2018-19 WHL season

This is the 2018-19 Western Hockey League season. This is the league's 53rd 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.
==Membership changes==
*It was announced on January 29, 2018 that the Kootenay Ice would be relocating to Winnipeg, Manitoba for the 2019-20 WHL season.https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/owners-confirm-kootenay-ice-move-to-winnipeg-505042732.html
==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 	Kootenay Ice 	Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada	Western Financial Place	4,654
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 	ENMAX Centrium 	6,000
East 	Brandon Wheat Kings 	Brandon, Manitoba, Canada 	Keystone Centre 	5,102
East 	Moose Jaw Warriors 	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada 	Mosaic Place 	4,714
East 	Prince Albert Raiders	Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada	Art Hauser Centre 	3,366
East 	Regina Pats 	Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 	Brandt Centre 	6,200
East 	Saskatoon Blades 	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada 	SaskTel Centre 	15,195
East 	Swift Current Broncos	Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada	Credit Union iPlex 	3,239
=== 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====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Prince Albert Raiders	68	54	10	2 	2 	307	156	112
Saskatoon Blades 	68	45	15	8 	0 	259	190	98
Moose Jaw Warriors 	68	40	20	6 	2 	234	192	88
====Central Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Edmonton Oil Kings 	68	42	18	4 	4 	259	196	92
Lethbridge Hurricanes	68	40	18	5 	5 	268	234	90
Calgary Hitmen 	68	36	26	5 	1 	255	240	78
====Eastern Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Medicine Hat Tigers 	68	35	27	4 	2 	217	222	76
Red Deer Rebels 	68	33	29	4 	2 	223	225	72
Brandon Wheat Kings 	68	31	29	4 	4 	230	243	70
Regina Pats 	68	19	45	1 	3 	173	271	42
Kootenay Ice 	68	13	45	7 	3 	181	324	36
Swift Current Broncos	68	11	51	4 	2 	135	301	28
===Western Conference===
====BC Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Vancouver Giants	68	48	15	3 	2 	228	162	101
Victoria Royals 	68	34	30	2 	2 	199	227	72
Kamloops Blazers	68	28	32	6 	2 	196	212	64
====US Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Everett Silvertips 	68	47	16	2 	3 	223	130	99
Spokane Chiefs 	68	40	21	2 	5 	267	222	87
Portland Winterhawks	68	40	22	2 	3 	258	210	86
====Western Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Tri-City Americans 	68	34	28	5 	1 	214	230	74
Seattle Thunderbirds 	68	31	29	6 	2 	231	245	70
Kelowna Rockets 	68	28	32	6 	2 	169	209	64
Prince George Cougars	68	19	41	5 	3 	152	237	46
==2018 Ed Chynoweth Cup Playoffs==
===Format===
The league is divided up into 2 conferences with 2 divisions each. The Eastern Conference is made up of the 6-team East Division and the 6-team Central Division while the Western Conference is made up of the 5-team BC and 5-team US Divisions. The league presently uses the same format as the NHL does with the top 3 teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs and the next two best records in the conference qualifying as the 7 and 8 seeds and joining the playoffs for the division they start the playoffs in.
The winner of the Chynoweth Cup advances to the 2019 Memorial Cup, which is being held at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia and hosted by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
===Bracket===
===Western Conference Tie-Breaker===
Due to the Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets finishing with identical records they would play on one game tie-breaker.
*Kamloops Blazers defeated Kelowna Rockets 5-1
===Eastern Division Semifinals===
*Prince Albert Raiders defeated  Red Deer Rebels 4 games to none
*Saskatoon Blades defeated Moose Jaw Warriors 4 games to none
===Central Division Semifinals===
*Edmonton Oil Kings defeated Medicine Hat Tigers 4 games to 2
*Calgary Hitmen defeated Lethbridge Hurricanes 4 games to 3
Due to the 2019 Men's World Curling championships being held at the ENMAX Centre, the Lethbridge Hurricanes were forced to move game 7 of the series to the Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge which was played April 2nd.
===BC Division Semifinals===
*Vancouver Giants defeated Seattle Thunderbirds 4 games to 2
*Victoria Royals defeated Kamloops Blazers 4 games to 2
===US Division Semifinals===
*Everett Silvertips defeated Tri City Americans 4 games to 1
*Spokane Chiefs defeated Portland Winterhawks 4 games to 1
===Eastern Division Final===
*Prince Albert Raiders defeated Saskatoon Blades 4 games to 2
===Central Division Final===
*Edmonton Oil Kings defeated Calgary Hitmen 4 games to none
===BC Division Final===
*Vancouver Giants defeated Victoria Royals 4 games to none
===US Division Final===
*Spokane Chiefs defeated Everett Silvertips 4 games to 1
===Eastern Conference Final===
*Prince Albert Raiders defeated Edmonton Oil Kings 4 games to 2
===Western Conference Final===
*Vancouver Giants defeated Spokane Chiefs 4 games to 1
===Ed Chynoweth Cup Final===
*Prince Albert Raiders defeated Vancouver Giants 4 games to 3
The Prince Albert Raiders advance to the 2019 Memorial Cup. Ian Scott was named Chynoweth Cup Most Valuable Player.
==References==
Category:2019 in hockey
Category:Western Hockey League seasons