NHL Historical Replay

[George_Bell]

1970-71 NHL Regular Season

Canucks first game is a loss to the Kings at home, but look at those penalty minutes!!!



Sabres first game is a loss to the Pens, but look at those penalty minutes!!



A new mandate from the league must be for the refs to help out the new teams as much as possible!!!

A fairly major deal occurs just a few weeks into the new season.



Expansion Vancouver has picked up a star in Vic Hadfield. Vic lead Montreal goals last year and was 2nd in points. He’s a career point a game player in the NHL, but has battled injuries. Hadfield was off to a slow start, and having just turned 30, Montreal might be thinking he’s almost done. Hadfield will play on a line with top pick Gilbert Perreault. It’s a great gamble for the Canucks. Montreal gets Dennis O’Brien, who they lost to Vancouver in the expansion draft. He was the 40th selection. He’s a 2 star player, who is probably a 6/7th type roll player. The Canucks give up very little swinging for the fences!


Hadfield joins the Canucks!

Gary Smith is replacing a legend. The new starting goalie in Toronto is the Leafs first starting goalie not named Terry since the late 40s! How is he doing so far? The 26 year old, who had 9 NHL games before this season is 16-4-1 over the first 2 months. The Leafs have played a great defensive game, evidenced by his 1.79 GAA, but Smith’s .889 save percentage indicated that he may not be the guy. For the time being, Smith just can’t lose games, and he will be fine!


Smith has taken Sawchuk's spot!

With Chicago moving to the West, and a fantastic 103 point season last year, I thought they were a shoe-in to win the division this year. On December 1st, they sit in last place, in the whole league!!! Phil Esposito tore a ligament in his elbow during the preseason, and won’t be back until the playoffs. Jean Beliveau has gotten old, and can’t carry a team anymore, and Rod Gilbert has no one to play with. It’s a disastrous season. With two of the best goalies in hockey. Tony Esposito and Ken Dryden, both being in their 20’s..TRADE ONE!!!! TRADE A GOALIE!!


Chicago should trade one of their franchise goalies!

I’m still shocked by Buffalo taking Terry Murray second overall. Murray has 12 points in the AHL at the moment. Here are the other players contributing to NHL teams picked in this years draft. Buffalo could have had any of them except Perreault!



A few months after picking up Jim Dorey, he’s gone!



The North Stars send the youngster to Toronto, for Rod Seiling. Dorey was having a good season in Minnesota. He’s playing a much more physical role, getting 172 PIMS, but still on pace to surpass his 31 point rookie season. Toronto gives up 26 year old Seiling, who has played on their bottom pair defense for a few years. Seiling is a steady, unspectacular player, who does a good job, but won’t have to play huge minutes, and won’t get much credit. To me, Dorey is the type of player who will improve, and he’s the better player today. Good deal for the Leafs.


Dorey traded again, this time to Toronto!

Final Standings



Chicago outbads the bad teams in the west to sneak into the playoffs. They didn’t have a lot of competition to beat, but they beat the bad!!! Phil Esposito returned for the final two games of the season. This team is obviously different with him in the lineup. They might have some playoff magic in them!

The first year Canucks, who added vets throughout the season, are off to a great start, finishing over .500 while playing in the tough East. That’s pretty impressive. One of the better trades this year, that I didn’t mention, was the acquisition of Rick Dudley from the Flyers, who finished the season with 36 goals! (I miss some things)



Vic Hadfield wasn’t a ppg player in Vancouver, but he was still pretty good, finishing with 50 points in 66 games. I really liked that trade at the time, and while Hadfield couldn’t repeat his peak seasons, he was still very good for a new team looking to add pure talent.

2nd overall pick Terry Murray finishes with 27 points in 54 games in the AHL. 8 players drafted this year finished with 20+ points in the NHL, and a ninth, Rick MacLeish, had 18 in 26 games. A possible franchise goalie, Billy Smith, also went after Murray.

