1972-73
This season could be called the season of trauma for the NHL and its fans. The NHL took two major hammer blows, one that would threaten the leagues existence, the other that would threaten the reputation of an entire hockey empire.
The first was the emergence of the World Hockey Association, the second was the fabulous but unexpected Summit series between the Soviet Union and Canada.
Days after the 1972 Stanley Cup final, agents for the WHA become combing through NHL rosters in an effort to sign players for the new 12 team circuit. The first hammer blow came in June when Bobby Hull signed a 10 year 2.75 million dollar contract to play for and coach the Winnipeg Jets. Suddenly the new league was on the front page of every newspaper, and the NHL owners suddenly dropped their cognac and cigars and took notice.
Hull's signing created a avalanche of stars leaving their teams for the big money of the WHA. Montreal's J.C. Trembley signed a hometown deal with the Quebec Nordiques. Gerry Cheevers left the Bruins to tend the pipes in Cleveland.
Panic set in across the NHL owners suite, and started a massive salary acceleration. The Ranger's panic signed their better better players to outlandish contracts. The Bruins the most frugal team in the league got hammered as Johnny McKenzie and Derek Sanderson signed with the Philadelphia Blazers. Ted Green left the Bruins to play for the New England Whalers. The New York Islanders who had just joined the league with the Atlanta Flames lost several players to the cross town New York Raiders.
Meanwhile the Team Canada was preparing for a 8 game series against the best of the Soviet Union. The series was to be split into 4 games in Canadians cities and 4 games in Russia.
while the Soviets had dominated international play, nobody expected them to be competitive against the super human like NHL players. One scout proclaimed that Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak couldn't pay goal after watching a practice (Tretiak had just gotten married and was more then likely worn out).
Ken Dryden proclaimed that if Canada didn't sweep the series "It would be a dark day for Canada".
The earth shook on September 7th and the sun dimmed over Canada as the Soviets came in and humiliated the Canadians 7-3 in Montreal, Canada rebounded with a 4-1 win. The third game was a 4-4 tie. But The Soviets put a licking on the Canadians 5-3 and were boo'd off of the ice in Vancouver.
Things didn't get much better in Russia. Canada jumped to a 3-0 lead in the 5th game only to see the Russians rally to a 5-4 win.
Trailing 3-1-1 in the series there were rumours of a parliamentary investigation into Canadian Hockey. the knives were out for the Canadians by papers across the country. The Soviets had shown a different style of hockey. A cohesive game built around 5 men units that emphasized creativity, skill, and discipline.
The NHL did find a way to rally, and adopted a almost us against the world attitude. They rallied to 2 straight wins, and in game 8 with the game tied, the Soviets declared that they were going to claim the series win. Alan Eagleson snapped and fired the bird seen around the world. Paul Henderson scored late (a goal that wasn't seen on Soviet TV due to an outage) with 34 seconds left. While Canadians celebrated and the NHL breathed a sigh of relief, they didn't realize that while the NHL had dominate teams, the Soviets were going to go on a dominate period of hockey that would rival any NHL dynasty.
Trivia
- The World Hockey Association is founded by Dennis Murphy and American Basketball Association founder Gary Davidson.
- After scoring 604 goals for the Black Hawks in 15 seasons. Bobby Hull signs with the Winnipeg Jets.
- Among NHL'ers that signed with the AHL are Boston's Gerry Cheevers, John Mackenzie and Derek Sanderson. Chicago's Andre Lacroix and Montreal's JC Trembley.
- The NHL adds the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames. Atlanta joins the West Division, the Islanders join the East.
- The Islanders user their number 1 pick to draft Billy Harris .
- NHL Amateur Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_NHL_amateur_draft
- NHL Expansion Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_NHL_expansion_draft
- The Hall of Fame inducts 5 new members, Jean Beliveau, Bernie Geoffrion, Hap Holmes, Gordie Howe and Hooley Smith.
- Boston's Johnny Bucyk scores his 1000th point on November 9th.
- On November 22, Pittsburgh scores 5 goals in 2 minutes and 7 seconds against St Louis.
- On Jan 28th Detroit's Henry Boucha scores a goal 6 seconds into a game against the Canadians to set a new NHL record.
- On Feb 13, 1973 Frank Mahovlich scores his 1000th point, on March 21 he notches his 500th goal.
- Montreal finishes in first place in the East with a 52-10-16 record on the back of Ken Dryden's league leading 2.26 gaa.
- Phil Esposito of the Bruins leads the league with 55 goals and 75 assists to win the triple crown.
- Mickey Redmond becomes the first Red Wing to score 50 points.
- The Islanders begin to steal Rangers fans but have a miserable first year winning 12 games.
- In the West Chicago takes first place. They also debut the MPH line of Dennis Hull, Jim Pappin and Pit Martin.
- Stan Mikita puts up 83 points in 57 games and scores his 1000th point on Oct 15th.
- The Atlanta Flames hire Bernie Geoffrion to coach. They are lead by Bobby Leiter with 26 goals and get yeoman goaltending from Phil Myre and Daniel Bouchard but still finish second last in the West.
- Philadelphia ushers in the Broad Street Bully era as they have 4 players in the top 5 for Penalty Minutes. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz tops the league with 259 minutes leads the way but is closely followed by Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly, Andre "Moose" Dupont and Don "Big Bird" Saleski.
- Twelve teams compete in the WHA including New England, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Ottawa, Quebec, and New York in the East. Winnipeg, Houston, L.A, Alberta, Minnesota and Chicago form the West.
- The New England Whalers take the East.
- Bobby Hull powers the Jets to the West Division crown while scoring 51 goals.
- In the WHA semifinals, New England harpoons Cleveland in 5 and Winnipeg ejects Houston in 4 games.
- The New England Whalers becomes the first WHA Champions beating the Jets in 5 games.
- Andre Lacroix wins the WHA scoring title with 124 points.
- In the NHL playoffs Montreal defeats Buffalo in 6 games, while the Rangers destroy the weakened Bruins in 6 in the East. In the West Chicago beats St Louis in 5 and the Flyers beat up the North Stars in 6 games.
- Montreal eliminates the Flyers in 5 games in the semi finals, while Chicago upsets the Rangers in 5 games.
- The Canadians beat the Hawks in 6 high scoring games to capture their 17th Stanley Cup.
- Yvan Cournoyer scores 25 points in the playoffs and takes the Conn Smythe.
- Bobby Clarke takes home the Hart Trophy and the Lester B Pearson Award.
- Buffalo's Gil Perrault takes the Lady Byng.
- Ken Dryden wins the Vezina.
- The Ranger's Steve Vickers scores 30 goals and wins the Calder.
- Bobby Orr takes his 6th Norris Trophy.
- Pittsburgh's Lowell Macdonald wins the Masterton.
- Walter Bush Jr who bought NHL hockey to Minnesota accepts the Lester Patrick Trophy.
- The Toronto Marlboros ride their smooth rich flavor to a Memorial Cup.
- Future Flames coach and all around good guy Bob Johnson leads Minnesota to the NCAA Championship.
Debuts
- Dan Bouchard, Atlanta Flames
- Jacques Richard, Atlanta Flames
- Jim Schoenfeld, Buffalo Sabres
- Phil Russell, Chicago Black Hawks
- Robbie Ftorek, Detroit Red Wings
- Steve Shutt, Montreal Canadiens
- Larry Robinson, Montreal Canadiens
- Bob Nystrom, New York Islanders
- Billy Harris, New York Islanders
- Steve Vickers, New York Rangers
- Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers
- Jimmy Watson, Philadelphia Flyers
- Tom Bladon, Philadelphia Flyers
- Denis Herron, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Connie Madigan, St. Louis Blues
- Don Lever, Vancouver Canucks
Last Games
NOTE: Plante, Stapleton, Backstrom, Howell and Balon would finish their major professional careers in the World Hockey Association.