1988–89 WHL season

The 1988–89 WHL season was the 23rd season of the Western Hockey League (WHL), featuring fourteen teams and a 72-game regular season. Less than three years after the 1986 team bus crash that killed four players, the Swift Current Broncos put together the best season in the club's history. The Broncos won their first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best regular season record, and in the playoffs defeated the Portland Winter Hawks to win their first President's Cup as league champions—the Broncos went undefeated throughout the playoffs. This earned the Broncos a berth in the 1989 Memorial Cup tournament, which was hosted in Saskatoon. At the tournament, the Broncos defeated the host Saskatoon Blades to win the Memorial Cup title.^[1]

This was the first season for the Tri-City Americans after the New Westminster Bruins relocated to Kennewick, Washington prior to the season. The Americans became the fourth WHL club based in the United States.

Regular season

Final standings

Scoring leaders

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

1989 WHL Playoffs

First round

Swift Current earned a bye
Saskatoon earned a bye
Lethbridge defeated Prince Albert 3 games to 1
Moose Jaw defeated Medicine Hat 3 games to 0

Division semi-finals

Swift Current defeated Moose Jaw 4 games to 0
Saskatoon defeated Lethbridge 4 games to 0
Portland defeated Tri-City 5 games to 2
Kamloops defeated Victoria 5 games to 3

Division finals

Swift Current defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 0
Portland defeated Kamloops 5 games to 3

WHL Championship

Swift Current defeated Portland 4 games to 0

All-Star game

On January 24, the West Division defeated the East Division 5–1 at Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 2,933.

WHL awards

All-Star Teams

References

^ Morrison, Scott (February 6, 2019). "From Tragedy to Triumph: The story of the Swift Current Broncos". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.

2005–06 WHL Guide