Jean Ratelle ties Stan Mikita for an NHL record 77 assists. Ratelle also had a career high 42 goals!



Gordie Howe, who just turned 43, scored his age, 43 goals. That’s the 3rd best total of his career. Yes, he’s still a 5 star player!

[George_Bell]

1971 NHL Playoffs

1st Round
East Division

Toronto vs Montreal

The Leafs are able to shut down Montreal in the first 2 games of the series with 5-1 and 3-1 wins. The Habs come back on home ice to tie the series. The teams then split a pair of 3-0 victories to force a game seven. In game seven, the Habs came back from a 3-1, third period deficit with 3 straight goals to grab a lead. Toronto is able to tie it and force overtime. A minute and 30 secs in, George Morrison ended the series, 5-4 Toronto!



New York vs Boston

After losing game one to Boston, the Rangers flexed their muscles and won four straight games. Bill Goldsworthy was a unlikely source of offense, putting up 7 points, and Bobby Orr got his first playoff action since his rookie year in 67. He had 3 points in the 5 games.



West Division

Philadelphia vs California

Philly dominated the opening two games, with 5-0 and 6-0 blowouts. After that, things got very close. The Seals broke through with a 4-3 home ice win in game three. The two teams needed overtime settle the next two games. Jude Drouin would score the winning goals in both games, giving the Flyers the series victory in 5 games.



Minnesota vs Chicago

These two teams go back and forth in what would be a full on seven game series. Phil Esposito showed no signs of rust, getting 10 points. But North Stars rookie Darryl Sittler out-shown the superstar. Sittler gets 9 goals and 5 assists, to lead the opening round in scoring. Former Hab Bob Nevin, a great summer acquisition I ignored, complemented Sittler with 8 points of his own. In game 7, the North Stars built a 4-1 lead. Chico Maki cut the lead to one midway through the third, but the Hawks could get no closer. Minnesota wins their first series with a the 4-3 win!



Semi Finals
Crossover A

E1 Toronto vs W2 Minnesota

No rest for either team, who both won a game 7 yesterday. Toronto didn’t have to travel though, and they start out the game on fire. JP Parise scores 46 seconds in, followed by 2 goals off the stick of Frank Mahovlich. It’s 4-0 after a period, and a 6-0 final. A little rest helped the North Stars in game two. A shorthanded goal from Bob Kelly gave Minny the lead. It’s a lead they held until JP Parise tied the game at three in the third. Overtime took only 13 seconds, something I notice happens a lot in this world. Mike Robitaille scores for the Stars, and they tie the series, winning 4-3!


Robitaille ties the series in overtime!

Bob Nevin and Darryl Sittler score in the first to give the North Stars a 2-1 lead. Toronto poured the shots on, outshooting Minnesota 40-18, but Nevin set up two more Minnesota goals in the third, giving them the 4-2 win and the series lead! Is there an upset brewing? Maybe, but not yet. Toronto turned it on in game four, limiting Minny to just 7 shots. Bobby Hull has a goal and 2 assists, and Toronto ties the series with a 4-1 win.


Nevin's big game three helped Minnesota to a brief series lead!

Back on home ice, the Leafs jumped out to a 2-1 lead, and extended it to 4-1 in the 3rd period on goals by Rick Ley and Jean Ratelle. While the game seemed over, Minnesota scored with 22 seconds remaining, and then again 8 seconds later. While they couldn’t get that tying goal with the remaining 14 seconds, they may have grabbed some momentum and belief in themselves. 4-3 Leafs.

The momentum doesn’t go to the North Stars, it goes to the stick of Bobby Hull. He scores 3 goals by the halfway point of game six, giving the Leafs a 3-1 lead. The North Stars fight back in the third. After cutting the lead to one, former Leaf Pilote trophy winner, Arnie Brown, after a tough, injury plagued season, scores to tie the game with 3 minutes remaining. With the Minnesota crowd on their feat, the North Stars force overtime. In the OT, the Stars dreams are dashed by Ken Hodge, who gets his 7th of the post season. 4-3 Leafs win to eliminate Minnesota!



