1972–73 New England Whalers season

The 1972–73 New England Whalers season was the Whalers' first season. The Whalers were competitive from the start, placing first in the Eastern Division to qualify for the playoffs. They then won three playoff series to become the first winner of the Avco World Trophy.

Regular season

Final standings

Eastern Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
New England Whalers	78	46	30	2	318	263	858	94
Cleveland Crusaders	78	43	32	3	287	239	1095	89
Philadelphia Blazers	78	38	40	0	288	305	1260	76
Ottawa Nationals	78	35	39	4	279	301	1067	74
Quebec Nordiques	78	33	40	5	276	313	1354	71
New York Raiders	78	33	43	2	303	334	900	68

Schedule and results

1972-73 game log

October: 5–4–0 (Home: 3–2–0; Road: 2–2–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
1	October 12	Philadelphia	3 – 4	New England		1–0–0	2
2	October 16	Chicago	1 – 4	New England		2–0–0	4
3	October 18	New England	4 – 1	Houston		3–0–0	6
4	October 19	Quebec	4 – 3	New England		3–1–0	6
5	October 21	New England	4 – 6	Quebec		3–2–0	6
6	October 23	Minnesota	1 – 5	New England		4–2–0	8
7	October 24	New England	3 – 2	Cleveland	OT	5–2–0	10
8	October 26	New England	6 – 7	New York		5–3–0	10
9	October 28	Alberta	4 – 1	New England		5–4–0	10

November: 8–4–1 (home: 8–0–1; road: 0–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
10	November 1	Chicago	2 – 4	New England		6-4-0	12
11	November 4	Philadelphia	4 – 8	New England		7-4–0	14
12	November 6	Winnipeg	2 – 6	New England		8-4-0	16
13	November 11	New York	5 – 6	New England		9-4-0	18
14	November 13	Houston	4 – 4	New England	TIE	9-4-1	19
15	November 17	New England	0 – 3	Cleveland		9-5-1	19
16	November 18	Ottawa	2 – 3	New England		10-5-1	21
17	November 20	Ottawa	5 – 7	New England		11-5-1	23
18	November 22	New England	1 – 3	New York		11-6-1	23
19	November 24	Alberta	2 – 7	New England		12-6-1	25
20	November 26	New England	1 – 3	Minnesota		12-7-1	25
21	November 27	Cleveland	0 – 3	New England		13-7-1	27
22	November 29	New England	6 – 7	New York		13-8-1	27

December: 11–7–0 (home: 5–3–0; road: 6–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
23	December 1	New England	3 – 5	Philadelphia		13–9-1	27
24	December 2	Quebec	2 – 7	New England		14–9-1	29
25	December 4	Ottawa	2 – 7	New England		15–9–1	31
26	December 6	New York	3 – 4	New England		16–9–1	33
27	December 7	New England	4 - 2	Ottawa		17-9-1	35
28	December 9	New York	2 - 4	New England		18-9-1	37
29	December 11	Winnipeg	3 – 4	New England		19-9-1	39
30	December 13	New England	3 – 6	Chicago		19-10-1	39
31	December 14	New England	5 - 2	Los Angeles		20-10-1	41
32	December 16	New England	10 - 6	Philadelphia		21-10-1	43
33	December 17	Philadelphia	6 – 3	New England		21-11-1	43
34	December 19	New England	5 - 7	New York		21-12-1	43
35	December 21	New England	4 - 5	Quebec		21-13-1	43
36	December 24	Los Angeles	5 - 3	New England		21-14-1	43
37	December 25	New England	8 - 2	New York		22-14-1	45
38	December 28	New England	5 - 3	Quebec		23-14-1	47
39	December 29	New York	4 - 2	New England		23-15-1	47
40	December 31	New England	3 – 0	New York		24-15-1	49

