Wikiwand AI

1974–75 Kansas City Scouts season

NHL hockey team season (inaugural season) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1974–75 Kansas City Scouts season was the first season for the franchise now known as the New Jersey Devils. The NHL completed its first 8-year expansion cycle by adding franchises in Washington and Kansas City.[1] Kansas City was awarded an NHL franchise on June 8, 1972. The city had a hockey history but had been a home to minor league hockey teams only.[2] Initially, the franchise chose MO-Hawks as their nickname to reflect a Missouri-Kansas union, an attempt to appeal to both Kansas and Missouri residents (the Kansas City metropolitan area spills across both states) and incorporating Missouri's postal abbreviation with the Kansas Jayhawker nickname, but the name was vetoed by the Chicago Black Hawks. Therefore, the franchise selected its second choice, Scouts. This was named after The Scout, a famous statue overlooking the city.[3]

Division5th Smythe
Conference9th Campbell
1974–75 record15–54–11
Home record12–20–8
Quick facts Kansas City Scouts, Division ...
1974–75 Kansas City Scouts
Division5th Smythe
Conference9th Campbell
1974–75 record15–54–11
Home record12–20–8
Road record3–34–3
Goals for184
Goals against328
Team information
General managerSid Abel
CoachBep Guidolin
CaptainSimon Nolet
Alternate captainsRandy Rota
Brent Hughes
ArenaKemper Arena
Team leaders
GoalsSimon Nolet and Wilf Paiement (26)
AssistsSimon Nolet (32)
PointsSimon Nolet (58)
Penalty minutesWilf Paiement (101)
WinsPeter McDuffe (7)
Goals against averageDenis Herron (3.75)
Close

The arrival of the Scouts and Capitals led the NHL into creating four divisions, the Adams, Norris, Patrick and Smythe Divisions. The Scouts would be placed in the Smythe Division while their expansion cousins, the Capitals, would be in the Norris Division. The Scouts played for the first time on October 9 in Toronto. With construction of Kemper Arena (the Scouts home arena) starting late, then delayed by union work stoppages, the Scouts were forced to play their first 8 games on the road losing 7 and tying 1. On November 2, the Scouts made their home debut losing 4–3 to the Black Hawks.[1] The following day they would get their first win beating the Capitals in Washington 5–4. The highlight of the seasons would come on January 23 when the Scouts upset the Bruins 3–2 in Boston. Despite being led in scoring by team captain Simon Nolet, the Scouts finished in last place with a 15–54–11 record.

Kansas City's games aired on radio station WDAF-AM with Dick Carlson the play-by-play broadcaster. A limited number of road contests were televised by KBMA Channel 41. Gene Osborn handled play-by-play with Bill Grigsby serving as analyst.

Offseason

Sid Abel was hired as the general manager of the team on April 13, 1974, signing a three-year contract.[4] Bep Guidolin was hired to be the coach of the team in May 1974.[5]

NHL draft

More information Round, # ...
Round # Player Nationality College/junior/club team
12Wilf Paiement (RW) CanadaSt. Catharines Black Hawks (OMJHL)
220Glen Burdon (C) CanadaRegina Pats (WCHL)
338Bob Bourne (C) CanadaSaskatoon Blades (WCHL)
456Roger Lemelin (D) CanadaLondon Knights (OMJHL)
574Mark Lomenda (RW) CanadaVictoria Cougars (WCHL)
692John Shewchuk (C) United StatesSt. Paul Vulcans (MWJHL)
7110Mike Boland (D) CanadaSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL)
9145Brian Kuruliak (LW) CanadaNorth Bay Trappers (OPJHL)
10162Denis Carufel (D) CanadaSorel Eperviers (QMJHL)
11177Soren Johansson (C) SwedenDjurgardens IF (Sweden)
12191Mats Ulander (LW) SwedenBodens BK (Sweden)
13203Ed Pizunski (D) CanadaPeterborough Petes (OMJHL)
14213Willie Wing (RW) CanadaHamilton Fincups (OMJHL)
Close

