2001–02 WHL season

The 2001–02 WHL season was the 36th season for the Western Hockey League. Nineteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kootenay Ice won the President's Cup before going on to win the Memorial Cup.

League notes
  • The Vancouver Giants joined the WHL as its 19th franchise.
  • The Swift Current Broncos moved from the East division to the Central division.
  • The Kootenay Ice moved from the Central division to the B.C. division.
  • With the addition of the Giants, the WHL abandoned the three division format and moved to two conferences of two divisions each. Ten teams in the East and nine in the West.
  • The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, though the 5th place team in the B.C. division could qualify in place of the 4th place team in the U.S. division if they had a better record.

Regular season

Eastern Conference
East Division GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
x Brandon Wheat Kings7243234292261210
x Regina Pats7240204892252192
x Moose Jaw Warriors7230346268226239
x Saskatoon Blades7227375362216257
Prince Albert Raiders7226412357234324
Central Division GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
x Red Deer Rebels72461871100264184
x Swift Current Broncos7242176797274218
x Calgary Hitmen7233335172271281
x Lethbridge Hurricanes7233336072266247
Medicine Hat Tigers7230364266277316

Western Conference
B.C. Division GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
x Kamloops Blazers7238255485263230
x Kootenay Ice7238277083276223
x Prince George Cougars7234279279244215
x Kelowna Rockets72312610577257232
Vancouver Giants7213496436198365
U.S. Division GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
x Portland Winter Hawks7236255683269243
x Spokane Chiefs72332511380223206
x Tri-City Americans72313110072260271
x Seattle Thunderbirds7221406553235313

Scoring leaders

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

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Nathan BarrettLethbridge Hurricanes724562107100
Joffrey LupulMedicine Hat Tigers72565010695
Eric JohanssonTri-City Americans69445910373
Tyler BeecheyKootenay/Calgary70445599104
Josef BalejPortland Winter Hawks6551419252
Jeremy JacksonVancouver/Lethbridge7138539191
Mikhail YakubovRed Deer Rebels7132578954
Josh OlsonPortland Winter Hawks7240488885
Duncan MilroySwift Current/Kootenay6445428744
Justin KellySaskatoon Blades7239478647

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
Cam WardRed Deer Rebels462695301141021.9112.27
Josh HardingRegina Pats42328927131954.9062.39
Shane BenderaRed Deer/Kelowna5030302415111251.9122.47
Barry BrustSpokane Chiefs6035422821101521.9122.57
Billy ThompsonPrince George Cougars422378201721082.9132.72

2002 WHL Playoffs
Conference Quarter-finals Conference Semi-finals Conference Finals WHL Championship
            
E1 Brandon 4
E4 Saskatoon 3
C1 Red Deer 4
E3 Moose Jaw 2
E2 Regina 2
E3 Moose Jaw 4
E1 Brandon 3
Eastern
C1 Red Deer 4
C1 Red Deer 4
C4 Lethbridge 0
E1 Brandon 4
C2 Swift Current 1
C2 Swift Current 4
C3 Calgary 3
C1 Red Deer 2
B2 Kootenay Ice 4
B1 Kamloops 0
B4 Kelowna 4
B2 Kootenay 4
U4 Seattle 0
B2 Kootenay 4
B3 Prince George 3
B2 Kootenay 4
Western
B4 Kelowna 1
U1 Portland 3
U4 Seattle 4
U2 Spokane 2
B4 Kelowna 4
U2 Spokane 4
U3 Tri-City 1

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Saskatoon
DateAwayHome
March 23Brandon 12 SaskatoonOT
March 24Brandon 20 Saskatoon
March 26Saskatoon 13 Brandon
March 27Saskatoon 21 Brandon2OT
March 31Brandon 23 SaskatoonOT
April 2Saskatoon 14 Brandon
April 3Saskatoon 12 Brandon
Brandon wins series 4–3
Regina vs. Moose Jaw
DateAwayHome
March 22Moose Jaw 32 ReginaOT
March 23Moose Jaw 35 Regina
March 26Regina 21 Moose Jaw
March 27Regina 13 Moose Jaw
March 29Moose Jaw 21 Regina
March 31Regina 25 Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw wins series 4–2
Red Deer vs. Lethbridge
DateAwayHome
March 22Lethbridge 24 Red Deer
March 23Lethbridge 35 Red Deer
March 26Red Deer 52 Lethbridge
March 27Red Deer 32 Lethbridge
Red Deer wins series 4–0
Swift Current vs. Calgary
DateAwayHome
March 22Calgary 42 Swift Current
March 23Calgary 24 Swift Current
March 26Swift Current 51 Calgary
March 27Swift Current 13 Calgary
March 29Calgary 45 Swift Current
March 31Swift Current 25 Calgary
April 2Calgary 13 Swift Current
Swift Current wins series 4–3

