WHA
1972-1979 |
1973 WHA MVP
Gary L. Davidson Award |
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1973
Bobby Hull
LW, Winnipeg Jets |
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SEVEN SEASONS: WHA 1972-73
SEASON ONE: Timeline by Paul
Newberry
After franchise shifts and the addition
of two more teams, the WHA begins its inaugural
season with 12 teams: Alberta Oilers, Chicago Cougars,
Cleveland Crusaders, Houston Aeros, Los Angeles
Sharks, Minnesota Fighting Saints, New England Whalers,
New York Raiders, Ottawa Nationals, Philadelphia
Blazers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets. Bobby
Hull, Bernie Parent and Gerry Cheevers are among
the prominent players who defect from the NHL. New
England, which is based in Boston but will later
move to Hartford, Conn., wins the inaugural Avco
World Trophy.
WHA Regular Season
EASTERN
DIVISION |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
PTS |
GF |
GA |
PIM |
New-England Whalers |
78 |
46 |
30 |
2 |
94 |
318 |
263 |
858 |
Cleveland Crusaders |
78 |
43 |
32 |
3 |
89 |
287 |
239 |
1095 |
Philadelphia Blazers |
78 |
38 |
40 |
0 |
76 |
288 |
305 |
1260 |
Ottawa Nationals |
78 |
35 |
39 |
4 |
74 |
279 |
301 |
1067 |
Quebec Nordiques |
78 |
33 |
40 |
5 |
71 |
276 |
313 |
1354 |
New-York Raiders |
78 |
33 |
43 |
2 |
68 |
303 |
334 |
900 |
WESTERN
DIVISION |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
PTS |
GF |
GA |
PIM |
Winnipeg Jets |
78 |
43 |
31 |
4 |
90 |
285 |
249 |
757 |
Houston Aeros |
78 |
39 |
35 |
4 |
82 |
284 |
269 |
1363 |
Los-Angeles Sharks |
78 |
37 |
35 |
6 |
80 |
259 |
250 |
1477 |
Alberta Oilers |
78 |
38 |
37 |
3 |
79 |
269 |
256 |
843 |
Minnesota Fighting Saints |
78 |
38 |
37 |
3 |
79 |
250 |
269 |
1134 |
Chicago Cougars |
78 |
26 |
50 |
2 |
54 |
245 |
295 |
811 |
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AVCO World Trophy Playoffs
Western Division one game Tiebreaker: Minnesota
4 Alberta 2
First
Round:
Cleveland 4 Philadelphia 0
New England 4 Ottawa 1
Winnipeg 4 Minnesota 1
Houston 4 Los Angeles 2
Second Round:
New England 4 Cleveland 1
Winnipeg 4 Houston 0
AVCO Cup:
New England over Winnipeg, 4 games to 1
Bill Hunter Trophy Scoring
Leader
Year |
Player |
Gm |
G |
A |
Pts |
1973 |
Andre
Lacroix,
Philadelphia Blazers |
78 |
50 |
74 |
124 |
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Ben Hatskin Trophy Best
Goaltender
Year
|
Player |
Record
|
GAA |
1973 |
Gerry
Cheevers,
Cleveland Crusaders |
32-20-0 |
2.84 |
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Dennis A. Murphy Trophy
Best Defenseman
Year
|
Player |
1973 |
J.C.
Tremblay,
Quebec Nordiques |
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Lou Kaplan Trophy Rookie
of the Year
Year |
Player |
G |
A |
Pts |
1973 |
Terry Caffery, C, New
England Whalers |
39 |
61 |
100 |
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Paul Deneau Trophy
Most Gentlmenly Player
Year
|
Player |
1973 |
Ted Hampson, Minnesota
Fighting Saints |
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Howard Baldwin Trophy Coach
of the Year
Year |
Coach |
Improvement |
1973 |
Jack Kelley, New England
Whalers |
- |
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46-30-2* |
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Note: *Won Division.
All WHA WHA
All Star Teams
Pos
|
1st
Team |
2nd
Team |
3rd
Team |
G |
Gerry
Cheevers Cleveland |
Bernie
Parent Philadelphia |
Al Smith
New England |
D |
JC
Tremblay
Quebec |
Jim
Dorey
New England |
Rick
Ley
New England |
D |
Paul
Shmyr Cleveland |
Larry
Hornung Winnipeg |
Ted
Green
New England |
C |
Andre
Lacroix Philadelphia |
Ron
Ward
New York |
Norm
Beaudoin
Winnipeg |
LW |
Bobby
Hull
Winnipeg |
Gary
Jarrett
Cleveland |
Wayne
Carleton
Ottawa |
RW |
Danny
Lawson Philadelphia |
Tom
Webster
New England |
Chris
Bordeleau
Winnipeg |
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WHA First Annual All-Star
Game 1/6/73 Quebec City, Quebec
East 6, West 4
Attendance: 5,435
MVP: Wayne Carleton
EAST
LINEUP |
WEST
LINEUP |
G Al Smith New England
G Gerry Cheevers Cleveland
G Serge Aubry Quebec
D Rick Ley New England
D JC Tremblay Quebec
D Paul Shmyr Cleveland
D Jim Dorey New England
D Gary Jarrett Cleveland
D Ken Block New York
F Larry Pleau New England
F Ron Ward New York
F Bobby Sheehan New York
F Wayne Carleton Ottawa
F Gerry Pinder Cleveland
F Michel Parizeau Quebec
F Tom Webster New England
F Danny Lawson Philadelphia
F Norm Ferguson New York
F John McKenzie Philadelphia
F Ron Climie Ottawa
(Did not Play-Injured)
F John Hanna Cleveland
F Guy Trottier Ottawa
(Replaced Climie) |
G Mike Curran Minnesota
G Ernie Wakely Winnipeg
G Jack Norris Alberta
D Al Hamilton Alberta
D Larry Hornung Winnipeg
D Gerry Odrowski Los Angeles
D Terry Ball Minnesota
F Bobby Hull Winnipeg
F Chris Bordeleau Winnipeg
F Norm Beaudin Winnipeg
F Gary Veneruzzo Los Angeles
F Ron Anderson Alberta
F Bob Wall Alberta
F Wayne Connelly Minnesota
F Ted Hampson Minnesota
F Mike Byers Los Angeles
F Jim Harrison Alberta
F Ted Taylor Houston
F Gordon Labossiere Houston
F Jan Popiel Chicago |
Coach: Jack Kelley New
England |
Coach: Bobby Hull Winnipeg
Assisted by Nick Mickoski
Winnipeg |
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