The 2003–04 WHL season was the 38th season of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL). Twenty teams completed a 72-game season. The defending champion
Kelowna Rockets
The Kelowna Rockets are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing their home games at Prospera Place. The Rockets a ...
won their second consecutive
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record; however, they failed to defend their playoff title as the
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) based in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Established in 1970, the team is tied with the Kamloops Blazers for the most Ed Chynoweth Cups as league cha ...
won the
President's Cup, their fourth in team history, defeating the expansion
Everett Silvertips
The Everett Silvertips are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Everett, Washington. The team plays in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and hosts games at Angel of the Winds Arena. Th ...
in the championship series. This gave Medicine Hat a berth in the
2004 Memorial Cup tournament, which, because it was hosted by Kelowna, also featured the Rockets, who went on to win the tournament.
League notes
* The
Everett Silvertips
The Everett Silvertips are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Everett, Washington. The team plays in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and hosts games at Angel of the Winds Arena. Th ...
joined the WHL as its 20th franchise, playing in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference.
The Silvertips went on to post an historic inaugural season, breaking 10 junior hockey expansion team records. This included winning both a division title and conference title, winning a playoff series against the league's top regular season team, and becoming the first junior hockey expansion team to win a conference championship.
* The playoff format was simplified so that the top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, eliminating the possibility of cross-overs between divisions.
Regular season
Final standings
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
Western Conference
Conference semifinals
Conference finals
WHL Championship
RE/Max Canada-Russia Challenge
On November 26, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 4–1 in
Calgary, Alberta
Calgary () is a major city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a Metropolitan area, metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the List of ...
before a crowd of 7,844.
On November 27, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 7–1 in
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon () is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and east of the ...
before a crowd of 4,908.
WHL awards
All-Star Teams
*source: Western Hockey League press release
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
*
2004 NHL Entry Draft
*
2003 in sports
*
2004 in sports
References
* 2005–06 WHL Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:2003-04 WHL season
Western Hockey League seasons
WHL
WHL