1973–74 NHL season
1973–74 NHL season
1973–74 NHL season | |
---|---|
League | National Hockey League |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | October 10, 1973 – May 19, 1974 |
Number of games | 78 |
Number of teams | 16 |
Draft | |
Top draft pick | Denis Potvin |
Picked by | New York Islanders |
Regular season | |
Season champions | Boston Bruins |
Season MVP | Phil Esposito (Bruins) |
Top scorer | Phil Esposito (Bruins) |
Playoffs | |
Playoffs MVP | Bernie Parent (Flyers) |
Stanley Cup | |
Champions | Philadelphia Flyers |
Runners-up | Boston Bruins |
The 1973–74 NHL season was the 57th season of the National Hockey League. The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup championship, the team's first. The team was the first of the post-1967 teams to win the Cup.
1973–74 NHL season | |
---|---|
League | National Hockey League |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | October 10, 1973 – May 19, 1974 |
Number of games | 78 |
Number of teams | 16 |
Draft | |
Top draft pick | Denis Potvin |
Picked by | New York Islanders |
Regular season | |
Season champions | Boston Bruins |
Season MVP | Phil Esposito (Bruins) |
Top scorer | Phil Esposito (Bruins) |
Playoffs | |
Playoffs MVP | Bernie Parent (Flyers) |
Stanley Cup | |
Champions | Philadelphia Flyers |
Runners-up | Boston Bruins |
League business
With owner Charles O. Finley unable to find a buyer, the league took over operation of the troubled California Golden Seals in February 1974.
Regular season
The Philadelphia Flyers, who developed the nickname "Broad Street Bullies" because of their physical style of play, dethroned the Chicago Black Hawks as the West Division champions behind the dominant play of Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.
In the East Division, the Boston Bruins regained the top spot in the East and the league, behind an ongoing offensive juggernaut that saw Bruins' players finish 1–2–3–4 in NHL scoring (Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Ken Hodge and Wayne Cashman) for the second and most recent time in league history.
Final standings
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Boston Bruins | 78 | 52 | 17 | 9 | 349 | 221 | +128 | 113 |
2 | Montreal Canadiens | 78 | 45 | 24 | 9 | 293 | 240 | +53 | 99 |
3 | New York Rangers | 78 | 40 | 24 | 14 | 300 | 251 | +49 | 94 |
4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 78 | 35 | 27 | 16 | 274 | 230 | +44 | 86 |
5 | Buffalo Sabres | 78 | 32 | 34 | 12 | 242 | 250 | −8 | 76 |
6 | Detroit Red Wings | 78 | 29 | 39 | 10 | 255 | 319 | −64 | 68 |
7 | Vancouver Canucks | 78 | 24 | 43 | 11 | 224 | 296 | −72 | 59 |
8 | New York Islanders | 78 | 19 | 41 | 18 | 182 | 247 | −65 | 56 |
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 50 | 16 | 12 | 273 | 164 | +109 | 112 |
2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 41 | 14 | 23 | 272 | 164 | +108 | 105 |
3 | Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 33 | 33 | 12 | 233 | 231 | +2 | 78 |
4 | Atlanta Flames | 78 | 30 | 34 | 14 | 214 | 238 | −24 | 74 |
5 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 28 | 41 | 9 | 242 | 273 | −31 | 65 |
6 | St. Louis Blues | 78 | 26 | 40 | 12 | 206 | 248 | −42 | 64 |
7 | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 23 | 38 | 17 | 235 | 275 | −40 | 63 |
8 | California Golden Seals | 78 | 13 | 55 | 10 | 195 | 342 | −147 | 36 |
Playoffs
The playoffs began on April 9 with the first round, which was played between divisional opponents. The top teams all won their first rounds, with one mild upset, as the third-place New York Rangers defeated the second-place Montreal Canadiens, marking the third straight year that they had defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions in the first round. In the second round, the teams played an inter-divisional round to determine the finalists. The Eastern champion Boston Bruins took on the Western's second-place Chicago Black Hawks, while the Western champion Philadelphia Flyers took on the New York Rangers. Boston won its series in six games to take one Finals spot, while Philadelphia won its series against the New York Rangers in seven games to make the team's first Finals appearance. With Philadelphia defeating the NY Rangers in the semi-finals, this marked the first time a post 1967 NHL expansion team had ever won a playoff series against an Original 6 opponent. In the Finals, the Flyers won the series in six games against the Bruins to win not only the franchise's first championship but also to become the first post 1967 NHL expansion team and thus the first non 'Original 6' NHL team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Maroons in 1935.[3]
Playoff bracket
Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Stanley Cup Finals | ||||||||||||
E1 | Boston | 4 | ||||||||||||
E4 | Toronto | 0 | ||||||||||||
E1 | Boston | 4 | ||||||||||||
W2 | Chicago | 2 | ||||||||||||
W2 | Chicago | 4 | ||||||||||||
W3 | Los Angeles | 1 | ||||||||||||
E1 | Boston | 2 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||
W4 | Atlanta | 0 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||
E3 | NY Rangers | 3 | ||||||||||||
E2 | Montreal | 2 | ||||||||||||
E3 | NY Rangers | 4 |
Quarterfinals
(E1) Boston Bruins vs. (E4) Toronto Maple Leafs
The Boston Bruins finished first in the league with 113 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs finished fourth in the East Division with 86 points. This was the thirteenth playoff meeting between these two teams with Toronto winning eight of the previous twelve series. They last met in the 1972 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals which Boston won in five games. Boston won four of the six games in this year's regular season series.