Expansion draft

More information #, Player ...
# Player Drafted from Drafted by
1.Michel Plasse (G)Montreal CanadiensKansas City Scouts
3.Peter McDuffe (G)New York RangersKansas City Scouts
5.Simon Nolet (RW)Philadelphia FlyersKansas City Scouts
7.Butch Deadmarsh (LW)Atlanta FlamesKansas City Scouts
9.Brent Hughes (D)Detroit Red WingsKansas City Scouts
11.Paul Terbenche (D)Buffalo SabresKansas City Scouts
13.Gary Coalter (C)California Golden SealsKansas City Scouts
15.Gary Croteau (LW)California Golden SealsKansas City Scouts
17.Randy Rota (LW)Los Angeles KingsKansas City Scouts
19.Lynn Powis (C)Chicago Black HawksKansas City Scouts
21.John Wright (W)St. Louis BluesKansas City Scouts
23.Ted Snell (RW)Pittsburgh PenguinsKansas City Scouts
25.Chris Evans (W)Detroit Red WingsKansas City Scouts
27.Bryan Lefley (D)New York IslandersKansas City Scouts
29.Robin Burns (LW)Pittsburgh PenguinsKansas City Scouts
31.Tom Peluso (W)Chicago Black HawksKansas City Scouts
33.Kerry Ketter (D)Atlanta FlamesKansas City Scouts
35.Norm Dube (W)Los Angeles KingsKansas City Scouts
37.Real Lemieux (C)Vancouver CanucksKansas City Scouts
39.Dave Hudson (C)Vancouver CanucksKansas City Scouts
41.Ken Murray (D)Detroit Red WingsKansas City Scouts
43.Dennis Patterson (D)Minnesota North StarsKansas City Scouts
45.Ed Gilbert (C)Montreal CanadiensKansas City Scouts
47.Doug Horbul (W)New York RangersKansas City Scouts
Close

Regular season

Along with the Washington Capitals, the Scouts joined the NHL as an expansion team for the 1974–75 season. With a combined 30 teams between the NHL and the rival World Hockey Association, the talent pool available to stock the new teams was extremely thin. In their first season, the Capitals would set an NHL record for futility, losing 67 of 80 games, and only winning one on the road. The Scouts fared only marginally better, and the expansion was widely seen as having been a mistake.

They played their home games at Kemper Arena. The team was not a particular success either at the gate or on the ice. Rising oil prices and a falling commodity market made for hard going in the Midwest during the 1970s.

  • October 9, 1974 – The Scouts played their first game in franchise history against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The final score was 6–2 in favor of the Maple Leafs.
  • November 2, 1974 – The first home game in Kansas City Scouts history was played. The opponent was the Chicago Blackhawks and the Blackhawks won the game by a score of 5–4.
  • November 3, 1974 – The Scouts won their first game in franchise history by defeating their expansion brethren, the Washington Capitals by a 5–4 score.
  • November 13, 1974 – The Scouts won their first home game in franchise history. The final score was 5–3 in a triumph over their cross-state rivals, the St. Louis Blues.
  • December 9, 1974 – Prior to a morning practice, the team was informed that head athletic trainer Gordon Marchant had committed suicide at his farm near Plattsburg, Missouri north of Kansas City. Clinton County (Missouri) Sheriff Ray Boyd stated Marchant died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Marchant's body was discovered by Scouts equipment manager James Kraus.[6]
  • January 23, 1975 – The Scouts had their biggest win of the season by defeating the Boston Bruins by a score of 3–2 in Boston. Gary Croteau's second-period goal turned out to be the game-winner. Following the game, a Boston fan attempted to attack Croteau at the Scouts' bench, but Boston police intervened.[7]

Final standings

More information GP, W ...
Smythe Division[8]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Vancouver Canucks80383210271254+1786
2St. Louis Blues80353114269267+284
3Chicago Blackhawks8037358268241+2782
4Minnesota North Stars8023507221341−12053
5Kansas City Scouts80155411184328−14441
Close

