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 the President's Cup .
League notes [ ] The WHL announced that it would adopt many of the new rules put in place by the NHL this season to increase scoring. They are:
Shootouts : Ties no longer count in the standings, and are replaced with the shootout. Shootout losses will count as one point in the standings.Tighter standard of officiating, especially as it relates to obstruction fouls.
Goaltender restriction zone or the "trapezoid", will be employed. Goaltenders will be 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. It is worth noting that the WHL did not move 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. Thus, only the Calgary Hitmen , who share an arena with the Calgary Flames play using the new alignment. The new standard will be employed by the remaining teams beginning in 2006–07.
Regular season [ ] Final standings [ ] Eastern Conference [ ] Western Conference [ ] Scoring leaders [ ] Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
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
2006 WHL Playoffs [ ] Overview [ ] 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
Conference semifinals [ ]
Eastern Conference
Medicine Hat vs. Saskatoon
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Saskatoon 1
5 Medicine Hat
April 8
Saskatoon 3
4 Medicine Hat 3OT
April 11
Medicine Hat 3 2 Saskatoon
OT
April 12
Medicine Hat 3 1 Saskatoon
Medicine Hat wins 4–0
Calgary vs. Moose Jaw
Date
Away
Home
April 8
Moose Jaw 0
3 Calgary
April 9
Moose Jaw 3 2 Calgary
OT
April 11
Calgary 2
4 Moose Jaw
April 12
Calgary 2 0 Moose Jaw
April 14
Moose Jaw 3
4 Calgary OT
April 16
Calgary 1
3 Moose Jaw
April 19
Moose Jaw 3 1 Calgary
Moose Jaw wins 4–3
Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Everett
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Everett 5 3 Kelowna
April 9
Everett 2
3 Kelowna
April 11
Kelowna 0
2 Everett
April 12
Kelowna 2
3 Everett
April 14
Everett 2
3 Kelowna 2OT
April 16
Kelowna 2
6 Everett
Everett wins 4–2
Vancouver vs. Portland
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Portland 1 0 Vancouver
April 8
Portland 1
7 Vancouver
April 12
Vancouver 4 3 Portland
OT
April 13
Vancouver 3 1 Portland
April 16
Portland 0
2 Vancouver
Vancouver wins 4–1
Conference finals [ ]
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Medicine Hat vs. Moose Jaw
Date
Away
Home
April 21
Moose Jaw 3 2 Medicine Hat
April 22
Moose Jaw 4 3 Medicine Hat
OT
April 25
Medicine Hat 5 3 Moose Jaw
April 26
Medicine Hat 1
3 Moose Jaw
April 28
Moose Jaw 4 3 Medicine Hat
OT
Moose Jaw wins 4–1
Vancouver vs. Everett
Date
Away
Home
April 21
Everett 2
4 Vancouver
April 22
Everett 0
2 Vancouver
April 25
Vancouver 5 0 Everett
April 27
Vancouver 5 0 Everett
Vancouver wins 4–0
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
ADT Canada-Russia Challenge [ ] 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.
The WHL has an all-time record of 6–0 against the Russian Selects since the tournament began in 2003–04.
WHL awards [ ]
Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy : Justin Pogge , Calgary Hitmen
Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy : , Moose Jaw Warriors
Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy : Troy Brouwer , Moose Jaw Warriors
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy : Kris Russell , Medicine Hat Tigers
Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy : Kris Russell , Medicine Hat Tigers
Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy : Peter Mueller , Everett Silvertips
Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy : Justin Pogge , Calgary Hitmen
Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy : Willie Desjardins , Medicine Hat Tigers
Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy : , Vancouver Giants
Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy : Medicine Hat Tigers
Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy : Kyle Rehman
Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy : , Medicine Hat Tigers
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Wacey Rabbit , Saskatoon Blades
WHL Plus-Minus Award : Paul Albers , Vancouver Giants
Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy : 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 , Alberta on Thursday May 4. It was the 17th annual draft to take place.
List of first round picks in the bantam draft. See also [ ] References [ ] 
Canada