1974–75 New England Whalers season

1974–75 New England Whalers
Division	1st Eastern
1974–75 record	43–30–5
Goals for	274
Goals against	279
Team information
General manager	Jack Kelley
Coach	Ron Ryan
Captain	Ted Green
Alternate captains	Jim Dorey Larry Pleau
Arena	Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center
Team leaders
Goals	Tom Webster (40)
Assists	John French (41)
Points	Wayne Carleton (74)
Penalty minutes	Nick Fotiu (144)
Wins	Al Smith (33)
Goals against average	Christer Abrahamsson (3.24)

The 1974–75 New England Whalers season was the 3rd season of the Whalers' franchise in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers finished 1st in the Eastern Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the Minnesota Fighting Saints 4 games to 2.

Off-season

Tom Webster's 1974-75 jersey.

The Whalers away jersey followed suit with the changes made to the home jersey for the 1973-74 season, adding yellow highlights to the stripes, collar, numbers and socks and adopting the large "W" logo with a harpoon and the roundel removed.

Pre-season

On September 28, 1974, the Whalers lost an exhibition game 4-2 against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Regular Season

Ceremonial puck drop between Ted Green and Norm Ferguson, January 11, 1975.

On January 11, 1975 the Whalers played their first game at the new Hartford Civic Center after playing the previous 2-1/2 seasons at the Boston Garden. The Whalers defeated the San Diego Mariners 4-3 in overtime.

Final Standings

Eastern Division

	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
New England Whalers	78	43	30	5	91	274	279	867
Cleveland Crusaders	78	35	40	3	73	236	258	1273
Chicago Cougars	78	30	47	1	61	261	312	1086
Indianapolis Racers	78	18	57	3	39	216	338	970

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties Minutes
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Game Log

Regular Season Results
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	L	October 15, 1974	2–6	@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)	0–1–0
2	W	October 19, 1974	2–1 OT	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	1–1–0
3	W	October 23, 1974	5–4	Houston Aeros (1974–75)	2–1–0
4	W	October 26, 1974	6–1	Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	3–1–0
5	W	October 30, 1974	5–2	Toronto Toros (1974–75)	4–1–0
6	W	October 31, 1974	6–1	@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	5–1–0
7	W	November 2, 1974	4–2	Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	6–1–0
8	W	November 8, 1974	3–0	San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	7–1–0
9	L	November 9, 1974	2–4	Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	7–2–0
10	L	November 12, 1974	1–6	@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)	7–3–0
11	W	November 14, 1974	7–2	@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	8–3–0
12	L	November 16, 1974	3–6	@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	8–4–0
13	W	November 17, 1974	6–1	@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	9–4–0
14	W	November 19, 1974	5–4	@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	10–4–0
15	W	November 21, 1974	4–0	@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	11–4–0
16	W	November 23, 1974	3–2	Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	12–4–0
17	W	November 24, 1974	9–5	@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	13–4–0
18	W	November 26, 1974	5–4 OT	@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	14–4–0
19	L	November 29, 1974	1–5	@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	14–5–0
20	L	December 1, 1974	4–8	@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	14–6–0
21	L	December 3, 1974	1–2	@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	14–7–0
22	W	December 4, 1974	3–2	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	15–7–0
23	L	December 5, 1974	1–9	@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	15–8–0
24	W	December 7, 1974	6–3	Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	16–8–0
25	W	December 11, 1974	3–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	17–8–0
26	W	December 14, 1974	9–4	Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	18–8–0
27	W	December 15, 1974	4–3	@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	19–8–0
28	T	December 17, 1974	2–2	@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	19–8–1
29	L	December 20, 1974	0–3	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	19–9–1
30	L	December 21, 1974	3–5	Houston Aeros (1974–75)	19–10–1
31	L	December 22, 1974	1–2	@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	19–11–1
32	L	December 27, 1974	3–6	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	19–12–1
33	L	December 28, 1974	1–6	@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)	19–13–1
34	W	January 3, 1975	5–3	@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)	20–13–1
35	W	January 4, 1975	4–3 OT	Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	21–13–1
36	L	January 5, 1975	3–9	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	21–14–1
37	L	January 7, 1975	3–5	@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	21–15–1
38	T	January 9, 1975	1–1	@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	21–15–2
39	W	January 11, 1975	4–3 OT	San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	22–15–2
40	W	January 15, 1975	7–5	Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	23–15–2
41	W	January 17, 1975	2–1	Toronto Toros (1974–75)	24–15–2
42	L	January 18, 1975	2–8	@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	24–16–2
43	L	January 19, 1975	1–3	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	24–17–2
44	L	January 24, 1975	1–4	@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	24–18–2
45	L	January 25, 1975	2–6	@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	24–19–2
46	W	January 27, 1975	2–0	Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	25–19–2
47	W	January 29, 1975	4–3	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	26–19–2
48	W	January 31, 1975	4–2	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)	27–19–2
49	W	February 7, 1975	5–4 OT	@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	28–19–2
50	L	February 8, 1975	1–4	@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	28–20–2
51	L	February 9, 1975	1–5	@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	28–21–2
52	T	February 12, 1975	2–2	Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	28–21–3
53	W	February 14, 1975	4–3 OT	Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)	29–21–3
54	L	February 18, 1975	3–6	@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	29–22–3
55	W	February 21, 1975	4–2	@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	30–22–3
56	W	February 23, 1975	2–1 OT	@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	31–22–3
57	W	February 25, 1975	3–2	Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	32–22–3
58	L	February 26, 1975	3–4	Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	32–23–3
59	W	February 27, 1975	5–2	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	33–23–3
60	T	March 1, 1975	4–4	Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	33–23–4
61	W	March 2, 1975	4–1	Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)	34–23–4
62	L	March 5, 1975	3–5	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)	34–24–4
63	W	March 8, 1975	5–4	@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)	35–24–4
64	W	March 11, 1975	6–2	Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	36–24–4
65	T	March 13, 1975	5–5	Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	36–24–5
66	W	March 15, 1975	6–2	Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	37–24–5
67	W	March 16, 1975	7–5	Toronto Toros (1974–75)	38–24–5
68	L	March 19, 1975	1–6	San Diego Mariners (1974–75)	38–25–5
69	L	March 21, 1975	3–6	Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	38–26–5
70	L	March 22, 1975	3–5	Houston Aeros (1974–75)	38–27–5
71	W	March 25, 1975	5–4	Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)	39–27–5
72	W	March 27, 1975	5–3	Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	40–27–5
73	L	March 29, 1975	3–9	Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)	40–28–5
74	W	March 30, 1975	4–3	@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)	41–28–5
75	W	April 1, 1975	5–3	Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)	42–28–5
76	W	April 3, 1975	4–1	Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)	43–28–5
77	L	April 4, 1975	1–3	@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)	43–29–5
78	L	April 5, 1975	2–5	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)	43–30–5

