Indianapolis Racers
The Indianapolis Racers were a hockey team from Indianapolis, which was from 1974 to 1978 in the North American World Hockey Association (WHA ) active.
History
Founding and achievements
In its third season, the World Hockey Association was increased by two to 14 teams. One of the two new teams were the Indianapolis Racers. Already on 14 September 1973 were Dick Tinkham and John Weissert the contract for the new team. On the day exactly one year later opened the new Market Square Arena with 16,500 seats.
As a coach, you had Gerry Moore committed, who won last year with the Dallas Blackhawks of the CHL Adams Cup. The team had one quite have expected success, but failed to materialize in the first year. The only bright spot was goalie Andy Brown, who had come from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The weak defense put Brown, who played the last professional goalkeeper without a mask, one game at a barrage of shots from. For his courage he was invited as the only players on the team to WHA All- Star game. Paul Deneau, the former owner of the Houston Aeros, took over the team in December.
The second season they picked Jacques Demers as coach and with Pat Stapleton a leading player on defense. When, in the course of the season, the Minnesota Fighting Saints were dissolved, we took another NHL legend Dave Keon. Thus reinforced, the Racers were 1st place in the Eastern Division occupy. For the 1976/77 season Keon returned to the new team back in Minnesota and the success was not in Indianapolis. It was third in the East and Deneau had to sell part of the team to a consortium led by Harold Dukote. Over 1977 Deneau got out and Dukote was the new boss.
After the end of 1977 the bankruptcy was close, the former owner of the Edmonton Oilers, Nelson Skalbania bought one at the racers. In the summer of 1978, he planned the rebuilding of the team and undertook a promising young player, Wayne Gretzky. But Gretzky was only the first eight games in the 1978/79 season and brought it to 3 Goals and 3 Assists. Then the Racers had to give him with two other players for $ 850,000 to the Edmonton Oilers. With this money, the Racers survived 15 other games in which then also another young star was used. Mark Messier began his professional career this year at the Indianapolis Racers. On December 15, 1978 Skalbania announced the dissolution of the racers.
Club Records
- Most Games: Ken Block 267 games
- Top goals: Claude St. Sauveur 63 goals
- Most assists: Michel Parizeau 88 assists
- Most points: Michel Parizeau 136 points
- Most penalty minutes: Kim Clackson 519 penalty minutes
- Most games played by a goalie: Andy Brown 86 Games
- Most wins by a goalkeeper: Michel Dion 31 victories
- Most shutouts: Andy Brown 3 shutouts
Game times: 1972/73 | 1973/74 | 1974/75 | 1975/76 | 1976/77 | 1977/78 | 1978/79
Franchises: Alberta Oilers (1972-1973), Edmonton Oilers (1973-1979) | Chicago Cougars (1972-1975) | Cincinnati Stingers (1975-1979) | Cleveland Crusaders (1972-1976) | Denver Spurs (1975 ), Ottawa Civics (1976 ) | Houston Aeros (1972-1978) | Indianapolis Racers (1974-1979) | Los Angeles Sharks (1972-1974), Michigan Stags (1974-1975), Baltimore Blades ( 1975) | Minnesota Fighting Saints ( 1972-1977 ) | New England Whalers (1972-1979) | New York Raiders (1972-1973), New York Golden Blades ( 1973), Jersey Knights ( 1973-1974 ), San Diego Mariners ( 1974-1977 ) | Ottawa Nationals ( 1972-1973 ), Toronto Toros (1973-1976), Birmingham Bulls (1976-1979) | Philadelphia Blazers (1972-1973), Vancouver Blazers (1973-1975), Calgary Cowboys (1975-1977) | Phoenix Roadrunners (1974-1977) | Quebec Nordiques (1972-1979) | Winnipeg Jets (1972-1979)
- Hockey Association (World Hockey Association )
- Sport ( Indianapolis )
- Organization (Indiana)
- Historical Organization ( United States)