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1975-76 • Franchise

1975-76 Indianapolis Racers


Indianapolis Racers, 1975-76 (Click to enlarge)

Record: 35-39-6, 76 pts
Finish: 1st, East
Playoffs: Lost in first round to New England
Coach: Gerry Moore (1-4-0), Jacques Demers (34-35-6)

 

Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot

By any standards, the men who first wore the proud, new Indianapolis Racers colors were a lackadaisical, dispirited group early in the team's first season. Coach Gerry Moore couldn't shake them, no matter what he tried. Lighting a short fuse to a large bomb at center ice may have caught their attention, but only briefly.

Then came Jim Browitt.

When Paul Deneau bought the franchise in December, 1974, and announced he was bringing in one James A. Browitt from the WHA headquarters as his team president and general manager, the complacent players should have started quivering.

Browitt, who had served in the Army Counter Intelligence corps, proved to be ruthless in finding weaknesses and destroying them. By the end of January he traded six players. He made it clear he was ready to trade many more.

"We want guys who will fight for their jobs," says coach Moore, "And I think it's clear now that if guys don't perform, we'll drop them. The problem has- been complacency, partly due to the long-term contracts, but we have demonstrated that a long term contract doesn't necessarily mean a place on the team. We were an older team in 1974-75. This time around, we have a lot more kids. Look, when a veteran team only wins 18 games, there's something wrong, so you turn to your kids."

One veteran Moore coveted was Pat Stapleton, the 35-year-old defenseman whom Racers drafted when Stapleton's Chicago Cougars folded after the 1974-75 season.

"Get him and a lot of problems are solved," Moore said, "but I know he's interested in playing for the Toronto Toros, so the only way is to plan for the eventuality that he won't be here."

Moore appreciates the value of having older, cooler heads around the team, "so long as they're the kind of positive thinkers like Bob Woytowich and Dick Proceviat, who really steady our defense."

Brian Conacher, the coach at Mohawk Valley in the North Valley in the North American league, groomed several youngsters last year whom Moore believes can make his Indianapolis team. Rick Fraser and Craig Hanmer, from the Oshawa and St. Paul junior teams respectively, impressed Conacher. Moore also grins at the thought of his goaltenders of the future, 21-year-old Michel Dion and 22-year-old Jim Park, who someday will threaten veterans Andy Brown and Ed Dyck for their Racer jobs.

"We're also looking at some free agents who may help us, older players who have been released from other teams and may be ready to really give it a shot," says Moore. "The thing is, at last we have some form. We do have a nucleus of good players, and we're building all the time. Sure — we're going to make the playoffs."

At the very least, Racers aren't likely to challenge the WHA record of 13 losses in a row, which they established in their first year. Nor is the Racer front office going to have to offer another Guaranteed Win Night, the gimmick it used successfully last season to lure in a crowd of 10,785 (Racers did win, 4-2 over Cleveland; had they lost, all spectators would have got a free ticket for another home game). In 1975-76 Racers should win often enough for the fans to turn out without any guarantees.

 

Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)

