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.
| 1967–68 WCHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Western Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Flin Flon Bombers (1) |
| Season MVP | Jim Harrison (Estevan Bruins) |
| Top scorer | Bobby Clarke (Flin Flon Bombers) |
| Playoffs | |
| Finals champions | Estevan Bruins (1) |
| Runners-up | Flin Flon Bombers |
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
- The Calgary Buffaloes are renamed the Calgary Centennials.
- The Brandon Wheat Kings join the league as an expansion franchise.
- The Flin Flon Bombers join the league as an expansion franchise.
- The Swift Current Broncos join the league as an expansion franchise.
- The Winnipeg Jets join the league as an expansion franchise.
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
See also
References
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