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
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 |
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
|
All-Star Teams
- source: Western Hockey League press release
2003 Bantam draft
- List of first round picks in the bantam draft.
See also