1973–74 WHA season

The 1973/74 season was the second regular season of the World Hockey Association (WHA ).

After a successful first season we launched confidently into the second season. Furthermore attended twelve teams in the game mode, with four competed under a new name. A pure name change there had been in the Oilers, which replaced its associated Alberta on behalf of Edmonton. The New York Raiders had a new owner, who had the team in New York Golden Blades renamed. During the season the team from Manhattan moved to New Jersey, where he played as Jersey Knights. There was also a move in the Ottawa Nationals. The team had already played in the playoffs last year in Toronto and moved due to the positive audience response there. The new name was now Toronto Toros. The longest parade had to cope with the Philadelphia Blazers. From the eastern United States they moved to the west coast of Canada and played from now on as Vancouver Blazers.

Personnel among all was the obligation of Gordie Howe quite a stir. He was a legend in the National Hockey League and had announced his retirement two years ago. Now he made ​​his comeback and played with the Houston Aeros with his two sons Mark and Marty. With 100 points scorer, he showed that he could still play at the highest level.

For example, the Houston Aeros were then also the second winner of the Avco World Trophy. You sit down 4-0 against the Chicago Cougars in the finals by. Chicago was more advanced than fourth in the Eastern Division surprising in the final series.

2,764,506 viewers watched the 468 games of the second season, an average of 5,907 per game were the. The NHL had at that time about 13,848 spectators per game.

• 2.1 mode
• 2.2 Playoff Tree
• 2.3 Division Semifinals ( Round 1 ) 2.3.1 Eastern Division
• 2.3.2 Western Division

• 2.4.1 Eastern Division
• 2.4.2 Western Division

• 3.1 WHA All-Star teams 3.1.1 WHA First All -Star Team
• 3.1.2 WHA Second All-Star Team

Regular Season

Mode

As in the previous twelve WHA teams were divided into two divisions of six teams. In total, each team played during the regular season 78 season games, including 39 on home ice and 39 on the opposing team. In contrast to the method commonly used in Europe against any team to contest the same number of games during the season, the teams from the WHA were different often against each other. So played teams that belonged to the same division as the season eight times against each other. Against any teams from the other division six games were played. In addition, each team played two more games against a " regional neighbors." There was the relocation of the Blazers from Philadelphia to Vancouver an exchange in pairs. The new couple were Chicago and Winnipeg, Cleveland and Minnesota, Edmonton and Houston, Vancouver and Los Angeles, New England and New York and Toronto and Quebec.

At the end of the regular season qualify from each division, the top four teams for the playoffs, which took place after the regular season and were held in the knockout system. Case of a tie between two or more teams initially included the greater number of games won.

Statements Tables

Eastern Division

Note: GP = Games, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals Scored, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points Notes: In parentheses is the placement within the Conference; = Playoff qualification, = divisional winners

* Moving during the season from New York to New Jersey

Western Division

Best Scorer

Only in the shadow of the stars was the leading scorer Mike Walton to the previous season with the Boston Bruins. Also, the new top star of the league Gordie Howe, who once again stood on the ice two years after his resignation, abolished the 100 -point mark to crack. Already in its second WHA season was the 35 -year-old Wayne Connelly, who brought plenty of NHL experience. Also from the beginning were Wayne Carleton and Larry Lund. With Serge Bernier one had fished the second best scorer of the Los Angeles Kings in Quebec. Only Bobby Hull, André Lacroix and Danny Lawson made ​​it just like last year in the "Top Ten".

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = penalty minutes; Fat: Saisonbestwert

Best Goalkeeper

Note: GP = Games, TOI = Ice Age ( in minutes), W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime / Shootout Losses, GA = Goals against, SO = shutouts, Sv % = held shots (in%), GAA = Gegentorschnitt; Fat: Saisonbestwert

Playoff

Mode

After each division of the first four teams had qualified to start the discharged in a knock-out system play-offs. The division winners met in the Division Semifinals at the fourth place, while the second and third place teams fought out each other's semifinals.

The winning teams then met each other in the Division Finals. The two playoff winner of the division then met each other in the finals at the Avco World Trophy.

