The 2005–06 WHL season was the 40th season for the Western Hockey League . Twenty teams completed a 72-game schedule. The Vancouver Giants won the President's Cup .
League notes [ edit ] The WHL announced that it would adopt many of the new rules put in place by the National Hockey League this season to increase scoring. They are:
Shootouts : Ties no longer count in the standings, and are replaced with the shootout. Shootout losses will count as one point in the standings. Tighter standard of officiating, especially as it relates to obstruction fouls. Goaltender restriction zone or the "trapezoid", will be employed. Goaltenders will be forbidden from playing the puck in the corners behind the goal line. A violation will merit a two-minute delay of game penalty. Tag-up Offside rule will be used. The centre ice red line will no longer be considered for the purpose of determining an offside (two-line) pass. Any player who shoots the puck over the glass and out of play from their defensive zone will receive a delay of game penalty. Any team called for icing the puck from within their defensive zone will not be permitted a line change. Unlike the NHL, any team that ices the puck from their half of the neutral zone will be permitted to change. It is worth noting that the WHL did not move the goal and blue lines to increase the size of the offensive zones like the NHL, as the league felt that the teams did not have enough time to modify their arenas. Thus, only the Calgary Hitmen , who share an arena with the Calgary Flames play using the new alignment. The new standard will be employed by the remaining teams beginning in 2006–07.
Internet Broadcasts [ edit ] On September 14, 2005, Commissioner Ron Robison announced the league's intention to broadcast the entire 2005-2006 Season and 2006 WHL playoff games via the internet live on a pay-per-view (PPV) broadband basis.[1] Partnering with streaming media company, INSINC , this marked the first time in WHL history that fans, media and scouts were able to watch WHL action online.
Regular season [ edit ] Final standings [ edit ] Eastern Conference [ edit ] Western Conference [ edit ] 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; SOL = Shootout losses ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
2006 WHL Playoffs [ edit ] Overview [ edit ] Conference quarterfinals [ edit ] Eastern Conference [ edit ] Moose Jaw vs. Brandon Date Away Home March 24 Brandon 1 5 Moose Jaw March 25 Brandon 2 1 Moose Jaw March 27 Moose Jaw 2 3 Brandon March 30 Moose Jaw 4 1 Brandon April 2 Brandon 0 1 Moose Jaw April 4 Moose Jaw 5 0 Brandon Moose Jaw wins 4–2
Saskatoon vs. Regina Date Away Home March 24 Regina 2 3 Saskatoon OT March 25 Regina 1 4 Saskatoon March 28 Saskatoon 4 5 Regina OT March 29 Saskatoon 5 3 Regina March 31 Regina 5 2 Saskatoon April 4 Saskatoon 5 1 Regina Saskatoon wins 4–2
Medicine Hat vs. Swift Current Date Away Home March 24 Swift Current 2 5 Medicine Hat March 25 Swift Current 1 7 Medicine Hat March 28 Medicine Hat 7 1 Swift Current March 29 Medicine Hat 3 2 Swift Current OT Medicine Hat wins 4–0
Calgary vs. Lethbridge Date Away Home March 24 Calgary 3 2 Lethbridge March 25 Calgary 2 5 Lethbridge March 28 Lethbridge 6 4 Calgary March 30 Lethbridge 1 2 Calgary April 1 Lethbridge 2 3 Calgary OT April 2 Calgary 3 2 Lethbridge OT Calgary wins 4–2
Western Conference [ edit ] Vancouver vs. Prince George Date Away Home March 24 Prince George 0 3 Vancouver March 25 Prince George 2 0 Vancouver March 28 Vancouver 6 0 Prince George March 29 Vancouver 3 2 Prince George OT April 1 Prince George 2 5 Vancouver Vancouver wins 4–1
Kelowna vs. Kootenay Date Away Home March 24 Kootenay 3 2 Kelowna 2OT March 25 Kootenay 1 5 Kelowna March 28 Kelowna 3 4 Kootenay March 29 Kelowna 5 4 Kootenay March 31 Kootenay 1 4 Kelowna April 2 Kelowna 5 2 Kootenay Kelowna wins 4–2
Everett vs. Tri-City Date Away Home March 24 Tri-City 0 4 Everett March 25 Tri-City 2 1 Everett March 28 Everett 2 1 Tri-City OT March 29 Everett 4 1 Tri-City March 31 Tri-City 0 2 Everett Everett wins 4–1
