Calgary Hitmen forwards Carson McMillan and Kyle Bortis accept the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the 2008–09 regular season champions.
The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[1][2][3][4][5] The regular season began on September 18, 2008,[1][2] and ended on March 15, 2009. The WHL Playoffs commenced on March 20, 2009,[3][4][5] and the 2008 ADTCanada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, took place from November 26–27, 2008.[3][4][5] The Kelowna Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions.
WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth.[3][4][5]
The 2008–09 WHL Season will allow us to showcase some of the finest young hockey talent in the world today. We fully expect each WHL Division will feature highly competitive races as our clubs battle for a playoff position.
The Commissioner of the Western Hockey League, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth,[3][4][5] who died on April 22, 2008.[6] His death occurred just over a year after the WHL Championship trophy was changed in his honour.[7] Ed Chynoweth was the principle builder of Major Juniorhockey in Canada as President of the WHL and CHL over the past four decades. Throughout the entire 2008–09 season, the helmets of all the players and officials will display an "EC" decal, representing Ed's initials.[3][4][5]
July 10, 2008 — the WHL and INSINC extended their WHL WEB TV partnership.[13]
July 23, 2008 — 18 WHL players attended Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp in Ottawa, Ontario.[14]
July 30, 2008 — longtime Brandon Wheat Kings athletic trainer, Rob "Stofe" Stouffer, died of liver cancer.[15][16]
August 5, 2008 — 10 WHL players were named to Canada's Under-18 Summer Team at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament.[17][18]
August 7, 2008 — 53 players from 17 states were invited to the 2008 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York.[19]
August 16, 2008 — Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team claimed first place at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, with a 6–3 win over Russia.[20]
Regular season
September 18, 2008 — a special tribute involving members of the Chynoweth family took place prior to the season opener between the Spokane Chiefs and Kootenay Ice.[3][4][5][21]
September 18, 2008 — the Spokane Chiefs were ranked as the top team in the league, according to the annual preseason rankings.[22]
September 19, 2008 — WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth, who died on April 22, 2008.[3][4][5]
January 14, 2009 — the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game was held in Oshawa, Ontario.[25]
Playoffs
March 20, 2009 — the start of the WHL Playoffs.[3][4][5]
Regular season[]
The Western Hockey League opened its 43rd regular season on September 18, 2008 in Cranbrook, British Columbia between defending Memorial Cup Champions, Spokane Chiefs and the Kootenay Ice. This season, the WHL is planning to have 30 of its regular season games broadcast on Shaw TV, as well as complete coverage of the 2009 WHL Playoffs. The broadcast schedule begun on September 18 with a special half-hour "preview show" followed by the 2008–09 WHL season opener.[3][4][5]
The 2008–09 WHL season will also be highlighted with the Canada Russia Challenge, an annual CHL showcase event. The 2008 ADTCanada Russia Challenge, featured a two-game series between Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, on November 26, 2008 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and the second game took place on November 27, 2008 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.[3][4][5]
Standings[]
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
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
The ADT Canada Russia Challenge has become a highlight on the CHL schedule and we are very proud to be associated with it. These two nations have such a storied hockey history that fans from across the country tune in expecting to see a hard fought series. We expect nothing short of world class hockey this November that hockey fans from across the country won't want to miss.
— Joe O'Connell, Regional Vice-President of Canada[43]
The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge was held in six cities across Canada, with two cities for each league within the Canadian Hockey League. The series begun on November 17, 2008, and concluded on November 27, 2008.[43] Both Western Hockey League games were held in the province of Saskatchewan. Former Prince Albert Raider forward Dan Hodgson was Honorary Captain for the final game in the series, held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on November 27, 2008.[44]
All six games were televised nationwide on Rogers Sportsnet, along with RDS broadcasting both games from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.[45][46]
Results[]
In the first game of the two part series between Team QMJHL and the Russian Selects, Team QMJHL scored five goals en route to a 5–3 win in front of 4,378 fans at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. of the Russian Selects and goaltender Olivier Roy of Team QMJHL, were named the ADT Players of the Game for their respective teams.[47] The Russian Selects evened the ADT Canada Russia Challenge, winning the second game after having registered four goals in a 4–3 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 6,451 assembled at Harbour Station in Saint John, New Brunswick.[48]
Donlevy, Jim. WHL Education. Western Hockey League. p. 2. Archived from the original(PHP) on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008. Retrieved on 2008-10-06.
