Wikiwand AI

1974–75 WHA season

Professional ice hockey league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1974–75 WHA season was the third season of the World Hockey Association. Fourteen teams each played 78 games. The Houston Aeros won the Avco World Trophy for the second straight year in dominating fashion, losing only one time in the playoffs.

LeagueWorld Hockey Association
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 15, 1974 – May 12, 1975
Games78
Quick facts League, Sport ...
1974–75 WHA season
LeagueWorld Hockey Association
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 15, 1974 – May 12, 1975
Games78
Teams14
Draft
Top draft pickPat Price
Picked byVancouver Blazers
Regular season
Season championsHouston Aeros
Season MVPBobby Hull (Winnipeg)
Top scorerAndre Lacroix (San Diego)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPRon Grahame (Aeros)
Avco Cup Final
ChampionsHouston Aeros
  Runners-upQuebec Nordiques
WHA seasons
Close

Regular season

The WHA expanded by adding the Indianapolis Racers and Phoenix Roadrunners, and splitting into three divisions: Western, Eastern, and Canadian. The top two teams in each division qualified for the playoffs along with the two next best teams overall. Prior to the season, Southern California welcomed the Jersey Knights, who moved to San Diego and became the Mariners, and said goodbye to the Los Angeles Sharks, who moved to Detroit and became the Michigan Stags. Midway through the season, the Stags moved to Baltimore and became the Blades; they folded for good after the season. Chicago also folded at season's end. Also, the New England Whalers left Boston for Hartford, but played the first half of the season in Springfield, Massachusetts until construction on the Hartford Civic Center was finished.

The NHL also expanded this season, to 18 teams, making a total of 32 clubs playing major professional hockey in North America. This number has not been surpassed, though the NHL expanded to 32 teams in 2021.

Final standings

Locations of teams for the 1974–75 World Hockey Association season
West Division   East Division   Canadian Division
*Michigan Stags moved to Baltimore mid-way through the season as the Baltimore Blades.
More information Canadian Division, GP ...
Canadian Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Quebec Nordiques7846320923312991132
Toronto Toros784333288349304883
Winnipeg Jets783835581322293869
Vancouver Blazers7837392762562701075
Edmonton Oilers783638476279279896
Close
More information Eastern Division, GP ...
Eastern Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
New England Whalers784330591274279867
Cleveland Crusaders7835403732362581273
Chicago Cougars7830471612613121086
Indianapolis Racers781857339216338970
Close
More information Western Division, GP ...
Western Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Houston Aeros78532501063692471257
San Diego Mariners7843314903262681058
Minnesota Fighting Saints7842333873082791233
Phoenix Roadrunners7839318863002651388
Michigan Stags / Baltimore Blades7821534462053411104
Close

Player stats

Scoring leaders

Bolded numbers indicate season leaders

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

More information Player, Team ...
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Andre LacroixSan Diego Mariners784110614763
Bobby HullWinnipeg Jets78776514241
Serge BernierQuebec Nordiques76546812275
Ulf NilssonWinnipeg Jets78269412079
Larry LundHouston Aeros78337510868
Wayne RiversSan Diego Mariners78545310752
Anders HedbergWinnipeg Jets65534710045
Gordie HoweHouston Aeros7534659984
Wayne DillonToronto Toros7729669522
Mike WaltonMinnesota Fighting Saints7548459333
Close

Leading goaltenders

Bolded numbers indicate season leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties, GA = Goals against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

More information Player, Team ...
Player Team GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAA
Ron GrahameHouston Aeros43259033100131490.03.03
Bob WhiddenCleveland Crusaders291654916189091.23.23
Wayne RutledgeHouston Aeros35209220150113289.23.24
Ernie WakelyWinnipeg - San Diego41241823152131390.03.25
Gerry CheeversCleveland Crusaders52307626242167490.53.26
Jack NorrisPhoenix Roadrunners33196214154107189.13.27
John GarrettMinnesota Fighting Saints58329430232180290.53.28
Gary KurtPhoenix Roadrunners47284125164156288.53.27
Jacques PlanteEdmonton Oilers4015921514188189.03.32
Don McLeodVancouver Blazers71412432352230189.13.35
Close

All-Star game

At Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, the West defeated the East 6–4 in the 1975 WHA All-Star Game.

