1969–70 Detroit Red Wings season explained

League:NHL
Season:1969–70
Year:1969
Team:Detroit Red Wings
Divisionrank:3rd
Record:40–21–15
Goalsfor:246
Goalsagainst:199
Coach:Bill Gadsby, Sid Abel
Minorleague:Fort Worth Wings (CHL)
Goalsleader:Garry Unger (42)
Assistsleader:Alex Delvecchio (47)
Pointsleader:Gordie Howe (71)
Pimleader:Gary Bergman (122)
Winsleader:Roy Edwards (24)
Gaaleader:Roy Edwards (2.59)

The 1969–70 Detroit Red Wings season is noted as being Carl Brewer's comeback season in the NHL. Brewer was reunited with former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Bob Baun, Pete Stemkowski, and Frank Mahovlich. Brewer signed a contract worth $120,000.[1] Brewer was acquired back in March 1968. The Detroit Red Wings acquired Frank Mahovlich, Pete Stemkowski, Garry Unger and Brewer's rights from Toronto in exchange for Floyd Smith, Norm Ullman, and Paul Henderson.[2] Another important aspect of the season was that Gordie Howe had finally learned how badly treated he was financially by Wings management. Howe was always under the impression that he was the highest paid player on the team. Howe discovered that Bobby Baun was making over $100,000 per season while Howe was paid only $45,000 per season.[3] After this information, Howe confronted management and demanded that he received the appropriate compensation.

Offseason

Former Red Wings' defenceman Doug Barkley was appointed as the head coach of the Fort Worth Wings of the Central Hockey League, which continued to be operated as Detroit's top farm team during the 1969–70 season.[4]

NHL Draft

See also: 1969 NHL Entry Draft.

RoundPickPlayerNationalityCollege/junior/club team
110Jim RutherfordHamilton Red Wings (OHA)
221Ron GarwasiukRegina Pats (SJHL)
333Wayne HawryshFlin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
445Wayne CherneckiWinnipeg Jets (WCHL)
557Wally OldsMinnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA)

Regular season

Two games into the season, Bill Gadsby was released from his coaching duties.[5]

On February 21, 1970, Brewer had one of his best games of the season. In a contest against his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brewer had 2 assists in the game and was named the third star of the game.

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

No.RDateScoreOpponentRecord
1WOctober 11, 19693–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 1–0–0
2WOctober 15, 19694–1 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 2–0–0
3LOctober 16, 19692–3 Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 2–1–0
4WOctober 19, 19694–2 St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 3–1–0
5TOctober 23, 19692–2 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 3–1–1
6LOctober 25, 19691–4 New York Rangers (1969–70) 3–2–1
7WOctober 29, 19695–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 4–2–1
8WOctober 31, 19693–1 @ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 5–2–1
9WNovember 2, 19694–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 6–2–1
10WNovember 5, 19694–2 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 7–2–1
11LNovember 6, 19692–5 St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 7–3–1
12WNovember 8, 19693–2 Boston Bruins (1969–70) 8–3–1
13LNovember 12, 19692–4 @ New York Rangers (1969–70) 8–4–1
14LNovember 13, 19691–3 @ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 8–5–1
15TNovember 15, 19692–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 8–5–2
16TNovember 19, 19695–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 8–5–3
17LNovember 22, 19690–4 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 8–6–3
18TNovember 26, 19691–1 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 8–6–4
19WNovember 27, 19695–1 Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 9–6–4
20WNovember 29, 19695–4 Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 10–6–4
21LNovember 30, 19690–1 Oakland Seals (1969–70) 10–7–4
22LDecember 3, 19691–2 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 10–8–4
23TDecember 4, 19694–4 Boston Bruins (1969–70) 10–8–5
24WDecember 6, 19695–1 @ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 11–8–5
25LDecember 7, 19691–5 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 11–9–5
26TDecember 11, 19692–2 Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 11–9–6
27WDecember 13, 19693–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 12–9–6
28WDecember 14, 19695–2 Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 13–9–6
29LDecember 16, 19694–6 @ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 13–10–6
30WDecember 20, 19693–2 @ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 14–10–6
31LDecember 21, 19690–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 14–11–6
32TDecember 26, 19693–3 Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 14–11–7
33WDecember 28, 19695–3 Oakland Seals (1969–70) 15–11–7
34WDecember 31, 19695–1 Boston Bruins (1969–70) 16–11–7
35WJanuary 3, 19706–1 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 17–11–7
36WJanuary 4, 19704–0 Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 18–11–7
37LJanuary 7, 19700–7 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 18–12–7
38WJanuary 10, 19705–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 19–12–7
39WJanuary 17, 19705–3 Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 20–12–7
40WJanuary 18, 19703–1 Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 21–12–7
41LJanuary 22, 19703–4 Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 21–13–7
42WJanuary 24, 19705–2 @ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 22–13–7
43LJanuary 25, 19701–4 Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 22–14–7
44WJanuary 29, 19704–3 Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 23–14–7
45WJanuary 31, 19702–1 @ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 24–14–7
46WFebruary 1, 19703–2 @ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 25–14–7
47LFebruary 4, 19701–5 @ New York Rangers (1969–70) 25–15–7
48WFebruary 5, 19704–1 Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 26–15–7
49TFebruary 7, 19702–2 @ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 26–15–8
50LFebruary 8, 19703–5 Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 26–16–8
51WFebruary 12, 19705–2 St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 27–16–8
52WFebruary 14, 19705–2 @ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 28–16–8
53LFebruary 15, 19702–4 Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 28–17–8
54TFebruary 18, 19701–1 @ Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 28–17–9
55TFebruary 19, 19703–3 New York Rangers (1969–70) 28–17–10
56WFebruary 21, 19707–5 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 29–17–10
57LFebruary 22, 19700–1 Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 29–18–10
58WFebruary 26, 19707–1 Oakland Seals (1969–70) 30–18–10
59TFebruary 28, 19703–3 New York Rangers (1969–70) 30–18–11
60WMarch 4, 19702–0 @ New York Rangers (1969–70) 31–18–11
61WMarch 5, 19705–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 32–18–11
62WMarch 7, 19704–2 @ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 33–18–11
63TMarch 8, 19702–2 Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 33–18–12
64WMarch 11, 19703–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 34–18–12
65TMarch 15, 19705–5 @ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 34–18–13
66WMarch 17, 19703–2 Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 35–18–13
67WMarch 18, 19706–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1969–70) 36–18–13
68LMarch 20, 19702–3 @ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 36–19–13
69WMarch 21, 19704–1 @ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 37–19–13
70LMarch 26, 19700–1 Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 37–20–13
71TMarch 28, 19705–5 @ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 37–20–14
72TMarch 29, 19702–2 Boston Bruins (1969–70) 37–20–15
73WApril 1, 19705–2 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 38–20–15
74WApril 2, 19704–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 39–20–15
75WApril 4, 19706–2 New York Rangers (1969–70) 40–20–15
76LApril 5, 19705–9 @ New York Rangers (1969–70) 40–21–15

