2002–03 WHL season
The 2002–03 WHL season was the 37th season for the Western Hockey League. 19 teams completed a 72 game season. The Kelowna Rockets won the President's Cup.
Regular season
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
- 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
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
2003 WHL Playoffs
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 | 2 Kootenay | 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 |
|---|
| 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 |
|
| Kelowna vs. Seattle |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 18 | Seattle 4 | 5 Kelowna |
| April 19 | Seattle 3 | 6 Kelowna |
| April 22 | Kelowna 2 | 3 Seattle | 2OT |
| April 23 | Kelowna 4 | 0 Seattle |
| April 25 | Seattle 2 | 4 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
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 |
2003 Bantam draft
- List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
See also
References
Canada
United States