Crossover B

W1 Philadelphia vs E2 New York

The Spectrum in Philadelphia hosts game one of the first ever series between these real life rivals. They needed overtime to settle this one, and halfway through the extra frame, John Ferguson deflected a Dick Redmond point shot! 3-2 Flyers. Bobby Orr plays his best playoff game so far in game two. He opens and closes the scoring in an impressive 5-2 Rangers win.


John Ferguson wins game one for the Flyers!

Game three is a rough affair, as the teams combine for 70 penalty minutes. Bobby Orr was kicked out of the game early in the third for an illegal check to the head. By that time though, the scoring was already done. Bill Fairbairn had 2 points, and Gary Edwards stopped all 30 shots he saw. 3-0 Rangers win it. The rough play didn’t continue in game 4, which maybe Philly needs, as they had nothing in this one. Pete Mahovlich had 5 points, while Stan Mikita had 3 assists. Rangers blow it out, 8-1!


Pete with a huge 5 point game!

The Flyers get back to playing with an edge, and spend 18 minutes in the box during game 5. Bobby Orr gets his 6th of the playoffs to open the scoring. It took a while, but Dave Dunn would tie it with 6 minutes remaining. Overtime coming up. In OT, Bill Goldsworthy is the hero, ending the run of the reigning champs. 2-1 Rangers win the series in 5!

[George_Bell]

It has been a very long time since the Rangers won a cup. 22 years to be exact. That’s a pretty long drought when you play in a league with just 6 teams. The Rangers though, have Stan Mikita, a multi time Hart Trophy winner, and Bobby Orr, who has scored in 4 straight games. What the Maple Leafs have, that is gonna give the Rangers fits, is two, fantastic forward lines that each are capable of carrying a team. Parise/Unger/Hull is the first line. Unger has the lowest point total of that group, with 76! Mahovlich, Ratelle and Hodge make up line two. That groups is scarier then the first. Toronto has been starting goalie Dunc Edwards during the playoffs. I assume he will start in the cup finals. This series also features the battle of the brothers. Frank and Pete Mahovlich!

[George_Bell]

Ok, forget about all that crap I wrote in the cup preview. The Rangers will be just fine. Stan Mikita scores three times, and Bobby Orr gets a goal in his 5th straight game, along with 3 assists. The Rangers don’t spend a minute in the penalty box, and roll the Leafs, 7-1! Dunc Edwards was pulled in game one, and Gary Smith will start for Toronto in game two. That game woke the Leafs up. The stars in Blue and White came to play in game two. Jean Ratelle gets 2 goals. Garry Unger, Bobby Hull and Jim Dorey also score. Toronto has an easy game two win, 5-1.


Mikita opens the finals with a hatty!

Game three is New York’s turn to dominate, and that’s what they did. The Leafs spent all game in the penalty box, while the Rangers again, didn’t spend a second. Dan Maloney had a goal and a assists, while Gary Edwards stopped 32 shots. Rangers win it 4-1. The Rangers were probably the better team in game four, but that doesn’t mean they will get the result. Gary Smith, still in net, was excellent, allowing a single goal after the game was essentially over. Frank Mahovlich had two points. The Leafs tie the series, winning 3-1.


Mahovlich setting up timely goals in game 4!

Before game 5, Bobby Orr commits a cardinal sin for hockey players in this world. He got on his roof. Bobby falls off the roof, which is actually the 121st player to fall off a roof in this game!! Orr will be out for a few weeks, easily long enough to end his season. Toronto just got a huge break.


a sign every nhl should heed.

