1974-75 Franchise
1974-75 Michigan Stags - Baltimore Blades

Baltimore Blades, 1975 (Click to enlarge)
 
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WHA Media Release, May 21, 1974 Walt Marlow
"Our objective is to put excitement into the game. We certainly don't want to move to Detroit and say we are going to win everything in sight. We want to put a good show on. Give the people something for their money."
And with that, Charles Nolton — co-owner of the Los Angeles Sharks with Pete Shagena — announced the transfer of the two-year-old franchise to Detroit.
The Sharks officially became the Michigan Stags on April 11.
The Stags, presently in negotiation for four and possibly more National League expired contract players, will play at 10,000 capacity Cobo Hall.
"We'll have a representative club," said Shagena. "With some rebuilding here and there, it could be an excellent team. We'll do all in our power to put a solid, hard-hitting club on the ice."
First new player to sign with the Stags was Detroit Red Wing-owned Danny Gruen, a fourth-round 1972 draft choice. He led the Central League in scoring and penalties as a first year pro, and was up with the Red Wings this past season.
"We have more player announcements in the works, and we'll be naming a first rank general manager and coach before the May meetings in Toronto," added Shagena.
Shagena and Nolton, co-owners of a Detroit-based chemical manufacturing firm, are both Michigan natives, Nolton of Detroit and Shagena of Flint.
They originally purchased the Sharks on February 5 from Leonard Bloom, owner of the San Diego Conquistadors of the American Basketball Association.
Gary Morrell, director of player personnel who doubled as the club's radio play-by-play man in Los Angeles, will continue to serve the club in Detroit.
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Record: 21-53-4, 46 pts
Finish: 5th, West
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: John Wilson
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 17 | @ Indianapolis | 4-2 | W | 1-0-0 | 2 | 4-2 | 40 | Jan 7 | Quebec | *2-3 | L | 12-25-3 | 27 | 99-168 |
|
2 | Oct 19 | @ New England | 1-2 | L | 1-1-0 | 2 | 5-4 | 41 | Jan 9 | Winnipeg | *5-4 | W | 13-25-3 | 29 | 104-172 |
|
3 | Oct 20 | @ Toronto | 3-4 | L | 1-2-0 | 2 | 8-8 | 42 | Jan 10 | @ Chicago | 2-5 | L | 13-26-3 | 29 | 106-177 |
|
4 | Oct 23 | @ Quebec | 2-6 | L | 1-3-0 | 2 | 10-14 | 43 | Jan 18 | @ Cleveland | 1-2 | L | 13-27-3 | 29 | 107-179 |
|
5 | Oct 27 | @ Winnipeg | 2-5 | L | 1-4-0 | 2 | 12-19 | 44 | Jan 25 | @ Cleveland | 1-2 | L | 13-28-3 | 29 | 108-181 |
|
6 | Oct 29 | Minnesota | *4-3 | W | 2-4-0 | 4 | 16-22 | 45 | Jan 26 | @ Minnesota | 1-2 | L | 13-29-3 | 29 | 109-183 |
|
7 | Oct 31 | Cleveland | 2-4 | L | 2-5-0 | 4 | 18-26 | 46 | Jan 29 | @ New England | 3-4 | L | 13-30-3 | 29 | 112-187 |
|
8 | Nov 2 | @ Minnesota | 3-6 | L | 2-6-0 | 4 | 21-32 | 47 | Jan 31 | @ New England | 2-4 | L | 13-31-3 | 29 | 114-191 |
|
9 | Nov 3 | @ Winnipeg | 3-11 | L | 2-7-0 | 4 | 24-43 | 48 | Feb 1 | @ Phoenix | 1-8 | L | 13-32-3 | 29 | 115-199 |
|
10 | Nov 5 | Toronto | 2-5 | L | 2-8-0 | 4 | 26-48 | 49 | Feb 2 | Houston | 2-5 | L | 13-33-3 | 29 | 117-204 |
|
11 | Nov 10 | Indianapolis | 1-6 | L | 2-9-0 | 4 | 27-54 | 50 | Feb 4 | Edmonton | *0-1 | L | 13-34-3 | 29 | 117-205 |
|
12 | Nov 12 | Quebec | 4-5 | L | 2-10-0 | 4 | 31-59 | 51 | Feb 6 | Cleveland | 0-4 | L | 13-35-3 | 29 | 117-209 |
|
13 | Nov 14 | Chicago | 4-2 | W | 3-10-0 | 6 | 35-61 | 52 | Feb 8 | @ Houston | 6-4 | W | 14-35-3 | 31 | 123-213 |
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14 | Nov 16 | @ Quebec | 3-4 | L | 3-11-0 | 6 | 38-65 | 53 | Feb 11 | Houston | 2-5 | L | 14-36-3 | 31 | 125-218 |
|
15 | Nov 17 | New England | 1-6 | L | 3-12-0 | 6 | 39-71 | 54 | Feb 13 | San Diego | 1-6 | L | 14-37-3 | 31 | 126-224 |
|
16 | Nov 21 | Phoenix | 2-1 | W | 4-12-0 | 8 | 41-72 | 55 | Feb 15 | Chicago | 3-5 | L | 14-38-3 | 31 | 129-229 |
|
17 | Nov 22 | @ Chicago | 3-5 | L | 4-13-0 | 8 | 44-77 | 56 | Feb 18 | Winnipeg | 3-5 | L | 14-39-3 | 31 | 132-234 |