Record vs. opponents

More information Smythe Division record vs. opponents, NHL records ...
Close

Schedule and results

More information Game, Result ...
1974–75 regular season[10]
October
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
1LOctober 9, 19742–6@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)0–1–0
2LOctober 12, 19742–6@ New York Islanders (1974–75)0–2–0
3LOctober 13, 19742–3@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)0–3–0
4LOctober 18, 19742–4@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75)0–4–0
5LOctober 19, 19740–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)0–5–0
6TOctober 23, 19744–4@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)0–5–1
7LOctober 25, 19743–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)0–6–1
8LOctober 27, 19742–8@ Boston Bruins (1974–75)0–7–1
November
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
9LNovember 2, 19743–4Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)0–8–1
10WNovember 3, 19745–4@ Washington Capitals (1974–75)1–8–1
11LNovember 5, 19743–5Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)1–9–1
12LNovember 7, 19744–6Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)1–10–1
13LNovember 9, 19741–6Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)1–11–1
14WNovember 13, 19745–3St. Louis Blues (1974–75)2–11–1
15WNovember 15, 19744–2New York Islanders (1974–75)3–11–1
16LNovember 16, 19741–3@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)3–12–1
17LNovember 20, 19740–1Atlanta Flames (1974–75)3–13–1
18LNovember 22, 19746–7Montreal Canadiens (1974–75)3–14–1
19LNovember 23, 19740–6@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)3–15–1
20WNovember 26, 19744–3Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)4–15–1
21LNovember 27, 19742–4@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75)4–16–1
22LNovember 30, 19740–1Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)4–17–1
December
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
23LDecember 1, 19740–10@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)4–18–1
24LDecember 4, 19743–7@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)4–19–1
25TDecember 6, 19743–3Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)4–19–2
26LDecember 7, 19741–4@ New York Islanders (1974–75)4–20–2
27LDecember 10, 19742–6Boston Bruins (1974–75)4–21–2
28WDecember 12, 19745–3California Golden Seals (1974–75)5–21–2
29TDecember 14, 19742–2Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)5–21–3
30LDecember 18, 19740–6Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)5–22–3
31TDecember 19, 19744–4@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)5–22–4
32LDecember 21, 19744–6@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75)5–23–4
33LDecember 22, 19742–5New York Islanders (1974–75)5–24–4
34LDecember 28, 19742–7@ Montreal Canadiens (1974–75)5–25–4
35LDecember 29, 19741–2@ New York Rangers (1974–75)5–26–4
January
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
36LJanuary 2, 19751–2St. Louis Blues (1974–75)5–27–4
37WJanuary 4, 19752–1Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)6–27–4
38WJanuary 6, 19755–2Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)7–27–4
39LJanuary 8, 19751–6New York Rangers (1974–75)7–28–4
40WJanuary 11, 19755–3Washington Capitals (1974–75)8–28–4
41LJanuary 14, 19754–6Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)8–29–4
42LJanuary 16, 19754–7@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)8–30–4
43WJanuary 18, 19754–1Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)9–30–4
44LJanuary 19, 19750–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)9–31–4
45WJanuary 23, 19753–2@ Boston Bruins (1974–75)10–31–4
46LJanuary 25, 19751–4@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)10–32–4
47TJanuary 27, 19753–3Boston Bruins (1974–75)10–32–5
48TJanuary 29, 19754–4Atlanta Flames (1974–75)10–32–6
February
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
49LFebruary 1, 19752–3Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)10–33–6
50LFebruary 2, 19751–8@ Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)10–34–6
51TFebruary 4, 19753–3Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)10–34–7
52WFebruary 6, 19753–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)11–34–7
53LFebruary 7, 19750–5@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75)11–35–7
54WFebruary 9, 19752–1@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)12–35–7
55LFebruary 11, 19750–4@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)12–36–7
56WFebruary 13, 19755–1Washington Capitals (1974–75)13–36–7
57LFebruary 15, 19750–3California Golden Seals (1974–75)13–37–7
58LFebruary 16, 19750–3@ Washington Capitals (1974–75)13–38–7
59TFebruary 18, 19752–2New York Rangers (1974–75)13–38–8
60LFebruary 20, 19753–6Montreal Canadiens (1974–75)13–39–8
61WFebruary 23, 19754–2Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)14–39–8
62LFebruary 26, 19752–4@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)14–40–8
March
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
63LMarch 1, 19750–3@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)14–41–8
64LMarch 2, 19750–4@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75)14–42–8
65LMarch 4, 19754–7@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)14–43–8
66TMarch 5, 19754–4Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)14–43–9
67LMarch 7, 19752–5New York Rangers (1974–75)14–44–9
68LMarch 8, 19751–5@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)14–45–9
69TMarch 11, 19753–3@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)14–45–10
70LMarch 14, 19751–6@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75)14–46–10
71LMarch 16, 19753–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)14–47–10
72LMarch 19, 19751–3New York Islanders (1974–75)14–48–10
73LMarch 22, 19752–4Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)14–49–10
74LMarch 25, 19751–2@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)14–50–10
75TMarch 26, 19752–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)14–50–11
76LMarch 29, 19751–4@ Montreal Canadiens (1974–75)14–51–11
77LMarch 30, 19752–8@ New York Rangers (1974–75)14–52–11
April
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
78WApril 1, 19753–1Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)15–52–11
79LApril 3, 19754–6@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)15–53–11
80LApril 6, 19752–3St. Louis Blues (1974–75)15–54–11

