1973–74 Quebec Nordiques season

1973–74 Quebec Nordiques
Division5th East
1973–74 record38–36–4
Home record25–10–4
Road record13–26–0
Goals for306
Goals against280
Team information
General managerJacques Plante
CoachJacques Plante
CaptainJ.C. Tremblay
Alternate captainsJean Payette
Rene LeClerc
Rejean Houle
ArenaQuebec Coliseum
Average attendance7,983 (79.8%)
Team leaders
GoalsSerge Bernier (37)
AssistsSerge Bernier (49)
PointsSerge Bernier (86)
Penalty minutesPierre Roy (137)
WinsRichard Brodeur (15)
Goals against averageMichel DeGuise (3.29)

The 1973–74 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques second season, as they were coming off a 33–40–5 record, earning 71 points, failing to qualify for the playoffs in their first season.

The Nordiques would replace head coach Maurice Filion in the off-season, and name recently retired NHL superstar goaltender Jacques Plante as head coach of the team. The club also acquired Serge Bernier from the Los Angeles Kings and Rejean Houle from the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL to try to spark the offense.

The Nordiques would improve and finish over .500 for the first time in team history with a 38–36–4 record, however, they would once again come up short for a playoff berth, finishing only 1 point behind the Chicago Cougars for the final spot.

Offensively, Quebec was led by Serge Bernier, as he would post a team best 86 points, scoring a Nordiques record 37 goals along the way. Bob Guindon would have a very solid season, scoring 31 goals and 70 points, while Alain Coron would also score 31 goals while appearing in only 59 games due to injuries. Defenseman J. C. Tremblay would anchor the defense, scoring 9 goals and earning 53 points, while Pierre Roy supplied the team toughness, recording 137 penalty minutes in only 44 games.

In goal, Richard Brodeur would lead the Nordiques in wins with 15 and save percentage at .901, while Michel DeGuise would post a team best 3.29 GAA, playing in a team high 32 games. Serge Aubry also had some playing time, winning 11 games.[1][2]

Season standings

Eastern Division
GP W L T GF GA PIM Pts
New England Whalers 78 43 31 4 291 260 875 90
Toronto Toros 78 41 33 4 304 272 871 86
Cleveland Crusaders 78 37 32 9 266 264 1007 83
Chicago Cougars 78 38 35 5 271 273 1041 81
Quebec Nordiques 78 38 36 4 306 280 909 80
NY Golden Blades / Jersey Knights 78 32 42 4 268 313 933 68

