Junior ice hockey season
Sports season
1978–79 WHL season |
---|
League | Western Hockey League |
---|
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|
Number of teams | 12 |
---|
Regular season |
---|
Season champion | Brandon Wheat Kings (3) |
---|
Season MVP | Perry Turnbull (Portland Winter Hawks) |
---|
Top scorer | Brian Propp (Brandon Wheat Kings) |
---|
Playoffs |
---|
Finals champions | Brandon Wheat Kings (1) |
---|
Runners-up | Portland Winter Hawks |
---|
WHL seasons |
---|
← 1977–78 1979–80 → |
Sports season
1978–79 CHL season |
---|
League | Canadian Hockey League |
---|
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|
Number of teams | 34 |
---|
OMJHL |
---|
QMJHL |
---|
WHL |
---|
Memorial Cup |
---|
Finals champions | Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) (1st title) |
---|
Runners-up | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
---|
The 1978–79 WHL season was the 13th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and the first under that shortened name after previously operating as the Western Canada Hockey League. The season featured twelve teams and a 72-game regular season. The Brandon Wheat Kings secured their third consecutive regular season title, posting the league's best record—accumulating a league record 125 points in the standings—and followed the title up with the team's first playoff championship, defeating the Portland Winter Hawks in the final series to capture the President's Cup.[1]
The season was the first—and only—season for the second incarnation of the Edmonton Oil Kings after the Flin Flon Bombers relocated to Edmonton prior to the season.
Team changes
Teams
1978–79 Western Hockey League |
Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
East | Brandon Wheat Kings | Brandon, Manitoba | Keystone Centre | 5,102 |
Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton, Alberta | Edmonton Gardens | 5,200 |
Regina Pats | Regina, Saskatchewan | Regina Agridome | 6,000 |
Saskatoon Blades | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Saskatoon Arena | 4,500 |
Central | Billings Bighorns | Billings, Montana | MetraPark Arena | 8,700 |
Calgary Wranglers | Calgary, Alberta | Stampede Corral | 6,475 |
Lethbridge Broncos | Lethbridge, Alberta | Lethbridge Sportsplex | 5,479 |
Medicine Hat Tigers | Medicine Hat, Alberta | Medicine Hat Arena | 4,006 |
West | New Westminster Bruins | New Westminster, British Columbia | Queen's Park Arena | 3,500 |
Portland Winter Hawks | Portland, Oregon | Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 12,000 |
Seattle Breakers | Seattle, Washington | Mercer Arena | 5,000 |
Victoria Cougars | Victoria, British Columbia | Victoria Memorial Arena | 5,000 |
Map of teams
East Division
Central Division
West Division
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
1979 WHL Playoffs
Division semi-finals
Round robin format
- Brandon (7–1) advanced
- Saskatoon (3–5) advanced
- Edmonton (2–6) eliminated
- Lethbridge (5–3) advanced
- Calgary (4–4) advanced
- Billings (3–5) eliminated
- Portland (7–1) advanced
- Victoria (3–5) advanced
- New Westminster (2–6) eliminated
Division finals
- Brandon defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 0
- Lethbridge defeated Calgary 4 games to 3
- Portland defeated Victoria 4 games to 3
League semi-finals
Round Robin format
- Brandon (3–1) advanced
- Portland (3–1) advanced
- Lethbridge (0–4) eliminated
WHL Championship
- Brandon defeated Portland 4 games to 2
WHL awards
All-Star Teams
See also
References
- ^ Drinnan, Gregg (August 14, 2021). "1978-79 BWK Series — Day 17 — 1970s was a very different era". Brandon Sun. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.