no. Date Opponent Score w-l-t pts gf-ga no. Date Opponent Score w-l-t pts gf-ga
1.Oct 10@ Denver7-1W1-0-027-141.Jan 11@ Cleveland3-4L16-23-234113-127
2.Oct 12@ Edmonton5-6L1-1-0212-742.Jan 15Cleveland1-3L16-24-234114-130
3.Oct 14@ Calgary3-5L1-2-0215-1243.Jan 17Cincinnati0-4L16-25-234114-134
4.Oct 16@ San Diego0-3L1-3-0215-1544.Jan 21@ Quebec2-3L16-26-234116-137
5.Oct 18Denver4-6L1-4-0219-2145.Jan 23Cincinnati4-3W17-26-236120-140
6.Oct 21Minnesota1-2L1-5-0220-2346.Jan 25Cleveland4-2W18-26-238124-142
7.Oct 23Houston4-0W2-5-0424-2347.Jan 28@ New England4-6L18-27-238128-148
8.Oct 26Edmonton4-3W3-5-0628-2648.Jan 29Minnesota5-6L18-28-238133-154
9.Oct 30Calgary5-7L3-6-0633-3349.Jan 30Houston2-1W19-28-240135-155
10.Nov 1Quebec2-5L3-7-0635-3850.Feb 1Winnipeg1-2L19-29-240136-157
11.Nov 4Toronto4-3W4-7-0839-4151.Feb 5Quebec4-2W20-29-242140-159
12.Nov 8@ Quebec2-3L4-8-0841-4452.Feb 6@ Houston3-4L20-30-242143-163
13.Nov 15@ Minnesota7-9L4-9-0848-5353.Feb 7Cincinnati5-1W21-30-244148-164
14.Nov 16@ Winnipeg1-2L4-10-0849-5554.Feb 11Phoenix2-1W22-30-246150-165
15.Nov 17@ Toronto6-2W5-10-01055-5755.Feb 13Calgary*3-4L22-31-246153-169
16.Nov 19New England3-1W6-10-01258-5856.Feb 14@ Cincinnati2-3L22-32-246155-172
17.Nov 25@ Houston1-4L6-11-01259-6257.Feb 15San Diego2-3L22-33-246157-175
18.Nov 27Winnipeg3-1W7-11-01462-6358.Feb 19New England10-3W23-33-248167-178
19.Nov 28@ Cleveland3-1W8-11-01665-6459.Feb 21@ Cleveland2-3L23-34-248169-181
20.Nov 29@ New England3-2W9-11-01868-6660.Feb 22Phoenix5-6L23-35-248174-187
21.Nov 30Denver2-4L9-12-01870-7061.Feb 28@ New England4-4T23-35-349178-191
22.Dec 4Cincinnati7-1W10-12-02077-7162.Feb 29@ Cincinnati5-2W24-35-351183-193
23.Dec 6Cleveland3-2W11-12-02280-7363.Mar 2@ Phoenix2-5L24-36-351185-198
24.Dec 10@ Phoenix2-1W12-12-02482-7464.Mar 4Cincinnati3-1W25-36-353188-199
25.Dec 11@ San Diego3-3T12-12-12585-7765.Mar 6@ Cincinnati3-2W26-36-355191-201
26.Dec 12@ Houston2-4L12-13-12587-8166.Mar 7Cleveland1-5L26-37-355192-206
27.Dec 14New England2-2T12-13-22689-8367.Mar 11Toronto3-1W27-37-357195-207
28.Dec 16Edmonton1-3L12-14-22690-8668.Mar 12@ Cincinnati6-3W28-37-359201-210
29.Dec 18@ Phoenix1-7L12-15-22691-9369.Mar 13Phoenix6-4W29-37-361207-214
30.Dec 19Cleveland*5-4W13-15-22896-9770.Mar 17@ New England5-2W30-37-363212-216
31.Dec 20@ Cleveland3-5L13-16-22899-10271.Mar 18San Diego4-4T30-37-464216-220
32.Dec 27Cincinnati2-1W14-16-230101-10372.Mar 20@ New England1-1T30-37-565217-221
33.Dec 28@ Cincinnati1-4L14-17-230102-10773.Mar 23@ San Diego8-8T30-37-666225-229
34.Dec 30@ Denver*1-2L14-18-230103-10974.Mar 25Houston*4-3W31-37-668229-232
35.Jan 2San Diego0-2L14-19-230103-11175.Mar 26@ Cleveland3-2W32-37-670232-234
36.Jan 3@ Minnesota1-3L14-20-230104-11476.Mar 28@ New England3-1W33-37-672235-235
37.Jan 4New England3-2W15-20-232107-11677.Apr 1Houston1-4L33-38-672236-239
38.Jan 6@ Edmonton0-3L15-21-232107-11978.Apr 2@ Toronto3-1W34-38-674239-240
39.Jan 7@ Calgary1-3L15-22-232108-12279.Apr 3New England2-5L34-39-674241-245
40.Jan 9@ Winnipeg*2-1W16-22-234110-12380.Apr 4@ New England4-2W35-39-676245-247