Boston won series 4–0 |
(E2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E3) New York Rangers
The Montreal Canadiens finished second in the East Division with 99 points. The New York Rangers finished third with 94 points. This was the eleventh playoff meeting between these two teams with the teams splitting the ten previous series. They last met in the 1972 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals which New York won in six games. Montreal won four of the six games in this year's regular season series.
New York won series 4–2 |
(W1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (W4) Atlanta Flames
The Philadelphia Flyers finished first in the West Division with 112 points. The Atlanta Flames finished fourth with 74 points. The Atlanta Flames made their first playoff appearance in their second season after entering the league in the previous year. The teams split this year's six-game regular season series.
Philadelphia won series 4–0 |
(W2) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (W3) Los Angeles Kings
The Chicago Black Hawks finished second in the West Division with 105 points. The Los Angeles Kings finished third in the West Division with 78 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Chicago won this year's six-game regular season series earning eight of twelve points.
Chicago won series 4–1 |
Semifinals
(E1) Boston Bruins vs. (W2) Chicago Black Hawks
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams with Boston winning all three previous series. They last met in the 1970 Stanley Cup Semifinals which Boston won in four games. Chicago won this year's five-game regular season series earning seven of ten points.
Boston won series 4–2 |
(W1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (E3) New York Rangers
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. New York won this year's five-game regular season series earning six of ten points.
Philadelphia won series 4–3 |
Stanley Cup Finals
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. The Bruins made their thirteenth Finals appearance; winning in their last appearance in 1972 where they defeated the New York Rangers in six games. The Flyers made their first Finals appearance in their seventh season since entering the league in the 1967–68 NHL season. Boston won this year's five-game regular season series earning seven of ten points. The Philadelphia Flyers became the first non-Original Six team to win the Stanley Cup since 1935 and the first expansion team to do so since the league began expanding in 1967.
Philadelphia won series 4–2 |
Awards
A new award, the Jack Adams for the best coach, was introduced for this season. The first winner was Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers.