All series of each round were played in best- of-seven - mode, which means that a team four wins needed to reach the next round. The higher placed team had with the first two games venue, the next two the opposing team. Until then no winner emerged from the round, the venue of the game changed to match. Thus, the higher placed team had in Game 1, 2, 5 and 7, ie four of a maximum of seven games, a home advantage.

In the final, the team began with more points in the regular season with two home games. This was followed by two away games.

In games, the 60 minutes were undecided after regulation time, followed by the overtime. The third lasted 20 minutes and still it was played so long until one team scored the first goal.

Playoff Tree

Division Semifinals ( Round 1 )

Eastern Division

With two victories started the favorite Whalers, the second victory could only be ensured in overtime by John French by 2:51 minutes. In Chicago, the Cougars struck back but surprisingly, even if they had to in the overtime once, but again it came to the home victory, was responsible for the Ralph Backstrom with a goal after 17:45 minutes. With a win in Boston surprised the Cougars, but the Whalers turned themselves back with an away victory. But again, the Cougars won in Boston and made the big surprise perfectly.

With the victory in the third game featured the Toros the foundations for progress. Although Cleveland was in the fourth game after overtime with a goal by Wayne Muloin after 4:17 minutes still reach a fifth game, but here won the Toros and made ​​it to the Division Finals.

Western Division

With Houston's Gordie Howe and the " Golden Jet " Bobby Hull, the most prominent player in the WHA came together in this series. The Aeros began against the series unusually away. With two away wins they returned from Winnipeg and with a 10:1 in the first home game they made the record straight. After four games, then the season was over for the Jets.

The first game was the Oilers still hold quite open, after they had, however, lost the third game, the situation was rather hopeless. With a narrow victory in Game 4, they managed once again back to Minnesota, but there, they failed to bring the series again to Edmonton.

Division Finals ( Round 2)

Eastern Division

Already in the second game in Toronto Chicago could surprise you. Home had the Cougars in the only 3,000 -seat edge Hurst Twin Ice Arena dodge in Mount Prospect. Your hall was rented out for a Peter Pan performance. In the fourth game, the Toros adjusted from back in Toronto and they went into the series with 3-2 lead. After the Cougars took a clear win the series in Game 7, the fourth in the first round managed to surprise and move into the final series.

Western Division

When Mike Walton after 1:40 minutes into injury time of the first game secured the win for the Saints, the terror sat deep in the favored Aeros, but in the second home game possible to get out. The first game in Minnesota, the home team took back the lead, but then sat Houston but clearly through.

Avco World Trophy Championship

The first game was Chicago still make open, but then the Houston Aeros put through clearly. Gordie Howe shined with eight assists in the finals.

Avco World Trophy winner

The 23 players of the Aeros are composed of three goalkeepers, eight defenders and 12 attackers.

A peculiar feature is the inclusion of defender Dunc McCallum, who had missed the entire season due to injury and was still immortalized on the trophy. The winning team consisted of three members of the hockey family Howe, next to " Mr. Hockey " Gordie and his two sons, Mark and Marty.

In addition to head coach and general manager Bill Dineen following players on the Avco World Trophy, the championship trophy of the WHA were engraved:

Goalkeepers: Ron Grahame, Don McLeod, Wayne Rutledge

Defender: Larry Hale, Mark Howe, Marty Howe, Gord Kannegiesser, Dunc McCallum, Poul Popiel, Bill Prentice, John Schella

Attacker: Don Grierson, Murray Hall, Andre Hinse, Gordie Howe, Frank Hughes, Gord Labossiere, Larry Lund, Jim Sherritt, Jack Stanfield, Joe Szura, Ted Taylor ( C), Gary Williamson

Head Coach and General Manager: Bill Dineen

Best Scorer

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = penalty minutes; Fat: Saisonbestwert

WHA awards and award trophies

The new trophies were named after some founders of teams and important people from the organization of the WHA.

WHA All-Star teams

WHA First All -Star Team

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, W = Wins, SO = shutouts, GAA = Gegentorschnitt

WHA Second All-Star Team

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, W = Wins, SO = shutouts, GAA = Gegentorschnitt