1973–74 New England Whalers season explained

Attendance:	5,970 (39.8%)
League:	WHA
Season:	1973–74
Year:	1973
Team:	New England Whalers
Record:	43–31–4
Homerecord:	26-11-2
Roadrecord:	17-20-2
Division:	East
Divisionrank:	1st
Goalsfor:	291
Goalsagainst:	260
Goalsleader:	Tom Webster (43)
Assistsleader:	John French (48)
Pointsleader:	John French (72)
Pimleader:	Rick Ley (148)
Winsleader:	Al Smith (30)
Gaaleader:	Al Smith (3.08)

The 1973–74 New England Whalers season was the second season of the Whalers' franchise. The Whalers qualified for the playoffs for the second-straight season to attempt to defend their championship. They were defeated in the first round by the Chicago Cougars.^{[1] [2]}

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	L	October 7, 1973	2–4	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	0–1–0
2	W	October 9, 1973	3–2	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	1–1–0
3	W	October 13, 1973	6–4	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	2–1–0
4	W	October 14, 1973	2–1 OT	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	3–1–0
5	T	October 15, 1973	3–3	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	3–1–1
6	L	October 17, 1973	1–3	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	3–2–1
7	L	October 19, 1973	0–1	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	3–3–1
8	W	October 21, 1973	4–3	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	4–3–1
9	W	October 22, 1973	4–1	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	5–3–1
10	W	October 25, 1973	8–3	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	6–3–1
11	W	October 27, 1973	3–1	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	7–3–1
12	L	November 3, 1973	4–5	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	7–4–1
13	W	November 4, 1973	7–5	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	8–4–1
14	W	November 7, 1973	9–2	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	9–4–1
15	L	November 10, 1973	3–6	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	9–5–1
16	L	November 11, 1973	2–3	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	9–6–1
17	W	November 12, 1973	3–2 OT	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	10–6–1
18	W	November 15, 1973	5–3	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	11–6–1
19	L	November 17, 1973	4–10	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	11–7–1
20	W	November 18, 1973	5–2	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	12–7–1
21	L	November 21, 1973	1–4	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	12–8–1
22	L	November 22, 1973	5–7	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	12–9–1
23	W	November 26, 1973	4–2	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	13–9–1
24	W	November 29, 1973	5–2	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	14–9–1
25	W	December 2, 1973	4–3	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	15–9–1
26	L	December 8, 1973	1–2 OT	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	15–10–1
27	W	December 9, 1973	3–2	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	16–10–1
28	W	December 12, 1973	8–6	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	17–10–1
29	W	December 14, 1973	3–1	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	18–10–1
30	L	December 16, 1973	2–3	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	18–11–1
31	W	December 19, 1973	4–2	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	19–11–1
32	L	December 22, 1973	0–2	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	19–12–1
33	W	December 24, 1973	5–4 OT	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	20–12–1
34	W	December 26, 1973	3–2 OT	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	21–12–1
35	W	December 27, 1973	5–1	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	22–12–1
36	L	December 29, 1973	2–6	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	22–13–1
37	L	December 30, 1973	5–6 OT	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	22–14–1
38	W	January 4, 1974	4–3	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	23–14–1
39	L	January 5, 1974	0–1	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	23–15–1
40	L	January 8, 1974	2–3	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	23–16–1
41	T	January 10, 1974	6–6	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	23–16–2
42	W	January 13, 1974	9–6	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	24–16–2
43	W	January 16, 1974	4–2	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	25–16–2
44	L	January 17, 1974	2–5	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	25–17–2
45	W	January 19, 1974	5–2	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	26–17–2
46	L	January 20, 1974	4–8	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	26–18–2
47	L	January 22, 1974	3–5	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	26–19–2
48	W	January 26, 1974	4–0	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	27–19–2
49	W	January 28, 1974	6–4	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	28–19–2
50	L	January 31, 1974	1–4	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	28–20–2
51	W	February 2, 1974	5–2	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	29–20–2
52	L	February 3, 1974	1–3	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	29–21–2
53	L	February 6, 1974	0–3	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	29–22–2
54	W	February 8, 1974	4–2	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	30–22–2
55	L	February 10, 1974	2–5	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	30–23–2
56	L	February 13, 1974	4–9	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	30–24–2
57	W	February 15, 1974	7–3	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	31–24–2
58	W	February 17, 1974	3–2 OT	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	32–24–2
59	L	February 20, 1974	2–4	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	32–25–2
60	W	February 23, 1974	3–0	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	33–25–2
61	L	February 24, 1974	0–2	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	33–26–2
62	W	February 27, 1974	5–3	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	34–26–2
63	T	February 28, 1974	3–3	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	34–26–3
64	W	March 2, 1974	7–1	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	35–26–3
65	W	March 3, 1974	6–3	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	36–26–3
66	W	March 5, 1974	3–2	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	37–26–3
67	L	March 6, 1974	6–8	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	37–27–3
68	W	March 8, 1974	7–2	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	38–27–3
69	L	March 12, 1974	3–5	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	38–28–3
70	W	March 14, 1974	6–3	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	39–28–3
71	W	March 15, 1974	6–2	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	40–28–3
72	L	March 17, 1974	1–10	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	40–29–3
73	T	March 20, 1974	2–2	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	40–29–4
74	L	March 24, 1974	3–4	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	40–30–4
75	W	March 27, 1974	7–1	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	41–30–4
76	W	March 28, 1974	3–2	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	42–30–4
77	W	March 31, 1974	3–2 OT	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	43–30–4
78	L	April 1, 1974	1–4	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	43–31–4

Playoffs

Chicago Cougars 4, New England Whalers 3 – Division Quarterfinals

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 6		4–6		1–0
2	April 7	Chicago Cougars	3 – 4 OT	New England Whalers	2–0
3	April 9	New England Whalers	6–8	Chicago Cougars	2–1
4	April 10	New England Whalers	1 – 2 OT	Chicago Cougars	2–2
5	April 12	Chicago Cougars	4–2	New England Whalers	3–2
6	April 14	New England Whalers	2–0	Chicago Cougars	3–3
7	April 16	Chicago Cougars	3–2	New England Whalers	3–4

Draft picks

New England's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.^[3]

Round		Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	2	Glenn Goldup (F)		Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
1	12	Blake Dunlop (F)		Ottawa 67's (OHA)
2	26	Mike Clarke (C)		Calgary Centennials (WCHL)
3	38	Tom Colley (C)		Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
4	41	Randy Holt (D)		Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
4	51	Alan Hangsleben (D)		University of North Dakota (WCHA)
5	53	Larry Patey (C)		Boston University (ECAC)
5	64	Cap Raeder (G)		University of New Hampshire (ECAC)
6	77	Rick Chinnick (F)		Peterborough Petes (OHA)
7	90	Steve Alley (LW)		University of Wisconsin (WCHA)

See also

• 1973–74 WHA season

External links

• Web site: 1973–74 New England Whalers Games. Hockey-reference.com . 2009-05-21 .

Notes and References

1. Book: World Hockey Association . World Hockey Association . 1973 . WHA 1973-74 Media Guide . World Hockey Association.
2. Book: World Hockey Association . World Hockey Association . 1974 . WHA 1974-75 Media Guide . World Hockey Association.
3. Web site: 1973 WHA Amateur Draft . hockeyDB.com . December 19, 2018.