# 2002–03 WHL season

The 2002–03 WHL season was the 37th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Nineteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kelowna Rockets won both the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the league's best regular season team and the President's Cup as playoff champion, both for the first time. The Rockets thus earned a berth in the 2003 Memorial Cup tournament.

## Regular season
### Eastern Conference

| East Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| x Brandon Wheat Kings | 72 | 43 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 98 | 258 | 187 |
| x Moose Jaw Warriors | 72 | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 86 | 266 | 208 |
| x Saskatoon Blades | 72 | 40 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 85 | 234 | 205 |
| x Regina Pats | 72 | 25 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 69 | 171 | 217 |
| Prince Albert Raiders | 72 | 27 | 37 | 3 | 5 | 62 | 185 | 258 |
| Central Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| x Red Deer Rebels | 72 | 50 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 105 | 271 | 160 |
| x Swift Current Broncos | 72 | 38 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 86 | 240 | 215 |
| x Medicine Hat Tigers | 72 | 29 | 34 | 2 | 7 | 67 | 278 | 314 |
| x Calgary Hitmen | 72 | 27 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 63 | 240 | 260 |
| Lethbridge Hurricanes | 72 | 28 | 39 | 2 | 3 | 61 | 236 | 303 |

### Western Conference

| B.C. Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| x Kelowna Rockets | 72 | 51 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 109 | 311 | 164 |
| x Kamloops Blazers | 72 | 39 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 84 | 261 | 222 |
| x Kootenay Ice | 72 | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 83 | 234 | 202 |
| x Vancouver Giants | 72 | 26 | 37 | 5 | 4 | 61 | 217 | 292 |
| x Prince George Cougars | 72 | 26 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 57 | 257 | 317 |
| U.S. Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| x Seattle Thunderbirds | 72 | 44 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 94 | 280 | 224 |
| x Spokane Chiefs | 72 | 26 | 36 | 6 | 4 | 62 | 216 | 261 |
| x Portland Winter Hawks | 72 | 19 | 40 | 8 | 5 | 51 | 192 | 243 |
| Tri-City Americans | 72 | 20 | 44 | 3 | 5 | 47 | 240 | 335 |
* Prince George crosses over into U.S. Division playoffs

### Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Erik Christensen | Kamloops Blazers | 67 | 54 | 54 | 108 | 60 |
| Jesse Schultz | Kelowna Rockets | 72 | 53 | 51 | 104 | 47 |
| Jeremy Jackson | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 65 | 44 | 58 | 102 | 83 |
| Matt Ellison | Red Deer Rebels | 72 | 40 | 56 | 96 | 80 |
| Chris St. Jaques | Medicine Hat Tigers | 70 | 31 | 65 | 96 | 78 |
| Brooks Laich | Seattle Thunderbirds | 60 | 41 | 53 | 94 | 65 |
| Jeremy Williams | Swift Current Broncos | 72 | 41 | 52 | 93 | 117 |
| Dylan Stanley | Tri-City Americans | 72 | 34 | 59 | 93 | 60 |
| David Bararuk | Moose Jaw Warriors | 66 | 29 | 64 | 93 | 44 |
| Nigel Dawes | Kootenay Ice | 72 | 47 | 45 | 92 | 54 |

### 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
| Player | Team | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| Kelly Guard | Kelowna Rockets | 53 | 3018 | 39 | 10 | 3 | 97 | 6 | .911 | 1.93 |
| Geoff McIntosh | Brandon Wheat Kings | 23 | 1337 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 46 | 2 | .914 | 2.06 |
| Cam Ward | Red Deer Rebels | 57 | 3367 | 40 | 13 | 2 | 118 | 5 | .920 | 2.10 |
| Jeff Glass | Kootenay Ice | 35 | 1884 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 77 | 4 | .909 | 2.45 |
| Blake Grenier | Moose Jaw Warriors | 41 | 2356 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 100 | 5 | .911 | 2.55 |

