1968–69 WCHL season
The 1968–69 WCHL season was the third season of the Western Canada Hockey League, known in the present day as the Western Hockey League. Eight teams completed a 60 game season, with the Flin Flon Bombers winning the President's Cup.
League notes
- Three teams, the Moose Jaw Canucks, Regina Pats and Weyburn Red Wings left the league over concerns about the WCHL's poor relationship with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
- The remaining eight teams were broken into East and West Divisions.
- League agreed to compete for a National Championship against a similar league in Ontario known as the Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The Flin Flon Bombers beat the WOJAHL Champions St. Thomas Barons after a Game 4 forfeit.
Regular season
Final standings
| East Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flin Flon Bombers | 60 | 47 | 13 | 0 | 94 | 343 | 159 |
| Estevan Bruins | 60 | 40 | 20 | 0 | 80 | 294 | 195 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 60 | 29 | 31 | 0 | 58 | 290 | 268 |
| Brandon Wheat Kings | 60 | 18 | 40 | 2 | 38 | 224 | 350 |
| West Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oil Kings | 60 | 33 | 25 | 2 | 68 | 229 | 206 |
| Calgary Centennials | 60 | 31 | 28 | 1 | 63 | 253 | 236 |
| Saskatoon Blades | 60 | 24 | 35 | 1 | 49 | 195 | 271 |
| Swift Current Broncos | 60 | 14 | 44 | 2 | 30 | 186 | 329 |
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Clarke | Flin Flon Bombers | 58 | 51 | 86 | 137 | 123 |
| Greg Polis | Estevan Bruins | 60 | 40 | 85 | 125 | 94 |
| Tom Serviss | Calgary Centennials | 60 | 24 | 79 | 103 | 60 |
| Bob Liddington | Calgary Centennials | 60 | 58 | 33 | 91 | 26 |
| Ernie Moser | Estevan Bruins | 56 | 46 | 40 | 86 | 41 |
| Brian Marchinko | Flin Flon Bombers | 60 | 41 | 45 | 86 | 96 |
| Gregg Sheppard | Estevan Bruins | 54 | 42 | 42 | 84 | 33 |
| Doug Smith | Winnipeg Jets | 47 | 31 | 52 | 83 | 130 |
| Jim Nichols | Saskatoon Blades | 60 | 37 | 35 | 72 | 16 |
| Steve Andrascik | Flin Flon Bombers | 50 | 32 | 36 | 68 | 142 |
| Wayne Harwysh | Flin Flon Bombers | 58 | 31 | 37 | 68 | 187 |
1969 WCHL Playoffs
Quarterfinals
- Calgary defeated Swift Current 4 games to 0
- Edmonton defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 0
- Estevan defeated Brandon 4 games to 1
- Flin Flon defeated Winnipeg 4 games to 2 with 1 tie
Semifinals
- Flin Flon defeated Estevan 4 games to 0 with 1 tie
- Edmonton defeated Calgary 4 games to 2 with 1 tie
Finals
- Flin Flon defeated Edmonton 4 games to 2
National Championship
- Flin Flon defeated St. Thomas 2 games to 1 (Series was forfeited)
All-Star game
The 1968–69 WCHL all-star game was held in Flin Flon, Manitoba, with the WCHL All-stars and Flin Flon Bombers ending in a 4–4 draw before a crowd of 2,100.
Awards
| Most Valuable Player: Bobby Clarke, Flin Flon Bombers |
| Top Scorer: Bobby Clarke, Flin Flon Bombers |
| Most Sportsmanlike Player: Bob Liddington, Calgary Centennials |
| Defenseman of the Year: Dale Hoganson, Estevan Bruins |
| Rookie of the Year: Ron Williams, Edmonton Oil Kings |
| Goaltender of the Year: Ray Martyniuk, Flin Flon Bombers |
| Regular Season Champions: Flin Flon Bombers |
See also
References
- whl.ca
- 2005–06 WHL Guide
- The Rink - Stories From Hockey's Home Towns (1997), written by Chris Cuthbert and Scott Russell, Pp. 209–210, Penguin Books