The closest game of the series didn’t start that way. Toronto took a 1-0 lead, but the Rangers exploded with 4 straight goals in the 2nd. Frank’s kid brother, Pete, scored 3 of them, giving the Rangers a nice lead. Toronto responds in the third. They cut the lead to one, and with 45 seconds left, JP Parise ties it! Overtime is needed. Ken Hodge would complete the Toronto comeback halfway through, Toronto wins 5-4! Game 6 in New York was a back and forth affair. Toronto scores, the Rangers score two, Toronto responds… Tied at 3, Gary Sabourin scored the winning goal at the 17:37 mark of the third. 4-3 Rangers force a game 7!


Sabourin's late goal keeps the Rangers alive!

Game 7



Early in the contest, the Leafs get alot of pressure, but can’t score. Nick Libett finds Gery Bergman on a outlet, who gets in on Gary Smith and finds a hole. 1-0 Rangers three mins in. Near the end of the period, Bobby Hull gets some room and beats Edwards with a wicked wrist shot. 1-1 after a period.


Hull ties it at one!

Toronto goes ahead 2-1 after JP Parise scores on a goal mouth scramble. That goal seemed to energize the Leafs. They don’t score again this period, but outshoot the Rangers the rest of the way 9-1. In the third, the Rangers don’t get many chances. They spend 4 minutes in the sin bin, which only added to Toronto controlling the play. The Leafs end up getting 48 shots, 46 of the stopped by Gary Edwards, but NY can’t manage another goal. Toronto wins it 2-1, and take the Cup in seven games!

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

1971 NHL Offseason News and Notes

Here are the stats leaders for the completed 1970-71 season.



Here are the goalie leaders.



Here are the playoff leaders.



Dave Keon somehow wins the Hart Trophy over Jean Ratelle who again dominated the league in scoring. Ratelle wins the Conn Smythe though, and I think that is fair. Gilbert Perreault wins the ROY with a great season of 89 points!





The NHL has 2 announcements to make. First, the league has announced a change in their playoff format. In the opening round, the #1 ranked team will now play the #4 ranked team, while #2 will play #3. The winners will still crossover in the semi finals. The NHL has also announced they will be expanding by 2 more teams for the 1972/73 season. What this means…Chicago, you can not keep Esposito and Dryden!! Trade one or lose one for nothing!!!!

It’s a loaded drafted this year, full of potential stars. Top pick Marcel Dionne is ready right now, and teams up with Bobby Clarke in Pittsburgh.



Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Borje Salming, Rick Martin. It’s quite the draft. The last pick in the draft, by the St. Louis Blues is Czechoslovakian Milan Novy. He’s a very talented guy, but I don’t know if he can play in the NHL. Not sure what the game will allow, or the rules with European players at the time. I’ll keep an eye on him. He’s a first round talent. Here's a look at top pick Dionne.



Tom Johnson has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The former Canadien and Ranger won the Pilote Trophy 3 times in his career. He played over 1000 games, and was named a first team all star 6 times! Johnson was one of the best defenseman of his era!

[enf91]

How I feel watching Boston draft:

Boston
Wat r u doin
Boston
STAHP

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by enf91

How I feel watching Boston draft:

Boston
Wat r u doin
Boston
STAHP

Hahahaha! Very talented draft. Boston got none of it!!

[George_Bell]

1971-72 NHL Season Preview





Player Spotlight

With expansion coming next season, I am assuming that teams won't be able to protect two of their NHL goalies. That means Chicago likely can't keep both Tony Esposito and Ken Dryden. If they don't trade one before hand, then it's another obvious sign the game needs work in the AI department. Here is a look at Ken Dryden, who has started playing more games then Esposito for Chicago.



Gordie Howe is now 43 years old. If he's healthy, he should pass the 800 goal mark, the 800 assist mark and the 1600 point mark this year. Here is a look at the ratings of a 43 year old Gordie Howe.

[George_Bell]

1971-72 NHL Regular Season

Early returns on the Bobby Clarke, Marcel Dionne duo are very positive. Pittsburgh goes 8-4 during the first month of the season, and the two combined for 25 points over that time. Clarke is 22 years old, while Dionne is just 20! NHL watch out!!!


Teammates!