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18 | Nov 24 | Minnesota | 3-2 | W | 5-13-0 | 10 | 47-79 | 57 | Feb 20 | Vancouver | 4-3 | W | 15-39-3 | 33 | 136-237 |
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19 | Nov 26 | Vancouver | 1-5 | L | 5-14-0 | 10 | 48-84 | 58 | Feb 22 | Phoenix | 1-3 | L | 15-40-3 | 33 | 137-240 |
|
20 | Nov 29 | @ Winnipeg | 6-7 | L | 5-15-0 | 10 | 54-91 | 59 | Feb 25 | Indianapolis | 4-6 | L | 15-41-3 | 33 | 141-246 |
|
21 | Dec 3 | New England | 2-1 | W | 6-15-0 | 12 | 56-92 | 60 | Feb 28 | @ Edmonton | 2-6 | L | 15-42-3 | 33 | 143-252 |
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22 | Dec 5 | San Diego | 5-3 | W | 7-15-0 | 14 | 61-95 | 61 | Mar 2 | @ Edmonton | 2-7 | L | 15-43-3 | 33 | 145-259 |
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23 | Dec 7 | @ Vancouver | 2-4 | L | 7-16-0 | 14 | 63-99 | 62 | Mar 4 | @ Toronto | 4-6 | L | 15-44-3 | 33 | 149-265 |
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24 | Dec 8 | @ Edmonton | 0-7 | L | 7-17-0 | 14 | 63-106 | 63 | Mar 5 | Indianapolis | 2-5 | L | 15-45-3 | 33 | 151-270 |
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25 | Dec 10 | @ San Diego | 4-4 | T | 7-17-1 | 15 | 67-110 | 64 | Mar 7 | @ Indianapolis | *5-4 | W | 16-45-3 | 35 | 156-274 |
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26 | Dec 12 | Winnipeg | 5-3 | W | 8-17-1 | 17 | 72-113 | 65 | Mar 8 | Toronto | 4-7 | L | 16-46-3 | 35 | 160-281 |
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27 | Dec 14 | @ Chicago | 0-6 | L | 8-18-1 | 17 | 72-119 | 66 | Mar 9 | @ Toronto | 2-8 | L | 16-47-3 | 35 | 162-289 |
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28 | Dec 15 | Toronto | 2-7 | L | 8-19-1 | 17 | 74-126 | 67 | Mar 10 | Edmonton | 5-3 | W | 17-47-3 | 37 | 167-292 |
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29 | Dec 17 | New England | 2-2 | T | 8-19-2 | 18 | 76-128 | 68 | Mar 12 | @ Cleveland | 2-0 | W | 18-47-3 | 39 | 169-292 |
|
30 | Dec 19 | Cleveland | 1-0 | W | 9-19-2 | 20 | 77-128 | 69 | Mar 15 | @ Indianapolis | 3-7 | L | 18-48-3 | 39 | 172-299 |
|
31 | Dec 20 | @ Phoenix | 2-7 | L | 9-20-2 | 20 | 79-135 | 70 | Mar 25 | @ Minnesota | 4-5 | L | 18-49-3 | 39 | 176-304 |
|
32 | Dec 22 | Quebec | *3-2 | W | 10-20-2 | 22 | 82-137 | 71 | Mar 26 | San Diego | 2-5 | L | 18-50-3 | 39 | 178-309 |
|
33 | Dec 26 | @ Vancouver | 1-8 | L | 10-21-2 | 22 | 83-145 | 72 | Mar 27 | Edmonton | 2-2 | T | 18-50-4 | 40 | 180-311 |
|
34 | Dec 28 | @ Quebec | 1-4 | L | 10-22-2 | 22 | 84-149 | 73 | Mar 30 | @ Vancouver | 3-4 | L | 18-51-4 | 40 | 183-315 |
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35 | Dec 29 | Chicago | 4-3 | W | 11-22-2 | 24 | 88-152 | 74 | Apr 1 | @ San Diego | 4-3 | W | 19-51-4 | 42 | 187-318 |
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36 | Dec 31 | Phoenix | 1-1 | T | 11-22-3 | 25 | 89-153 | 75 | Apr 3 | @ San Diego | 2-9 | L | 19-52-4 | 42 | 189-327 |
|
37 | Jan 2 | @ Houston | 3-6 | L | 11-23-3 | 25 | 92-159 | 76 | Apr 5 | @ Phoenix | *7-6 | W | 20-52-4 | 44 | 196-333 |
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38 | Jan 4 | @ Houston | 2-5 | L | 11-24-3 | 25 | 94-164 | 77 | Apr 6 | Minnesota | *5-6 | L | 20-53-4 | 44 | 201-339 |
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39 | Jan 5 | Vancouver | 3-1 | W | 12-24-3 | 27 | 97-165 | 78 | Apr 7 | Houston | 4-2 | W | 21-53-4 | 46 | 205-341 |
As Michigan (October 17, 1974 to January 18, 1975): 13-27-3, 29 pts, 107 gf, 179 ga
As Baltimore (January 25 to April 7, 1975): 8-26-1, 17 pts, 98 gf, 162 ga.
Player Scoring
| pos.
| #
| Player
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
| +/-
| ppg
| shg
| sog
| sc%
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
|
|
RW | 17 | Andrascik, Steve | 57 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 42 | -18 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 0.034 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 6 | Bredin, Gary | 67 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 29 | -37 | 1 | 0 | 113 | 0.133 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 4 | Brown, Arnie | 50 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 27 | -32 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 0.048 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 19 | Caron, Alain | 47 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 4 | -15 | 5 | 0 | 98 | 0.082 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | - | Chartre, Claude | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 15 | Curtis, Paul | 76 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 32 | -63 | 1 | 0 | 110 | 0.036 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
