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2009–10 WHL season

The 2009–10 WHL season was the 44th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 17, 2009, and ended on March 14, 2010. The 2009 Subway Super Series, featuring Team WHL versus Team Russia, took place mid-season from November 25 to 26, 2009. The Calgary Hitmen won their second consecutive and fourth overall Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for best regular season record. The playoffs took place from March 18 to May 7. The Hitmen followed up their regular season title by defeating the Tri-City Americans in the championship series to claim their second Ed Chynoweth Cup, and a berth in the 2010 Memorial Cup tournament.

League notes

Off-season
  • May 27, 2009 — The WHL announced an extended partnership with Shaw TV for an additional five years through the 2013–14 season.
  • May 28, 2009 — 13 WHL players were invited to Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Selections Camp.
  • May 29, 2009 — 11 WHL players were invited to the Hockey Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp.
  • June 17, 2009 — The WHL Board of Governors agreed to adopt video-replay during the regular season and playoffs commencing with the 2009–10 season. The WHL introduced video replay during the 2009 playoffs. With the decision, the WHL expanded its officiating development program to include video training centres for referees and additional linesmen training camps throughout Western Canada.
  • June 17, 2009 — The WHL Board of Governors adopted a new player recruitment strategy, including the hiring of a Director of Player Recruitment focusing on promoting the WHL Scholarship program and other benefits of playing in the WHL to top prospects in Western Canada and the United States.
  • June 17, 2009 — The WHL Board of Governors announced the introduction of a series of new online post-secondary education initiatives to improve players' access to University courses while they are playing in the WHL starting in the 2009–10 season. The new initiative was done through the support of the WHL Alumni Association and the league's corporate sponsorship.
  • June 21, 2009 — Prince Albert Raiders broadcaster Morley Jaeger died at the age of 72.
  • July 3, 2009 —18 WHL graduates Invited to Hockey Canada's National Men's Team Orientation Camp in Calgary.
  • July 20, 2009 — The 1989 Memorial Cup champion Swift Current Broncos team was inducted into the Swift Current Broncos Hall of Fame.
  • July 29, 2009 — Alberta announced $17.8 million to support the completion of Lethbridge's Enmax Centre Expansion project.
  • August 14, 2009 — Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team claimed first place at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka tournament, with a 9–2 win over Russia.
  • August 17, 2009 — Former Prince Albert Raiders team president, John Odnokon, died at the age of 78.
Pre-season
Regular season
  • September 17, 2009 — Due to enhanced in-house video production from all 22 teams, the WHL was able to show all 792 regular season games online for the first time.
  • September 25, 2009 —The WHL and Hockey Alberta enhanced their partnership to include joint programming initiatives and additional financial support for minor hockey and high performance programs in Alberta.
  • October 13, 2009 — The WHL launched WHL Mobile, a mobile-optimized version of its website designed specifically for users of web-enabled smartphones.
  • December 3, 2009 — Ten players from the WHL were invited to Team Canada's Selection Camp roster for the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
  • December 23, 2009 — The WHL announced a multi-year deal with FSN Northwest to broadcast WHL games starting immediately.
  • January 10, 2010 — WHL Trade Deadline ended with 15 trades.
  • January 15, 2010 — The WHL and BC Hockey announced a new partnership providing additional financial support for the hockey system in the province of British Columbia and the Yukon territory.
  • January 20, 2010 — The 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game was held in Windsor, Ontario.
  • February 6, 2010 — Brendan Burke died in an automobile accident in the United States during a snow storm. For the remainder of the season, the Chilliwack Bruins—who were partly owned by Burke's father, Brian Burke, wore a commemorative patch on their jerseys.

Regular season

The Western Hockey League opened the regular season on September 17, 2009, in Kelowna, with a game between the defending champion Kelowna Rockets and the Vancouver Giants.

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

Conference standings

x - team clinched Western Hockey League Playoff spot y - team is division leader z - team has clinched division

Division standings

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Leading goaltenders

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

Players

2009 NHL entry draft

In total, 31 WHL players were selected at the 2009 NHL entry draft.

