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[edit]
Final standings[edit]
Eastern Conference[edit]
Western Conference[edit]
Prince George Crosses over into U.S. Division playoffs
Scoring leaders[edit]
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Goaltending leaders[edit]
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[edit]
Conference quarterfinals[edit]
Eastern Conference[edit]
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[edit]
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
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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
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