I forgot to update Serge Savard. After last season’s trade back to the Bruins, I speculated that Savard is running out of time. He was close to being a bust. His first season in his 2nd Bruins stint was actually a bit of a breakout. He had 41 assists, and 51 points, a game rating of 67, and his skills improved to a 3.5 level. He’s close to becoming that big time defenseman the Bruins need right now. 70/71 was a important year for him, and he came through!


Savard improved alot last year!

At New Years, Gordie Howe just recorded his 1600th point. He has 790 goals, and 810 assists! He’s just 10 goals away from the 800 mark! He’s got 11 this year in his 31 games. So the pace is a tad slower then it use to be, but the man is turning 44 in 3 months!!


Howe still going strong!

The Maple Leafs are doing it again. Approaching the trade deadline, with about a month to go, they are 51-6-7! More ties then losses! This group of forwards has a lot of game both on offense and in their own zone. The defense keeps improving. Two records are within reach. They are 10 wins and 18 points away from matching their record 1968 season. Bobby Hull also has 48 goals, which puts him just 4 goals behind Gordie Howe's record 52!!


Leafs are in their golden age!

While Gordie Howe looks like he will lose one of his records, he just reached a milestone! Howe scored a goal on Feb 22nd, against Toronto, which was the 800th goal of his career. 5 days later, he matched his real life NHL total with his 801st career goal!! I keep forgetting, but here is the career goal scoring leaders in NHL history.


219 more goals then anyone else! Amazing!

Here’s a look at the highest paid player in the NHL. Haven’t looked at this in a while.



Bobby Orr hasn't been the real life Bobby Orr. He's a great player, puts up points, but he's hurt all the time, and isn't changing the game! Still the highest paid player in the league!



On March 4th, against the LA Kings, Bobby Hull scores his 50th goal of the season during the first period. The 4th player ever to accomplish this! Early in the third, he then scored his 51st, followed by his 52nd, to tie Gordie Howe's record!! He wasn’t done. Hull got his 53rd a minute later. His 4th goal of the night, and the record breaking marker!!



The trade deadline comes and goes without a single deal this year. Nothing major or minor. Nothing from Chicago and their two star goalies!! They will have one more chance to move them once the cup final ends.


They can't keep both!

Final Standings



The Leafs fall 2 points short of their 127 point record, but still only lose 9 times in 78 games!! Is this Leaf team, this run they are on, the best in league history? They need a few more cups before I can say that, but they are in the conversation!

The Blackhawks, with a healthy Phil Esposito and great goaltending win the West easily. With the crossover though, their road to the Stanley Cup won’t be that easy.



Bobby Hull finishes with 56 goals, obviously, a new league record!

Bobby Clarke gets 71 points, while teammate Marcel Dionne finishes with 78! These guy together are gonna be something! Pittsburgh finishes in 2nd place, way behind Chicago.

Serge Savard puts together his 2nd straight very strong seasons with 39 points and a 66 game rating. He’s safely out of the danger area and officially a very good defenseman!

The now 44 year old Gordie Howe has his worst statistical season ever when playing a full season. 28 goals and 24 assists. That’s not bad at all, just isn’t a place Howe has ever been too!

[George_Bell]

1972 NHL Playoffs

1st Round
East Division

Toronto vs Montreal

Toronto jumps out to a 2-0 lead, flashing their offensive muscle, scoring 10 goals in the two wins. They win game three on the road to take a 3-0 series lead. Montreal does not go quietly into the night. The Habs win game four by one, and get a 4 goal third period in a game 5 comeback win. Don Awrey scores in overtime of game six to send this series to 7. Tied at one in the third, Jean Ratelle gets the winning goal with 5 mins remaining. Toronto survives in 7!



New York vs Boston

On the road, the Bruins surprise the Rangers with two wins. Facing adversity, Bernie Parent gets his Rangers back in the series. He does not allow the Bruins to score on their home ice! Andy Brown turns the tables in game 5, shutting out the Rangers. Parent records his third shut out of the series in game 6. Two notes... If Boston scores, they win. The road team is 6-0 in the series. Game 7 from MSG sees both those trends end. Boston scores first, but it’s all Rangers after that. Pete Mahovlich scores twice. Rangers win 4-1 to take the series in 7!



