1974–75 WHA season
The season 1974/75 was the third regular season of the World Hockey Association (WHA ).
The third season brought the first expansion of the league with them. With the Indianapolis Racers and the Phoenix Roadrunners two new teams were added. There were also two parades with varying degrees of success. After being admitted to not being able to win in the New York location, the race against the NHL, pulled the resident team to San Diego, where he received the hoped-for popularity. Also from Los Angeles drew you back and went to Detroit. Here, the Michigan Stags had not the desired effect. Back in January were the Baltimore Blades from the Stags. The team finished the season and was then dissolved. It was decided, now divide the league into three divisions.
The Toronto Toros upgraded to personnel and brought Frank Mahovlich another former NHL star in the league. Two events were reminiscent of the 1972 Summit Series, in which the stars of the NHL could win against the national team of the Soviet Union. On the one played by the then star of the series, Paul Henderson, now in the WHA for Toronto, but above all organizing an all-star team of the WHA before the season starts, the Summit Series in 1974, but was defeated in eight games going series, with four Games were held in the Canadian WHA cities and held four matches in Moscow.
The Houston Aeros managed to defend the title. They were the third winner of the Avco World Trophy. Set clear with 4-0 against the Quebec Nordiques in the finals by.
4,095,911 viewers watched the 546 games of the third season. On average, the 7,502 per game, which meant a significant increase in the previous season were. The NHL had at that time approximately 13,224 spectators and compared to last year a slight decline.
- 2.1 mode
- 2.2 Playoff Tree
- 2.3 Quarter Finals ( Round 1 )
- 2.4 Semifinals ( Round 2)
- 2.5 Avco World Trophy Championship
- 2.6 Avco World Trophy winner
- 2.7 Best Scorer
- 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
With the two additional teams the 14 WHA teams were divided into three divisions. The Canadian and the Western Division played with five teams, the Eastern Division with just four. In total, each team played during the regular season 78 season games, including 39 on home ice and 39 on the opposing team. For the first time, all teams were equally often against each other. So it came between all teams to three home and three away games.
At the end of the regular season qualify from each division, the top two teams for the playoffs, plus there were the two best teams from the third point and fourth-placed. The playoffs were held 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
Canadian 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
Eastern Division
Western Division
* Moving during the season from Michigan to Baltimore
Best Scorer
Mostly familiar faces were found among the best scorers. With Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg had committed in Winnipeg two Swedes, the smashing gorgeous. In the wake of André Lacroix Wayne Rivers came into the leaderboard. He had been in the NHL can not prevail and established from the very beginning in the WHA. Wayne Dillon was a 19 -year-old Canadian, who was still too young for the NHL. Starting next season, he was eligible to play there and switched to the New York Rangers.
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
Initially, after the first two and additionally qualified the two best teams from each division point, start the discharged knock-out system play-offs. The point best team met the eight best. Met the second to the seventh, the third to the sixth and the fourth to the fifth.
The winning teams then met each other in the Division Finals. The two playoff winner of the division then met each other in the final series to 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 the more points reached 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
Quarter Finals ( Round 1 )
Certainly it was no surprise that the defending champion and overwhelming favorite of Houston could prevail against the Crusaders. Remarkable was rather that succeeded the eight -placed team from Cleveland as the only to win a playoff game against the Aeros.
For the Roadrunners, who contested their first season in the WHA, reaching the playoffs was already a great success. The winner of the Canadian Division, the Quebec Nordiques were in the first round but not to be surmounted opponents. Only in the fourth game of the series was able to go in overtime as the winner from the ice with a goal by Michel Cromier after 7:21 minutes.
Even in the regular season, the Fighting Sains four of the six games were won against the Whalers and also in the first game they managed a win in New England. A goal by Rick Ley after 6:46 minutes into overtime, the Whalers were able to travel with a balanced balance sheet to Minnesota at least. A victory in the fourth game brought them back into the race, but a 0-4 home defeat brought on the losing side.
It was expected that scarce series, not only because the Fourth to the Fifth met, but also because in the regular season, both teams could ever three games to decide for themselves. Each team won its first two home games and also in the fifth game kept the Mariners at home the upper hand. The decisive win was San Diego then in the sixth game in Toronto.
Semifinals ( Round 2)
The series was played in reverse order. Houston started in San Diego, but in the very first game made it clear the Aeros that there could only be one winner. After two wins in San Diego, the Mariners were outclassed in the first home game. The fact that they managed to save the last game in the overtime, could be regarded as moderate success, but after 27 seconds ended Jim Sherritt the season for the players the Mariners
Already in the previous round surprised the Fighting Saints and against the Nordiques had already made good experiences in the regular season. All three games in Quebec City they could win. Very facilitates the Nordiques were therefore about the victory in the first game. But Minnesota kept the series open until the fourth game. Eventually the nominal favorites from Quebec to defeat the Fighting Saints in six games.
Avco World Trophy Championship
Already in the first third of the first game of the series attended the Houston Aeros record straight. Gordie Howe led his team again in only four games for the title.
Avco World Trophy winner
The 20 players of the Aeros are composed of two goalkeepers, seven defenders and attackers eleven together. All players who had come in the course of the season to use, belonged to the winning team. The team was spared almost entirely in that season of injury problems; 17 outfield player Aeros completed at least 70 regular season games. Only defender Bill Prentice arrived sporadically used and was by far the player with the least ice age. The winning team consisted of three members as the year 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, Wayne Rutledge
Defender: Larry Hale, Mark Howe, Marty Howe, Glen Irwin, Poul Popiel, Bill Prentice, John Schella
Attacker: Murray Hall, Andre Hinse, Gordie Howe, Frank Hughes, Gord Labossiere, Don Larway, Larry Lund, Rich Preston, Terry Ruskowski, Jim Sherritt, Ted Taylor ( C)
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
For the first time the most valuable player of the playoffs was excellent. Two trophies were given new names, the most valuable player was not the Gary L. Davidson Trophy, but the Gordie Howe Trophy. The former Howard Baldwin Trophy for the best coach was renamed Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy.
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