The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times since the league became eligible to compete for the trophy. Many players have been drafted from WHL teams, and have found success at various levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was a professional ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The PCHA was considered to be a major league of ice hockey and was important in the development of the sport of professional ice hockey through its innovations.
The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, they played in Denman Arena, the first artificial ice surface in Canada and the largest indoor ice rink in the world at the time it opened.
The Seattle Thunderbirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in the city of Kent, Washington, south of Seattle. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League. They play their games at home in accesso ShoWare Center.
Pacific Coliseum, known to locals as "The Coliseum" or the "Rink on Renfrew," is an indoor arena located at Hastings Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its main use has been for ice hockey and the arena has been the home for several ice hockey teams.
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) who play in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles, and continues to rally for the Cup annually. Starting in the 2015–16 season, the Tigers have begun play at Co-op Place after forty-five seasons at the Medicine Hat Arena. They had a sell-out streak at The Arena dating back 197 games.
Douglas Paul Bodger is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League. Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins ninth overall in the 1984 NHL Draft he would play in over 1,000 games in the NHL with the Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, and the Vancouver Canucks.
The Chilliwack Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins' inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the team. The Bruins were sold after the 2010–11 season and subsequently relocated to Victoria to become the Victoria Royals.
The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the Canadian Hockey League in attendance. The Chiefs won the Memorial Cup in 1991 and 2008. They also hosted the first outdoor hockey game in WHL history on January 15, 2011, at Avista Stadium versus the Kootenay Ice.
The New Westminster Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:
The 2006–07 WHL season was the 41st season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty-one teams completed a 72-game season. The Everett Silvertips won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, after having the best record in the WHL during the regular season. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup, defeating the Vancouver Giants in seven games. The Giants captured the 2007 Memorial Cup as tournament hosts, defeating the Tigers in the championship game.
The 1994–95 WHL season was the 29th season for the Western Hockey League. Sixteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kamloops Blazers won their third President's Cup in four seasons, as well as their third Memorial Cup in four seasons.
This is a timeline of events throughout the 40-year history of the Western Hockey League
The Kamloops Chiefs were a junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia that played in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1973–77. They were founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats, and relocated to Seattle, Washington to become the Seattle Breakers in 1977.
The 1973–74 WCHL season was the eighth season for the Western Canada Hockey League. Twelve teams completed a 68-game season. The Regina Pats won the President's Cup before going on to win the Memorial Cup.
Michael W. Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. In his seven-year career, he played for the Vancouver Canucks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Barry Fredrick Wilcox is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Vancouver Canucks between 1972 and 1975. He also played several years in the minor leagues before retiring in 1975.
Aaron Gagnon is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who last played for Modo Hockey in the Swedish Hockeyallsvenskan.
Bill LaForge was a Canadian ice hockey head coach. LaForge briefly coached the Vancouver Canucks in National Hockey League, but enjoyed more success in junior ice hockey with Western Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League teams. LaForge was known for his controversial coaching style, intimidation tactics, on-ice brawls, suspensions and fines. Teams he coached were known for physical play, and high scoring. Notable players coached by LaForge in junior ice hockey include; Shayne Corson, Keith Primeau, Dean Evason, Gary Leeman, Tony Tanti, Brad May, Ken Daneyko, Doug Bodger, Garth Butcher, and Rob Brown. LaForge died June 19, 2005, after an apparent heart attack.
Matthew Phillips is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Stockton Heat in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).