G | 88/1 | Desjardins, Gerry | 41 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 14/7 | Evo, Bill | 49 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 32 | -25 | - | - | 99 | 0.131 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 11 | Fontaine, Len | 21 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 6 | - | - | - | 28 | 0.036 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 9 | Goldthorpe, Bill | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | - | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 8 | Gruen, Danny | 34 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 73 | -12 | 3 | 0 | 92 | 0.109 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 22 | Guite, Pierre | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 11 | - | - | - | 36 | 0.139 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
G | 33/30 | Hoganson, Paul | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 3 | Johnston, Larry | 49 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 93 | - | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 22 | Johnstone, Ed | 23 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 43 | - | - | - | 43 | 0.093 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 11 | Jones, Bob | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | - | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 8 | Larose, Paul | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.200 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 10 | Leblanc, J.P. | 78 | 16 | 33 | 49 | 100 | -52 | 3 | 3 | 207 | 0.077 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 14 | Legge, Barry | 36 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 20 | -19 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 0.045 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 2 | Legge, Randy | 78 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 69 | -40 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 0.014 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 12 | Locas, Jacques | 12 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | 18 | 0.056 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 17 | McDonald, Brian | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | -11 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0.077 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
G | 30/1 | McLeod, Jim | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 5 | Miszuk, John | 66 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 56 | -29 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 0.020 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 4/20 | Reed, Bill | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | - | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 26 | Reichmuth, Craig | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 23 | - | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 12/9 | Richardson, Steve | 47 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 58 | -16 | - | - | 107 | 0.075 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 9 | Rouleau, Michel | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 25 | - | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 25/22 | Serviss, Tom | 61 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 18 | -35 | 2 | 0 | 134 | 0.090 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | - | Sittler, Gary | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | - | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.100 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 20/23 | Speck, Fred | 30 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 18 | - | - | - | - | 0.062 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 