2003–04 WHL season

The 2003–04 WHL season was the 38th season of the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game season. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup, while the host Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup.
==League notes==
* The Everett Silvertips joined the WHL as it's 20th franchise playing in the U.S. Division of the Eastern Conference.
* The playoff crossover if the 5th place team in the B.C. Division finished ahead of the 4th place team in the U.S. division was discontinued. The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs.
*The 2003-04 season became a historic one for the WHL. The Everett Silvertips, the league's newest franchise, broke 10 junior hockey expansion team records, including winning both a division title and conference title in the team's first season. The Silvertips also became the first expansion team in WHL history to win a playoff series against the league's top team in the regular season, defeating the regular season champions and reigning WHL champions Kelowna Rockets in seven games after falling behind 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals before winning three straight games in overtime, becoming the first junior hockey expansion team to win a conference title.
==Regular season==
===Final standings===
===Eastern Conference===
East Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	OTL	Pts	GF 	GA
x Moose Jaw Warriors 	72	41	22	8 	1 	91 	209	172
x Prince Albert Raiders	72	38	23	6 	5 	87 	215	186
x Brandon Wheat Kings 	72	28	32	9 	3 	68 	230	224
x Regina Pats 	72	24	37	7 	4 	59 	155	232
Saskatoon Blades 	72	7 	52	11	2 	27 	140	279
Central Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	OTL	Pts	GF 	GA
x Medicine Hat Tigers 	72	40	20	9 	3 	92 	277	216
x Red Deer Rebels 	72	35	22	10	5 	85 	167	169
x Calgary Hitmen 	72	34	24	8 	6 	82 	220	187
x Swift Current Broncos	72	36	29	7 	0 	79 	234	209
Lethbridge Hurricanes 	72	27	28	10	7 	71 	196	203
===Western Conference===
B.C. Division 	GP	W 	L 	T	OTL	Pts	GF 	GA
x Kelowna Rockets 	72	47	21	4	0 	98 	185	125
x Vancouver Giants 	72	33	24	9	6 	81 	215	196
x Kamloops Blazers 	72	34	28	8	2 	78 	192	192
x Kootenay Ice 	72	32	30	7	3 	74 	183	200
Prince George Cougars	72	30	34	7	1 	68 	214	236
U.S. Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	OTL	Pts	GF 	GA
x Everett Silvertips 	72	35	27	8 	2 	80 	157	153
x Portland Winter Hawks	72	34	29	6 	3 	77 	199	206
x Tri-City Americans 	72	31	27	10	4 	76 	199	206
x Spokane Chiefs 	72	32	29	4 	7 	75 	200	215
Seattle Thunderbirds 	72	24	31	8 	9 	65 	192	198
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Tyler Redenbach 	Swift Current Broncos	71	31	74	105	52
Jeremy Williams 	Swift Current Broncos	68	52	49	101	82
Kyle Brodziak 	Moose Jaw Warriors 	70	39	54	93 	58
Brad Schell 	Spokane Chiefs 	71	35	57	92 	47
Chris St. Jacques	Medicine Hat Tigers 	64	33	59	92 	80
Chad Klassen 	Spokane Chiefs 	72	35	56	91 	67
Seth Leonard 	Prince Albert Raiders	72	50	40	90 	53
Eric Fehr 	Brandon Wheat Kings 	71	40	34	84 	129
Adam Courchaine 	Vancouver Giants 	70	39	43	82 	34
Darren Reid 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	67	33	48	81 	194
===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 	62	3651	44	14	4	95 	13	.925	1.56
Jeff Harvey 	Everett Silvertips 	48	2684	24	15	5	89 	3 	.925	1.99
Cam Ward 	Red Deer Rebels 	56	3338	31	16	8	114	4 	.926	2.05
Mike Brodeur	Moose Jaw Warriors 	41	2385	23	12	5	84 	4 	.929	2.11
Mike Wall 	Prince George/Everett	36	1716	12	13	3	65 	2 	.920	2.27
==WHL Playoffs==
===Conference quarterfinals===
====Eastern Conference====
{| class="wikitable" 	Moose Jaw vs. Regina 	Moose Jaw vs. Regina 	Moose Jaw vs. Regina 	Moose Jaw vs. Regina
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
March 19 	Regina 0 	3 Moose Jaw 	 	
March 20 	Regina 2 	4 Moose Jaw 	 	
March 23 	Moose Jaw 5 	1 Regina 	 	
March 25 	Moose Jaw 4 	1 Regina 	 	
Moose Jaw wins series 4–0	Moose Jaw wins series 4–0	Moose Jaw wins series 4–0	Moose Jaw wins series 4–0	
