The 1971–72 WCHL season was the sixth season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). It featured twelve teams and a 68-game regular season. While the Calgary Centennials topped the season standings with 49 wins, the Edmonton Oil Kings won their second consecutive President's Cup, defeating the Regina Pats in the championship series.

1971–72 WCHL season
LeagueWestern Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Number of teams12
Regular season
Season championsCalgary Centennials (1)
Season MVPJohn Davidson (Calgary Centennials)
Top scorerTom Lysiak (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Playoffs
Finals championsEdmonton Oil Kings (2)
  Runners-upRegina Pats
WHL seasons
1971–72 Canadian major junior season
SportIce hockey
Number of teams32
OHA
QMJHL
WCHL
Memorial Cup
Finals championsCornwall Royals (QMJHL) (1st title)
  Runners-upPeterborough Petes (OHA)

This season also saw the league expand into British Columbia, becoming a truly Western Canadian organization. On the national scene, 1972 also marked the beginning of a new era as it was decided that the Memorial Cup would be contested through a round robin tournament featuring the champions from the country's three major junior leagues—the WCHL, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and the Ontario Hockey Association.[1] The Oil Kings became the WCHL's first participant under this new format at the 1972 Memorial Cup tournament.

League notes

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Regular season

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Final standings

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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

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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

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Quarterfinals

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  • 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

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  • Regina defeated Brandon 4 games to 2
  • Edmonton defeated Calgary 4 games to 2

Finals

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  • Edmonton defeated Regina 4 games to 1

All-Star game

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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

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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

All-Star Teams

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First Team Second Team
Goal John Davidson Calgary Centennials Bernie Germain Regina Pats
Defense Jimmy Watson Calgary Centennials Tom Bladon Edmonton Oil Kings
Phil Russell Edmonton Oil Kings Larry Sacharuk Saskatoon Blades
Center Tom Lysiak Medicine Hat Tigers Dennis Sobchuk Regina Pats
Left Wing Jeff Ablett Medicine Hat Tigers Darcy Rota Edmonton Oil Kings
Right Wing Blaine Stoughton Flin Flon Bombers Don Kozak Edmonton Oil Kings

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Publishing. p. 152. ISBN 1-55017-170-4.
  • 2005–06 WHL Guide
Preceded by WHL seasons Succeeded by