Contracts and scholarships

  • May 15, 2009 — Steven Hodges and Kade Pilton sign WHL Player Contracts with the Chilliwack Bruins.
  • May 18, 2009 — Derrick Pouliot signs a WHL Players Contract with the Portland Winterhawks.
  • May 18, 2009 — Morgan Rielly signs a WHL Players Contract with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
  • May 22, 2009 — Mike Winther signs a WHL Players Contract with the Prince Albert Raiders.
  • May 24, 2009 — Ryan Olsen signs a WHL Players Contract with the Saskatoon Blades.
  • May 27, 2009 — Griffin Reinhart signs a WHL Players Contract with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
  • May 30, 2009 — WHL Grads Jesse Deckert and Brandon Lockerby commits to the Manitoba Bisons.
  • June 3, 2009 — WHL Grad Justin McCrae commits to the UBC Thunderbirds.
  • June 3, 2009 — Josh Smith signs a WHL Players Contract with the Prince George Cougars.
  • June 6, 2009 — Connor Rankin signs a WHL Players Contract with the Tri-City Americans.
  • June 8, 2009 — Troy Bourke signs a WHL Players Contract with the Prince George Cougars.
  • June 8, 2009 — WHL Grad Carter Smith commits to the Regina Cougars.
  • June 10, 2009 — Dave Hunchak signs a WHL Players Contract with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
  • June 16, 2009 — WHL Grad Ian Duval commits to the Manitoba Bisons.
  • June 19, 2009 — Nicholas Walters signs a WHL Educational Contract with the Everett Silvertips.
  • June 25, 2009 — WHL Grads Eric Frere, Graham Potuer, Luke Egener commits to the Calgary Dinos.
  • June 29, 2009 — WHL Grad Chad Erb commits to the Manitoba Bisons.
  • July 8, 2009 — WHL Grad Tyler Swystun commits to the Calgary Dinos.
  • July 11, 2009 — Taylor Aronson, Spencer Bennett, and Seth Swenson sign WHL Players Contracts with the Portland Winterhawks.
  • July 16, 2009 — WHL Grad Partik Bhungal commits to the Regina Cougars.
  • July 21, 2009 — WHL Grad Scott Wasden commits to the UBC Thunderbirds.
  • July 21, 2009 — WHL Grads Joey Perricone, Spencer McAvoy, and Brennen Wray commits to the StFX X-Men.
  • July 29, 2009 — Kevin Connauton signs a WHL Players Contract with the Vancouver Giants.
  • August 4, 2009 — Taylor Leier and Nino Niederreiter sign WHL Player Contracts with the Portland Winterhawks.
  • August 7, 2009 — Andrew Bailey, Brennan Bosch, Kyle Bortis, Kyle Ross, Cody Hobbs, Brett Ward, and David Reekie commits to the Saskatchewan Huskies.
  • August 9, 2009 — WHL Grads Colin Joe, Ian Barteaux, Travis Yonkman, Sean Ringrose and Michael MacAngus commits to the Alberta Golden Bears.
  • August 9, 2009 — WHL Grads Taylor Procyshen, Jeff Lee and Ben Wright commits to the UNB Varsity Reds.
  • August 12, 2009 — Josh Hanson signs a WHL Players Contract with the Portland Winterhawks.
  • August 18, 2009 — WHL Grad Mike Reich commits to the STU Tommies.
  • August 19, 2009 — Ryan Johansen signs a WHL Players Contract with the Portland Winterhawks.
  • August 24, 2009 — Dalton Sward and Matthieu Bellerive sign WHL Players Contracts with the Vancouver Giants.
  • August 25, 2009 — Brett Cote, Turner Popoff, Brandon Magee, Zane Jones, Matt Bissett, and Travis Belhorad sign Standard WHL Education Contracts with the Chilliwack Bruins.
  • August 25, 2009 — Chandler Stephenson and Tayler Balog sign WHL Players Contracts with the Regina Pats.
  • August 27, 2009 — WHL Grad Cale Jefferies commits to the Guelph Gryphons.
  • August 27, 2009 — Andrew Sullivan, Andy Blanke, Adam Lowry and Shea Howorko sign WHL Players Contracts with the Swift Current Broncos.
  • August 28, 2009 — Mitchell Moroz signs WHL Players Contract with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
  • August 31, 2009 — Dane Muench and Graeme Craig sign WHL Players Contracts with the Swift Current Broncos.

Trades

Subway Super Series

The Subway Super Series (formerly known as ADT Canada Russia Challenge) was a six-game series featuring four teams: three from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)—one team from each of the QMJHL, the OHL, and the WHL—versus Russia's national junior hockey team.

The 2009 series was held in six cities across Canada. The series began on November 16, 2009, and concluded on November 26, 2009. Both Western Hockey League games were held in British Columbia. Former Victoria Cougar goaltender and Hall of Famer, Grant Fuhr, was named Honorary Captain for the first game in the series, held in Victoria on November 25, 2009. The next night, retired Kelowna fire chief, Gerry Zimmermann, was named Honorary Captain for the final game of the series.

Results

In the first game of the two part series between Team WHL and Team Russia, Team WHL scored two goals en route to a 2–1 win in front of 6,695 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria. Goaltender Igor Bobkov of Team Russia and forward Levko Koper of Team WHL were named Players of the Game for their respective teams. The next night at Prospera Place in Kelowna, Team WHL defeated Team Russia 4–2 to end the series and give the CHL a 6–0 record. Goaltender Igor Bobkov was named Team Russia's Player of the Game for the second straight night, while Brandon McMillan was named Team WHL's Player of the Game.

2010 WHL Playoffs

Overview

Conference Quarter-finals

Eastern Conference

(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (8) Moose Jaw Warriors

(2) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (7) Swift Current Broncos

(3) Saskatoon Blades vs. (6) Red Deer Rebels

(4) Kootenay Ice vs. (5) Medicine Hat Tigers

Western Conference

(1) Tri-City Americans vs. (8) Chilliwack Bruins

(2) Vancouver Giants vs. (7) Kamloops Blazers

(3) Everett Silvertips vs. (6) Kelowna Rockets

(4) Spokane Chiefs vs. (5) Portland Winterhawks

Conference Semi-finals

Eastern Conference

(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (5) Medicine Hat Tigers

(2) Brandon Wheat Kings vs. (3) Saskatoon Blades

Western Conference

(1) Tri-City Americans vs. (6) Kelowna Rockets

(2) Vancouver Giants vs. (5) Portland Winterhawks

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference

(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (2) Brandon Wheat Kings

Western Conference

(1) Tri-City Americans vs. (2) Vancouver Giants

WHL Championship

(E1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (W1) Tri-City Americans

Playoff scoring leaders

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

Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV& = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Memorial Cup

The 92nd Memorial Cup was held in Brandon, Manitoba.

WHL awards

All-Star teams

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

  • denotes unanimous selection

See also

References

External links