1973–74 New England Whalers season

1973–74 New England Whalers
1973–74 New England Whalers
Division	1st East
1973–74 record	43–31–4
Home record	26–11–2
Road record	17–20–2
Goals for	291
Goals against	260
Team information
General manager	Jack Kelley
Coach	Ron Ryan
Captain	Ted Green
Alternate captains	Jim Dorey; Tommy Williams; Larry Pleau
Arena	Boston Garden
Average attendance	5,970 (39.8%)
Team leaders
Goals	Tom Webster (43)
Assists	John French (48)
Points	John French (72)
Penalty minutes	Rick Ley (148)
Wins	Al Smith (30)
Goals against average	Al Smith (3.08)
	← 1972–73 1974–75 →

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]

Offseason

Regular season

Final 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

1973–74 regular season^[3]

October

Game	Result	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

November

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
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

December

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
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

January

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
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

February

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
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

March

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
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

April

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
78	L	April 1, 1974	1–4	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	43–31–4

Legend: Win (2 points) Loss (0 points) Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

1974 Avco Cup playoffs^[3]

Division Quarterfinals vs. Chicago Cougars – Cougars win 4–3

Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Series
1	April 6	Chicago Cougars	4–6	New England Whalers	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

Legend: Win Loss

Player statistics

Awards and records

Transactions

Draft picks

New England's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.^[4]

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

References

^ World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
^ World Hockey Association (1974). WHA 1974-75 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
^ ^a ^b "1973-74 New England Whalers Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
^ "1973 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.