1975-76 Houston Aeros
Record: 53-27-0, 106 pts
Finish: 1st, West
Playoffs: Lost in final round to Winnipeg
Coach: Bill Dineen
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Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot
Whenever hockey men analyze the success of the Houston Aeros, winners of the Avco World Trophy in 1974 and 1975, Bill (The Fox) Dineen gets full credit. For the longest time coach Dineen operated without the title of general manager but, from the start, it was he who assembled the talent that now makes up the WHA powerhouse team. The key, perhaps, is Dineen's age. He's only 43, and he moved from a lengthy career as a player to coaching the Aeros, where he quickly proved he had been carefully assessing talent and taking mental notes through an his years as a solid, if not spectacular, on ice performer. The Fox played for Detroit Red Wings when Gordie Howe was at his peak. Naturally, that helped when the Aeros drafted Gordie's sons, Mark and Marty, in 1973, and Dineen was successful in signing them. The Fox also had a lot to do with Papa Howe joining his sons, starring for two seasons and now ending up as the Aeros' president. Even more astounding than the Howe family's contributions has been the success of a forward line that was accorded no respect at all by the major leagues, until Dineen brought them to Houston. Larry Lund, Frank Hughes and Andre Hinse were three guys who never got much notice from the NHL, despite their success as a forward unit in the Western Hockey League. Dineen, however, played against them during his own Western league days. He knew they could be effective at the major league level and, sure enough, they formed the third-highest scoring line in the WHA in 1974-75. Ironically, the Aeros' impressive lineup has been recognized more on the road then at home. The Aeros held the distinction of being the top attraction in the WHA, filling the arenas they visited to an average of 71.1 per cent of capacity. At home, however, attendance actually dropped slightly, from a total of 265,622 in 1973-74 to 265,230 in 1974-75. Crowds should grow immensely this season. The Aeros are moving into a new arena, The Summit, with a capacity of 16,000. There's new ownership, too, an important factor when considering the success of the team at the gate. The old ownership couldn't afford the promotions and development work necessary to make a hockey team part of the sports scene in Texas. Another benefit of the new ownership structure is that Dineen now holds the general manager's title he has deserved for so long. There never has been any doubts about Dineen's correct name among the Aeros' office staff, though — even the receptionist refers to him as The Fox. His uncanny ability to judge hockey talent made the Aeros the champions they are today. The Aeros' attempts to sign 18-year-old John Tonelli, one of the best junior centers in Canada, met with failure when the WHA ruled his contract bound him to Toronto Marlboros, his junior team, until he's 20. "His agent says he's going to sue," says The Fox. "That would be fine with us. We'll take him any way we can." |