19 | Sutherland, Steve | 22 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 37 | -10 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0.040 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 9 | Tardif, Marc | 23 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 9 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 79 | 0.152 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 21 | Thomas, Reg | 50 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 42 | -23 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 0.054 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 14 | Trottier, Guy | 17 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | - | 0 | - | 34 | 0.147 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 18 | Veneruzzo, Gary | 77 | 33 | 27 | 60 | 57 | -45 | 9 | 0 | 244 | 0.135 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 16 | West, Steve | 50 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 4 | -5 | 5 | 0 | 116 | 0.129 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 12 | White, Alton | 27 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 8 | -15 | 4 | 0 | 52 | 0.173 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 23/24 | Zrymiak, Jerry | 49 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 53 | -23 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 0.067 | - | - | - | - | - |
Goaltending
| Goaltender
| gp
| min
| ga
| en
| so
| w-l-t
| gaa
| sog
| sv%
| gp
| min
| ga
| w-l
| gaa
|
| Desjardins, Gerry | 41 | 2282 | 162 | 3 | 0 | 9-28-1 | 4.26 | 1391 | 0.884 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
Hoganson, Paul | 32 | 1776 | 121 | 1 | 2 | 9-19-2 | 4.09 | 1010 | 0.880 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
McLeod, Jim | 16 | 694 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 3-6-1 | 4.58 | 421 | 0.874 | - | - | - | - | - |
Transactions
Daniel Gruen signed to contract, Apr 1974
Len Fontaine, Gerry Desjardins signed to contracts, May 1974
Rights to Bill Evo acquired from Edmonton, May 1974
Steve West signed to contract, Jun 1974
Paul Curtis, Barry Legge, Larry Johnston signed to contracts, Jul 1974
Brian McDonald and Jacques Locas traded to Indianapolis for Steve Andrascik and Steve Richardson, Nov. 1974
Bill Horton to Indianapolis for Gary Bredin, Nov. 1974
Guy Trottier purchased from Toronto, Nov. 1974
Marc Tardif and Steve Sutherland traded to Quebec for Alain Caron, Pierre Guite and Michel Rouleau, Dec. 1974
Michel Rouleau traded to San Diego for Craig Reichmuth, Dec. 1974
Danny Gruen traded to Winnipeg for future considerations, Feb. 1975. Returned to Baltimore end of season
Arnie Brown and Gary Desjardins made free agents, Mar. 1975; Brown signed by Vancouver, Mar. 1975
Pierre Guite sold to Cincinnati, Mar 1975
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
| opponent
| overall
| gf-ga
| home
| gf-ga
| away
| gf-ga
|
Chicago | 2-4-0 | 16-26 | 2-1-0 | 11-10 | 0-3-0 | 5-16 | |
Cleveland | 2-4-0 | 7-12 | 1-2-0 | 3-8 | 1-2-0 | 4-4 |
|
Edmonton | 1-4-1 | 11-26 | 1-1-1 | 4-6 | 0-3-0 | 4-20 |
|
Houston | 2-4-0 | 19-27 | 1-2-0 | 8-12 | 1-2-0 | 11-15 |
|
Indianapolis | 2-4-0 | 19-30 | 0-3-0 | 7-17 | 2-1-0 | 12-13 |
|
Minnesota | 2-4-0 | 20-24 | 2-1-0 | 12-11 | 0-3-0 | 8-13 |
|
New England | 1-4-1 | 11-19 | 1-1-1 | 5-9 | 0-3-0 | 6-10 |
|
Phoenix | 2-3-1 | 14-26 | 1-1-1 | 4-5 | 1-2-0 | 10-21 |
|
Quebec | 1-5-0 | 15-24 | 1-2-0 | 9-10 | 0-3-0 | 6-14 |
|
San Diego | 2-3-1 | 18-30 | 1-2-0 | 8-14 | 1-1-1 | 10-16 |
|
Toronto | 0-6-0 | 17-37 | 0-3-0 | 8-19 | 0-3-0 | 9-18 |
|
Vancouver | 2-4-0 | 14-25 | 2-1-0 | 8-9 | 0-3-0 | 6-16 |
|
Winnipeg | 2-4-0 | 24-35 | 2-1-0 | 13-12 | 0-3-0 | 11-23 |
|
|
|   |
|
October | 2-5-0 | 18-26 | 1-1-0 | 6-7 | 1-4-0 | 12-19 |
|
November | 3-10-0 | 36-65 | 3-5-0 | 18-32 | 0-5-0 | 18-33 |
|
December | 6-7-3 | 35-62 | 6-1-2 | 25-22 | 0-6-1 | 10-40 |
|
January | 2-9-0 | 25-38 | 2-1-0 | 10-8 | 0-8-0 | 15-30 |
|
February | 2-11-0 | 29-61 | 1-9-0 | 20-43 | 1-2-0 | 9-18 |
|
March | 3-9-1 | 40-63 | 1-3-1 | 15-22 | 2-6-0 | 25-41 |
|
April | 3-2-0 | 22-26 | 1-1-0 | 9-8 | 2-1-0 | 13-18
|
 
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