1997–98 WHL season

The 1997–98 WHL season was the 32nd season for the Western Hockey League (WHL). Eighteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Portland Winter Hawks won the President's Cup before going on to win the 1998 Memorial Cup.

Regular season

Final standings
East Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Regina Pats724621597334250
x Swift Current Broncos724419997276220
x Brandon Wheat Kings724521696322235
x Saskatoon Blades722539858263327
x Moose Jaw Warriors7223391056235281
Prince Albert Raiders722047545222288
Central Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Calgary Hitmen724028484265232
x Lethbridge Hurricanes7232291175261237
x Red Deer Rebels722740559281323
Edmonton Ice721749640242328
Medicine Hat Tigers721650638188340
West Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Portland Winter Hawks7253145111342203
x Spokane Chiefs724523494288235
x Prince George Cougars724324591311236
x Kamloops Blazers723732377234253
x Kelowna Rockets723335470313290
x Seattle Thunderbirds723135668286278
Tri-City Americans721749640264371

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Sergei VarlamovSwift Current Broncos726653119132
Cory CyrenneBrandon Wheat Kings72477111828
Ronald PetrovickyRegina Pats716449113178
Shane WillisLethbridge Hurricanes64585411273
Quinn HancockPrince George Cougars69545811231
Shawn McNeilRed Deer Rebels72476210969
Mark SmithLethbridge Hurricanes704267109206
Todd RobinsonPortland Winter Hawks71357410955
Jason DeleurmeKelowna Rockets72515210347
Brad MoranCalgary Hitmen72534910264

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

Player Team GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAA
Brent BeleckiPortland Winter Hawks513052351051312.9182.58
Terry FriesenSwift Current Broncos442640261071241.9072.82
Scott MyersPrince George Cougars482823291341392.9002.95
Alexandre FomitchevCalgary Hitmen603383322311681.8982.98
Ryan HoopleLethbridge/Regina583266341841644.8993.01

1998 WHL Playoffs
  • Top eight teams in the Eastern Conference (East and Central divisions) qualified for playoffs
  • Top six teams in the Western Conference (division) qualified for the playoffs
First round Division Semi-Finals Division Finals WHL Championship
            
C1 Calgary 4
E4 Saskatoon 2
C1 Calgary 4
E2 Swift Current 3
E2 Swift Current 4
C3 Red Deer 1
C1 Calgary 1
E3 Brandon 4
E1 Regina 4
E5 Moose Jaw 0
E1 Regina 1
E3 Brandon 4
E3 Brandon 4
C2 Lethbridge 0
E3 Brandon 0
W1 Portland 4
W1 Portland 4
W6 Seattle 1
W1 Portland bye
 
W1 Portland 4
W2 Spokane 3
W2 Spokane 4
W5 Kelowna 3
W2 Spokane 3
W3 Prince George 1
W3 Prince George 4
W4 Kamloops 3

Eastern Conference
Regina vs. Moose Jaw
DateAwayHome
March 19Moose Jaw 07 Regina
March 20Moose Jaw 12 Regina
March 22Regina 43 Moose Jaw2OT
March 23Regina 65 Moose Jaw2OT
Regina wins series 4–0
Brandon vs. Lethbridge
DateAwayHome
March 18Lethbridge 35 Brandon
March 20Lethbridge 36 Brandon
March 22Brandon 73 Lethbridge
March 23Brandon 41 Lethbridge
Brandon wins series 4–0
Calgary vs. Saskatoon
DateAwayHome
March 17Calgary 30 Saskatoon
March 19Saskatoon 41 Calgary
March 22Saskatoon 13 Calgary
March 24Calgary 16 Saskatoon
March 25Saskatoon 23 Calgary
March 27Calgary 32 Saskatoon
Calgary wins series 4–2
Swift Current vs. Red Deer
DateAwayHome
March 19Red Deer 03 Swift Current
March 20Red Deer 34 Swift CurrentOT
March 22Swift Current 34 Red Deer
March 23Swift Current 32 Red Deer
March 29Red Deer 25 Swift Current
Swift Current wins series 4–1

