announced they were leaving CAHA to form their own group, the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA). After years of disagreements, Canadian junior hockey was reorganized in 1970. CAHA took in the CHA and approved the WCHL again. This made it one of three top junior leagues. In 1972, the Memorial Cup changed to a tournament between the champions of these three major junior leagues.

• League logo timeline
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  1968–1978

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  1978–2002

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  2002–present

Growing Pains and First Champions

The league grew a lot in its first ten years. Teams moved around to new cities across the west. The Flin Flon Bombers, with future NHL stars Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leach, became the league's first very strong team. They reached the finals three times in a row and won championships in 1969 and 1970. The WCHL truly became a "western" league in 1971. That's when the Estevan Bruins moved to British Columbia and became the New Westminster Bruins. Two new teams, the Victoria Cougars and Vancouver Nats, also joined.

In the mid-1970s, the New Westminster Bruins became the WCHL's first true dynasty. They won four championships in a row from 1975 to 1978. The Bruins also won the Memorial Cup two years in a row in 1977 and 1978.

In 1976, the Oil Kings moved to Oregon and became the Portland Winter Hawks. This was the WCHL's first team in the United States. With two more American teams joining a year later, the WCHL shortened its name to the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Bobby Clarke's Flin Flon Bombers jersey on display at the 2007 Memorial Cup in Vancouver.

Exciting Times and a Sad Event in the 1980s

The 1980s had some wild moments. There were fights that needed police to step in. There was also a very unusual trade. Sadly, four players died in a bus crash.

In January 1983, the Seattle Breakers traded player Tom Martin and $35,000 to the Victoria Cougars. In return, they got the Cougars' team bus! The Breakers couldn't sign Martin, who wanted to play in his hometown. The Cougars couldn't use the bus they bought because of taxes.

On December 30, 1986, a terrible accident happened to the Swift Current Broncos. Their team bus slid off an icy highway and rolled over. This was on their way to a game in Regina. Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Brent Ruff, and Chris Mantyka were killed. The Broncos honored them by retiring their numbers. They also created a special patch. In 2016, a memorial was put up at the crash site. The WHL later renamed its award for the most valuable player the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to remember them. Less than three years after the crash, in 1989, the Broncos won the league title and the Memorial Cup.

The 1990s: New Teams and Champions

The Moose Jaw Warriors in action against the Saskatoon Blades.

The 1990s brought more growth and saw the league return to Western Canada's big cities. In 1991, the Spokane Chiefs became the second American team to win the Memorial Cup. The Kamloops Blazers became the WHL's second dynasty. They won both the WHL Championship and the Memorial Cup three times in four years, from 1992 to 1995.

In 1995, the Calgary Hitmen joined the league. This team was started by a group of investors, including wrestler Bret "the Hitman" Hart, who gave the team its name. Many worried if the WHL could do well in a city that already had an NHL team. But the Hitmen were a big success! By 2004–05, they were getting as many as 10,000 fans per game. The Edmonton Ice followed a year later. But that team didn't do well because of problems with the Edmonton Oilers. The team then moved to Cranbrook, British Columbia and became the Kootenay Ice. They found more success there, even winning the 2002 Memorial Cup.

The Twenty-First Century

In the 2000s, the league added four more teams. The Vancouver Giants joined in 2001. The Everett Silvertips joined in 2003. The Chilliwack Bruins joined in 2005 (this team later moved and became the Victoria Royals in 2011). And the Edmonton Oil Kings joined in 2007. The Kelowna Rockets had a great run, winning three WHL titles in 2003, 2005, and 2009. They also won the Memorial Cup as the host team in 2004.

In 2011, WHL teams played in two outdoor games for the first time. The Spokane Chiefs hosted the Kootenay Ice. The Calgary Hitmen also hosted the Regina Pats. A third outdoor game was held in Regina in 2019.

The league faced big challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2019–20 season was cut short, and the playoffs were cancelled. The 2020–21 season was played differently, with teams playing fewer games and no playoffs. So, neither the Ed Chynoweth Cup nor the Memorial Cup were given out in 2020 or 2021. The league went back to a normal schedule for 2021–22. The Oil Kings became the first team to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup since 2019.

WHL Teams

The WHL has 22 teams. This makes it the largest league in the CHL. The teams are in four Canadian provinces and two American states. The Eastern Conference has teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The Western Conference has teams from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.

The top eight teams in each conference make it to the playoffs. The winners of each division are the top two teams in the first round. In the later rounds, the remaining teams are ranked again based on their regular season points.

