1974–75 WCHL season
Junior ice hockey season
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The 1974–75 WCHL season was the ninth season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). It featured twelve teams playing a 70-game regular season, an increase from 68. The Victoria Cougars topped the regular season standings with 47 wins. In the playoffs, the New Westminster Bruins defeated the Saskatoon Blades in a seven-game championship series to win the President's Cup. With the win, the Bruins earned a berth at the 1975 Memorial Cup tournament, in which they lost the final to the Toronto Marlboros, who captured their record seventh national title.
| 1974–75 WCHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Western Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Teams | 12 |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Victoria Cougars (1) |
| Season MVP | Bryan Trottier (Lethbridge Broncos) |
| Top scorer | Mel Bridgman (Victoria Cougars) |
| Playoffs | |
| Finals champions | New Westminster Bruins (1) |
| Runners-up | Saskatoon Blades |
| 1974–75 Canadian major junior season | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Teams | 33 |
| OMJHL | |
| QMJHL | |
| WCHL | |
| Memorial Cup | |
| Finals champions | Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) (7th title) |
| Runners-up | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |
The season was the first for the Lethbridge Broncos, after the Swift Current Broncos relocated prior to the season.
League notes
- During the 1975 Memorial Cup tournament, officials from the WCHL and the other two Canadian major junior leagues—the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League—announced the formation of the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League as an umbrella organization for major junior hockey.[1]
Team changes
- The Swift Current Broncos relocate to Lethbridge, Alberta, becoming the Lethbridge Broncos.
Regular season
Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Saskatoon Blades | 70 | 38 | 22 | 10 | 344 | 244 | 86 |
| 2 | x – Lethbridge Broncos | 70 | 28 | 32 | 10 | 302 | 315 | 66 |
| 3 | x – Regina Pats | 70 | 29 | 36 | 5 | 260 | 288 | 63 |
| 4 | x – Brandon Wheat Kings | 70 | 24 | 35 | 11 | 276 | 320 | 59 |
| 5 | Winnipeg Clubs | 70 | 23 | 35 | 12 | 265 | 366 | 58 |
| 6 | Flin Flon Bombers | 70 | 19 | 42 | 9 | 262 | 389 | 47 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Victoria Cougars | 70 | 47 | 18 | 5 | 416 | 257 | 99 |
| 2 | x – Medicine Hat Tigers | 70 | 40 | 22 | 8 | 380 | 291 | 88 |
| 3 | x – New Westminster Bruins | 70 | 37 | 22 | 11 | 319 | 260 | 85 |
| 4 | x – Kamloops Chiefs | 70 | 38 | 24 | 8 | 327 | 279 | 84 |
| 5 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 70 | 34 | 29 | 7 | 340 | 321 | 75 |
| 6 | Calgary Centennials | 70 | 11 | 51 | 8 | 236 | 399 | 30 |
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mel Bridgman | Victoria Cougars | 66 | 66 | 91 | 157 | 175 |
| Bryan Trottier | Lethbridge Broncos | 67 | 46 | 98 | 144 | 103 |
| Don Murdoch | Medicine Hat Tigers | 70 | 82 | 59 | 141 | 83 |
| Dave Faulkner | Regina Pats | 70 | 56 | 66 | 122 | 59 |
| Don Ashby | Calgary Centennials | 70 | 52 | 68 | 120 | 71 |
| Rich Gosselin | Flin Flon Bombers | 70 | 47 | 69 | 116 | 83 |
| Peter Morris | Victoria Cougars | 70 | 43 | 72 | 115 | 173 |
| Barry Dean | Medicine Hat Tigers | 64 | 40 | 75 | 115 | 173 |
| Danny Lucas | Victoria Cougars | 70 | 57 | 56 | 113 | 74 |
| Rick Blight | Brandon Wheat Kings | 65 | 60 | 52 | 112 | 65 |
| Greg Miazga | Victoria Cougars | 70 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 117 |
1975 WCHL Playoffs
League quarter-finals
- Saskatoon defeated Brandon 4 games to 1
- Regina defeated Lethbridge 4 games to 2
- New Westminster defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 1
- Victoria defeated Kamloops 4 games to 2
League semi-finals
- Saskatoon defeated Regina 4 games to 1
- New Westminster defeated Victoria 4 games to 2
WHL Championship
- New Westminster defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 3
All-Star game
On January 15, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 4–1 at Victoria, British Columbia in front of a crowd of 3,452.
WHL awards
All-Star Team
- Goaltender: Ed Staniowski, Regina Pats
- Defenseman: Rick Lapointe, Victoria Cougars
- Defenseman: Robin Sadler, Edmonton Oil Kings
- Centerman: Mel Bridgman, Victoria Cougars & Bryan Trottier, Lethbridge Broncos (tied)
- Left Winger: Barry Dean, Medicine Hat Tigers
- Right Winger: Don Murdoch, Medicine Hat Tigers
