1975-76 Quebec Nordiques
Record: 50-27-4, 104 pts
The Quebec Nordiques' impressive 1974-75 season halted suddenly with the team only a step away from the World Hockey Association championship. What happened was really rather simple: they met the Houston Aeros in the Avco World Trophy finals and lost four games in a row.
"That taught us something," says Maurice Filion, the Nordiques' general manager. "What I noticed was that the Houston team was physically too strong for us. They had guys standing in front of our net and we couldn't move them. We went looking for trades for big guys, so that in the coming season we won't find ourselves out-muscled. We figure that from now on we'll always have at least one big man on the ice."
Nordiques got Jim Watson, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, in a league sale of players from the defunct Chicago Cougars. Gord Gallant combative, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, was acquired from Minnesota Fighting Saints.
The laughable myth among some hockey insiders is that French-Canadian players are timid — fancy skaters, certainly, beautiful playmakers and deadly shooters, but frightened of heavy going. Quebec City hockey fans wouldn't stand for such a team, and neither would coach Jean-Guy Gendron.
Coach Gendron began working at making the Nordiques flex their muscles as soon as he took over the team in 1974-75. The previous coach, Jacques Plante, who returned to playing goal with Edmonton after one controversial year in Quebec, did worry about his players taking penalties, but Gendron has no such conservative inclinations.
"I want this team to be known for being aggressive," he says.
In 1974-75 the Nordiques stood fifth among WHA teams in penalty minutes, one indication that Gendron's message was getting through. Undoubtedly, the penalty minutes will increase in 1975-76, too, for although no coach wants his players to take useless penalties for such sins as tripping or holding, the kind of vigorous defending Gendron
demands almost always means many calls for cross-checking, roughing and charging.
Gendron couldn't be displeased with the way the Nordiques responded to his guidance in his first campaign as coach. The Nordiques stood second over-all in the WHA, accumulating 92 points compared to Houston's 106. The Toronto Toros led the Canadian Division in the early stages of the season, but the Nordiques took over as they responded to Gendron's system.
Serge Bernier led with 54 goals. Marc Tardif shot 50, 38 of his goals coming after the Nordiques acquired him from the struggling Michigan Stags. Rejean Houle contributed 40. An impressive rookie, Real Cloutier, gained 26 goals as coach Gendron eased him into the lineup.
All in all, it was like the old glory days in Le Colisee de Quebec, when Jean Beliveau was the hero of the city until the Montreal Canadiens bought the Quebec senior team and moved Beliveau to Montreal. Le Colisee was known then as the rink that Jean built, for his popularity was so great the building was constructed to hold the huge
crowds that came to see him play.