Avco World Trophy playoffs

Main article: 1975 WHA playoffs

Eight teams qualified for the playoffs; the top two teams in each division and the next two teams with the highest point totals. The teams were then pooled together, according to point totals, to determine quarter-final match-ups. The three division winners were guaranteed the top three seeds, according to their point totals. Teams were not "reseeded" after the quarter-final round.

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
W1 Houston Aeros 4
E2 Cleveland Crusaders 1
W1 Houston Aeros 4
W2 San Diego Mariners 0
W2 San Diego Mariners 4
C2 Toronto Toros 2
W1 Houston Aeros 4
C1 Quebec Nordiques 0
E1 New England Whalers 2
W3 Minnesota Fighting Saints 4
W3 Minnesota Fighting Saints 2
C1 Quebec Nordiques 4
C1 Quebec Nordiques 4
W4 Phoenix Roadrunners 1

WHA awards

Trophies

Avco World Trophy:Houston Aeros
Gary L. Davidson Award:Bobby Hull, Winnipeg Jets
Bill Hunter Trophy:Andre Lacroix, San Diego Mariners
Lou Kaplan Trophy:Anders Hedberg, Winnipeg Jets
Ben Hatskin Trophy:Ron Grahame, Houston Aeros
Dennis A. Murphy Trophy:J. C. Tremblay, Quebec Nordiques
Paul Deneau Trophy:Mike Rogers, Edmonton Oilers
Howard Baldwin Trophy:Sandy Hucul, Phoenix Roadrunners
WHA Playoff MVP:Ron Grahame, Houston Aeros

All-Star Team

More information Position, First Team ...
PositionFirst TeamSecond Team
CentreAndre Lacroix, San DiegoSerge Bernier, Quebec
Right WingGordie Howe, HoustonAnders Hedberg, Winnipeg
Left WingBobby Hull, WinnipegMarc Tardif, Quebec
DefenceJ. C. Tremblay, QuebecPoul Popiel, Houston
DefenceKevin Morrison, San DiegoBarry Long, Edmonton
GoaltenderRon Grahame, HoustonGerry Cheevers, Cleveland
Close

77 goals in 78 games

In the 1974–75 WHA season, Bobby Hull set a professional hockey record for goals in a season, doing so with 77 goals in 78 games that eclipsed Phil Esposito's 76 in the 1970–71 NHL season. He set the WHA record on March 12 against Quebec with a two-goal night that gave him 62 goals. On April 6, 1975, in his 78th and last game played that season, Hull scored against Russ Gillow of the San Diego Mariners to get to 77 goals.[1][2][3][4]

