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2005–06 WHL season
WHL 40th anniversary logo
League	Western Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	Regular season September, 2005 – March, 2006 Playoffs March – May, 2006
Number of teams	20
TV partner(s)	Shaw TV
Regular season
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy	Medicine Hat Tigers (2)
Season MVP	Justin Pogge (Calgary Hitmen)
Top scorer	Troy Brouwer (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVP	Gilbert Brule (Giants)
Finals champions	Vancouver Giants (1)
Runners-up	Moose Jaw Warriors
WHL seasons
← 2004–052006–07 →

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 their first President's Cup, defeating the Moose Jaw Warriors in the championship series and earning a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup tournament. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record for the first time since 1985–86.

League notes

Following changes introduced by the National Hockey League following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, 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, including:

• Shootouts: Ties no longer possible, with games tied at the end of overtime proceeding to a shootout. Shootout losses count as one point in the standings.
• Tighter standards of officiating, especially as it relates to obstruction fouls.
• Introduction of the goaltender restriction zone, or the "trapezoid". Goaltenders are 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.

The WHL did not immediately modify 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. Only the Calgary Hitmen, sharing an arena with the NHL's Calgary Flames, played using the new alignment. The new standard was to be employed by the remaining teams beginning in the 2006–07 season.

Internet broadcasts

On September 14, 2005, Commissioner Ron Robison announced the league's intention to broadcast the entire 2005–06 season and playoffs live online on a pay-per-view basis. 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

Final standings

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes

Goaltending leaders

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

Overview

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

WHL Championship

ADT Canada-Russia Challenge

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.

WHL awards

All-Star Teams

• source: Western Hockey League press release

2006 Bantam draft

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.

#	Player	Nationality	WHL Team
1	Jared Cowen (D)	Canada	Spokane Chiefs
2	Landon Ferraro (C)	Canada	Red Deer Rebels
3	Ryan Howse (LW)	Canada	Chilliwack Bruins
4	Cole Penner (LW)	Canada	Prince Albert Raiders
5	Jimmy Bubnick (C)	Canada	Kamloops Blazers
6	Cody Eakin (C)	Canada	Swift Current Broncos
7	Carter Ashton (LW)	Canada	Lethbridge Hurricanes
8	Jason Gardiner (C/LW)	Canada	Tri-City Americans
9	Brayden Schenn (C)	Canada	Brandon Wheat Kings
10	Riley Boychuk (LW)	Canada	Portland Winter Hawks
11	Steve Chaffin (D)	Canada	Seattle Thunderbirds
12	Stefan Elliott (D)	Canada	Prince George Cougars
13	Kellan Tochkin (RW)	Canada	Everett Silvertips
14	Brett Miller (RW)	Canada	Regina Pats
15	Mitch Berg (D)	Canada	Saskatoon Blades
16	Nathan Lieuwen (G)	Canada	Kootenay Ice
17	Justin Maylan (RW)	Canada	Moose Jaw Warriors
18	Tyson Barrie (D)	Canada	Kelowna Rockets
19	Evander Kane (LW)	Canada	Vancouver Giants
20	Chase Schaber (LW)	Canada	Calgary Hitmen
21	Cody Carlson (D)	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers

See also

• 2005–06 OHL season
• 2005–06 QMJHL season
• 2006 NHL Entry Draft
• 2005 in ice hockey
• 2006 in ice hockey

References

1. "WHL Adopts Several Rule Changes for 2005-06 Season". Western Hockey League. August 22, 2005. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
2. "WHL Announces New Internet Streaming Agreement – LIVE Internet Broadcasts – Prince George Cougars". Retrieved May 10, 2022.

• 2005–06 in Canadian ice hockey by league
• Western Hockey League seasons
• 2005–06 in American ice hockey by league