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By WHL media release

WHL 2021-22 season

WHL announces plans for 2021-22 season, new playoff format.

Jun 15, 2021 | 4:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Western Hockey League concluded its Annual General Meeting Tuesday, highlighted by the announcement of the opening date for the 2021-22 WHL Regular Season, scheduled for Friday, October 1, 2021, along with the introduction of a new playoff format for the 2022 WHL Playoffs.

The 2021-22 WHL Regular Season is scheduled to open on Friday, October 1. With the anticipated lifting of health restrictions in all jurisdictions the 2021-22 season will call for a 68-game schedule with full capacity in a fan-friendly and safe environment throughout all WHL markets. The 2021-22 WHL Regular Season will conclude Sunday, April 3.

The 2021-22 WHL Regular Season Schedule will not feature any interlocking games between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

WHL Clubs will begin announcing their home-opening dates for the 2021-22 WHL Regular Season beginning June 16. The 2021 WHL Pre-season Schedule will be announced on Monday, June 21 at 11 a.m. MT and the 2021-22 WHL Western Conference Regular Season Schedule will be announced on Wednesday, June 23 at 11 a.m. MT. The 2021-22 WHL Eastern Conference Regular Season Schedule will be announced at a later date.

The 2022 WHL Playoffs are scheduled to begin Friday, April 8, 2022, with the re-introduction of the Conference Playoff format.

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The first-place teams in the two Divisions in each Conference will receive the top two playoff seeds based on Regular Season points. The next six Clubs in each Conference, based on Regular Season points, will receive the third to eighth playoff positions.

Clubs advancing to the second round and Conference Championships will be re-seeded each round based on Regular Season points. The two Conference Champions will advance to the WHL Championship Series, with the Club possessing the most Regular Season points receiving home-ice advantage.

All series throughout the 2022 WHL Playoffs will follow a best-of-seven format.

The 2022 WHL Playoffs will conclude with the 2022 WHL Championship Series, scheduled to be played from Friday, May 20 to Monday, May 30, 2022.

The Conference Playoff format was last used during the 2014 WHL Playoffs, with the Division Playoff format in place since the 2015 WHL Playoffs.