  Recorded a hat trick
  Recorded zero goals
More information Game #, Goal # ...
Game # Goal # Date Venue Team Goaltender Time Period Ref.
1NoneOctober 15, 1974Pacific ColiseumVancouver BlazersDon McLeod––[5][6]
2NoneOctober 18, 1974Winnipeg ArenaEdmonton OilersKen Brown––[5][7]
31October 25, 1974Maple Leaf GardensToronto TorosJim Shaw4:091st[5][8]
42October 27, 1974Winnipeg ArenaMichigan StagsGerry Desjardins8:553rd[5][9]
5 3 October 30, 1974 Winnipeg Arena Phoenix Roadrunners Gary Kurt 7:40 1st [5][10]
4 6:49 2nd [5][10]
5 9:19 OT [5][10]
6 6 November 1, 1974 Winnipeg Arena Toronto Toros Gilles Gratton 7:20 1st [5][11]
7 6:43 2nd [5][11]
8 11:37 3rd [5][11]
7 9 November 3, 1974 Winnipeg Arena Michigan Stags Jim McLeod 8:05 1st [5][12]
10 18:24 2nd [5][12]
811November 5, 1974Winnipeg ArenaMinnesota Fighting SaintsMike Curran9:343rd[5][13]
912November 9, 1974Pacific ColiseumVancouver BlazersDon McLeod13:542nd[5][14]
1013November 13, 1974Edmonton ColiseumEdmonton OilersJacques Plante6:182nd[5][15]
11NoneNovember 15, 1974Winnipeg ArenaIndianapolis RacersEd Dyck––[5][16]
12NoneNovember 17, 1974Winnipeg ArenaToronto TorosJim Shaw––[5][17]
13 14 November 18, 1974 Edmonton Coliseum Edmonton Oilers Jacques Plante 19:07 1st [5][18]
15 5:39 2nd [5][18]
14 16 November 20, 1974 Winnipeg Arena Minnesota Fighting Saints Mike Curran 18:53 1st [5][19]
17 12:59 3rd [5][19]
15NoneNovember 24, 1974Winnipeg ArenaPhoenix RoadrunnersJack Norris––[5][20]
1618November 26, 1974Market Square ArenaIndianapolis RacersAndy Brown5:561st[5][21]
1719November 27, 1974Richfield ColiseumCleveland CrusadersGerry Cheevers15:551st[5][22]
18 20 November 29, 1974 Winnipeg Arena Michigan Stags Gerry Desjardins 4:13 1st [5][23]
21 14:40 2nd [5][23]
22 18:58 2nd [5][23]
23 5:50 3rd [5][23]
19NoneDecember 1, 1974Winnipeg ArenaQuebec NordiquesRichard Brodeur––[5][24]
20NoneDecember 4, 1974Winnipeg ArenaHouston AerosRon Grahame––[5][25]
21NoneDecember 6, 1974Saint Paul Civic CenterMinnesota Fighting SaintsMike Curran––[5][26]
22NoneDecember 8, 1974Winnipeg ArenaChicago CougarsCam Newton––[5][27]
2324December 10, 1974Market Square ArenaIndianapolis RacersAndy Brown18:471st[5][28]
2425December 12, 1974Cobo HallMichigan StagsGerry Desjardins8:463rd[5][29]
2526December 14, 1974Sam Houston ColiseumHouston AerosRon Grahame7:581st[5][30]
2627December 15, 1974Winnipeg ArenaNew England WhalersAl Smith8:241st[5][31]
27 28 December 17, 1974 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto Toros Gilles Gratton 9:00 1st [5][32]
29 16:16 1st [5][32]
28NoneDecember 18, 1974Le ColiseeQuebec NordiquesRichard Brodeur––[5][33]
2930December 22, 1974Winnipeg ArenaPhoenix RoadrunnersGary Kurt2:142nd[5][34]
30NoneDecember 26, 1974Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix RoadrunnersJack Norris––[5][35]
31 31 December 28, 1974 San Diego Sports Arena San Diego Mariners Joe Junkin 1:02 1st [5][36]
32 Russ Gillow 5:05 2nd [5][36]
32 33 December 29, 1974 Sam Houston Coliseum Houston Aeros Wayne Rutledge 6:21 1st [5][37]
34 6:01 2nd [5][37]
3335January 7, 1975Richfield ColiseumCleveland CrusadersGerry Cheevers16:291st[5][38]
3436January 9, 1975Cobo HallMichigan StagsPaul Hoganson4:591st[5][39]
35NoneJanuary 10, 1975Winnipeg ArenaQuebec NordiquesRichard Brodeur––[5][40]
36NoneJanuary 15, 1975Winnipeg ArenaVancouver BlazersDon McLeod––[5][41]
37 37 January 19, 1975 Winnipeg Arena Cleveland Crusaders Gerry Cheevers 8:30 1st [5][42]
38 5:54 3rd [5][42]
3839January 22, 1975Winnipeg ArenaIndianapolis RacersAndy Brown15:251st[43][44]
39 40 January 23, 1975 Edmonton Coliseum Edmonton Oilers Jacques Plante 2:46 2nd [43][45]
