The 1972–73 WCHL season was the seventh season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). It featured twelve teams and a 68-game regular season. The Saskatoon Blades topped the regular season standings with 46 wins. However, in the playoffs, the Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Blades in the championship series to win the club's first President's Cup title.[1]

1972–73 WCHL season
LeagueWestern Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Number of teams12
Regular season
Season championsSaskatoon Blades (1)
Season MVPDennis Sobchuk (Regina Pats)
Top scorerTom Lysiak (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Playoffs
Finals championsMedicine Hat Tigers (1)
  Runners-upSaskatoon Blades
WHL seasons
1972–73 Canadian major junior season
SportIce hockey
Number of teams30
OHA
QMJHL
WCHL
Memorial Cup
Finals championsToronto Marlboros (OHA) (6th title)
  Runners-upQuebec Remparts (QMJHL)

Regular season

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Final standings

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East Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Saskatoon Blades 68 46 11 11 103 323 184
x Flin Flon Bombers 68 39 19 10 88 334 228
x Regina Pats 68 30 28 10 70 294 270
x Brandon Wheat Kings 68 29 30 9 67 307 304
Swift Current Broncos 68 27 35 6 60 300 359
Winnipeg Jets 68 16 42 10 42 288 372
West Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Edmonton Oil Kings 68 40 20 8 88 311 240
x Medicine Hat Tigers 68 39 20 9 87 348 254
x Calgary Centennials 68 35 22 11 81 302 224
x New Westminster Bruins 68 31 22 15 77 283 264
Victoria Cougars 68 13 51 4 30 231 390
Vancouver Nats 68 10 55 3 23 198 428

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 67 58 96 154 104
Dennis Sobchuk Regina Pats 66 67 80 147 128
Lanny McDonald Medicine Hat Tigers 68 62 77 139 84
Darcy Rota Edmonton Oil Kings 68 73 56 129 104
Blaine Stoughton Flin Flon Bombers 68 58 60 118 86
Wayne Bianchin Flin Flon Bombers 68 60 54 114 90
Ron Chipperfield Brandon Wheat Kings 59 72 41 113 63
Vick Mercredi New Westminster Bruins 67 52 61 113 63
Mike Rogers Calgary Centennials 67 54 58 112 44
Boyd Anderson Medicine Hat Tigers 68 48 64 112 52

1973 WCHL Playoffs

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Quarterfinals

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  • Saskatoon defeated Brandon 4 games to 2
  • Flin Flon defeated Regina 4 games to 0
  • Edmonton defeated New Westminster 4 games to 1
  • Medicine Hat defeated Calgary 4 games to 2

Semifinals

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  • Saskatoon defeated Flin Flon 4 games to 1
  • Medicine Hat defeated Edmonton 4 games to 2

Finals

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  • Medicine Hat defeated Saskatoon 3 games to 0 with 2 ties

All-Star game

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The 1972–73 WCHL All-Star Game was held in Medicine Hat, Alberta, with the West Division All-Stars defeating the East Division All-Stars 6–1 before a crowd of 5,336.

Awards

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Most Valuable Player: Dennis Sobchuk, Regina Pats
Top Scorer: Tom Lysiak, Medicine Hat Tigers
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Ron Chipperfield, Brandon Wheat Kings
Defenseman of the Year: George Pesut, Saskatoon Blades
Rookie of the Year: Rick Blight, Brandon Wheat Kings
Goaltender of the Year: Ed Humphreys, Saskatoon Blades
Coach of the Year: Pat Ginnell, Flin Flon Bombers
Regular Season Champions: Saskatoon Blades

All-Star Team

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lapp, Richard M.; White, Silas (1993). Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. p. 101. ISBN 1-55017-080-5.
  • 2005–06 WHL Guide
Preceded by WHL seasons Succeeded by