## 2003 WHL Playoffs

| Conference Quarter-finals | Conference Quarter-finals | Conference Quarter-finals | | | Conference Semi-finals | Conference Semi-finals | Conference Semi-finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | WHL Championship | WHL Championship | WHL Championship |
| E1 | Brandon | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Regina | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Regina | 1 | | | C1 | Red Deer | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | C3 | Medicine Hat | 3 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Moose Jaw | 4 | | | C3 | Medicine Hat | 3 | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Saskatoon | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Saskatoon | 2 | | | | | | E1 | Brandon | 1 | | | | |
| Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | E1 | Brandon | 1 | | | | |
| Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | C1 | Red Deer | 4 | | | | |
| C1 | Red Deer | 4 | | | | | | | | | C1 | Red Deer | 4 | | | | |
| C4 | Calgary | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C4 | Calgary | 1 | | | E1 | Brandon | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E2 | Moose Jaw | 3 | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Swift Current | 0 | | | E2 | Moose Jaw | 3 | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Medicine Hat | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Medicine Hat | 4 | | | | | | | | | | C1 | Red Deer | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | B1 | Kelowna | 4 |
| B1 | Kelowna | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | B1 | Kelowna | 4 |
| B4 | Vancouver | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| B4 | Vancouver | 0 | | | B1 | Kelowna | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | U2 | Spokane | 0 | | | | | | | |
| B2 | Kamloops | 2 | | | U2 | Spokane | 0 | | | | | | | |
| B3 | Kootenay | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| B3 | Kootenay | 4 | | | | | | B1 | Kelowna | 4 | | | | |
| Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | B1 | Kelowna | 4 | | | | |
| Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | Western | U1 | Seattle | 1 | | | | |
| U1 | Seattle | 4 | | | | | | | | | U1 | Seattle | 1 | | | | |
| B5 | Prince George | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| B5 | Prince George | 1 | | | U1 | Seattle | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | B3 | Kootenay | 1 | | | | | | | |
| U2 | Spokane | 4 | | | B3 | Kootenay | 1 | | | | | | | |
| U3 | Portland | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Conference quarterfinals
#### Eastern Conference

Brandon vs. Regina :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Regina 1 | 3 Brandon |
| March 22 | Regina 2 | 1 Brandon | OT |
| March 25 | Brandon 3 | 1 Regina |
| March 26 | Brandon 2 | 1 Regina | OT |
| March 28 | Regina 2 | 4 Brandon |
| Brandon wins series 4–1 ||||
Moose Jaw vs. Saskatoon :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Saskatoon 3 | 0 Moose Jaw |
| March 22 | Saskatoon 4 | 5 Moose Jaw |
| March 25 | Moose Jaw 3 | 5 Saskatoon |
| March 26 | Moose Jaw 3 | 2 Saskatoon | OT |
| March 29 | Saskatoon 1 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| March 31 | Moose Jaw 5 | 3 Saskatoon |
| Moose Jaw wins series 4–2 ||||
Red Deer vs. Calgary :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Calgary 0 | 2 Red Deer |
| March 22 | Calgary 2 | 3 Red Deer |
| March 25 | Red Deer 4 | 2 Calgary |
| March 26 | Red Deer 1 | 2 Calgary |
| March 29 | Calgary 3 | 4 Red Deer |
| Red Deer wins series 4–1 ||||
Swift Current vs. Medicine Hat :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Medicine Hat 3 | 2 Swift Current | OT |
| March 22 | Medicine Hat 4 | 2 Swift Current |
| March 25 | Swift Current 3 | 6 Medicine Hat |
| March 26 | Swift Current 1 | 7 Medicine Hat |
| Medicine Hat wins series 4–0 ||||