Player Scoring

pos.
#
Player
gp
g
a
pts
pim
+/-
ppg
shg
sog
sc%
gp
g
a
pts
pim
D
5
Baltimore, Bryon
37
1
10
11
30
+8
0
0
44
0.023
7
0
1
1
4
D
24
Block, Ken
79
1
25
26
28
+4
0
0
104
0.010
-
-
-
-
-
LW
21
Bond, Kerry
15
2
0
2
9
-7
0
0
20
0.100
7
1
0
1
11
G
1
Brown, Andy
24
0
3
3
17
-
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
9
Buchanan, Ron
23
4
7
11
4
-5
1
0
60
0.067
-
-
-
-
-
D
4
Clackson, Kim
77
1
12
13
351
-10
1
0
71
0.014
6
0
0
0
25
ILW
18
Coates, Brian
59
11
16
27
24
-5
2
1
72
0.153
4
0
0
0
6
D
-
Critch, Glen
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
G
31
Dion, Michel
31
0
0
0
2
-
0
0
0
-
3
0
0
0
0
D
25
Dubois, Michel
34
2
2
4
104
-11
1
0
29
0.069
-
-
-
-
-
C
16
Fitchner, Bob
52
15
16
31
112
0
5
0
74
0.203
-
-
-
-
-
RW
10
Harbaruk, Nick
76
23
19
42
26
+10
2
2
170
0.135
7
2
0
2
10
C
7
Harris, Hugh
41
12
28
40
23
+1
3
0
166
0.072
7
2
5
7
8
RW
26
Heatley, Murray
34
2
5
7
7
-7
0
0
46
0.043
-
-
-
-
-
G
30
Holmquist, Leif
19
0
0
0
4
-
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
LW
-
Jones, Bob
2
0
0
0
0
-1
0
0
3
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
C
15
Karlander, Al
79
16
28
44
36
+15
4
0
121
0.132
3
0
0
0
4
C
6
Keon, Dave
12
3
7
10
2
+2
1
0
40
0.075
7
2
2
4
2
IRW
8
Leclerc, Rene
40
18
21
39
52
+1
7
0
152
0.118
7
2
5
7
7
RW
25
Lomenda, Mark
2
0
0
0
0
-1
0
0
4
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
RW
14
MacDonald, Blair
56
19
11
30
14
+2
1
0
142
0.134
7
0
0
0
0
D
2
Maggs, Darryl
36
5
16
21
40
+5
1
0
90
0.056
7
1
0
1
20
RW
11
McDonald, Brian
63
16
17
33
58
-6
1
2
117
0.137
7
0
1
1
12
C
16
Parizeau, Michel
23
13
15
28
20
+9
8
0
58
0.224
7
4
4
8
6
G
28
Park, Jim
11
0
1
1
2
-
0
0
0
-
6
0
0
0
0
D
2
Prentice, Bill
38
4
2
6
92
-5
0
0
47
0.085
-
-
-
-
-
D
3
Proceviat, Dick
73
7
13
20
31
+7
0
0
65
0.108
7
0
0
0
2
LW
19
Rochon, Francois
19
6
2
8
31
0
2
0
21
0.286
-
-
-
-
-
LW
-
Roselle, Bob
1
0
0
0
0
-1
0
0
1
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
RW
20
Scharf, Ted
74
7
13
20
56
-8
2
0
90
0.078
7
0
0
0
5
C
22
Sheridan, John
11
1
2
3
0
-5
0
0
9
0.111
-
-
-
-
-
C
17
Sicinski, Bob
70
9
34
43
4
-2
3
0
140
0.064
7
0
0
0
2
D
12
Stapleton, Pat
80
5
40
45
48
-7
3
0
205
0.024
7
0
2
2
2
LW
8/21
Thomas, Reg
80
23
17
40
23
+1
4
0
192
0.120
7
1
0
1
4
C
7
Whitlock, Bobby
30
7
15
22
16
+1
2
0
111
0.063
-
-
-
-
-
C
14
Wiste, Jim
7
0
2
2
0
-2
0
0
3
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
D
5
Woytowich, Bob
42
1
7
8
14
0
0
0
23
0.043
-
-
-
-
-
C
6
Wyrozub, Randy
55
11
14
25
8
-4
5
1
79
0.139
-
-
-
-
-

Goaltending

Goaltender
gp
min
ga
en
so
w-l-t
gaa
sog
sv%
gp
min
ga
w-l
gaa
Brown, Andy
24
1368
82
0
1
9-11-2
3.60
751
0.891
-
-
-
-
-
Dion, Michel
31
1860
85
1
0
14-15-1
2.74
942
0.910
3
126
5
0-2
2.38
Holmquist, Leif
19
1079
54
2
0
6-9-3
3.00
522
0.897
-
-
-
-
-
Park, Jim
11
572
23
0
0
6-4-0
2.41
297
0.923
6
293
12
3-2
2.45

Transactions

• Jim Park signed to contract, Oct 1974
• Leif Holmquist signed to contract, Jun 1975
• Rights to Randy Wyrozub acquired from Edmonton, Jul 1975
• Brian Coates acquired from Denver for future considerations, Sep 1975
• Randy Wyrozub signed to contract, Sep 1975
• Blair MacDonald acquired from Edmonton for draft picks, Dec 1975
• Bill Prentice traded to Quebec for Rene Leclerc, Jan 1976
• Bob Fitchner and Michel Dubois traded to Quebec for Michel Parizeau, Feb 1976
• Bryon Baltimore, Mark Lomenda, Gary MacGregor and Darryl Maggs purchased from Ottawa, Jan 1976
• Dave Keon signed as free agent from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976

Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month

opponent overall gf-ga home gf-ga away gf-ga
Calgary0-4-012-190-2-08-110-2-04-8
Cincinnati8-3-038-255-1-021-113-2-017-14
Cleveland5-5-028-313-2-014-162-3-014-15
Denver-Ottawa1-3-014-130-2-06-101-1-08-3
Edmonton1-3-010-151-1-05-60-2-05-9
Houston3-4-017-203-1-011-80-3-06-12
Minnesota0-4-014-200-2-06-80-2-08-12
New England7-2-344-313-1-120-134-1-224-18
Phoenix3-3-018-242-1-013-111-2-05-13
Quebec1-3-010-131-1-06-70-2-04-6
San Diego0-3-317-230-2-16-90-1-211-14
Toronto4-0-016-72-0-07-42-0-09-3
Winnipeg2-2-07-61-1-04-31-1-03-3
 
October3-6-033-332-3-018-181-3-015-15
November6-6-037-373-2-014-143-4-023-23
December5-6-233-394-1-120-131-5-113-26
January5-10-032-464-4-019-231-6-013-23
February5-7-148-384-4-032-221-3-116-16
March9-2-352-424-1-121-185-1-231-24
April2-2-010-120-2-03-92-0-07-3

 

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