The boom in interest in the WHA game makes Beliveau's arena seem slightly small today, with official capacity only 10,004. But, many more squeeze in for Nordiques' important games — such as any meeting with the Houston Aeros.
"Let's hope," says general manager Filion, "that we get to see the Aeros again in the finals. After all, we're going to be a little heavier this year."
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Gord Gallant purchased from Minnesota, Jun 1975
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
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• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
(c) Scott Surgent
Quebec Nordiques, 1975-76 (Click to enlarge)
Finish: 2nd, Canadian
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Calgary
Coach: Jean-Guy Gendron
Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
1. Oct 9 Winnipeg 3-5 L 0-1-0 0 3-5 41. Jan 2 @ Cleveland *4-5 L 24-15-2 50 182-164
2. Oct 11 Toronto 7-3 W 1-1-0 2 10-8 42. Jan 3 Phoenix 1-4 L 24-16-2 50 183-168
3. Oct 14 Edmonton 8-5 W 2-1-0 4 18-13 43. Jan 10 San Diego *4-3 W 25-16-2 52 187-171
4. Oct 18 Houston 3-2 W 3-1-0 6 21-15 44. Jan 15 Calgary 5-3 W 26-16-2 54 192-174
5. Oct 21 New England 6-1 W 4-1-0 8 27-16 45. Jan 17 Toronto 4-3 W 27-16-2 56 196-177
6. Oct 25 Toronto 3-2 W 5-1-0 10 30-18 46. Jan 21 Indianapolis 3-2 W 28-16-2 58 199-179
7. Oct 28 @ Toronto 4-6 L 5-2-0 10 34-24 47. Jan 25 Edmonton 7-6 W 29-16-2 60 206-185
8. Oct 29 @ New England 2-4 L 5-3-0 10 36-28 48. Jan 27 Cincinnati 9-1 W 30-16-2 62 215-186
9. Oct 31 @ Cleveland 2-6 L 5-4-0 10 38-34 49. Jan 30 @ Toronto 3-3 T 30-16-3 63 218-189
10. Nov 1 @ Indianapolis 5-2 W 6-4-0 12 43-36 50. Jan 31 Toronto 8-4 W 31-16-3 65 226-193
11. Nov 2 @ Winnipeg 1-0 W 7-4-0 14 44-36 51. Feb 3 Winnipeg 5-4 W 32-16-3 67 231-197
12. Nov 4 @ Edmonton 4-3 W 8-4-0 16 48-39 52. Feb 5 @ Indianapolis 2-4 L 32-17-3 67 233-201
13. Nov 5 @ Calgary 2-4 L 8-5-0 16 50-43 53. Feb 7 @ Calgary 4-4 T 32-17-4 68 237-205
14. Nov 6 @ Denver 5-3 W 9-5-0 18 55-46 54. Feb 8 @ Edmonton 5-4 W 33-17-4 70 242-209
15. Nov 8 Indianapolis 3-2 W 10-5-0 20 58-48 55. Feb 11 @ Winnipeg 6-4 W 34-17-4 72 248-213
16. Nov 9 Phoenix 7-3 W 11-5-0 22 65-51 56. Feb 12 @ Minnesota 4-6 L 34-18-4 72 252-219
17. Nov 11 Minnesota 8-6 W 12-5-0 24 73-57 57. Feb 15 @ Houston 4-2 W 35-18-4 74 256-221
18. Nov 15 @ New England 3-1 W 13-5-0 26 76-58 58. Feb 17 San Diego 5-2 W 36-18-4 76 261-223
19. Nov 18 Cincinnati 6-4 W 14-5-0 28 82-62 59. Feb 22 New England 4-0 W 37-18-4 78 265-223
20. Nov 20 Winnipeg *2-3 L 14-6-0 28 84-65 60. Feb 24 Houston 4-1 W 38-18-4 80 269-224
21. Nov 22 @ Cincinnati 9-6 W 15-6-0 30 93-71 61. Feb 28 Winnipeg *3-4 L 38-19-4 80 272-228
22. Nov 23 @ Houston 0-4 L 15-7-0 30 93-75 62. Mar 2 @ Toronto 2-5 L 38-20-4 80 274-233
23. Nov 27 @ San Diego 1-5 L 15-8-0 30 94-80 63. Mar 4 @ Calgary 1-4 L 38-21-4 80 275-237
24. Nov 29 @ Phoenix 4-4 T 15-8-1 31 98-84 64. Mar 5 @ Edmonton *5-4 W 39-21-4 82 280-241
25. Nov 30 @ Phoenix 2-1 W 16-8-1 33 100-85 65. Mar 7 @ Edmonton 2-4 L 39-22-4 82 282-245
26. Dec 2 Cleveland 9-2 W 17-8-1 35 109-87 66. Mar 9 @ Calgary 4-7 L 39-23-4 82 286-252