* Indicates franchise was relocated from original location

Team History and Changes

Former member Current member

• Calgary Buffaloes (1966–67) → Calgary Centennials (1967–77) → Billings Bighorns (1977–82) → Nanaimo Islanders (1982–83) → New Westminster Bruins (1983–88) → Tri-City Americans (1988–present)
• Edmonton Oil Kings (1966–76) → Portland Winter Hawks (1976–2009) → Portland Winterhawks (2009–present)
• Estevan Bruins (1966–71) → New Westminster Bruins (1971–81) → Kamloops Junior Oilers (1981–84) → Kamloops Blazers (1984–present)
• Moose Jaw Canucks (1966–68)
• Regina Pats (1966–68, 1970–present)
• Saskatoon Blades (1966–present)
• Weyburn Red Wings (1966–68)
• Brandon Wheat Kings (1967–present)
• Flin Flon Bombers (1967–78) → Edmonton Oil Kings (1978–79) → Great Falls Americans (1979–80) → Spokane Flyers (1980–82)
• Swift Current Broncos (1967–74) → Lethbridge Broncos (1974–86) → Swift Current Broncos (1986–present)
• Winnipeg Jets (1967–73) → Winnipeg Clubs (1973–76) → Winnipeg Monarchs (1976–77) → Calgary Wranglers (1977–87) → Lethbridge Hurricanes (1987–present)
• Medicine Hat Tigers (1970–present)
• Vancouver Nats (1971–73) → Kamloops Chiefs (1973–77) → Seattle Breakers (1977–85) → Seattle Thunderbirds (1985–present)
• Victoria Cougars (1971–94) → Prince George Cougars (1994–present)
• Winnipeg Warriors (1980–84) → Moose Jaw Warriors (1984–present)
• Kelowna Wings (1982–85) → Spokane Chiefs (1985–present)
• Prince Albert Raiders (1982–present)
• Tacoma Rockets (1991–95) → Kelowna Rockets (1995–present)
• Red Deer Rebels (1992–present)
• Calgary Hitmen (1995–present)
• Edmonton Ice (1996–98) → Kootenay Ice (1998–2019) → Winnipeg Ice (2019–2023) → Wenatchee Wild (2023–present)
• Vancouver Giants (2001–present)
• Everett Silvertips (2003–present)
• Chilliwack Bruins (2006–11) → Victoria Royals (2011–present)
• Edmonton Oil Kings (2007–present)

Player Rules and Education

Player Eligibility

The WHL Bantam Draft happens every year. Teams pick players who are 14 or 15 years old. The team that picks first depends on how they finished in the league standings.

Players aged 15 to 20 can play in the WHL, but there are some rules. Fifteen-year-olds can only play five games unless their midget team's season is over. Also, each team can only have three 20-year-old players on their roster. New teams can have five 20-year-olds. Each team can also only have two players from outside North America. Teams can pick these players in the CHL Import Draft.

The WHL has special rights to players from certain areas in North America. This includes players from the four western provinces of Canada, the American Pacific Northwest, and most other American states west of the Mississippi River. It also includes players from the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Education for Players

Most players join the league while still in school. The WHL helps its players with their education. The league has a scholarship program. It offers one full year of tuition, textbooks, and fees for each season a player plays in the WHL. Since this program started in 1993, over 3,000 scholarships have been given out. This is worth over $9 million! Teams also have academic advisors. These advisors check on how players are doing in school. The league's Director of Education Services also helps.

Canadian universities and colleges often recruit players from the WHL. This gives graduating players a chance to keep playing hockey in U Sports while they go to college. However, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States sees CHL graduates as professionals. This means they cannot play in college hockey programs in the U.S. Players who want to get scholarships and play for American universities must play Junior A hockey in other leagues.

Champions and Awards

Memorial Cup Champions

The Vancouver Giants celebrate their 2007 Memorial Cup victory.

The Spokane Chiefs' 2008 Memorial Cup banner.

WHL teams can play in the yearly Memorial Cup tournament if they win the WHL playoff championship. Since 1983, a team can also play if they are hosting the tournament. Overall, WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup nineteen times since the league began.

League Records

League Awards

The Ed Chynoweth Cup is awarded to the WHL's playoff champion.

Commissioners

The commissioner is like the head of the league. Here are the people who have led the WHL:

• Frank Boucher (Commissioner), 1966–1968
• Ron Butlin (President), 1968–1971
• Jim Piggott (President) & Tom Fisher (Executive Secretary), 1971–1972
• Del Wilson (President) & Tom Fisher (Executive Secretary), 1972–1973
• Ed Chynoweth (President), 1973–1979
• David Descent (President), 1979–1980
• Ed Chynoweth (President), 1980–1995
• Dev Dley (Commissioner), 1995–2000
• Ron Robison (Commissioner), 2000–present