2003–04 WHL season
The 2003–04 WHL season was the 38th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game season. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup, while the host Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup.
League notes
- The Everett Silvertips joined the WHL as its 20th franchise, playing in the U.S. Division of the western Conference.
- The playoff crossover if the 5th-place team in the B.C. Division finished ahead of the 4th-place team in the U.S. division was discontinued. The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs.
- The 2003–04 season became a historic one for the WHL. The Everett Silvertips, the league's newest franchise, broke 10 junior hockey expansion team records, including winning both a division title and conference title in the team's first season. The Silvertips also became the first expansion team in WHL history to win a playoff series against the league's top team in the regular season, defeating the regular-season champions and reigning WHL champions Kelowna Rockets in seven games after falling behind 3–1 in the Western Conference Finals before winning three straight games in overtime, becoming the first junior hockey expansion team to win a conference title.
Regular season
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; T = Ties ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
2004 WHL Playoffs
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Moose Jaw vs. Regina |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Regina 0 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| March 20 | Regina 2 | 4 Moose Jaw |
| March 23 | Moose Jaw 5 | 1 Regina |
| March 25 | Moose Jaw 4 | 1 Regina |
|
| Moose Jaw wins series 4–0 |
|
| Prince Albert vs. Brandon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 18 | Brandon 3 | 2 Prince Albert | OT |
| March 19 | Brandon 1 | 5 Prince Albert |
| March 23 | Prince Albert 1 | 3 Brandon |
| March 24 | Prince Albert 2 | 3 Brandon |
| March 26 | Brandon 2 | 6 Prince Albert |
| March 29 | Prince Albert 1 | 4 Brandon |
|
| Brandon wins series 4–2 |
|
| Medicine Hat vs. Swift Current |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Swift Current 0 | 3 Medicine Hat |
| March 20 | Swift Current 2 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| March 23 | Medicine Hat 2 | 4 Swift Current |
| March 24 | Medicine Hat 4 | 2 Swift Current |
| March 26 | Swift Current 0 | 8 Medicine Hat |
| Medicine Hat wins series 4–1 |
|
| Red Deer vs. Calgary |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Calgary 0 | 4 Red Deer |
| March 20 | Calgary 3 | 4 Red Deer | 2OT |
| March 23 | Red Deer 0 | 2 Calgary |
| March 25 | Red Deer 4 | 1 Calgary |
| March 27 | Calgary 3 | 1 Red Deer |
| March 30 | Red Deer 0 | 3 Calgary |
| March 31 | Calgary 2 | 4 Red Deer |
| Red Deer wins series 4–3 |
|
Western Conference
| Kelowna vs. Kootenay |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Kootenay 3 | 5 Kelowna |
| March 20 | Kootenay 1 | 4 Kelowna |
| March 23 | Kelowna 4 | 0 Kootenay |
| March 24 | Kelowna 3 | 1 Kootenay |
| Kelowna wins series 4–0 |
|
| Vancouver vs. Kamloops |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Kamloops 2 | 1 Vancouver |
| March 20 | Kamloops 2 | 4 Vancouver |
| March 23 | Vancouver 2 | 1 Kamloops |
| March 24 | Vancouver 5 | 3 Kamloops |
| March 27 | Kamloops 4 | 5 Vancouver | OT |
| Vancouver wins series 4–1 |
|
| Everett vs. Spokane |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Spokane 1 | 2 Everett | OT |
| March 20 | Spokane 0 | 3 Everett |
| March 23 | Everett 5 | 4 Spokane | OT |
| March 24 | Everett 3 | 0 Spokane |
| Everett wins series 4–0 |
|
| Portland vs Tri-City |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 19 | Tri-City 4 | 2 Portland |
| March 21 | Tri-City 1 | 2 Portland | OT |
| March 23 | Portland 1 | 4 Tri-City |
| March 24 | Portland 2 | 3 Tri-City |
| March 26 | Tri-City 3 | 1 Portland |
| Tri-City wins series 4–1 |
|
Conference semifinals
| Eastern Conference |
|---|
| Medicine Hat vs. Brandon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Brandon 1 | 5 Medicine Hat |
