2020-21 WHL season

This is the 2020-21 Western Hockey League season. This is the league's 54th season dating back to its' founding as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League in 1966 and subsequent renaming to the Western Canada Hockey League in 1968 and to the present name in 1978.
==Return to Play==
On June 17, 2020 following the league's annual general meeting the following was release:
The WHL has targeted a start date of Friday, October 2 for the 2020-21 WHL Regular Season, but this date remains contingent on receiving the necessary approvals from government and health authorities in each of the six jurisdictions in WHL territory. The WHL is committed to protecting the integrity of the WHL Regular Season schedule, and fully intends to complete a full 68-game schedule for 2020-21, regardless of when the season begins.
The WHL is also working with government and health authorities in each jurisdiction on the level of spectator capacities that will be permitted in each WHL Club arena facility. The WHL is a spectator-driven league and the welcoming back of WHL fans is vital to a successful return to hockey for all 22 WHL member Clubs.https://whl.ca/article/whl-announces-return-to-play-protocol-for-2020-21
On October 14, 2020 the league announced that it scheduling a strictly divisional schedule that would begin on January 8, 2021.https://whl.ca/article/western-hockey-league-announces-opening-date-for-2020-21-regular-season Also as part of the reorganization of scheduling the Swift Current Broncos are moved from the Central Division to the Eastern Division so that the Eastern Division is teams from Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the Central Division is all Alberta teams, and the Western Conference is unchanged with the BC and US Divisions.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5648466
The league would finally begin play on February 26th. The schedule is tentatively scheduled to end on May 12th. Each team is scheduled to play 24 games.
On April 26th the province of Manitoba announced restrictions on indoor social gatherings and limiting outdoor gatherings to 10 starting on April 27th, this should not cause any complications with the leagues schedule as the Manitoba based teams are playing in a bubble envioronment in Regina, Saskatchewan along with the other East Division teams.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-covid-19-update-new-public-health-measures-1.6001921
==Cancellation of Playoffs==
On April 20th the league would announce that the season would conclude with the completion of the 24 game per team schedule on May 12th. The league cited logistical challenges involving travel across so many jurisdictions as the main reason for the cancellation of the playoffs.https://whl.ca/article/whl-announces-2020-21-season-to-conclude-following-regular-season-schedule
==Membership changes==
*None
==Teams==
=== Eastern Conference ===
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
Central 	Calgary Hitmen 	Calgary, Alberta, Canada 	Scotiabank Saddledome
Stampede Corral (some playoff games)	19,289
6,450
Central 	Edmonton Oil Kings 	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 	Rogers Place 	18,641
Central 	Lethbridge Hurricanes	Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 	ENMAX Centre 	5,479
Central 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada 	Canalta Centre 	5,500 (expandable to 6,500)
Central 	Red Deer Rebels 	Red Deer, Alberta, Canada 	Westerner Park Centrium	6,000
East (Hub Centre)	Brandon Wheat Kings 	Brandon, Manitoba, Canada 	Keystone Centre 	5,102
East (Hub Centre)	Moose Jaw Warriors 	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada 	Mosaic Place 	4,714
East (Hub Centre)	Prince Albert Raiders	Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada	Art Hauser Centre 	3,366
East (Hub Centre)	Regina Pats 	Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 	Brandt Centre 	6,200
East (Hub Centre)	Saskatoon Blades 	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada 	SaskTel Centre 	15,195
East (Hub Centre)	Swift Current Broncos	Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada	Credit Union iPlex 	3,239
East (Hub Centre)	Winnipeg Ice 	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 	Wayne Fleming Arena 	1,400
=== Western Conference ===
Division	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
B.C. 	Kamloops Blazers 	Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada 	Sandman Centre 	5,464
B.C. 	Kelowna Rockets 	Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada 	Prospera Place 	6,286
B.C. 	Prince George Cougars	Prince George, British Columbia, Canada	CN Centre 	5,971
B.C. 	Vancouver Giants 	Langley, British Columbia, Canada 	Langley Event Center 	5,276
B.C. 	Victoria Royals 	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 	Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre 	7,006
U.S. 	Everett Silvertips 	Everett, Washington, United States 	Angel of the Winds Arena 	8,149
U.S. 	Portland Winterhawks 	Portland, Oregon, United States 	Memorial ColiseumModa Center 	10,40718,280
U.S. 	Seattle Thunderbirds 	Kent, Washington, United States 	ShoWare Center 	6,500
U.S. 	Spokane Chiefs 	Spokane, Washington, United States 	Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena	10,759
U.S. 	Tri-City Americans 	Kennewick, Washington, United States 	Toyota Center 	6,000
==Standings==
===Eastern Conference===
====Eastern Division (Hub Centre)====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Brandon Wheat Kings 	24	18	4 	2 	0 	104	61 	38 	.792
Winnipeg Ice 	24	18	5 	1 	0 	100	70 	37 	.771
Saskatoon Blades 	24	16	5 	2 	1 	80 	62 	35 	.729
Prince Albert Raiders	24	9 	11	3 	1 	70 	81 	22 	.458
Regina Pats 	24	9 	12	2 	1 	76 	96 	21 	.438
Moose Jaw Warriors 	24	8 	13	3 	0 	71 	95 	19 	.396
Swift Current Broncos	24	6 	16	2 	0 	72 	108	14 	.292
====Central Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Edmonton Oil Kings 	23	20	2 	0 	1 	104	41 	41 	.891
Medicine Hat Tigers 	23	14	8 	0 	1 	87 	69 	29 	.630
Calgary Hitmen 	21	10	8 	3 	0 	72 	79 	23 	.548
Lethbridge Hurricanes	24	9 	12	3 	0 	81 	108	21 	.438
Red Deer Rebels 	23	4 	15	4 	0 	59 	106	12 	.261
===Western Conference===
====BC Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF	GA	Pts	%
Kamloops Blazers 	22	18	4 	0 	0 	87	51	36 	.818
Kelowna Rockets 	16	10	5 	1 	0 	58	53	21 	.656
Vancouver Giants 	22	12	10	0 	0 	71	59	24 	.545
Prince George Cougars	22	9 	10	2 	1 	57	62	21 	.477
Victoria Royals 	22	3 	17	1 	1 	48	96	8 	.182
====US Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF	GA	Pts	%
Everett Silvertips 	23	19	4 	0 	0 	91	45	38 	.826
Portland Winterhawks	24	13	8 	3 	0 	96	72	29 	.604
Seattle Thunderbirds	23	10	12	0 	1 	67	82	21 	.457
Spokane Chiefs 	21	6 	10	4 	1 	55	79	17 	.405
Tri-City Americans 	19	7 	12	0 	0 	47	78	14 	.368
==Playoffs==
Cancelled due to logistical issues with the number of jurisdictions involved.https://whl.ca/article/whl-announces-2020-21-season-to-conclude-following-regular-season-schedule
==References==
Category:2021 in ice hockey
Category:Western Hockey League seasons