2008–09 WHL season

The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 18, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, took place mid-season from November 26 to 27, 2008. The Calgary Hitmen won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy with the best regular season record. The playoffs commenced on March 20, and concluded on May 9. The Kelowna Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions, defeating the Hitmen in the championship series and earning a berth at the 2009 Memorial Cup tournament.

WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison, dedicated the 2008–09 season to Ed Chynoweth.

2008–09: Ed Chynoweth's season
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.

WHL Commissioner Ron Robison dedicated the 2008–09 season to long-time league president Ed Chynoweth, who died on April 22, 2008. His death occurred just over a year after the WHL Championship trophy was renamed in his honour. Throughout the 2008–09 season, the helmets of all the players and officials displayed a commemorative decal.

League notes

 * Off-season
 * June 17, 2008 — Ed Chynoweth was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
 * June 20–21, 2008 — 37 WHL players were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
 * June 24, 2008 — 16 WHL players were invited to the National Men's Under-18 Selection Camp.
 * June 25, 2008 — 17 WHL players were invited to the Hockey Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp.
 * June 26, 2008 — The WHL entered into a partnership with Hockey Manitoba, providing additional financial support for their hockey system.
 * July 7, 2008 — Saskatoon and Regina were chosen as hosts to the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.
 * July 23, 2008 — 18 WHL players attended Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp in Ottawa, Ontario.
 * July 30, 2008 — Brandon Wheat Kings athletic trainer Rob "Stofe" Stouffer died of liver cancer.
 * August 5, 2008 — 10 WHL players were named to Canada's Under-18 Summer Team at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
 * August 7, 2008 — 6 WHL players were invited to the 2008 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York.
 * August 16, 2008 — Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team claimed first place at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka tournament, with a 6–3 win over Russia.


 * Regular season
 * September 18, 2008 — A tribute involving members of the Chynoweth family took place prior to the season opener between the Spokane Chiefs and Kootenay Ice.
 * October 15, 2008 — The 2010 Memorial Cup was awarded to Brandon.
 * January 3, 2009 — The Seattle Thunderbirds moved into their new arena, Showare Center, in Kent, Washington.
 * January 14, 2009 — The 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game was held in Oshawa, Ontario.

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


 * Divisions




 * Conference standings

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

Goaltending leaders
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 

2008 NHL Entry Draft
37 WHL players were selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. This was more than any other hockey league in the world.

Contracts and scholarships

 * June 6, 2008 — Brett Martyniuk signs a WHL Players Contract with the Tri-City Americans.
 * June 9, 2008 — Bretton Stamler agrees to play for the UNB Varsity Reds hockey club.

Canada-Russia Challenge
The 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 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.

The 2008 series was held in six cities across Canada. The series begun on November 17, 2008, and concluded on November 27, 2008. Both Western Hockey League games were held in Saskatchewan. Former Prince Albert Raider forward Dan Hodgson was Honorary Captain for the final game in the series, held in Prince Albert on November 27, 2008.

Memorial Cup
The 91st Memorial Cup was held in Rimouski, Quebec.

WHL awards

 * Source WHL Announces 2008-09 Award Winners

All-Star Teams

 * Source: WHL Announces 2008–09 Conference All-Star Teams and Award Finalists