#### Western Conference

Kelowna vs. Vancouver :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Vancouver 0 | 10 Kelowna |
| March 23 | Vancouver 3 | 4 Kelowna | 2OT |
| March 26 | Kelowna 2 | 0 Vancouver |
| March 27 | Kelowna 8 | 2 Vancouver |
| Kelowna wins series 4–0 ||||
Kamloops vs. Kootenay :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Kootenay 2 | 1 Kamloops | OT |
| March 22 | Kootenay 0 | 1 Kamloops |
| March 25 | Kamloops 2 | 3 Kootenay | 2OT |
| March 26 | Kamloops 1 | 4 Kootenay |
| March 29 | Kootenay 6 | 7 Kamloops |
| March 31 | Kamloops 1 | 2OT |
| Kootenay wins series 4–2 ||||
Seattle vs. Prince George :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Prince George 1 | 4 Seattle |
| March 23 | Prince George 3 | 7 Seattle |
| March 26 | Seattle 2 | 4 Prince George |
| March 27 | Seattle 3 | 1 Prince George |
| March 29 | Prince George 3 | 4 Seattle |
| Seattle wins series 4–1 ||||
Spokane vs. Portland :
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 21 | Spokane 2 | 4 Portland |
| March 23 | Spokane 1 | 3 Portland |
| March 26 | Portland 3 | 4 Spokane | OT |
| March 28 | Portland 2 | 1 Spokane | 2OT |
| March 29 | Portland 3 | 8 Spokane |
| March 31 | Spokane 3 | 2 Portland | OT |
| April 2 | Portland 2 | 4 Spokane |
| Spokane wins series 4–3 ||||

### Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference :
Red Deer vs. Medicine Hat :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 4 | Medicine Hat 2 | 6 Red Deer |
| April 5 | Medicine Hat 0 | 3 Red Deer |
| April 8 | Red Deer 3 | 4 Medicine Hat |
| April 9 | Red Deer 3 | 6 Medicine Hat |
| April 11 | Medicine Hat 2 | 4 Red Deer |
| April 13 | Red Deer 2 | 3 Medicine Hat | 2OT |
| April 15 | Medicine Hat 1 | 5 Red Deer |
| Red Deer wins series 4–3 ||||
Brandon vs. Moose Jaw :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 4 | Brandon 2 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| April 5 | Brandon 2 | 1 Moose Jaw |
| April 9 | Moose Jaw 5 | 3 Brandon |
| April 11 | Moose Jaw 1 | 4 Brandon |
| April 12 | Moose Jaw 1 | 2 Brandon |
| April 14 | Brandon 6 | 7 Moose Jaw | OT |
| April 16 | Moose Jaw 3 | 7 Brandon |
| Brandon wins series 4–3 ||||
Western Conference :
Kelowna vs. Spokane :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 4 | Spokane 1 | 6 Kelowna |
| April 5 | Spokane 1 | 5 Kelowna |
| April 9 | Kelowna 4 | 1 Spokane |
| April 11 | Kelowna 4 | 3 Spokane | OT |
| Kelowna wins series 4–0 ||||
Seattle vs. Kootenay :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 5 | Kootenay 2 | 4 Seattle |
| April 7 | Kootenay 0 | 4 Seattle |
| April 9 | Seattle 5 | 0 Kootenay |
| April 10 | Seattle 1 | 2 Kootenay | 2OT |
| April 12 | Kootenay 1 | 2 Seattle | OT |
| Seattle wins series 4–1 ||||

### Conference finals

| Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
| Red Deer vs. Brandon DateAwayHome April 18Brandon 15 Red Deer April 19Brandon 02 Red Deer April 22Red Deer 51 Brandon April 23Red Deer 12 Brandon April 25Brandon 13 Red Deer Red Deer wins series 4–1 | Kelowna vs. Seattle DateAwayHome April 18Seattle 45 Kelowna April 19Seattle 36 Kelowna April 22Kelowna 23 Seattle2OT April 23Kelowna 40 Seattle April 25Seattle 24 Kelowna Kelowna wins series 4–1 |

### WHL Championship

Kelowna vs. Red Deer :
| Date | Away | Home |
| May 2 | Red Deer 1 | 5 Kelowna |
| May 3 | Red Deer 2 | 5 Kelowna |
| May 5 | Kelowna 2 | 6 Red Deer |
| May 6 | Kelowna 1 | 2 Red Deer |
| May 8 | Red Deer 2 | 5 Kelowna |
| May 10 | Kelowna 2 | 0 Red Deer |
| Kelowna wins series 4–2 ||||

## All-Star game

All-Star festivities included a round robin between all-star squads from the three CHL leagues. On November 12, the WHL Eastern All-Stars defeated the QMJHL Lebel All-Stars 5–2 at Hull, Quebec before a crowd of 2,194. Then, on November 19, the WHL Western All-Stars defeated the OHL Eastern All-Stars 7–3 at Vancouver, British Columbia before a crowd of 7,046. With the victories, the WHL won the Hershey Cup as champion of the round robin format all-star tournament.