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• John Tonelli signed to contract, Mar 1975 (Tonelli was never drafted by Houston and as a result, Houston was penalized their first-round draft choice in the 1975 Amateur Draft)
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
Houston
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• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
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no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
1. Oct 11 @ New England 5-0 W 1-0-0 2 5-0 41. Jan 15 @ Ottawa *5-4 W 27-14-0 54 170-141
2. Oct 14 @ Toronto 3-6 L 1-1-0 2 8-6 42. Jan 17 @ Calgary 2-4 L 27-15-0 54 172-145
3. Oct 18 @ Quebec 2-3 L 1-2-0 2 10-9 43. Jan 20 Toronto 5-7 L 27-16-0 54 177-152
4. Oct 19 @ Cleveland 6-5 W 2-2-0 4 16-14 44. Jan 21 New England 9-3 W 28-16-0 56 186-155
5. Oct 23 @ Indianapolis 0-4 L 2-3-0 4 16-18 45. Jan 23 Calgary 2-0 W 29-16-0 58 188-155
6. Oct 25 @ Cincinnati 4-7 L 2-4-0 4 20-25 46. Jan 25 Calgary 5-3 W 30-16-0 60 193-158
7. Oct 30 @ San Diego 4-2 W 3-4-0 6 24-27 47. Jan 28 @ Edmonton 6-5 W 31-16-0 62 199-163
8. Nov 1 @ Denver 3-2 W 4-4-0 8 27-29 48. Jan 30 @ Indianapolis 1-2 L 31-17-0 62 200-165
9. Nov 5 Minnesota 6-4 W 5-4-0 10 33-33 49. Jan 31 @ Minnesota 1-4 L 31-18-0 62 201-169
10. Nov 7 Phoenix 5-3 W 6-4-0 12 38-36 50. Feb 3 Minnesota 8-4 W 32-18-0 64 209-173
11. Nov 9 Denver 3-2 W 7-4-0 14 41-38 51. Feb 6 Indianapolis 4-3 W 33-18-0 66 213-176
12. Nov 11 Toronto 5-4 W 8-4-0 16 46-42 52. Feb 8 San Diego 5-2 W 34-18-0 68 218-178
13. Nov 12 @ New England 1-4 L 8-5-0 16 47-46 53. Feb 12 @ Phoenix 4-1 W 35-18-0 70 222-179
14. Nov 15 @ Cincinnati 5-8 L 8-6-0 16 52-54 54. Feb 14 @ San Diego 1-5 L 35-19-0 70 223-184
15. Nov 16 @ Calgary 3-5 L 8-7-0 16 55-59 55. Feb 15 Quebec 2-4 L 35-20-0 70 225-188
16. Nov 18 @ Winnipeg 3-2 W 9-7-0 18 58-61 56. Feb 17 New England 4-3 W 36-20-0 72 229-191
17. Nov 21 Edmonton 4-2 W 10-7-0 20 62-63 57. Feb 19 Cleveland 5-3 W 37-20-0 74 234-194
18. Nov 23 Quebec 4-0 W 11-7-0 22 66-63 58. Feb 22 @ Cleveland 1-2 L 37-21-0 74 235-196
19. Nov 25 Indianapolis 4-1 W 12-7-0 24 70-64 59. Feb 24 @ Quebec 1-4 L 37-22-0 74 236-200
20. Nov 28 Edmonton 7-4 W 13-7-0 26 77-68 60. Feb 26 @ New England 5-2 W 38-22-0 76 241-202
21. Nov 30 San Diego 8-4 W 14-7-0 28 85-72 61. Feb 27 @ Toronto *7-6 W 39-22-0 78 248-208
22. Dec 2 New England 2-5 L 14-8-0 28 87-77 62. Feb 28 @ Cincinnati 4-2 W 40-22-0 80 252-210
23. Dec 5 Winnipeg 5-4 W 15-8-0 30 92-81 63. Mar 5 Phoenix 6-3 W 41-22-0 82 258-213
24. Dec 6 @ Phoenix *5-6 L 15-9-0 30 97-87 64. Mar 6 Cleveland 4-5 L 41-23-0 82 262-218
25. Dec 9 Cincinnati 6-4 W 16-9-0 32 103-91 65. Mar 9 San Diego 9-2 W 42-23-0 84 271-220
26. Dec 12 Indianapolis 4-2 W 17-9-0 34 107-93 66. Mar 11 @ San Diego 1-4 L 42-24-0 84 272-224
27. Dec 13 @ Minnesota 3-4 L 17-10-0 34 110-97 67. Mar 13 @ San Diego 3-2 W 43-24-0 86 275-226
28. Dec 14 @ Cleveland 4-3 W 18-10-0 36 114-100 68. Mar 17 @ Phoenix 7-4 W 44-24-0 88 282-230
29. Dec 16 San Diego 2-4 L 18-11-0 36 116-104 69. Mar 19 San Diego 8-3 W 45-24-0 90 290-233
30. Dec 20 @ Phoenix 4-3 W 19-11-0 38 120-107 70. Mar 20 @ Cincinnati 1-2 L 45-25-0 90 291-235
31. Dec 21 @ San Diego 1-3 L 19-12-0 38 121-110 71. Mar 21 Phoenix 4-3 W 46-25-0 92 295-238
32. Dec 26 Denver 9-4 W 20-12-0 40 130-114 72. Mar 24 @ Cleveland 3-2 W 47-25-0 94 298-240
33. Dec 27 Minnesota 5-0 W 21-12-0 42 135-114 73. Mar 25 @ Indianapolis *3-4 L 47-26-0 94 301-244
34. Dec 30 Winnipeg 3-5 L 21-13-0 42 138-119 74. Mar 26 Cincinnati 5-1 W 48-26-0 96 306-245
35. Jan 3 Ottawa 4-2 W 22-13-0 44 142-121 75. Mar 28 Phoenix 7-4 W 49-26-0 98 313-249
36. Jan 6 Cincinnati 7-3 W 23-13-0 46 149-124 76. Mar 30 San Diego 3-4 L 49-27-0 98 316-253
37. Jan 9 Cleveland 6-5 W 24-13-0 48 155-129 77. Apr 1 @ Indianapolis 4-1 W 50-27-0 100 320-254
38. Jan 10 @ Minnesota 4-1 W 25-13-0 50 159-130 78. Apr 3 @ Phoenix 8-2 W 51-27-0 102 328-256
39. Jan 11 @ Edmonton 5-3 W 26-13-0 52 164-133 79. Apr 4 San Diego 5-2 W 52-27-0 104 333-258
40. Jan 14 @ Winnipeg 1-4 L 26-14-0 52 165-137 80. Apr 6 Phoenix 8-5 W 53-27-0 106 341-263
pos.
Player
D Butters, Bill
G Grahame, Ron
D Hale, Larry
C Hall, Murray
LW Hinse, Andre
RW Howe, Gordie
D/F Howe, Mark
D Howe, Marty
LW Hughes, Frank
D Irwin, Glen
C Labossiere, Gord
RW Larway, Don
LW Liddington, Bob
C Lund, Larry
LW Popiel, Jan
D Popiel, Poul
RW Preston, Rich
C Ruskowski, Terry
G Rutledge, Wayne
D Schella, John
D Stevens, Mike
LW Taylor, Ted
LW Tonelli, John
C West, Steve
Goaltender
Grahame, Ron
Rutledge, Wayne
• Mike Stevens purchased from Phoenix, Aug 1975
• Jim Sherrit and Don Borgeson traded to Denver for Jan Popiel, Oct 1975
• Bob Liddington signed as free agent from defunct Ottawa, Feb 1976
• Bill Butters signed as free agent from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Calgary 2-2-0 12-12 2-0-0 7-3 0-2-0 5-9
Cincinnati 4-3-0 32-27 3-0-0 18-8 1-3-0 14-19
Cleveland 5-2-0 29-25 2-1-0 15-13 3-1-0 14-12
Denver-Ottawa 5-0-0 24-14 3-0-0 16-8 2-0-0 8-6
Edmonton 4-0-0 22-14 2-0-0 11-6 2-0-0 11-8
Indianapolis 4-3-0 20-17 3-0-0 12-6 1-3-0 8-11
Minnesota 4-2-0 27-17 3-0-0 19-8 1-2-0 8-9
New England 4-2-0 26-17 2-1-0 15-11 2-1-0 11-6
Phoenix 9-1-0 58-34 5-0-0 30-18 4-1-0 28-16
Quebec 1-3-0 9-11 1-1-0 6-4 0-2-0 3-7
San Diego 7-5-0 50-37 5-2-0 40-21 2-3-0 10-16
Toronto 2-2-0 20-23 1-1-0 10-11 1-1-0 10-12
Winnipeg 2-2-0 12-15 1-1-0 8-9 1-1-0 4-6
October 3-4-0 24-27 0-0-0 0-0 3-4-0 24-27
November 11-3-0 61-45 9-0-0 46-24 2-3-0 15-21
December 7-6-0 53-47 5-3-0 36-28 2-3-0 17-19
January 10-5-0 63-50 6-1-0 38-23 4-4-0 25-27
February 9-4-0 51-41 5-1-0 28-19 4-3-0 23-22
March 9-5-0 64-43 6-2-0 46-25 3-3-0 18-18
April 4-0-0 25-10 2-0-0 13-7 2-0-0 12-3
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