Western Conference
Kamloops vs. Kelowna
DateAwayHome
March 22Kelowna 41 Kamloops
March 23Kelowna 30 Kamloops
March 27Kamloops 24 Kelowna
March 28Kamloops 13 Kelowna
Kelowna wins series 4–0
Kootenay vs. Prince George
DateAwayHome
March 22Prince George 41 Kootenay
March 23Prince George 31 Kootenay
March 26Kootenay 60 Prince George
March 27Kootenay 42 Prince George
March 29Kootenay 53 Prince George
April 1Prince George 63 Kootenay
April 2Prince George 15 Kootenay
Kootenay wins series 4–3
Portland vs. Seattle
DateAwayHome
March 22Seattle 34 Portland
March 23Seattle 62 Portland
March 26Portland 23 Seattle
March 28Portland 32 Seattle
March 29Seattle 10 Portland
March 30Portland 40 Seattle
April 2Seattle 32 Portland
Seattle wins series 4–3
Spokane vs. Tri-City
DateAwayHome
March 22Tri-City 14 Spokane
March 23Tri-City 37 Spokane
March 27Spokane 21 Tri-City
March 29Spokane 23 Tri-CityOT
March 30Tri-City 1Spokane 2OT
Spokane wins series 4–1

Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
Red Deer vs. Moose Jaw
DateAwayHome
April 5Moose Jaw 40 Red Deer
April 6Moose Jaw 35 Red Deer
April 9Red Deer 23 Moose JawOT
April 10Red Deer 21 Moose JawOT
April 12Moose Jaw 06 Red Deer
April 14Red Deer 42 Moose Jaw
Red Deer wins series 4–2
Swift Current vs. Brandon
DateAwayHome
April 5Brandon 23 Swift Current
April 6Brandon 32 Swift CurrentOT
April 9Swift Current 14 Brandon
April 10Swift Current 34 BrandonOT
April 12Brandon 43 Swift Current
Brandon wins series 4–1
Western Conference
Kootenay vs Seattle
DateAwayHome
April 5Seattle 13 Kootenay
April 6Seattle 17 Kootenay
April 9Kootenay 52 Seattle
April 11Kootenay 53 Seattle
Kootenay wins series 4–0
Spokane vs. Kelowna
DateAwayHome
April 5Kelowna 23 Spokane
April 7Spokane 32 KelownaOT
April 8Spokane 12 Kelowna
April 10Kelowna 82 Spokane
April 11Kelowna 21 Spokane2OT
April 13Spokane 02 Kelowna
Kelowna wins series 4–2

Conference finals
Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
Red Deer vs. Brandon
DateAwayHome
April 19Brandon 21 Red DeerOT
April 20Brandon 24 Red Deer
April 23Red Deer 45 Brandon2OT
April 24Red Deer 25 Brandon
April 26Brandon 04 Red Deer
April 28Red Deer 32 Brandon2OT
April 30Brandon 25 Red Deer
Red Deer wins series 4–3
Kootenay vs. Kelowna
DateAwayHome
April 19Kelowna 23 Kootenay
April 20Kelowna 45 Kootenay
April 23Kootenay 15 Kelowna
April 24Kootenay 42 Kelowna
April 26Kelowna 03 Kootenay
Kootenay wins series 4–1

WHL Championship
Red Deer vs. Kootenay
DateAwayHome
May 3Kootenay 21 Red DeerOT
May 4Kootenay 12 Red Deer
May 7Red Deer 23 KootenayOT
May 8Red Deer 32 Kootenay
May 11Kootenay 43 Red Deer
May 13Red Deer 23 Kootenay2OT
Kootenay wins series 4–2

All-Star game

On January 24, the WHL Eastern All-Stars were defeated by the OHL Western All-Stars 7–2 at Red Deer, Alberta with a crowd of 6,259.

On February 6, the WHL Western All-Stars defeated the QMJHL Dilio All-Stars 9–4 at Rimouski, Quebec with a crowd of 4,762.

WHL awards
Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Dan Hamhuis, Prince George Cougars
Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Tyler Metcalfe, Seattle Thunderbirds
Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Nathan Barrett, Lethbridge Hurricanes
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Ian White, Swift Current Broncos
Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Dan Hamhuis, Prince George Cougars
Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks
Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Bob Lowes, Regina Pats
Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Brad McEwan, Swift Current Broncos
Regular season champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Red Deer Rebels
Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Kevin Acheson
Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Greg McConkey, Red Deer Rebels
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Brandin Cote, Spokane Chiefs
WHL Plus-Minus Award: Matt Hubbauer, Regina Pats
Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Duncan Milroy, Kootenay Ice

All-Star Teams
Eastern Conference
First TeamSecond Team
GoalCam WardRed Deer RebelsJosh HardingRegina Pats
DefenseFilip NovakRegina PatsIan WhiteSwift Current Broncos
Jay BouwmeesterMedicine Hat TigersJeff WoywitkaRed Deer Rebels
ForwardJoffrey LupulMedicine Hat TigersMatt HubbauerRegina Pats
Nathan BarrettLethbridge HurricanesMikhail YakubovRed Deer Rebels
Tyler BeecheyCalgary HitmenJustin KellySaskatoon Blades
Western Conference
First TeamSecond Team
GoalBarry BrustSpokane ChiefsShane BenderaKelowna Rockets
DefenseDan HamhuisPrince George CougarsCraig WellerKootenay Ice
Kurt SauerSpokane ChiefsJesse FergusonKelowna Rockets
ForwardJarret StollKootenay IceEric JohanssonTri-City Americans
Jozef BalejPortland Winter HawksScottie UpshallKamloops Blazers
Jared AulinKamloops BlazersMarek SvatosKootenay Ice
  • source: Western Hockey League press release

See also

References
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