Western Conference
Spokane vs. Kelowna
DateAwayHome
March 21Spokane 46 Kelowna
March 24Kelowna 34 SpokaneOT
March 25Spokane 25 Kelowna
April 27Kelowna 26 Spokane
March 29Kelowna 63 Spokane
March 31Spokane 20 Kelowna
April 1Kelowna 15 Spokane
Spokane wins series 4–3
Prince George vs. Kamloops
DateAwayHome
March 20Kamloops 21 Prince George
March 21Kamloops 06 Prince George
March 24Prince George 35 Kamloops
March 25Prince George 12 Kamloops
March 27Kamloops 14 Prince George
March 29Prince George 43 Kamloops
March 31Kamloops 12 Prince George
Prince George wins series 4–3
Portland vs. Seattle
DateAwayHome
March 20Seattle 37 Portland
March 21Portland 13 Seattle
March 22Seattle 15 Portland
March 26Portland 52 Seattle
March 27Seattle 23 Portland
Portland wins series 4–1

Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
Calgary vs. Swift Current
DateAwayHome
March 30Swift Current 25 Calgary
April 1Calgary 23 Swift Current2OT
April 2Calgary 15 Swift Current
April 4Swift Current 52 Calgary
April 6Swift Current 23 Calgary
April 7Calgary 41 Swift Current
April 8Swift Current 01 Calgary
Calgary wins series 4–3
Regina vs. Brandon
DateAwayHome
March 30Brandon 42 Regina
March 31Brandon 25 Regina
April 2Regina 16 Brandon
April 4Regina 35 Brandon
April 6Brandon 73 Regina
Brandon wins series 4–1
Western Conference
Spokane vs. Prince George
DateAwayHome
April 3Prince George 30 Spokane
April 5Prince George 14 Spokane
April 7Spokane 42 Prince George
April 8Spokane 52 Prince George
Spokane wins series 3–1
Portland earns bye

Conference finals
Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
Calgary vs. Brandon
DateAwayHome
April 11Brandon 54 Calgary
April 12Brandon 54 Calgary
April 14Calgary 32 BrandonOT
April 15Calgary 14 Brandon
April 17Brandon 41 Calgary
Brandon wins series 4–1
Portland vs. Spokane
DateAwayHome
April 11Spokane 63 Portland
April 13Spokane 02 Portland
April 15Portland 41 Spokane
April 16Portland 35 Spokane
April 18Spokane 29 Portland
April 21Portland 25 Spokane
April 22Spokane 23 Portland
Portland wins series 4–3

WHL Championship
Portland vs. Brandon
DateAwayHome
April 25Brandon 37 Portland
April 26Brandon 15 Portland
April 29Portland 72 Brandon
May 1Portland 43 Brandon
Portland wins series 4–0

All-Star Game

On January 21, the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 7–6 at Regina, Saskatchewan before a crowd of 6,050.

WHL awards
Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Sergei Varlamov, Swift Current Broncos
Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Kyle Rossiter, Spokane Chiefs
Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Sergei Varlamov, Swift Current Broncos
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Cory Cyrenne, Brandon Wheat Kings
Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Michal Rozsival, Swift Current Broncos
Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Marian Hossa, Portland Winter Hawks
Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Brent Belecki, Portland Winter Hawks
Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Dean Clark, Calgary Hitmen
Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Ken Hodge, Portland Winter Hawks
Regular season champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Portland Winter Hawks
Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Brad Meier
Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Dane MacKinnon, Prince George Cougars
Humanitarian of the Year - Jesse Wallin, Red Deer Rebels
WHL Plus-Minus Award: Andrew Ference, Portland Winter Hawks
Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Brent Belecki, Portland Winter Hawks

All-Star Teams
Eastern Conference
First TeamSecond Team
GoalTerry FriesenSwift Current BroncosEvan LindsayPrince Albert Raiders
DefenseMichal RozsívalSwift Current BroncosJohnathan AitkenBrandon Wheat Kings
Burke HenryBrandon Wheat KingsBrad StuartRegina Pats
ForwardSergei VarlamovSwift Current BroncosJosh HoldenRegina Pats
Shane WillisLethbridge HurricanesRonald PetrovickyRegina Pats
Cory CyrenneBrandon Wheat KingsMark SmithLethbridge Hurricanes
Western Conference
First TeamSecond Team
GoalBrent BeleckiPortland Winter HawksRandy PetrukKamloops Blazers
DefenseJoel KwiatkowskiPrince George CougarsEric BrewerPrince George Cougars
Andrew FerencePortland Winter HawksCory SarichSeattle Thunderbirds
ForwardQuinn HancockPrince George CougarsJason DeleurmeKelowna Rockets
Marián HossaPortland Winter HawksGreg LeebSpokane Chiefs
Mark ParrishSeattle ThunderbirdsBrett McLeanKelowna Rockets
--Todd RobinsonPortland Winter Hawks
--Trent WhitfieldSpokane Chiefs

See also

References
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