West Division

Chicago vs Philadelphia

Already down a game, the Flyers get a goal from Steve Vickers at the 17:45 mark of the third, and another goal from Michael Briere at the 19:17 mark to steal game two, 4-3! Both teams then split the Philly hosted games of the series. Ken Dryden then shut the door to his net, allowing just one goal in the next 2 games. Blackhawks win the series in 6!



Pittsburgh vs Minnesota

After the Penguins dominate the first two games, the North Stars responded with a wonderful effort, getting a 4-0 win in the third game. That was the highlight of the series for the North Stars, as Pittsburgh won the next two games easily to win the series in 5!



Semi Finals

E1 Toronto vs W2 Pittsburgh

The Penguins are huge underdogs in this series, but for 10 minutes, they are toe to toe with Toronto. Then Norm Ferguson scored. 10 seconds later Rick Ley scored. 90 seconds later JP Parise scored. Four minutes later JP Parise scored again. 4-0 Toronto after one, and a 7-2 final. Bobby Hull scores twice in the first period of game two, and Toronto leads by that margin after a period. The Pens get outplayed badly, but are held in the game by goalie Doug Favell. He ends up stopping 59 shots. Down by one, Marcel Dionne ties it midway through the third to force overtime. The Leafs win it 33 seconds in, off the stick of Jean-Guy Lagace! 3-2 Toronto.


Lagace is the game two overtime hero!

The Penguins showed some fight back home, taking a lead into the third period of game three. Unfortunately for them, they could not hold that lead as Bobby Hull and JP Parise erased it on back to back shifts. Pierre Jarry added a insurance marker. Toronto wins 6-4. The Leafs stepped on the neck in game 4, ending this series as quickly as possible. They scored 34 seconds in. Led 3-0 after a period, and repeated the game one scoreline, winning 7-2. Toronto sweeps Pittsburgh.



W1 Chicago vs E2 New York

Bernie Parent continues his fantastic play, earning his fourth shut out, with a series opening 2-0 Rangers win. This playoffs is a coming out party for Bernie! Chicago gets 2 third period goals from Mike Corrigan and Rod Gilbert to tie the series with a 3-1 win in game two.


Rod Gilbert, and underrated star in Chicago!

Parent is back at it in game three. He makes 24 saves, while Nick Libett scored twice. 5-0 Rangers take the series lead. I don’t believe this, game four sees Parent make 44 saves, again allowing no goals!! Bill Fairbairn scored twice. The Rangers win it 4-0!


Bernie Parent is becoming a star before our eyes!

Parent now has 6 shutouts in these playoffs. One more will eliminate the Blackhawks. Andre Lacroix makes sure Parent won’t earn another zero in game 5, scoring early for Chicago. The two teams battled to a 2-2 draw, needing another period. It took 10 mins, but Tracy Pratt, a journeyman defenseman, with 9 career goals, finds space behind Parent to win it for Chicago! They stay alive, 3-2. In game 6, Parent was not on his game, and neither was Ken Dryden, the Blackhawks goalie. NY led 2-1 after a period, but that lead vanished quickly in the 2nd. Rod Gilbert scored a few seconds following the opening faceoff, and Mike Corrigan gave Chicago the lead. The teams exchanged goals in the third, but with only 42 combined shots on net, 8 goals are scored, and the Blackhawks win 5-3. Bad goaltending tonight. We need a game 7!


Pratt is the hero of game 5!

Syl Apps Jr opens the scoring for NY, but JC Tremblay ties it right away. Before the first period ends, Al Hamilton gives the Rangers a 2-1 lead. Rookie Larry Robinson ties it for Chicago in the 2nd, meaning the two teams now have a period to play for the right to go to the finals..