Schedule and results

# Date Visitor Score Home Record Pts
1 October 7 New England Whalers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 1–0–0 2
2 October 9 Quebec Nordiques 2–3 New England Whalers 1–1–0 2
3 October 11 Quebec Nordiques 4–1 Toronto Toros 2–1–0 4
4 October 13 Quebec Nordiques 3–6 Cleveland Crusaders 2–2–0 4
5 October 18 Toronto Toros 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 3–2–0 6
6 October 20 New York Golden Blades 1–8 Quebec Nordiques 4–2–0 8
7 October 21 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 New York Golden Blades 4–3–0 8
8 October 25 Chicago Cougars 4–2 Quebec Nordiques 4–4–0 8
9 October 26 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Minnesota Fighting Saints 5–4–0 10
10 October 28 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Houston Aeros 6–4–0 12
11 October 30 Quebec Nordiques 6–4 Los Angeles Sharks 7–4–0 14
12 October 31 Quebec Nordiques 5–1 Vancouver Blazers 8–4–0 16
13 November 2 Quebec Nordiques 4–5 Edmonton Oilers 8–5–0 16
14 November 4 Quebec Nordiques 2–8 Winnipeg Jets 8–6–0 16
15 November 6 Winnipeg Jets 2–2 Quebec Nordiques 8–6–1 17
16 November 8 Edmonton Oilers 4–3 Quebec Nordiques 8–7–1 17
17 November 10 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 New York Golden Blades 8–8–1 17
18 November 11 New England Whalers 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 9–8–1 19
19 November 15 New England Whalers 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 9–9–1 19
20 November 17 Quebec Nordiques 10–4 New England Whalers 10–9–1 21
21 November 18 Houston Aeros 3–8 Quebec Nordiques 11–9–1 23
22 November 22 Toronto Toros 4–2 Quebec Nordiques 11–10–1 23
23 November 23 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Cleveland Crusaders 12–10–1 25
24 November 25 Quebec Nordiques 1–3 Jersey Knights 12–11–1 25
25 November 27 Quebec Nordiques 1–3 Toronto Toros 12–12–1 25
26 November 29 Cleveland Crusaders 4–4 Quebec Nordiques 12–12–2 26
27 December 1 Houston Aeros 3–3 Quebec Nordiques 12–12–3 27
28 December 2 Quebec Nordiques 3–5 Winnipeg Jets 12–13–3 27
29 December 8 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 Minnesota Fighting Saints 12–14–3 27
30 December 9 Chicago Cougars 1–6 Quebec Nordiques 13–14–3 29
31 December 12 Quebec Nordiques 1–2 Vancouver Blazers 13–15–3 29
32 December 14 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Edmonton Oilers 14–15–3 31
33 December 16 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Toronto Toros 15–15–3 33
34 December 18 Edmonton Oilers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 16–15–3 35
35 December 22 Toronto Toros 6–4 Quebec Nordiques 16–16–3 35
36 December 27 Cleveland Crusaders 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 17–16–3 37
37 December 28 Quebec Nordiques 4–6 Chicago Cougars 17–17–3 37
38 December 29 Winnipeg Jets 4–3 Quebec Nordiques 17–18–3 37
39 January 5 Vancouver Blazers 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 18–18–3 39
40 January 6 Chicago Cougars 0–4 Quebec Nordiques 19–18–3 41
41 January 10 Los Angeles Sharks 1–7 Quebec Nordiques 20–18–3 43
42 January 12 Quebec Nordiques 1–5 Houston Aeros 20–19–3 43
43 January 15 Quebec Nordiques 4–6 Los Angeles Sharks 20–20–3 43
44 January 19 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Chicago Cougars 20–21–3 43
45 January 20 Minnesota Fighting Saints 4–5 Quebec Nordiques 21–21–3 45
46 January 24 Quebec Nordiques 1–5 Houston Aeros 21–22–3 45
47 January 25 Quebec Nordiques 0–2 Los Angeles Sharks 21–23–3 45
48 January 27 Cleveland Crusaders 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 22–23–3 47
49 January 29 Los Angeles Sharks 0–5 Quebec Nordiques 23–23–3 49
50 January 31 Houston Aeros 4–6 Quebec Nordiques 24–23–3 51
51 February 1 Toronto Toros 1–2 Quebec Nordiques 25–23–3 53
52 February 3 Jersey Knights 3–5 Quebec Nordiques 26–23–3 55
53 February 6 Quebec Nordiques 3–0 New England Whalers 27–23–3 57
54 February 8 Quebec Nordiques 3–7 Vancouver Blazers 27–24–3 57
55 February 10 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Edmonton Oilers 28–24–3 59
56 February 12 Quebec Nordiques 4–6 Toronto Toros 28–25–3 59
57 February 14 Quebec Nordiques 5–3 Chicago Cougars 29–25–3 61
58 February 16 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Cleveland Crusaders 29–26–3 61
59 February 17 Quebec Nordiques 3–10 Jersey Knights 29–27–3 61
60 February 19 Cleveland Crusaders 5–6 Quebec Nordiques 30–27–3 63
61 February 22 Minnesota Fighting Saints 6–4 Quebec Nordiques 30–28–3 63
62 February 24 Jersey Knights 4–7 Quebec Nordiques 31–28–3 65
63 February 26 Winnipeg Jets 1–7 Quebec Nordiques 32–28–3 67
64 February 28 Vancouver Blazers 4–9 Quebec Nordiques 33–28–3 69
65 March 3 Quebec Nordiques 6–8 Winnipeg Jets 33–29–3 69
66 March 7 Chicago Cougars 3–2 Quebec Nordiques 33–30–3 69
67 March 9 Quebec Nordiques 5–9 Minnesota Fighting Saints 33–31–3 69
68 March 10 Jersey Knights 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 34–31–3 71
69 March 14 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Toronto Toros 35–31–3 73
70 March 16 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 Chicago Cougars 35–32–3 73
71 March 17 Minnesota Fighting Saints 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 35–33–3 73
72 March 21 Edmonton Oilers 5–5 Quebec Nordiques 35–33–4 74
73 March 23 Vancouver Blazers 2–6 Quebec Nordiques 36–33–4 76
74 March 24 New England Whalers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 37–33–4 78
75 March 27 Quebec Nordiques 4–5 Cleveland Crusaders 37–34–4 78
76 March 28 Los Angeles Sharks 3–9 Quebec Nordiques 38–34–4 80
77 March 30 Toronto Toros 3–1 Quebec Nordiques 38–35–4 80
78 March 31 Quebec Nordiques 2–3 New England Whalers 38–36–4 80

Season stats

Scoring leaders

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Serge Bernier 74 37 49 86 107
Bob Guindon 77 31 39 70 30
Andre Gaudette 78 24 44 68 16
Rejean Houle 69 27 35 62 17
Michel Parizeau 78 26 34 60 39

Goaltending

Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA Save %
Michel DeGuise 32 1750 12 13 1 96 1 3.29 .896
Richard Brodeur 30 1607 15 12 1 89 1 3.32 .901
Serge Aubry 26 1395 11 11 2 90 1 3.87 .880

Draft picks

Quebec's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.[3]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 3 Andre Savard  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
2 14 Blaine Stoughton  Canada Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
2 17 Morris Titanic  Canada Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
3 29 Eric Vail  Canada Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
4 42 Jean Landry  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5 55 Denis Patry  Canada Drummondville Rangers (QMJHL)
6 68 Dale Cook  Canada Victoria Cougars (WCHL)
7 81 Andre Deschamps  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
8 94 Bob Stumpf  Canada New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)
9 105 Guy Ross  Canada Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
10 116 Michel Belisle  Canada Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL)

References

  1. ^ World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
  2. ^ World Hockey Association (1974). WHA 1974-75 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
  3. ^ "1973 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.