The 1970–71 WCHL season was the fifth season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Ten teams completed a 66-game season, with the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the President's Cup. League business The Medicine Hat Tigers were approved as an expansion team in January 1970, for the upcoming 1970–71 season. The Regina Pats were accepted into the WCHL, which increased league to ten teams by May 1970. League president Ron Butlin stated that the expansion draft was configured so that new teams would be competitive in their first year. Established teams could protect six players before expansion teams could then start drafting from the rest. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) general meeting in May 1970 discussed proposals, in which the WCHL and Butlin were interested as part of rejoining the CAHA and disbanding the Canadian Hockey Association. Proposals included splitting junior ice hockey into two tiers, and readmitting the WCHL into the top tier along with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior A Series. The top tier teams would be eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup, receive greater development payments from the National Hockey League when players were drafted, and be allowed to select a limited number of players from lower-tier teams. On May 29, 1970, Justice Lieberman of the Alberta Supreme Court ruled in favour of the WCHL being paid C$13,200 in outstanding development payments from the CAHA for the 1968 NHL draft. Butlin was satisfied with the ruling and considered further court action to receive an additional $40,700 from the 1969 NHL draft. On June 24, 1970, the WCHL and the CAHA signed a two-year agreement to reunite the organizations. The WCHL was admitted to the top tier of the CAHA, and would receive $100,000 in development grants for the 1970–71 season. The WCHL would pay a flat registration fee per team rather than a percentage of gate receipts, and would have direct representation on the CAHA junior council. The WCHL was expected to abide by any future CAHA-NHL agreements which included the renegotiation of draft payment amounts, and the CAHA agreed to distribute outstanding draft money. League expansion or relocation of teams were subject to CAHA approval, and the WCHL league champion qualified for the Memorial Cup final. The WCHL was allowed four over-age players in the upcoming season, then reduced to two over-age players in the second