27. Dec 5 @ Toronto 4-7 L 17-9-1 35 113-94 67. Mar 10 @ Winnipeg 3-10 L 39-24-4 82 289-262
28. Dec 7 @ Winnipeg 3-2 W 18-9-1 37 116-96 68. Mar 12 @ Winnipeg 10-8 W 40-24-4 84 299-270
29. Dec 9 @ Calgary 1-4 L 18-10-1 37 117-100 69. Mar 14 Toronto 1-3 L 40-25-4 84 300-273
30. Dec 10 @ Edmonton 4-7 L 18-11-1 37 121-107 70. Mar 16 New England 5-1 W 41-25-4 86 305-274
31. Dec 12 @ Toronto 4-6 L 18-12-1 37 125-113 71. Mar 19 @ Toronto *4-3 W 42-25-4 88 309-277
32. Dec 13 Toronto 6-3 W 19-12-1 39 131-116 72. Mar 20 Calgary 7-8 L 42-26-4 88 316-285
33. Dec 16 Calgary 7-3 W 20-12-1 41 138-119 73. Mar 21 @ Edmonton 6-3 W 43-26-4 90 322-288
34. Dec 18 Winnipeg 5-4 W 21-12-1 43 143-123 74. Mar 23 Cleveland 1-3 L 43-27-4 90 323-291
35. Dec 20 Calgary 8-7 W 22-12-1 45 151-130 75. Mar 25 Edmonton 7-5 W 44-27-4 92 330-296
36. Dec 21 @ Cincinnati 7-11 L 22-13-1 45 158-141 76. Mar 27 Calgary 6-4 W 45-27-4 94 336-300
37. Dec 23 @ San Diego 4-10 L 22-14-1 45 162-151 77. Mar 30 Edmonton 8-3 W 46-27-4 96 344-303
38. Dec 27 Edmonton 6-3 W 23-14-1 47 168-154 78. Apr 1 Edmonton 7-2 W 47-27-4 98 351-305
39. Dec 28 @ Toronto 6-1 W 24-14-1 49 174-155 79. Apr 3 Toronto 5-1 W 48-27-4 100 356-306
40. Dec 30 @ Minnesota 4-4 T 24-14-2 50 178-159 80. Apr 4 @ Toronto *5-4 W 49-27-4 102 361-310
- - - - - - - - 81. Apr 6 Toronto 10-6 W 50-27-4 104 371-316
pos.
Player
RW Benzelock, Jim
D Bernier, Jean
C Bernier, Serge
C Bordeleau, Christian
RW Brackenbury, Curt
G Brodeur, Richard
RW Cloutier, Real
LW Constantin, Charles
LW Cunniff, John
G Deguise, Michel
G Donnelly, Pete
D Dubois, Michel
C Fitchner, Bob
D Fortier, Florent
LW Gallant, Gord
D Globensky, Alan
D Gresdal, Gary
C Hampson, Ted
D Hoganson, Dale
RW Houle, Rejean
D Jordan, Ric
RW Leclerc, Rene
C Parizeau, Michel
D Prentice, Bill
D Roy, Pierre
RW Serviss, Tom
LW Sutherland, Steve
LW Tardif, Marc
D Tremblay, J.C.
D Watson, Jim
Goaltender
Brodeur, Richard
Deguise, Michel
Donnelly, Pete
• Rene Leclerc traded to Indianapolis for Bill Prentice, Jan 1976
• Michel Parizeau traded to Indianapolis for Michel Dubois and Bop Fitchner, Feb 1976
• Curt Brackenbury and Ted Hampson signed as free agents from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Calgary 4-5-1 45-48 4-1-0 33-25 0-4-1 12-23
Cincinnati 3-1-0 31-22 2-0-0 15-5 1-1-0 16-17
Cleveland 1-3-0 16-16 1-1-0 10-5 0-2-0 6-11
Denver-Ottawa 1-0-0 5-3 0-0-0 0-0 1-0-0 5-3
Edmonton 10-2-0 69-49 6-0-0 43-24 4-2-0 26-25
Houston 3-1-0 11-9 2-0-0 7-3 1-1-0 4-6
Indianapolis 3-1-0 13-10 2-0-0 6-4 1-1-0 7-6
Minnesota 1-1-1 16-16 1-0-0 8-6 0-1-1 8-10
New England 4-1-0 20-7 3-0-0 15-2 1-1-0 5-5
Phoenix 2-1-1 14-12 1-1-0 8-7 1-0-1 6-5
San Diego 2-2-0 14-20 2-0-0 9-5 0-2-0 5-15
Toronto 10-5-1 76-60 7-1-0 44-25 3-4-1 32-35
Winnipeg 6-4-0 41-44 2-3-0 18-20 4-1-0 23-24
October 5-4-0 38-34 5-1-0 30-18 0-3-0 8-16
November 11-4-1 62-51 4-1-0 26-18 7-3-1 36-33
December 8-6-1 78-74 6-0-0 41-22 2-6-1 37-52
January 7-2-1 48-34 7-1-0 41-26 0-1-1 7-8
February 7-3-1 46-35 4-1-0 21-11 3-2-1 25-24
March 8-8-0 72-75 4-3-0 35-27 4-5-0 37-48
April 4-0-0 27-13 3-0-0 22-9 1-0-0 5-4
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