The 1979–80 WHL season was the 14th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). It featured eleven teams completing a 72-game regular season. The Portland Winter Hawks became the first American-based club to top the regular season standings, capturing the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy. In the playoffs, the Regina Pats won their second President's Cup, defeating the Victoria Cougars in the championship final.
The season was the first for the Great Falls Americans, after the Edmonton Oil Kings relocated to Great Falls prior to the season. However, the team lasted only 28 games before ceasing operations on December 16, 1979, for the remainder of the season. Thus while twelve teams opened the season, only eleven played it through to completion.
League notes The WHL changed its divisional format, opting for a two division format of eight teams in the East and four in the West over the previous three division format.
Team changes The Edmonton Oil Kings relocated to Great Falls, Montana, becoming the Great Falls Americans.
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Doug Wickenheiser Regina Pats 71 89 81 170 99 Tim Tookey Portland Winter Hawks 70 58 83 141 55 Barry Pederson Victoria Cougars 72 52 88 140 50 Kelly Kisio Calgary Wranglers 71 65 73 138 64 Jim Dobson Portland Winter Hawks 72 66 68 134 179 Ron Flockhart Regina Pats 65 54 76 130 63 Gord Williams Lethbridge Broncos 72 57 65 122 92 Darren Veitch Regina Pats 71 29 93 122 118 Brian Varga Regina Pats 70 39 79 118 97 Doug Morrison Lethbridge Broncos 68 58 59 117 188
1980 WHL Playoffs
First round Regina defeated Lethbridge 4 games to 0 Brandon defeated Calgary 4 games to 3 Medicine Hat defeated Billings 4 games to 3
Division semi-finals Round Robin format
Medicine Hat (3–1) advanced Regina (2–2) advanced Brandon (1–3) eliminated Victoria (5–3) advanced Seattle (4–4) advanced Portland (3–5) eliminated
Division finals Regina defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 1 Victoria defeated Seattle 4 games to 0
WHL Championship Regina defeated Victoria 4 games to 1
WHL awards Most Valuable Player: Doug Wickenheiser, Regina PatsTop Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: Doug Wickenheiser, Regina PatsMost Sportsmanlike Player: Steve Tsujiura, Medicine Hat TigersTop Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: Dave Babych, Portland Winter HawksRookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: Grant Fuhr, Victoria CougarsTop Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: Kevin Eastman, Victoria CougarsCoach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: Doug Sauter, Calgary WranglersRegular season Champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Portland Winter Hawks
All-Star teams First Team Second team Goal Grant Fuhr Victoria Cougars Andy Moog Billings BighornsDefense Dave Babych Portland Winter Hawks Jim McTaggart Billings Bighorns Darren Veitch Regina Pats Mark Robinson Victoria Cougars Center Doug Wickenheiser Regina Pats Barry Pederson Victoria CougarsLeft wing Greg C. Adams (tied) Victoria Cougars Ken Solheim Medicine Hat Tigers Florent Robidoux (tied) Portland Winter Hawks - -Right wing Jim Dobson Portland Winter Hawks Mike Blaisdell (tie) Regina Pats - - Don Gillen (tie) Brandon Wheat Kings
See also 1980 Memorial Cup 1980 NHL entry draft 1979 in sports 1980 in sports
References 2005–06 WHL Guide