January: 6–4–0 (home: 3–1–0; road: 3–3–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
41	January 9	New England	5 - 7	Houston		24-16-1	49
42	January 13	New York	3 - 4	New England		25-16-1	51
43	January 17	New England	4 - 2	Chicago		26-16-1	53
44	January 19	New England	2 - 6	Winnipeg		26-17-1	53
45	January 21	New England	7 - 2	Winnipeg		27-17-1	55
46	January 24	Winnipeg	1 - 6	New England		28-17-1	57
47	January 25	New England	4 – 2	Ottawa		29-17-1	59
48	January 27	Quebec	3 - 1	New England		29-18-1	59
49	January 29	New England	2 - 3	Cleveland		29-19-1	59
50	January 31	Cleveland	1 – 4	New England		30-19-1	61

February: 5–6–1 (home: 2–1–0; road: 3–5–1)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
51	February 1	New England	5 – 4	Houston	OT	31-19-1	63
52	February 2	New England	1 - 3	Los Angeles		31-20-1	63
53	February 4	New England	3 - 4	Los Angeles		31-21-1	63
54	February 6	New England	4 - 2	Alberta		32-21-1	65
55	February 7	New England	1 – 3	Alberta		32-22-1	65
56	February 9	Ottawa	7 - 4	New England		32-23-1	65
57	February 11	New England	2 - 2	Quebec	TIE	32-23-2	66
58	February 13	New England	4 - 5	Philadelphia		32-24-2	66
59	February 15	Los Angeles	5 - 6	New England		33-24-2	68
60	February 17	New England	6 - 4	Quebec		34-24-2	70
61	February 20	New England	2 - 4	Philadelphia		34-25-2	70
62	February 23	Alberta	2 - 4	New England		35-25-2	72

March: 10–5–0 (home: 8–1–0; road: 2–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
63	March 4	New England	2 – 4	Minnesota		35-26-2	72
64	March 7	Cleveland	0 - 1	New England	OT	36-26-2	74
65	March 9	Cleveland	4 - 5	New England		37-26-2	76
66	March 10	Minnesota	1 - 3	New England		38-26-2	78
67	March 13	New England	4 – 3	Chicago	OT	39-26-2	80
68	March 14	New England	7 - 5	Winnipeg		40-21-2	82
69	March 16	Minnesota	4 - 7	New England		41-26-2	84
70	March 17	Philadelphia	0 - 4	New England		42-26-2	86
71	March 20	Los Angeles	1 - 4	New England		43-26-2	88
72	March 22	New England	2 - 4	Ottawa		43-27-2	88
73	March 23	Chicago	1 - 3	New England		44-27-2	90
74	March 26	New England	5 - 7	Cleveland		44-28–2	90
75	March 27	Houston	6 - 1	New England		44-29–2	90
76	March 29	New England	2 - 5	Ottawa		44-30-2	90
77	March 30	New York	4 - 5	New England	OT	45-30-2	92

April: 1–0–0 (home: 1–0–0; road: 0–0–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
78	April 1	Quebec	3 – 8	New England		46–30–2	94

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Finals

New England Whalers

Ottawa Nationals

New England Whalers

Eastern Division

Cleveland Crusaders

Cleveland Crusaders

Philadelphia Blazers

New England Whalers

Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets

Minnesota Fighting Saints

Winnipeg Jets

Western Division

Houston Aeros

Houston Aeros

Los Angeles Sharks

1972-73 Avco World Championship playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinal vs. Ottawa - Whalers win 4-1
Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Series
1	April 7	Ottawa	3 – 6	New England		Whalers lead 1-0
2	April 8	Ottawa	3 – 4	New England	OT	Whalers lead 2-0
3	April 10	New England	2 – 4	Ottawa		Whalers lead 2-1
4	April 12	New England	7 – 3	Ottawa	OT	Whalers lead 3-1
5	April 14	Ottawa	4 – 5	New England		Whalers win 4-1

Eastern Division Final vs. Cleveland - Whalers win 4-1
Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Series
1	April 18	Cleveland	2 – 3	New England		Whalers lead 1-0
2	April 19	Cleveland	2 – 3	New England		Whalers lead 2-0
3	April 21	New England	5 – 4	Cleveland		Whalers lead 3-0
4	April 22	New England	2 – 5	Cleveland		Whalers lead 3-1
5	April 26	Cleveland	1 – 3	New England		Whalers win 4-1

