1967–68 WCHL season

1967–68 WCHL season
LeagueWestern Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Number of teams11
Regular season
Season championsFlin Flon Bombers (1)
Season MVPJim Harrison (Estevan Bruins)
Top scorerBobby Clarke (Flin Flon Bombers)
Playoffs
Finals championsEstevan Bruins (1)
  Runners-upFlin Flon Bombers
WHL seasons

The 1967–68 WCJHL season was the second season of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL). The league adopted its new name after being known as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League in its inaugural season. The season featured eleven teams, up from seven during the inaugural season, and a 60-game regular season. The Flin Flon Bombers, playing their first season in the league, topped the season standings with 47 wins. In the playoffs, the Bombers faced the Estevan Bruins in the championship series. The Bruins won the series, claiming the President's Cup.

League notes

The WCJHL added four new teams for its second season, including three based in Manitoba, increasing the league's presence across Western Canada. The Brandon Wheat Kings, Flin Flon Bombers, and Winnipeg Jets all joined in Manitoba, while the Swift Current Broncos became the league's sixth team based in Saskatchewan. The Calgary Buffaloes, meanwhile, adopted a new name, becoming the Calgary Centennials.

The league's name change reflected in part a temporary truce with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), which had not sanctioned the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League upon its inception.[1] The WCJHL agreed to abide by CAHA regulations, which could allow the league to receive development subsidies and the ability to compete for the Memorial Cup—the inaugural CMJHL champion Moose Jaw Canucks had been ineligible for the 1967 Memorial Cup. The agreement allowed the Estevan Bruins to contest the 1968 Memorial Cup; they would lose the final to the Niagara Falls Flyers.[2]

This would be the only season for the league under the WCJHL name. After the season, the league dropped "Junior" from its name.

Team changes

Regular season

Final standings

League standings GP W L T Pts GF GA
Flin Flon Bombers 60 47 8 5 99 361 143
Estevan Bruins 60 45 13 2 92 262 169
Edmonton Oil Kings 60 38 16 6 82 303 194
Moose Jaw Canucks 60 31 24 5 67 263 243
Regina Pats 60 29 23 8 66 246 237
Winnipeg Jets 60 27 26 7 61 276 362
Saskatoon Blades 60 20 31 9 49 260 362
Brandon Wheat Kings 60 21 33 6 48 238 279
Swift Current Broncos 60 16 38 6 38 242 343
Calgary Centennials 60 15 40 5 35 218 318
Weyburn Red Wings 60 9 46 5 23 236 395

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 59 51 117 168 148
Reggie Leach Flin Flon Bombers 59 87 44 131 208
Bernie Blanchette Saskatoon Blades 58 52 72 124 31
Ron Snell Regina Pats 60 56 55 111 86
Reg Bechtold Moose Jaw Canucks 59 48? 51? 105? 158
Gene Peacosh Swift Current Broncos 53 52 48 100 60
Ron Garwasiuk Regina Pats 58 56 43 99 153
Mike Shaw Saskatoon Blades 58 25 73 98 149
Dick Mortenson Edmonton Oil Kings 60 53 40 93 37
Jim Benzelok Winnipeg Jets 58 43 50 93 168

1968 WCJHL playoffs

Quarterfinals

  • Flin Flon defeated Regina 4 games to 0
  • Estevan defeated Winnipeg 4 games to 0
  • Edmonton defeated Saskatoon 3 games to 2 with 2 ties
  • Moose Jaw defeated Brandon 4 games to 3 with 1 tie

Semifinals

  • Flin Flon defeated Edmonton 4 games to 1 with 1 tie
  • Estevan defeated Moose Jaw 4 games to 0 with 1 tie

Finals

  • Estevan defeated Flin Flon 4 games to 0 with 1 tie

All-star game

The 1967–68 WCJHL all-star game was held in Estevan, Saskatchewan, with the WCJHL All-stars defeating the Estevan Bruins 8–7 before a crowd of 2500.

Awards

Most Valuable Player: Jim Harrison, Estevan Bruins
Top Scorer: Bobby Clarke, Flin Flon Bombers
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Bernie Blanchette, Saskatoon Blades
Defenseman of the Year: Gerry Hart, Flin Flon Bombers
Rookie of the Year: Ron Fairbrother, Saskatoon Blades
Goaltender of the Year: Chris Worthy, Flin Flon Bombers
Regular Season Champions: Flin Flon Bombers

All-star teams

First team Second team
Goal Chris Worthy Flin Flon Bombers Ken Brown Moose Jaw Canucks
Defence Gerry Hart Flin Flon Bombers Jim Pritchard Winnipeg Jets
Dale Hoganson Estevan Bruins Joe Zanussi Swift Current Broncos
Center Bobby Clarke Flin Flon Bombers Jim Harrison Estevan Bruins
Left wing Ron Garwasiuk Regina Pats Cal Swenson Flin Flon Bombers
Right wing Reggie Leach Flin Flon Bombers Bernie Blanchette Saskatoon Blades

See also

References

  1. ^ Lapp, Richard M.; White, Silas (1993). Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. pp. 11–12. ISBN 1-55017-080-5.
  2. ^ Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Publishing. pp. 144–148. ISBN 1-55017-170-4.
  • 2005–06 WHL Guide
Preceded by WHL seasons Succeeded by