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Close

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Simon Nolet7226325830
Guy Charron5113294221
Dave Hudson709324127
Wilf Paiement78261339101
Ed Gilbert8016223814
Robin Burns7118153370
Randy Rota8015183330
Lynn Powis7311203119
Gary Croteau778111916
Norm Dube568101854
Gary Coalter302462
Butch Deadmarsh2032519
Ted Snell293258
Doug Buhr60224
Doug Horbul41012
Hugh Harvey80002
Close

Defensemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Jim McElmury785172225
Brent Hughes661181943
Jean-Guy Lagace19291122
Bart Crashley2736910
Claude Houde3434720
Larry Johnston1407710
Larry Giroux2106624
Dennis Patterson6615639
Bryan Lefley290336
Glen Burdon110220
Chris Evans20222
Ken Murray802214
Roger Lemelin80116
Mike Baumgartner170000
Mike Boland10000
Hank Lehvonen40000
Close

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP W L T SO GAA
Denis Herron22413403.75
Peter McDuffe36725404.23
Michel Plasse24416304.06
Close

Transactions

Trades

August 22, 1974 To Montreal Canadiens
cash		 To Kansas City Scouts
Mike Baumgartner
September 1, 1974 To Atlanta Flames
cash		 To Kansas City Scouts
Morris Stefaniw
September 10, 1974 To New York Islanders
Bob Bourne		 To Kansas City Scouts
Larry Hornung
Bart Crashley
October 29, 1974 To St. Louis Blues
Chris Evans
Kansas City's 4th round draft pick
1976 NHL entry draft		 To Kansas City Scouts
Larry Giroux
December 1, 1974 To Vancouver Blazers (WHA)
Butch Deadmarsh		 To Kansas City Scouts
cash
December 14, 1974 To Detroit Red Wings
Bart Crashley
Ted Snell
Larry Giroux		 To Kansas City Scouts
Guy Charron
Claude Houde
January 10, 1975 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Michel Plasse		 To Kansas City Scouts
Jean-Guy Lagace
Denis Herron
February 1, 1975 To Los Angeles Kings
cash		 To Kansas City Scouts
Doug Buhr
February 10, 1975 To Los Angeles Kings
Ken Murray		 To Kansas City Scouts
cash
June 3, 1975 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Kansas City's 12th round pick
1975 NHL entry draft		 To Kansas City Scouts
cash
June 18, 1975 To St. Louis Blues
Lynn Powis
Kansas City's 2nd round pick
1975 NHL entry draft		 To Kansas City Scouts
Craig Patrick
Denis Dupere
cash

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks