2001–02 WHL season
The 2001–02 WHL season was the 36th season for the Western Hockey League. Nineteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kootenay Ice won the President's Cup before going on to win the Memorial Cup.
League notes
- The Vancouver Giants joined the WHL as its 19th franchise.
- The Swift Current Broncos moved from the East division to the Central division.
- The Kootenay Ice moved from the Central division to the B.C. division.
- With the addition of the Giants, the WHL abandoned the three division format and moved to two conferences of two divisions each. Ten teams in the East and nine in the West.
- The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, though the 5th place team in the B.C. division could qualify in place of the 4th place team in the U.S. division if they had a better record.
Regular season
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
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
2002 WHL Playoffs
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Brandon vs. Saskatoon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 23 | Brandon 1 | 2 Saskatoon | OT |
| March 24 | Brandon 2 | 0 Saskatoon |
| March 26 | Saskatoon 1 | 3 Brandon |
| March 27 | Saskatoon 2 | 1 Brandon | 2OT |
| March 31 | Brandon 2 | 3 Saskatoon | OT |
| April 2 | Saskatoon 1 | 4 Brandon |
| April 3 | Saskatoon 1 | 2 Brandon |
|
| Brandon wins series 4–3 |
|
| Regina vs. Moose Jaw |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Moose Jaw 3 | 2 Regina | OT |
| March 23 | Moose Jaw 3 | 5 Regina |
| March 26 | Regina 2 | 1 Moose Jaw |
| March 27 | Regina 1 | 3 Moose Jaw |
| March 29 | Moose Jaw 2 | 1 Regina |
| March 31 | Regina 2 | 5 Moose Jaw |
|
| Moose Jaw wins series 4–2 |
|
| Red Deer vs. Lethbridge |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Lethbridge 2 | 4 Red Deer |
| March 23 | Lethbridge 3 | 5 Red Deer |
| March 26 | Red Deer 5 | 2 Lethbridge |
| March 27 | Red Deer 3 | 2 Lethbridge |
| Red Deer wins series 4–0 |
|
| Swift Current vs. Calgary |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Calgary 4 | 2 Swift Current |
| March 23 | Calgary 2 | 4 Swift Current |
| March 26 | Swift Current 5 | 1 Calgary |
| March 27 | Swift Current 1 | 3 Calgary |
| March 29 | Calgary 4 | 5 Swift Current |
| March 31 | Swift Current 2 | 5 Calgary |
| April 2 | Calgary 1 | 3 Swift Current |
| Swift Current wins series 4–3 |
|
Western Conference
| Kamloops vs. Kelowna |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Kelowna 4 | 1 Kamloops |
| March 23 | Kelowna 3 | 0 Kamloops |
| March 27 | Kamloops 2 | 4 Kelowna |
| March 28 | Kamloops 1 | 3 Kelowna |
| Kelowna wins series 4–0 |
|
| Kootenay vs. Prince George |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Prince George 4 | 1 Kootenay |
| March 23 | Prince George 3 | 1 Kootenay |
| March 26 | Kootenay 6 | 0 Prince George |
| March 27 | Kootenay 4 | 2 Prince George |
| March 29 | Kootenay 5 | 3 Prince George |
| April 1 | Prince George 6 | 3 Kootenay |
| April 2 | Prince George 1 | 5 Kootenay |
| Kootenay wins series 4–3 |
|
| Portland vs. Seattle |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Seattle 3 | 4 Portland |
| March 23 | Seattle 6 | 2 Portland |
| March 26 | Portland 2 | 3 Seattle |
| March 28 | Portland 3 | 2 Seattle |
| March 29 | Seattle 1 | 0 Portland |
| March 30 | Portland 4 | 0 Seattle |
| April 2 | Seattle 3 | 2 Portland |
| Seattle wins series 4–3 |
|
| Spokane vs. Tri-City |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| March 22 | Tri-City 1 | 4 Spokane |
| March 23 | Tri-City 3 | 7 Spokane |
| March 27 | Spokane 2 | 1 Tri-City |
| March 29 | Spokane 2 | 3 Tri-City | OT |
| March 30 | Tri-City 1 | Spokane 2 | OT |
| Spokane wins series 4–1 |
|
Conference semifinals
| Eastern Conference |
|---|
| Red Deer vs. Moose Jaw |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 5 | Moose Jaw 4 | 0 Red Deer |
| April 6 | Moose Jaw 3 | 5 Red Deer |
| April 9 | Red Deer 2 | 3 Moose Jaw | OT |
| April 10 | Red Deer 2 | 1 Moose Jaw | OT |
| April 12 | Moose Jaw 0 | 6 Red Deer |
| April 14 | Red Deer 4 | 2 Moose Jaw |
| Red Deer wins series 4–2 |
|
| Swift Current vs. Brandon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 5 | Brandon 2 | 3 Swift Current |
| April 6 | Brandon 3 | 2 Swift Current | OT |
| April 9 | Swift Current 1 | 4 Brandon |
| April 10 | Swift Current 3 | 4 Brandon | OT |
| April 12 | Brandon 4 | 3 Swift Current |
| Brandon wins series 4–1 |
|
| Western Conference |
|---|
| Kootenay vs Seattle |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 5 | Seattle 1 | 3 Kootenay |
| April 6 | Seattle 1 | 7 Kootenay |
| April 9 | Kootenay 5 | 2 Seattle |
| April 11 | Kootenay 5 | 3 Seattle |
| Kootenay wins series 4–0 |
|
| Spokane vs. Kelowna |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 5 | Kelowna 2 | 3 Spokane |
| April 7 | Spokane 3 | 2 Kelowna | OT |
| April 8 | Spokane 1 | 2 Kelowna |
| April 10 | Kelowna 8 | 2 Spokane |
| April 11 | Kelowna 2 | 1 Spokane | 2OT |
| April 13 | Spokane 0 | 2 Kelowna |
| Kelowna wins series 4–2 |
|
Conference finals
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
|---|
| Red Deer vs. Brandon |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 19 | Brandon 2 | 1 Red Deer | OT |
| April 20 | Brandon 2 | 4 Red Deer |
| April 23 | Red Deer 4 | 5 Brandon | 2OT |
| April 24 | Red Deer 2 | 5 Brandon |
| April 26 | Brandon 0 | 4 Red Deer |
| April 28 | Red Deer 3 | 2 Brandon | 2OT |
| April 30 | Brandon 2 | 5 Red Deer |
| Red Deer wins series 4–3 |
|
| Kootenay vs. Kelowna |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 19 | Kelowna 2 | 3 Kootenay |
| April 20 | Kelowna 4 | 5 Kootenay |
| April 23 | Kootenay 1 | 5 Kelowna |
| April 24 | Kootenay 4 | 2 Kelowna |
| April 26 | Kelowna 0 | 3 Kootenay |
| Kootenay wins series 4–1 |
|
WHL Championship
| Red Deer vs. Kootenay |
|---|
| Date | Away | Home |
| May 3 | Kootenay 2 | 1 Red Deer | OT |
| May 4 | Kootenay 1 | 2 Red Deer |
| May 7 | Red Deer 2 | 3 Kootenay | OT |
| May 8 | Red Deer 3 | 2 Kootenay |
| May 11 | Kootenay 4 | 3 Red Deer |
| May 13 | Red Deer 2 | 3 Kootenay | 2OT |
| Kootenay wins series 4–2 |
All-Star game
On January 24, the WHL Eastern All-Stars were defeated by the OHL Western All-Stars 7–2 at Red Deer, Alberta with a crowd of 6,259.
On February 6, the WHL Western All-Stars defeated the QMJHL Dilio All-Stars 9–4 at Rimouski, Quebec with a crowd of 4,762.
WHL awards
| Player of the Year - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: Dan Hamhuis, Prince George Cougars |
| Scholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Tyler Metcalfe, Seattle Thunderbirds |
| Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Nathan Barrett, Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| Most Sportsmanlike Player - Brad Hornung Trophy: Ian White, Swift Current Broncos |
| Top Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Dan Hamhuis, Prince George Cougars |
| Rookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks |
| Top Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels |
| Coach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Bob Lowes, Regina Pats |
| Executive of the Year - Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy: Brad McEwan, Swift Current Broncos |
| Regular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Red Deer Rebels |
| Top Official - Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy: Kevin Acheson |
| Marketing/Public Relations Award - St. Clair Group Trophy: Greg McConkey, Red Deer Rebels |
| Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy - Brandin Cote, Spokane Chiefs |
| WHL Plus-Minus Award: Matt Hubbauer, Regina Pats |
| Playoff Most Valuable Player - airBC Trophy: Duncan Milroy, Kootenay Ice |
See also
References