Seattle vs Portland Date Away Home March 24 Portland 5 8 Seattle March 25 Portland 1 0 Seattle March 28 Seattle 1 2 Portland March 31 Seattle 6 3 Portland April 1 Portland 3 2 Seattle April 4 Seattle 5 2 Portland April 5 Portland 4 3 Seattle OT Portland wins 4–3
Conference semifinals [ edit ] Eastern Conference Medicine Hat vs. Saskatoon Date Away Home April 7 Saskatoon 1 5 Medicine Hat April 8 Saskatoon 3 4 Medicine Hat 3OT April 11 Medicine Hat 3 2 Saskatoon OT April 12 Medicine Hat 3 1 Saskatoon Medicine Hat wins 4–0
Calgary vs. Moose Jaw Date Away Home April 8 Moose Jaw 0 3 Calgary April 9 Moose Jaw 3 2 Calgary OT April 11 Calgary 2 4 Moose Jaw April 12 Calgary 2 0 Moose Jaw April 14 Moose Jaw 3 4 Calgary OT April 16 Calgary 1 3 Moose Jaw April 19 Moose Jaw 3 1 Calgary Moose Jaw wins 4–3
Western Conference Kelowna vs. Everett Date Away Home April 7 Everett 5 3 Kelowna April 9 Everett 2 3 Kelowna April 11 Kelowna 0 2 Everett April 12 Kelowna 2 3 Everett April 14 Everett 2 3 Kelowna 2OT April 16 Kelowna 2 6 Everett Everett wins 4–2
Vancouver vs. Portland Date Away Home April 7 Portland 1 0 Vancouver April 8 Portland 1 7 Vancouver April 12 Vancouver 4 3 Portland OT April 13 Vancouver 3 1 Portland April 16 Portland 0 2 Vancouver Vancouver wins 4–1
Conference finals [ edit ] Eastern Conference Western Conference Medicine Hat vs. Moose Jaw Date Away Home April 21 Moose Jaw 3 2 Medicine Hat April 22 Moose Jaw 4 3 Medicine Hat OT April 25 Medicine Hat 5 3 Moose Jaw April 26 Medicine Hat 1 3 Moose Jaw April 28 Moose Jaw 4 3 Medicine Hat OT Moose Jaw wins 4–1
Vancouver vs. Everett Date Away Home April 21 Everett 2 4 Vancouver April 22 Everett 0 2 Vancouver April 25 Vancouver 5 0 Everett April 27 Vancouver 5 0 Everett Vancouver wins 4–0
WHL Championship [ edit ] Vancouver vs. Moose Jaw Date Away Home May 5 Moose Jaw 1 5 Vancouver May 6 Moose Jaw 5 7 Vancouver May 8 Vancouver 2 1 Moose Jaw May 9 Vancouver 6 3 Moose Jaw Vancouver wins 4–0
On November 30, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 9–2 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan before a crowd of 5,572.
On December 1, Team WHL defeated the Russian Selects 3–1 in Regina, Saskatchewan before a crowd of 4,662.
The WHL has an all-time record of 6–0 against the Russian Selects since the tournament began in 2003–04.
WHL awards [ edit ] Player of the Year – Four Broncos Memorial Trophy : Justin Pogge , Calgary Hitmen Scholastic Player of the Year – Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy : Brennen Wray , Moose Jaw Warriors Top Scorer – Bob Clarke Trophy : Troy Brouwer , Moose Jaw Warriors Most Sportsmanlike Player – Brad Hornung Trophy : Kris Russell , Medicine Hat Tigers Top Defenseman – Bill Hunter Trophy : Kris Russell , Medicine Hat Tigers Rookie of the Year – Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy : Peter Mueller , Everett Silvertips Top Goaltender – Del Wilson Trophy : Justin Pogge , Calgary Hitmen Coach of the Year – Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy : Willie Desjardins , Medicine Hat Tigers Executive of the Year – Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy : Scott Bonner , Vancouver Giants Regular season champions – Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy : Medicine Hat Tigers Top Official – Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy : Kyle Rehman Marketing/Public Relations Award – St. Clair Group Trophy : Dave Andjelic , Medicine Hat Tigers Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy – Wacey Rabbit , Saskatoon Blades WHL Plus-Minus Award : Paul Albers , Vancouver Giants Playoff Most Valuable Player – airBC Trophy : Gilbert Brule , Vancouver Giants
All-Star Teams [ edit ] source: Western Hockey League press release 2006 Bantam draft [ edit ] The 2006 WHL Bantam Draft took place in Calgary on Thursday, May 4. It was the 17th annual draft to take place.
List of first round picks in the bantam draft. See also [ edit ] References [ edit ]