With Chicago controlling the play, Gary Croteau is rewarded with the go ahead goal, while Tracy Pratt scores an insurance marker. The Rangers finish with just 15 shots on net. New York goes 1-7 in games Bernie Parent didn’t record a shutout. 4-2 Chicago eliminates NY!

[George_Bell]

Chicago hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in 30 years. They lost in 52, 55, and 67 but that’s it. Three appearances since Toe Blake led them to 4 in a row! It can easily be argued Chicago is the least successful team in NHL history(that’s survived)! I feel they have managed their assets very poorly, and could have been a lot better! Phil Esposito is a Hall of Famer, and Larry Robinson looks like a stud. The goaltending is great. They are still in tough against a Maple Leafs team that excels in both ends of the ice, and has a ton of experience! Frank Mahovlich will miss the finals. He broke his collarbone in the first round against Montreal. They have multiple guys capable of stepping up though. Toronto is very deep.

[George_Bell]

The Leafs are ready for the Cup, and come out on fire. Bobby Hull, Jean Ratelle and Norm Ferguson all score in the first period, setting the tone for an easy 4-1 Toronto win. Against a team like Toronto, Chicago can’t afford to fall down so early. Chicago does not fall behind early in game two. Toronto doesn’t score until the 2nd period, very late. Garry Unger gets one in the final seconds. The Leafs expand the lead early in the third, and add the kill shot off the stick of Garry Unger late. 3-0 Leafs win.


Unger gets two in the Leafs game two win!

In Chicago Stadium, the Blackhawks do a great job in shutting down the Toronto offense. The Leafs are held to just 24 shots, and 2 goals. Unfortunately for them, the Toronto's Dunc Wilson stopped all 24 shots he faced, earning his 2nd straight shutout! 2-0 Leafs win. Facing the four game sweep, Chicago does not start off well, going down 2-0 after a period. They get some fightback though in the 2nd. After a third Toronto goal, Andre Lacroix and Ivan Boldirev cut the lead to one. Boldirev would tie the game early in the third, only to see Toronto’s Jean-Guy Lagace take the lead back a minute later. The Leafs clamp down the rest of the way, and are able to hold off Chicago. Toronto wins 4-3, and sweeps the series!

[George_Bell]

[enf91]

We need some line nicknames. What could be one for Hull, Ratelle, and Parise? "PB&J" (Parise, Bobby, and Jean)?

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by enf91

We need some line nicknames. What could be one for Hull, Ratelle, and Parise? "PB&J" (Parise, Bobby, and Jean)?

Hahahaha, that's pretty great! I'd never come up with that myself! I think you have found your calling!

[George_Bell]

1972-73 NHL Offseason News and Notes

Here are the skating leaders for last season.



Here are the goalie leaders for last season.



Here are the Playoff leaders.



Marcel Dionne is the surprise winner of the Hart Trophy. The rookie and top pick in this last years draft has a great career ahead of him. Jean Ratelle is wondering what he has to do to win this award!



Bill White, the Leafs defenseman and winner of the Pilote Trophy and Conn Smythe Award, has just had his breakout season at age 32!! His 69 points this year is easily a career high!



Glenn Hall, Andy Bathgate and Jean Beliveau have retired from the NHL. Two of hockey’s greatest players of all time, and one of the best goalies.!! 2 of the first 3 players to hit 1000 career points, and 2 of 5 who have done it today. Here is a look at all their careers. The Blackhawks will retire Beliveau’s and Hall’s numbers, while the Maple Leafs will retire Bathgate’s!


(Thumbnails)
Bathgate, Beliveau, Hall



A new league competing with the NHL has been formed, and will begin this year. The World Hockey Association has awarded 12 franchises around North America for a fee of 25 grand a piece. While NHL players are bound to their teams because of the reserve clause, the WHA announced they would not use the reserve clause. The league also promises much higher salaries then the NHL. I have no idea how this league will function in the game. The only way to find out is to play it out!! I will follow the league with less detail then the NHL, but, interesting things are interesting things. Anyway, here are the teams that will make up the WHA!





