The 2007âÂÂ08 WHL season was the 42nd season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 20, 2007, and ended on March 16, 2008. The Tri-City Americans won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record. The playoffs began on March 21, and ended on May 7, with the Spokane Chiefs defeating the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the championship series to claim their second Ed Chynoweth Cup and a berth at the 2008 Memorial Cup tournament, which Spokane would go on to win.
The Edmonton Oil Kings joined the league as an expansion clubâÂÂtheir name paying homage to Edmonton's original WHL teamâÂÂbringing the WHL to 22 teams.
League notes
- The WHL had announced at the 2007 Memorial Cup tournament that it would rename its championship trophyâÂÂuntil then, known as the President's CupâÂÂafter Ed Chynoweth. The Chiefs 2008 championship was thus the first featuring the renamed trophy.
- The Edmonton Oil Kings joined the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, bringing the Eastern Conference to twelve teams, while the Western Conference remained at ten.
- The playoff format was revised so that the top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, as opposed to the top four in each division. Division winners are guaranteed a top two seed in each conference.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; x = Clinched playoff berth; y = Clinched conference title
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Leading goaltenders
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
2008 WHL Playoffs
Overview
Conference quarter-finals
Eastern Conference
(E1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (E8) Moose Jaw Warriors
(E2) Regina Pats vs. (E7) Swift Current Broncos
(E3) Lethbridge Hurricanes vs. (E6) Brandon Wheat Kings
(E4) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (E5) Kootenay Ice
Western Conference
(W1) Tri-City Americans vs. (W8) Kamloops Blazers
(W4) Seattle Thunderbirds vs. (W5) Kelowna Rockets
(W2) Vancouver Giants vs. (W7) Chilliwack Bruins
(W3) Spokane Chiefs vs. (W6) Everett Silvertips
Conference semi-finals
(E1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (E7) Swift Current Broncos
Conference finals
WHL Championship
Memorial Cup
The 90th Memorial Cup was held in Kitchener, Ontario.
WHL awards
All-Star teams
- source: Western Hockey League press release
2008 Bantam Draft
First round
See also
Notes
References
External links