1974 NHL awards | |
---|---|
Prince of Wales Trophy: (East Division champion) | Boston Bruins |
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: (West Division champion) | Philadelphia Flyers |
Art Ross Trophy: (Top scorer, regular season) | Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins |
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: (Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication) | Henri Richard, Montreal Canadiens |
Calder Memorial Trophy: (Top first-year player) | Denis Potvin, New York Islanders |
Conn Smythe Trophy: (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers |
Hart Memorial Trophy: (Most valuable player, regular season) | Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins |
Jack Adams Award: (Best coach) | Fred Shero, Philadelphia Flyers |
James Norris Memorial Trophy: (Best defenceman) | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: (Excellence and sportsmanship) | Johnny Bucyk, Boston Bruins |
Lester B. Pearson Award: (Outstanding player, regular season) | Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins |
Vezina Trophy: (Goaltender(s) of team(s) with best goaltending record) | Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks tied Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers |
Lester Patrick Trophy: (Service to hockey in the U.S.) | Alex Delvecchio, Murray Murdoch, Weston W. Adams, Sr., Charles L. Crovat |
All-Star teams
First team | Position | Second team |
---|---|---|
Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers | G | Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks |
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins | D | Bill White, Chicago Black Hawks |
Brad Park, New York Rangers | D | Barry Ashbee, Philadelphia Flyers |
Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins | C | Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers |
Ken Hodge, Boston Bruins | RW | Mickey Redmond, Detroit Red Wings |
Rick Martin, Buffalo Sabres | LW | Wayne Cashman, Boston Bruins |
Player statistics
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 78 | 68 | 77 | 145 | 58 |
Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 74 | 32 | 90 | 122 | 82 |
Ken Hodge | Boston Bruins | 76 | 50 | 55 | 105 | 43 |
Wayne Cashman | Boston Bruins | 78 | 30 | 59 | 89 | 111 |
Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers | 77 | 35 | 52 | 87 | 113 |
Rick Martin | Buffalo Sabres | 78 | 52 | 34 | 86 | 38 |
Syl Apps, Jr | Pittsburgh Penguins | 75 | 24 | 61 | 85 | 37 |
Darryl Sittler | Toronto Maple Leafs | 78 | 38 | 46 | 84 | 55 |
Lowell MacDonald | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 43 | 39 | 82 | 14 |
Brad Park | New York Rangers | 78 | 25 | 57 | 82 | 148 |
Dennis Hextall | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 20 | 62 | 82 | 138 |
Source: NHL.[4]
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
Player | Team | GP | MIN | GA | GAA | W | L | T | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers | 73 | 4314 | 136 | 1.89 | 47 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Tony Esposito | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 4143 | 141 | 2.04 | 34 | 14 | 21 | 10 |
Ross Brooks | Boston Bruins | 21 | 1170 | 46 | 2.36 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Doug Favell | Toronto Maple Leafs | 32 | 1752 | 79 | 2.71 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
Wayne Thomas | Montreal Canadiens | 42 | 2410 | 111 | 2.76 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
Dan Bouchard | Atlanta Flames | 46 | 2660 | 123 | 2.77 | 19 | 18 | 8 | 5 |
Rogie Vachon | L.A. Kings | 65 | 3751 | 175 | 2.80 | 28 | 26 | 10 | 5 |
Michel Larocque | Montreal Canadiens | 27 | 1431 | 69 | 2.89 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
Dunc Wilson | Toronto Maple Leafs | 24 | 1412 | 68 | 2.89 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
Gilles Gilbert | Boston Bruins | 54 | 3210 | 158 | 2.95 | 34 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Other statistics
Plus-minus leader: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
Coaches
East
Boston Bruins: Bep Guidolin
Buffalo Sabres: Joe Crozier
Detroit Red Wings: Ted Garvin and Alex Delvecchio
Montreal Canadiens: Scotty Bowman
New York Islanders: Al Arbour
New York Rangers: Larry Popein
Toronto Maple Leafs: Red Kelly
Vancouver Canucks: Phil Maloney
West
Atlanta Flames: Bernie Geoffrion
California Golden Seals: Marshall Johnston
Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay
Los Angeles Kings: Bob Pulford
Minnesota North Stars: Parker MacDonald
Philadelphia Flyers: Fred Shero
Pittsburgh Penguins: Ken Schinkel
St. Louis Blues: Jean-Guy Talbot
Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1973–74 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
Eric Vail, Atlanta Flames
Tom Lysiak, Atlanta Flames
Peter McNab, Buffalo Sabres
Darcy Rota, Chicago Black Hawks
Blake Dunlop, Minnesota North Stars
Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
Michel Larocque, Montreal Canadiens
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Chico Resch, New York Islanders
Dave Lewis, New York Islanders
Al MacAdam, Philadelphia Flyers
Blaine Stoughton, Pittsburgh Penguins
John Davidson, St. Louis Blues
Inge Hammarstrom, Toronto Maple Leafs
Borje Salming, Toronto Maple Leafs
Lanny McDonald, Toronto Maple Leafs
Bob Dailey, Vancouver Canucks
Dennis Ververgaert, Vancouver Canucks
Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1973–74 (listed with their last team):
Tim Horton, Buffalo Sabres
Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
Dean Prentice, Minnesota North Stars
Gump Worsley, Minnesota North Stars
Frank Mahovlich, Montreal Canadiens
Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens
Barry Ashbee, Philadelphia Flyers
Orland Kurtenbach, Vancouver Canucks
NOTE: Frank Mahovlich would finish his major professional career in the World Hockey Association.
See also
List of Stanley Cup champions
1973 NHL Amateur Draft
27th National Hockey League All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
List of WHA seasons
1973 in sports
1974 in sports