The WHA inaugural draft was scheduled for July 1st, here is a look at the results. Just because a player is selected, doesn’t mean they will play. This draft awards each selections league rights to the selecting team.



Despite me saying a year ago that the NHL had announced expansion for this year, they did not. The formation of the WHA resulted in the two leagues battling for not only players, but markets too. The original plan to expand after the 72/73 season was scrapped, and teams were awarded to Long Island, and Atlanta. Hence the birth of the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Flames! Both begin play immediately.



For the expansion draft, each expansion team will select 21 players from the established clubs, three players from each of the 14 existing teams.: two goaltenders and nineteen skaters. Thus, a total of 42 players will be picked. Existing teams can protect 2 goalies and fifteen skaters. First year pros are exempt! Chicago can keep both their goalies. Another example of me being an idiot. They should still trade one of them though!



A lot of younger players taken in this draft. There is some talent and experience chosen, but no one who stands out or shocks me. 33 year old Carl Brewer is the top scorer taken. He being a defensive defenseman with 219 points in 1007 games.


Brewer joins the Atlanta Flames.

The NHL draft has a bunch of pretty good players, without a lot of great potential players. A lot of these guys look like they will help. Hard to think anyone will be that disappointed with these results as long as their players develop.



The Islanders should have taken Steve Shutt first overall, but Bob MacMillan will be good. Steve Shutt went first overall in the WHA amateur draft. Bob MacMillan went 5th.



The Hockey Hall of Fame will had Pierre Pilote and Bernie Boom Boom Geoffrion this year. Pilote was name to an all star team 11 times in his career. I named the award for best defenseman after him. Boom Boom only played 876 games, as his career ended at 34, but his 731 points in that time was fantastic. He was instrumental in all of Boston’s playoff runs during his time!



Steve Shutt has signed with the New England Whalers, shunning the NHL! Shutt will make 52 grand a year, which is about double the average NHL wage. Johnny Bucyk has also left the Boston Bruins for the WHA’s Philadelphia Blazers! The 37 year old will earn 58,000 this year. Bucyk had 73 points last season. He’s the early favourite for WHA MVP.


Shutt and Bucyk are the two most talented players to join the WHA!

Onto the season!

[enf91]

Don't expect too much from the WHA. Unlike real life, there are no contract disputes to push Bobby Hull or Bernie Parent into the league. Generally, players rarely switch in this game.
Did Bathgate play every single game for 11 years? And miss only 13 games in 17 years? One of those has to be a record.
Really, Pittsburgh? You couldn't find ONE MORE GAME so Hall could reach 1000?

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by enf91

Don't expect too much from the WHA. Unlike real life, there are no contract disputes to push Bobby Hull or Bernie Parent into the league. Generally, players rarely switch in this game.
Did Bathgate play every single game for 11 years? And miss only 13 games in 17 years? One of those has to be a record.
Really, Pittsburgh? You couldn't find ONE MORE GAME so Hall could reach 1000?

I expect the WHA to get a bunch of guys drafted. That's where their talent will come from.

Great eye on Bathgate and Hall. Yes, Hall should have reached 1000, but both Chicago and Pittsburgh dropped the ball on that. He was still too good to be in the minors his last few years.

Bathgate suffered 3 seperate minor injuries in the 57/58 season. A hip flexor strain, a sore ankle and a hamstring strain. He missed about 4 weeks combined that year. Other then that, you are correct. He played every game from 52 to 69!! That's pretty amazing!

[George_Bell]

1972-73 NHL Season Preview





Player Spotlight

Toronto's Bill White broke out last year, and took home the Pilote trophy. In addition, he was named playoff MVP. His 69 points was a career high. Here's a look at his ratings entering the season.



Johnny Bucyk is the first NHL player of any substance to leave the league and join the WHA. Here's a look at the 37 year old to see what the WHA is getting.