====Western Conference====
{| class="wikitable" 	Kelowna vs. Kootenay 	Kelowna vs. Kootenay 	Kelowna vs. Kootenay 	Kelowna vs. Kootenay
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
March 19 	Kootenay 3 	5 Kelowna 	 	
March 20 	Kootenay 1 	4 Kelowna 	 	
March 23 	Kelowna 4 	0 Kootenay 	 	
March 24 	Kelowna 3 	1 Kootenay 	 	
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" 	Medicine Hat vs. Brandon 	Medicine Hat vs. Brandon 	Medicine Hat vs. Brandon 	Medicine Hat vs. Brandon
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 2 	Brandon 1 	5 Medicine Hat 	 	
April 3 	Brandon 2 	4 Medicine Hat 	 	
April 6 	Medicine Hat 5 	3 Brandon 	 	
April 7 	Medicine Hat 3 	9 Brandon 	 	
April 9 	Brandon 1 	4 Medicine Hat 	 	
Medicine Hat wins series 4–1	Medicine Hat wins series 4–1	Medicine Hat wins series 4–1	Medicine Hat wins series 4–1	
Western Conference 	Western Conference 	 	 	
{| class="wikitable" 	Kelowna vs. Tri-City 	Kelowna vs. Tri-City 	Kelowna vs. Tri-City 	Kelowna vs. Tri-City
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 2 	Tri-City 3 	2 Kelowna 	OT 	
April 3 	Tri-City 4 	3 Kelowna 	OT 	
April 6 	Kelowna 4 	1 Tri-City 	 	
April 7 	Kelowna 4 	3 Tri-City 	OT 	
April 9 	Tri-City 2 	7 Kelowna 	 	
April 11 	Kelowna 2 	1 Tri-City 	 	
Kelowna wins series 4–2	Kelowna wins series 4–2	Kelowna wins series 4–2	Kelowna wins series 4–2	
===Conference finals===
Eastern Conference 	Western Conference 	 	 	
{| class="wikitable" 	Medicine Hat vs Red Deer 	Medicine Hat vs Red Deer 	Medicine Hat vs Red Deer 	Medicine Hat vs Red Deer
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 16 	Red Deer 1 	0 Medicine Hat 	 	
April 17 	Red Deer 2 	4 Medicine Hat 	 	
April 20 	Medicine Hat 1 	3 Red Deer 	 	
April 21 	Medicine Hat 2 	1 Red Deer 	 	
April 23 	Red Deer 3 	4 Medicine Hat 	 	
April 25 	Medicine Hat 4 	2 Red Deer 	 	
Medicine Hat wins series 4–2	Medicine Hat wins series 4–2	Medicine Hat wins series 4–2	Medicine Hat wins series 4–2	
===WHL Championship===
{| cellspacing="10"
|-
| valign="top" |
Medicine Hat vs Everett 	Medicine Hat vs Everett 	Medicine Hat vs Everett 	Medicine Hat vs Everett
Date 	Away 	Home 	
April 30 	Everett 1 	4 Medicine Hat 	
May 1 	Everett 0 	3 Medicine Hat 	
May 4 	Medicine Hat 3 	0 Everett 	
May 5 	Medicine Hat 4 	2 Everett 	
Medicine Hat wins series 4–0	Medicine Hat wins series 4–0	Medicine Hat wins series 4–0	Medicine Hat wins series 4–0
==RE/Max Canada-Russia Challenge==
On November 26, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 4–1 in Calgary, Alberta before a crowd of 7,844.
On November 27, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 7–1 in Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 4,908.
==WHL awards==
Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Devan Dubnyk, Kamloops Blazers
Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Tyler Redenbach, Swift Current Broncos
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Nigel Dawes, Kootenay Ice
Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Dion Phaneuf, Red Deer Rebels
Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants
Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Kevin Constantine, Everett Silvertips
Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Kelly Kisio, Calgary Hitmen
Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Kelowna Rockets
Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Rob Matsuoka
Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Mark Stiles, Calgary Hitmen
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks
WHL Plus-Minus Award: Andrew Ladd, Calgary Hitmen
Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Kevin Nastiuk, Medicine Hat Tigers
==All-Star Teams==
{| BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" width="100%"
|- bgcolor="#EEEEEE " align="center" 
03-04BraWK.jpg|Brandon Wheat Kings
03-04EveSil.jpg|Everett Silvertips
03-04KelRoc.png|Kelowna Rockets
==References==
*whl.ca
* 2005–06 WHL Guide
WHL
Category:Western Hockey League seasons