| April 3 | Brandon 2 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| April 6 | Medicine Hat 5 | 3 Brandon |
| April 7 | Medicine Hat 3 | 9 Brandon |
| April 9 | Brandon 1 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| Medicine Hat wins series 4–1 |
|
| Moose Jaw vs. Red Deer |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Red Deer 4 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| April 3 | Red Deer 3 | 2 Moose Jaw |
| April 6 | Moose Jaw 4 | 2 Red Deer |
| April 7 | Moose Jaw 2 | 1 Red Deer | OT |
| April 9 | Red Deer 2 | 1 Moose Jaw | 2OT |
| April 11 | Moose Jaw 0 | Red Deer 3 |
| Red Deer wins series 4–2 |
|
| Western Conference |
|---|
| Kelowna vs. Tri-City |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Tri-City 3 | 2 Kelowna | OT |
| April 3 | Tri-City 4 | 3 Kelowna | OT |
| April 6 | Kelowna 4 | 1 Tri-City |
| April 7 | Kelowna 4 | 3 Tri-City | OT |
| April 9 | Tri-City 2 | 7 Kelowna |
| April 11 | Kelowna 2 | 1 Tri-City |
| Kelowna wins series 4–2 |
|
| Vancouver vs Everett |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Everett 1 | 2 Vancouver |
| April 3 | Everett 3 | 1 Vancouver |
| April 5 | Vancouver 3 | 1 Everett |
| April 8 | Vancouver 0 | 4 Everett |
| April 9 | Everett 6 | 2 Vancouver |
| April 11 | Vancouver 2 | 3 Everett |
| Everett wins series 4–2 |
|
Conference finals
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
|---|
| Medicine Hat vs Red Deer |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 16 | Red Deer 1 | 0 Medicine Hat |
| April 17 | Red Deer 2 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| April 20 | Medicine Hat 1 | 3 Red Deer |
| April 21 | Medicine Hat 2 | 1 Red Deer |
| April 23 | Red Deer 3 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| April 25 | Medicine Hat 4 | 2 Red Deer |
| Medicine Hat wins series 4–2 |
|
| Kelowna vs Everett |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 16 | Everett 3 | 2 Kelowna |
| April 17 | Everett 1 | 2 Kelowna |
| April 20 | Kelowna 2 | 1 Everett |
| April 22 | Kelowna 4 | 3 Everett |
| April 24 | Everett 1 | 0 Kelowna | OT |
| April 26 | Kelowna 1 | 2 Everett | OT |
| April 27 | Everett 2 | 1 Kelowna | OT |
| Everett wins series 4–3 |
|
WHL Championship
| Medicine Hat vs Everett |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 30 | Everett 1 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| May 1 | Everett 0 | 3 Medicine Hat |
| May 4 | Medicine Hat 3 | 0 Everett |
| May 5 | Medicine Hat 4 | 2 Everett |
| Medicine Hat wins series 4–0 |
|
On November 26, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 4–1 in Calgary, Alberta before a crowd of 7,844.
On November 27, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 7–1 in Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 4,908.
WHL awards
| Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels |
| Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Devan Dubnyk, Kamloops Blazers |
| Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Tyler Redenbach, Swift Current Broncos |
| Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Nigel Dawes, Kootenay Ice |
| Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Dion Phaneuf, Red Deer Rebels |
| Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants |
| Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels |
| Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Kevin Constantine, Everett Silvertips |
| Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Kelly Kisio, Calgary Hitmen |
| Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Kelowna Rockets |
| Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Rob Matsuoka |
| Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Mark Stiles, Calgary Hitmen |
| Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks |
| WHL Plus-Minus Award: Andrew Ladd, Calgary Hitmen |
| Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Kevin Nastiuk, Medicine Hat Tigers |
2004 Bantam Draft
The 2004 WHL Bantam Draft was held at the WHL's head office in Calgary on April 29, 2004.
- List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
See also
References