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIMPPGSHGGWG
RW 76 31 40 71 581145
LW 74 38 32 70 591515
C/LW 73 21 47 68 24403
C 76 42 24 66 671204
C 76 23 36 59 10505
C 76 25 24 49 114416
LW 76 20 20 40 39312
D 70 2 37 39 51000
C 73 15 23 38 24314
D 69 6 17 23 122101
D 72 2 19 21 99000
D 71 1 18 19 112000
C 41 5 10 15 6000
LW 70 10 3 13 6003
D 20 2 9 11 12001
LW 51 3 4 7 24001
D 46 0 6 6 33000
D 32 0 4 4 29000
LW 10 0 2 2 2000
RW 5 0 2 2 2000
G 47 0 1 1 0000
C 18 0 1 1 4000
G 34 0 0 0 0000
D 3 0 0 0 2000
D 2 0 0 0 0000
LW 9 0 0 0 0000
C 5 0 0 0 0000
D 4 0 0 0 0000
Goaltending
Player MIN GPWLTGAGAA SO
2683 47 24 15 6 116 2.59 2
1877 34 16 6 9 83 2.65 0
Team: 4560 76 40 21 15 199 2.62 2

Playoffs

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIMPPGSHGGWG
C 4 1 3 4 2100
RW 4 2 0 2 2100
LW 4 2 0 2 2100
C 4 1 1 2 6010
C/LW 4 0 2 2 0000
D 4 0 2 2 8000
C 4 1 0 1 2000
RW 2 1 0 1 0000
D 4 0 1 1 2000
LW 4 0 1 1 2000
C 4 0 1 1 0000
C 4 0 1 1 6000
D 4 0 0 0 6000
D 4 0 0 0 2000
G 1 0 0 0 0000
G 4 0 0 0 0000
D 4 0 0 0 8000
LW 4 0 0 0 2000
LW 4 0 0 0 0000
D 1 0 0 0 0000
Goaltending
Player MIN GPWLGAGAA SO
34 1 0 1 3 5.29 0
206 4 0 3 11 3.20 0
Team: 240 4 0 4 14 3.50 0
[6]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals;
      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Awards and records

Playoffs

The Red Wings made it into the playoffs for the first time since 1966 during this season. They lost the Quarter-finals; getting swept by Chicago in 4 games in a best of seven series, or 0–4.

References

  1. The Power of Two:Carl Brewer's Battle with Hockey's Power Brokers, p.73, Susan Foster with notes by Carl Brewer, Fenn Publishing Company Ltd., Bolton, Ontario, 2006, (paperback)
  2. The Power of Two:Carl Brewer's Battle with Hockey's Power Brokers, p.72, Susan Foster with notes by Carl Brewer, Fenn Publishing Company Ltd., Bolton, Ontario, 2006, (paperback)
  3. The Power of Two:Carl Brewer's Battle with Hockey's Power Brokers, p.75, Susan Foster with notes by Carl Brewer, Fenn Publishing Company Ltd., Bolton, Ontario, 2006, (paperback)
  4. Book: Fischler . Stan . Fischler . Shirley . Up From the Minor Leagues of Hockey . Chicago, Illinois . Cowles Book Company, Inc.. 127.
  5. The Power of Two:Carl Brewer's Battle with Hockey's Power Brokers, p.74, Susan Foster with notes by Carl Brewer, Fenn Publishing Company Ltd., Bolton, Ontario, 2006, (paperback)
  6. Web site: hockey-reference.com . 2009-06-02 . 1969-70 Detroit Red Wings Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com.