Avco World Trophy Finals vs. Winnipeg - Whalers win 4-1
Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Series
1	April 29	Winnipeg	2 – 7	New England		Whalers lead 1-0
2	May 2	New England	7 – 4	Winnipeg		Whalers lead 2-0
3	May 3	New England	3 – 4	Winnipeg		Whalers lead 2-1
4	May 5	Winnipeg	2 – 4	New England		Whalers lead 3-1
5	May 6	Winnipeg	6 – 9	New England		Whalers win 4-1

Roster

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
14	United States !	Ahearn, KevinKevin Ahearn	6.0 !LW	L	24	1972	Milton, Massachusetts
21	Canada !	Byers, MikeMike Byers	7.0 !RW	R	26	1973	Toronto, Ontario
7	Canada !	Caffery, TerryTerry Caffery	4.0 !C	R	24	1972	Toronto, Ontario
-	United States !	Cunniff, JohnJohn Cunniff	2.0 !D	L	29	1972	Boston, Massacusetts
12	Canada !	Danby, JohnJohn Danby	4.0 !C	R	24	1972	Toronto, Ontario
10	Canada !	Dorey, JimJim Dorey	2.0 !D	L	25	1972	Kingston, Ontario
27	Canada !	Earl, TommyTommy Earl	6.0 !LW	R	25	1972	Niagara Falls, Ontario
11	Canada !	French, JohnJohn French	4.0 !C	L	22	1972	Orillia, Ontario
6	Canada !	Green, TedTed Green	2.0 !D	R	33	1972	Eriksdale, Manitoba
5	United States !	Hurley, PaulPaul Hurley	2.0 !D	R	26	1972	Melrose, Massachusetts
21	Canada !	Hyndman, MikeMike Hyndman	7.0 !RW	R	27	1972	Quebec, Quebec
20	Canada !	Jordan, RicRic Jordan	2.0 !D	L	23	1972	Toronto, Ontario
30	Canada !	Landon, BruceBruce Landon	1.0 !G	L	23	1972	Kingston, Ontario
2	Canada !	Ley, RickRick Ley	2.0 !D	L	24	1972	Orillia, Ontario
4	United States !	Pleau, LarryLarry Pleau	6.0 !LW	L	26	1972	Lynn, Massachusetts
16	Canada !	Sarrazin, DickDick Sarrazin	7.0 !RW	R	27	1972	Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Quebec
18	Canada !	Selby, BritBrit Selby	6.0 !LW	L	28	1972	Kingston, Ontario
3	Canada !	Selwood, BradBrad Selwood	2.0 !D	L	25	1972	Leamington, Ontario
15	United States !	Sheehy, TimTim Sheehy	4.0 !C	R	24	1972	Fort Frances, Ontario
1	Canada !	Smith, AlAl Smith	1.0 !G	L	27	1972	Toronto, Ontario
19	United States !	Smith, GuyGuy Smith	7.0 !RW	R	23	1972	Ottawa, Ontario
8	Canada !	Webster, TomTom Webster	7.0 !RW	R	24	1972	Kirkland Lake, Ontario
9	United States !	Williams, TommyTommy Williams	4.0 !C	R	33	1972	Duluth, Minnesota

References

"1972–73 New England Whalers Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-05-21.

External links

Hartford Whalers

Founded in 1972 Based in Hartford, Connecticut Relocated to the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997

Franchise	Team General Managers Coaches WHA players NHL players Captains Draft picks Seasons

History	Expansion draft NHL–WHA merger Records

Arenas	Boston Arena Boston Garden The Big E Coliseum Springfield Civic Center Hartford Civic Center

General managers	Kelley Pleau Francis Johnston Burke Holmgren Rutherford

Head coaches	Blackburn Pleau Kish Pleau Cunniff Evans Pleau Ley Roberts Holmgren McGuire Holmgren Maurice

Media	Broadcasters

Culture	Brass Bonanza

Hartford Whalers seasons

1970s	1970–71 . 1971–72 . 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80

1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90

1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 Carolina

1972–73 WHA season

Eastern Division	Cleveland New England New York Ottawa Philadelphia Quebec

Western Division	Alberta Chicago Houston Los Angeles Minnesota Winnipeg

See also	Draft

1972–73 New England Whalers season

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Roster

See also

References

External links