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The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the...

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. The WHL was founded in 1966 with seven teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is the brainchild of Bill Hunter, who intended to build a western league capable of competing with the top leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Originally considered an "outlaw league" by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, the WHL was sanctioned as the top junior league in Western Canada when junior hockey was reorganized in 1970. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 18 times since the league became eligible to compete for the trophy. Today, the WHL comprises 22 teams, divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 12 teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, while the Western Conference comprises ten teams from British Columbia, Washington State and Oregon.