## WHL awards

* Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Josh Harding, Regina Pats
* Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Brett Dickie, Brandon Wheat Kings
* Scholastic Team of the Year: Prince Albert Raiders
* Bob Clarke Trophy (Top scorer): Erik Christensen, Kamloops Blazers
* Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Boyd Gordon, Red Deer Rebels
* Bill Hunter Trophy (Top Defenseman): Jeff Woywitka, Red Deer Rebels
* Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Matt Ellison, Red Deer Rebels
* Del Wilson Trophy (Top Goaltender): Josh Harding, Regina Pats
* Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year): Marc Habscheid, Kelowna Rockets
* Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year): Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets
* Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Best regular season record): Kelowna Rockets
* Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy (Top Official): Steve Kozari
* St. Clair Group Trophy (Marketing/Public Relations Award): Anne-Marie Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets, and Reid Pederson, Regina Pats
* Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year): Ryan Craig, Brandon Wheat Kings
* WHL Plus-Minus Award: Matthew Spiller, Seattle Thunderbirds
* WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player: Jesse Schultz, Kelowna Rockets

## All-Star Teams

Eastern Conference :
| | First Team | First Team | Second Team | Second Team |
| Goal | Josh Harding | Regina Pats | Cam Ward | Red Deer Rebels |
| Defense | Jeff Woywitka | Red Deer Rebels | Stephen Mann | Saskatoon Blades |
| Defense | Ian White | Swift Current Broncos | Nathan Paetsch | Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Forward | Ryan Craig | Brandon Wheat Kings | Jeremy Jackson | Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| Forward | Jordin Tootoo | Brandon Wheat Kings | David Bararuk | Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Forward | Boyd Gordon | Red Deer Rebels | Matt Ellison | Red Deer Rebels |
| Western Conference |||||
| | First Team | First Team | Second Team | Second Team |
| Goal | Kelly Guard | Kelowna Rockets | Billy Thompson | Prince George Cougars |
| Defense | Tomas Slovak | Kelowna Rockets | Gerard Dicaire | Kootenay Ice |
| Defense | Tomas Mojzis | Seattle Thunderbirds | Josh Gorges | Kelowna Rockets |
| Forward | Erik Christensen | Kamloops Blazers | Nigel Dawes | Kootenay Ice |
| Forward | Jesse Schultz | Kelowna Rockets | Kiel McLeod | Kelowna Rockets |
| Forward | Brooks Laich | Seattle Thunderbirds | Adam Courchaine | Vancouver Giants |
* source: Western Hockey League press release

## 2003 Bantam draft

    List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
| # | Player | Nationality | WHL Team |
| 1 | Jonathan Toews (C) | Canada | Tri-City Americans |
| 2 | Ben Maxwell (C) | Canada | Kootenay Ice (via Lethbridge) |
| 3 | Zach Hamill (C) | Canada | Everett Silvertips |
| 4 | Ryan de Pape (RW) | Canada | Prince Albert Raiders |
| 5 | Sasha Golin (RW) | Canada | Portland Winter Hawks |
| 6 | Tyler Swystun (C) | Canada | Prince George Cougars |
| 7 | Jason Reese (LW) | United States | Vancouver Giants |
| 8 | Michael Reich (C) | Canada | Spokane Chiefs |
| 9 | Keegan Dansereau (RW) | Canada | Calgary Hitmen |
| 10 | Trevor Glass (D) | Canada | Medicine Hat Tigers |
| 11 | Logan Pyett (D) | Canada | Regina Pats |
| 12 | Todd Panchyson (D) | Canada | Kootenay Ice |
| 13 | Victor Bartley (D) | Canada | Kamloops Blazers |
| 14 | Justin McCrae (C) | Canada | Saskatoon Blades |
| 15 | Brennan Wray (C) | Canada | Moose Jaw Warriors |
| 16 | Kyle Bortis (LW) | Canada | Swift Current Broncos |
| 17 | George Holloway (C) | Canada | Seattle Thunderbirds |
| 18 | Mike Cann (D) | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings |
| 19 | Matthew Cline (C) | Canada | Red Deer Rebels |
| 20 | Craig Cuthbert (C) | Canada | Kelowna Rockets |