Playoffs

Minnesota Fighting Saints 4, New England Whalers 2

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 9	Minnesota Fighting Saints	6–5	New England Whalers	0–1
2	April 11	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2 – 3 OT	New England Whalers	1–1
3	April 13	New England Whalers	3–8	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1–2
4	April 15	New England Whalers	5–2	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2–2
5	April 18	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4–0	New England Whalers	2–3
6	April 19	New England Whalers	1–6	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2–4

Player Stats

Skaters

Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties In Minutes

#	Player	Regular Season					Playoffs
		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
9	Wayne Carleton	73	35	39	74	50	6	2	5	7	14
8	Tom Webster	66	40	24	64	52	3	0	2	2	0
4	Larry Pleau	78	30	34	64	50	6	2	3	5	19
11	John French	75	12	41	53	28	4	2	1	3	0
7	Terry Caffery	67	15	37	52	12	—	—	—	—	—
22	Don Blackburn	50	18	32	50	10	5	1	2	3	2
21	Mike Byers	72	22	26	48	10	6	2	2	4	2
2	Rick Ley	62	6	36	42	50	6	1	1	2	32
3	Brad Selwood	77	4	35	39	117	5	1	0	1	11
16	Fred O'Donnell	76	21	15	36	84	3	0	0	0	15
15	Tim Sheehy	77	29	29	58	22	6	4	2	6	4
19	Thommy Abrahamsson	76	8	22	30	46	6	0	0	0	0
5	Paul Hurley	75	3	26	29	36	6	0	1	1	4
20	Gary Swain	66	7	15	22	18	6	0	3	3	41
10	Jim Dorey	31	5	17	22	43	—	—	—	—	—
14	Al Karlander	48	7	14	21	2	5	0	3	3	0
6	Ted Green	57	6	14	20	29	3	0	0	0	0
15	Ron Climie	25	8	4	12	12	6	3	0	3	0
27	Tommy Earl	72	3	8	11	20	6	1	1	2	12
23	Nick Fotiu	61	2	2	4	144	4	2	0	2	27
17	Alan Hangsleben	26	0	4	4	8	6	0	3	3	19
	Bob Charlebois	8	1	0	1	0	4	1	0	1	0
10, 18	Gerry Methe	5	0	1	1	4	2	0	0	0	0
12	John Danby	—	—	—	—	—	4	0	1	1	0
	Ted Ouimet	1	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
30	Bill Berglund	2	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
30	Bruce Landon	7	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
29	Christer Abrahamsson	16	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
1	Al Smith	59	0	0	0	18	6	0	0	0	2

Statistics for all players reflect only games played with the Whalers.

Goaltenders

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Abrahamsson, ChristerChrister Abrahamsson	870	16	8	6	1	47	3.24	1
Landon, BruceBruce Landon	339	7	2	3	0	19	3.36	0
Smith, AlAl Smith	3494	59	33	21	4	202	3.47	2
Berglund, BillBill Berglund	36	2	0	0	0	3	5.00	0
Ouimet, TedTed Ouimet	20	1	0	0	0	3	9.00	0
Team:	4759	78	43	20	5	274	3.45	3

Awards and Records

• The Whalers did not win any awards this season.

Farm Teams

• Cape Codders, NAHL

Gallery

Frank Mahovlich scores on Al Smith, October 15, 1974.

Don Blackburn scores the 1st goal in the Hartford Civic Center on Ernie Wakely, January 11, 1975.

See Also

• 1974–75 WHA season

References

• 1974–75 New England Whalers Games. Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved on 2009-05-21.