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

Final standings

Eastern Conference

Central DivisionGPWLTOTLPtsGFGA
x Red Deer Rebels72501732105271160
x Swift Current Broncos7238247386240215
x Medicine Hat Tigers7229342767278314
x Calgary Hitmen7227367263240260
Lethbridge Hurricanes7228392361236303

Western Conference

U.S. DivisionGPWLTOTLPtsGFGA
x Seattle Thunderbirds7244223394280224
x Spokane Chiefs7226366462216261
x Portland Winter Hawks7219408551192243
Tri-City Americans7220443547240335

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Erik ChristensenKamloops Blazers67545410860
Jesse SchultzKelowna Rockets72535110447
Jeremy JacksonLethbridge Hurricanes65445810283
Matt EllisonRed Deer Rebels7240569680
Chris St. JaquesMedicine Hat Tigers7031659678
Brooks LaichSeattle Thunderbirds6041539465
Jeremy WilliamsSwift Current Broncos72415293117
Dylan StanleyTri-City Americans7234599360
David BararukMoose Jaw Warriors6629649344
Nigel DawesKootenay Ice7247459254

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
PlayerTeamGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
Kelly GuardKelowna Rockets53301839103976.9111.93
Geoff McIntoshBrandon Wheat Kings2313371264462.9142.06
Cam WardRed Deer Rebels573367401321185.9202.10
Jeff GlassKootenay Ice35188415162774.9092.45
Blake GrenierMoose Jaw Warriors41235623881005.9112.55

2003 WHL Playoffs

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

WHL Championship

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

2003 Bantam draft

#PlayerNationalityWHL Team
1Jonathan Toews Tri-City Americans
2Ben Maxwell Kootenay Ice
3Zach Hamill Everett Silvertips
4Ryan de Pape Prince Albert Raiders
5Sasha Golin Portland Winter Hawks
6Tyler Swystun Prince George Cougars
7Jason Reese Vancouver Giants
8Michael Reich Spokane Chiefs
9Keegan Dansereau Calgary Hitmen
10Trevor Glass Medicine Hat Tigers
11Logan Pyett Regina Pats
12Todd Panchyson Kootenay Ice
13Victor Bartley Kamloops Blazers
14Justin McCrae Saskatoon Blades
15Brennan Wray Moose Jaw Warriors
16Kyle Bortis Swift Current Broncos
17George Holloway Seattle Thunderbirds
18Mike Cann Brandon Wheat Kings
19Matthew Cline Red Deer Rebels
20Craig Cuthbert Kelowna Rockets