1971–72 WCHL season
The 1971–72 WCHL season was the sixth season of the Western Canada Hockey League, known in the present day as the Western Hockey League. Twelve teams completed a 68-game season, with the Edmonton Oil Kings winning their second consecutive President's Cup.
League notes
- The Victoria Cougars joined as an expansion team playing in the West division.
- The Vancouver Nats joined as an expansion team playing in the West division.
- The Estevan Bruins relocated to New Westminster, British Columbia to become the New Westminster Bruins, playing in the West division.
- The Swift Current Broncos and Saskatoon Blades moved to the East division.
- The season expanded to 68 games from 66.
Regular season
Final standings
| East Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x Regina Pats | 68 | 43 | 23 | 2 | 88 | 287 | 225 |
| x Saskatoon Blades | 68 | 37 | 28 | 3 | 77 | 312 | 258 |
| x Brandon Wheat Kings | 68 | 35 | 33 | 0 | 70 | 338 | 331 |
| x Flin Flon Bombers | 68 | 31 | 36 | 1 | 63 | 265 | 307 |
| Swift Current Broncos | 68 | 25 | 42 | 1 | 51 | 252 | 311 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 68 | 24 | 43 | 1 | 49 | 238 | 273 |
| West Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x Calgary Centennials | 68 | 49 | 16 | 3 | 101 | 296 | 169 |
| x Edmonton Oil Kings | 68 | 44 | 22 | 2 | 90 | 320 | 246 |
| x New Westminster Bruins | 68 | 40 | 27 | 1 | 81 | 285 | 240 |
| x Medicine Hat Tigers | 68 | 35 | 30 | 3 | 73 | 351 | 312 |
| Victoria Cougars | 68 | 18 | 48 | 2 | 38 | 215 | 321 |
| Vancouver Nats | 68 | 17 | 50 | 1 | 35 | 213 | 379 |
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Lysiak | Medicine Hat Tigers | 68 | 46 | 97 | 143 | 96 |
| Stan Weir | Medicine Hat Tigers | 68 | 58 | 75 | 133 | 77 |
| Blaine Stoughton | Flin Flon Bombers | 68 | 60 | 66 | 126 | 125 |
| Robbie Neale | Brandon Wheat Kings | 65 | 53 | 73 | 126 | 54 |
| Dennis Sobchuk | Regina Pats | 68 | 56 | 67 | 123 | 115 |
| Jeff Ablett | Medicine Hat Tigers | 68 | 59 | 57 | 116 | 99 |
| Lorne Henning | New Westminster Bruins | 60 | 51 | 63 | 114 | 29 |
| Lanny McDonald | Medicine Hat Tigers | 68 | 50 | 64 | 114 | 54 |
| Ron Chipperfield | Brandon Wheat Kings | 63 | 59 | 53 | 112 | 29 |
| Glen Mikkelson | Brandon Wheat Kings | 67 | 44 | 62 | 106 | 52 |
1972 WCHL Playoffs
Quarterfinals
- Brandon defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 3 with 1 tie
- Regina defeated Flin Flon 3 games to 2 with 2 ties
- Calgary defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 2 with 1 tie
- Edmonton defeated New Westminster 4 games to 1
Semifinals
- Regina defeated Brandon 4 games to 2
- Edmonton defeated Calgary 4 games to 2
Finals
- Edmonton defeated Regina 4 games to 1
All-Star game
The 1971–72 WCHL All-Star Game was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the East Division All-Stars defeating the West Division All-Stars 4–2 before a crowd of 5,783.
Awards
| Most Valuable Player: John Davidson, Calgary Centennials |
| Top Scorer: Tom Lysiak, Medicine Hat Tigers |
| Most Sportsmanlike Player: Ron Chipperfield, Brandon Wheat Kings |
| Defenseman of the Year: Jim Watson, Calgary Centennials |
| Rookie of the Year: Dennis Sobchuk, Regina Pats |
| Goaltender of the Year: John Davidson, Calgary Centennials |
| Coach of the Year: Earl Ingarfield, Sr., Regina Pats |
| Regular Season Champions: Calgary Centennials |
See also
References
- whl.ca
- 2005–06 WHL Guide