41 17:43 3rd [45]
40NoneJanuary 24, 1975Pacific ColiseumVancouver BlazersDon McLeod––[43][46]
41NoneJanuary 26, 1975Winnipeg ArenaHouston AerosRon Grahame––[43][47]
42 42 January 28, 1975 San Diego Sports Arena San Diego Mariners Ernie Wakely 19:41 1st [43][48]
43 3:24 3rd [43][48]
4344January 30, 1975Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix Roadrunnersempty net19:153rd[49][50]
4445February 2, 1975Saint Paul Civic CenterMinnesota Fighting SaintsJohn Garrett17:131st[43][51]
45NoneFebruary 5, 1975Richfield ColiseumCleveland CrusadersGerry Cheevers––[43][52]
4646February 7, 1975Winnipeg ArenaNew England WhalersAl Smith0:322nd[43][53]
4747February 8, 1975International AmphitheaterChicago CougarsDave Dryden6:211st[43][54]
48NoneFebruary 9, 1975Winnipeg ArenaChicago CougarsDave Dryden––[43][55]
49NoneFebruary 12, 1975Winnipeg ArenaToronto TorosGilles Gratton––[43][56]
50 48 February 14, 1975 Winnipeg Arena Houston Aeros Ron Grahame 1:42 1st [43]
49 16:47 2nd [43]
50 18:27 3rd [43][57]
51NoneFebruary 15, 1975Winnipeg ArenaCleveland CrusadersBob Whidden––[43][58]
52NoneFebruary 16, 1975International AmphitheaterChicago CougarsCam Newton––[43][59]
53 51 February 18, 1975 Baltimore Civic Center Baltimore Blades Paul Hoganson 1:46 2nd [43][60]
52 6:29 2nd [43][60]
54NoneFebruary 19, 1975Winnipeg ArenaEdmonton OilersChris Worthy––[43][61]
55NoneFebruary 23, 1975Winnipeg ArenaNew England WhalersAl Smith––[43][62]
5653February 25, 1975Winnipeg ArenaMinnesota Fighting SaintsMike Curran6:253rd[43][63]
57 54 February 28, 1975 Winnipeg Arena San Diego Mariners Ernie Wakely 13:37 1st [43][64]
55 17:17 3rd [43][64]
5856March 2, 1975Winnipeg ArenaSan Diego MarinersErnie Wakely8:132nd[43][65]
5957March 5, 1975Winnipeg ArenaCleveland CrusadersGerry Cheevers19:303rd[43][66]
60 58 March 7, 1975 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum Phoenix Roadrunners Gary Kurt 2:15 1st [43][67]
59 12:27 1st [43][67]
61NoneMarch 8, 1975San Diego Sports ArenaSan Diego MarinersErnie Wakely––[43][68]
6260March 9, 1975Saint Paul Civic CenterMinnesota Fighting SaintsMike Curran18:072nd[43][69]
63NoneMarch 11, 1975Hartford Civic CenterNew England WhalersAl Smith––[43][70]
64 61 March 12, 1975 Le Colisee Quebec Nordiques Serge Aubry 15:55 1st [43][71]
62 1:56 2nd [43][71]
6563March 14, 1975Winnipeg ArenaQuebec NordiquesRichard Brodeur11:363rd[43][72]
66 64 March 16, 1975 Winnipeg Arena Edmonton Oilers Ken Brown 6:04 2nd [43][73]
65 Chris Worthy 2:42 3rd [43][73]
66 18:48 3rd [43][73]
67 67 March 19, 1975 Winnipeg Arena Vancouver Blazers Don McLeod 11:12 3rd [43][74]
68 15:54 3rd [43][74]
6869March 21, 1975Hartford Civic CenterNew England WhalersAl Smith11:303rd[43][75]
6970March 22, 1975International AmphitheaterChicago CougarsDave Dryden10:372nd[43][76]
70NoneMarch 23, 1975Winnipeg ArenaChicago CougarsDave Dryden––[43][77]
71 71 March 25, 1975 Market Square Arena Indianapolis Racers Andy Brown 6:00 1st [43][78]
72 13:16 1st [43][78]
72NoneMarch 27, 1975Sam Houston ColiseumHouston AerosRon Grahame––[43][79]
73 73 March 29, 1975 Hartford Civic Center New England Whalers Al Smith 10:38 2nd [43][80]
74 19:55 2nd [43][80]
75 12:30 3rd [43][80]
74NoneMarch 31, 1975Winnipeg ArenaIndianapolis RacersAndy Brown
Ed Dyck		––[43][81]
75NoneApril 2, 1975Winnipeg ArenaVancouver BlazersDon McLeod––[43][82]
76NoneApril 4, 1975Maple Leaf GardensToronto TorosJim Shaw––[43][83]
7776April 5, 1975Le ColiseeQuebec NordiquesRichard Brodeur19:403rd[43][84]
7877April 6, 1975Winnipeg ArenaSan Diego MarinersRuss Gillow19:262nd[43][85]
Close

See also

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks