1974–75 Washington Capitals season

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1974–75 Washington Capitals
Division 5th Norris
Conference 9th Prince of Wales
1974–75 record 8–67–5
Home record 7–28–5
Road record 1–39–0
Goals for 181
Goals against 446
General Manager Milt Schmidt
Coach Jim Anderson, Red Sullivan, Milt Schmidt
Captain Doug Mohns
Team leaders
Goals Tom Williams (22)
Assists Tom Williams (36)
Points Tom Williams (58)
Penalties in minutes Yvon Labre (182)
Wins Ron Low (8)
Goals against average Michel Belhumeur (5.36)

The 1974–75 season was the first in Capitals history. Along with the Kansas City Scouts, the Capitals joined the National Hockey League as an expansion team for the 1974–75 season. The team was owned by Abe Pollin, owner of the NBA's Washington Bullets. Pollin had built the Capital Centre in suburban Landover, Maryland, to house both the Bullets (who formerly played in Baltimore) and the Capitals. His first act as owner was to hire Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt as general manager.

Contents

[edit] Offseason

[edit] NHL Draft

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club Team
1 1 Greg Joly (D) Flag of Canada Canada Regina Pats (WCHL)

[edit] Expansion Draft

# Player Drafted From Drafted By
2. Ron Low (G) Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals
4. Michel Belhumeur (G) Philadelphia Flyers Washington Capitals
6. Dave Kryskow (F) Chicago Black Hawks Washington Capitals
8. Yvon Labre (D) Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals
10. Pete Laframboise (LW) California Golden Seals Washington Capitals
12. Bob Gryp (F) Boston Bruins Washington Capitals
14. Gord Smith (D) Los Angeles Kings Washington Capitals
16. Steve Atkinson (RW) Buffalo Sabres Washington Capitals
18. Bruce Cowick (F) Philadelphia Flyers Washington Capitals
20. Denis Dupere (LW) Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals
22. Joe Lundrigan (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals
24. Randy Wyrozub (C) Buffalo Sabres Washington Capitals
26. Mike Bloom (C) Boston Bruins Washington Capitals
28. Gord Brooks (RW) St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals
30. Bob Collyard (C) St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals
32. Bill Mikkelson (D) New York Islanders Washington Capitals
34. Ron Anderson (RW) Boston Bruins Washington Capitals
36. Mike Lampman (LW) Vancouver Canucks Washington Capitals
38. Lew Morrison (RW) Atlanta Flames Washington Capitals
40. Steve West (C) Minnesota North Stars Washington Capitals
42. Larry Bolonchuk (D) Vancouver Canucks Washington Capitals
44. Murray Anderson (D) Minnesota North Stars Washington Capitals
46. Larry Fullan (LW) Montreal Canadiens Washington Capitals
48. Jack Egers (RW) New York Rangers Washington Capitals

[edit] Regular season

The original Capitals logo, used from 1974-95.
The original Capitals logo, used from 1974-95.

Along with the Kansas City Scouts, the Capitals joined the NHL as an expansion team for the 1974–75 season. With a combined 30 teams between the NHL and the rival World Hockey Association, the talent pool available to stock the new teams was extremely thin. In their first season, the Capitals would set an NHL record for futility, losing 67 of 80 games, and only winning one on the road. The Scouts fared only marginally better, and the expansion was widely seen as having been a mistake.

The Capitals' inaugural season was dreadful, even by expansion standards. They finished 8–67–5, far and away the worst record in the league. Their 21 points were half that of their expansion brethren, the Scouts. They won only eight games, the fewest ever by a team playing at least 70 games. Their .131 winning percentage is still the worst in NHL history. They also set records for most road losses (39 out of 40), most consecutive road losses (37) and most consecutive losses (17), most of which have now been broken. Schmidt himself had to take over the coaching reins late in the season.

[edit] Season standings

Norris Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Montreal Canadiens 80 47 14 19 113 374 225 1155
Los Angeles Kings 80 42 17 21 105 269 185 1185
Pittsburgh Penguins 80 37 28 15 89 326 289 1119
Detroit Red Wings 80 23 45 12 58 259 335 1078
Washington Capitals 80 8 67 5 21 181 446 1085

[edit] Player stats

[edit] Forwards

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G AST PTS PIM

[edit] Defencemen

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G AST PTS PIM

[edit] Goaltending

Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against

Player GP W L T SO GAA

[edit] Roster

[edit] References