2002–03 WHL season

The 2002–03 WHL season was the 37th season of the Western Hockey League. 19 teams completed a 72 game season. The Kelowna Rockets won the President's Cup.
==Regular season==
===Final standings===
===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. Jacques	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; TOI = Total ice time; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	Team 	GP	TOI 	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
==WHL Playoffs==
===Conference quarterfinals===
====Eastern Conference====
{| class="wikitable" 	Brandon vs. Regina 	Brandon vs. Regina 	Brandon vs. Regina 	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	Brandon wins series 4–1	Brandon wins series 4–1	Brandon wins series 4–1	
====Western Conference====
{| class="wikitable" 	Kelowna vs. Vancouver 	Kelowna vs. Vancouver 	Kelowna vs. Vancouver 	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	Kelowna wins series 4–0	Kelowna wins series 4–0	Kelowna wins series 4–0	
===Conference semifinals===
Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	 	 	
{| class="wikitable" 	Red Deer vs. Medicine Hat	Red Deer vs. Medicine Hat	Red Deer vs. Medicine Hat	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	Red Deer wins series 4–3 	Red Deer wins series 4–3 	Red Deer wins series 4–3 	
Western Conference 	Western Conference 	 	 	
{| class="wikitable" 	Kelowna vs. Spokane 	Kelowna vs. Spokane 	Kelowna vs. Spokane 	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	Kelowna wins series 4–0	Kelowna wins series 4–0	Kelowna wins series 4–0	
===Conference finals===
Eastern Conference 	Western Conference 	 	 	
{| class="wikitable" 	Red Deer vs. Brandon 	Red Deer vs. Brandon 	Red Deer vs. Brandon 	Red Deer vs. Brandon
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 18 	Brandon 1 	5 Red Deer 	 	
April 19 	Brandon 0 	2 Red Deer 	 	
April 22 	Red Deer 5 	1 Brandon 	 	
April 23 	Red Deer 1 	2 Brandon 	 	
April 25 	Brandon 1 	3 Red Deer 	 	
Red Deer wins series 4–1	Red Deer wins series 4–1	Red Deer wins series 4–1	Red Deer wins series 4–1	
===WHL Championship===
{| cellspacing="10"
|-
| valign="top" |
Kelowna vs. Red Deer 	Kelowna vs. Red Deer 	Kelowna vs. Red Deer 	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	Kelowna wins series 4–2	Kelowna wins series 4–2	Kelowna wins series 4–2
==All-Star Game==
On November 12, the WHL Eastern All-Stars defeated the QMJHL Lebel All-Stars 5–2 at Hull, Quebec with a crowd of 2194.
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.
The WHL won the Hershey Cup as champion of the round robin format all-star tournament.
==WHL awards==
Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Josh Harding, Regina Pats
Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Brett Dickie, Brandon Wheat Kings
Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Erik Christensen, Kamloops Blazers
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Boyd Gordon, Red Deer Rebels
Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Jeff Woywitka, Red Deer Rebels
Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Matt Ellison, Red Deer Rebels
Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Josh Harding, Regina Pats
Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Marc Habscheid, Kelowna Rockets
Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets
Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Kelowna Rockets
Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Steve Kozari
Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Anne-Marie Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets, and Reid Pederson, Regina Pats
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Ryan Craig, Brandon Wheat Kings
WHL Plus-Minus Award: Matthew Spiller, Seattle Thunderbirds
Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Jesse Schultz, Kelowna Rockets
==All-Star Teams==
{| BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" width="100%"
|- bgcolor="#EEEEEE " align="center" 
02-03BraWK.jpg|Brandon Wheat Kings
02-03SasBla.jpg|Saskatoon Blades
==References==
*whl.ca
* 2005–06 WHL Guide
WHL
Category:Western Hockey League seasons