1975-76 New England Whalers
Record: 33-40-7, 73 pts
Finish: 3rd, East
Playoffs: Lost in second round to Houston
Coach: Jack Kelley (14-16-3), Don Blackburn (14-18-3), Harry Neale (5-6-1)
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Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot
Everything was always first class with the New England Whalers, except for their home. For the first three years of the World Hockey Association they toured in style, but always they had to return for their home games to accommodations which were the equal of a cheap room in a rundown, rat-infested apartment building. Every effort was made to make things comfortable for the impressive lineup manager-coach Jack Kelley had assembled. The dressing room in crummy, old Boston Arena was prettied up — and then thieves broke in and stole Whalers' equipment. Some games were played in Boston Garden, the same facility Boston Bruins use. It may have been dirty, but it qualified as the best in town. A certain stigma remained about playing on the nights the Bruins didn't want the ice. Next came Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield is an old minor league city, and the feeling was still second rate. Finally, though, the Hartford, Connecticut, Civic Center was completed early in January, 1975, and the Whalers were able to move in to what they feel is truly home, sweet home. Hartford hockey fans responded immediately, so the city's first major league team averaged 9,595 in each of 26 games played in the new arena. The Whalers, too, reacted to their swank new headquarters, producing the best home record in the WHA. Whalers won the Avco World Trophy in 1973, the first year the league operated, but competition has grown much stiffer since then. "We have finished first in our division the last two years," says manager-coach Kelley, "but that's not enough. We've been knocked out of the playoffs both in 1974 and 1975. Both times it happened in the first round. We want to stay in the playoffs longer. We feel that we needed a little more aggressiveness up front. Rosie Paiement, whom we acquired during the summer, should provide that for us. He's tough, and he can score goals. We also need some more speed. We're hoping our amateur draft picks will pay off there." Kelley anticipated his return to coaching with delight. Ron Ryan, the former coach, relished his new role as an executive assistant. "I found the coaching was wearing me down," said Ryan, "and this is a good bunch of guys we have, with a winning record. Even so I lost 14 pounds over the season." Kelley, of course, has a successful background, both in college hockey and in taking Whalers to the first league championship. The job will be easier for him than it was for Ryan, simply because the WHA schedule is much more reasonable than it was in 1974-75. The Whalers suffered through particularly difficult, long road trips early last season because they had tried to save a maximum of home dates for the second half of the schedule, in anticipation of their new Hartford home. The Whalers finished with 28 wins, only eight losses, and three ties in their home games in 1974-75. On the road they occasionally showed up for games looking wan and weary, as only jet-age travelers can, playing accordingly so they ended up with a so-so 15-22-2 road record. The Whalers have offered superior balance at all positions since Kelley first built the team. Now, with even more forward strength and a schedule balancing home and away games in ·reasonable fashion, the team should be ready for its best season. The only complication is, Cleveland Crusaders have matched the New England team's progress. The probable result for 1975-76 is a season-long fight for first place in the WHA eastern division. And, Jack Kelley is a skinny guy to begin with. |
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Rosaire Paiement acquired from Denver for 1976 draft choice, Jun 1975
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
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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 Houston 0-5 L 0-1-0 0 0-5 41. Jan 11 San Diego 8-4 W 20-18-3 43 129-121
2. Oct 15 Edmonton *5-4 W 1-1-0 2 5-9 42. Jan 15 Cincinnati 5-2 W 21-18-3 45 134-123
3. Oct 18 Toronto 3-1 W 2-1-0 4 8-10 43. Jan 16 @ Cleveland 3-4 L 21-19-3 45 137-127
4. Oct 21 @ Quebec 1-6 L 2-2-0 4 9-16 44. Jan 18 @ Winnipeg 0-8 L 21-20-3 45 137-135
5. Oct 24 @ Toronto 5-4 W 3-2-0 6 14-20 45. Jan 20 @ Phoenix 4-4 T 21-20-4 46 141-139
6. Oct 26 Calgary 3-1 W 4-2-0 8 17-21 46. Jan 21 @ Houston 3-9 L 21-21-4 46 144-148
7. Oct 29 Quebec 4-2 W 5-2-0 10 21-23 47. Jan 23 @ Cleveland 2-2 T 21-21-5 47 146-150
8. Oct 31 @ Edmonton 2-2 T 5-2-1 11 23-25 48. Jan 24 @ Cincinnati 3-6 L 21-22-5 47 149-156
9. Nov 2 @ Calgary *3-4 L 5-3-1 11 26-29 49. Jan 28 Indianapolis 6-4 W 22-22-5 49 155-160
10. Nov 4 @ Winnipeg *2-3 L 5-4-1 11 28-32 50. Jan 30 Winnipeg 3-6 L 22-23-5 49 158-166
11. Nov 6 Cincinnati 8-3 W 6-4-1 13 36-35 51. Feb 1 @ Toronto 7-5 W 23-23-5 51 165-171
12. Nov 8 Phoenix 2-3 L 6-5-1 13 38-38 52. Feb 3 @ Edmonton 0-4 L 23-24-5 51 165-175
13. Nov 9 @ Cincinnati 2-4 L 6-6-1 13 40-42 53. Feb 5 @ Calgary 6-4 W 24-24-5 53 171-179
14. Nov 12 Houston 4-1 W 7-6-1 15 44-43 54. Feb 7 Toronto 7-3 W 25-24-5 55 178-182
15. Nov 15 Quebec 1-3 L 7-7-1 15 45-46 55. Feb 8 Cleveland 1-6 L 25-25-5 55 179-188
16. Nov 19 @ Indianapolis 1-3 L 7-8-1 15 46-49 56. Feb 13 Cincinnati 1-5 L 25-26-5 55 180-193
17. Nov 20 Minnesota 0-2 L 7-9-1 15 46-51 57. Feb 15 @ Cleveland 3-2 W 26-26-5 57 183-195
18. Nov 22 Phoenix 7-5 W 8-9-1 17 53-56 58. Feb 17 @ Houston 3-4 L 26-27-5 57 186-199
19. Nov 23 Winnipeg 2-3 L 8-10-1 17 55-59 59. Feb 19 @ Indianapolis 3-10 L 26-28-5 57 189-209
20. Nov 25 @ Minnesota *2-3 L 8-11-1 17 57-62 60. Feb 22 @ Quebec 0-4 L 26-29-5 57 189-213
21. Nov 28 Denver 7-3 W 9-11-1 19 64-65 61. Feb 25 @ Cincinnati 2-5 L 26-30-5 57 191-218
22. Nov 29 Indianapolis 2-3 L 9-12-1 19 66-68 62. Feb 26 Houston 2-5 L 26-31-5 57 193-223
23. Dec 2 @ Houston 5-2 W 10-12-1 21 71-70 63. Feb 28 Indianapolis 4-4 T 26-31-6 58 197-227
24. Dec 4 @ Phoenix 4-5 L 10-13-1 21 75-75 64. Mar 2 @ San Diego 4-3 W 27-31-6 60 201-230
25. Dec 6 @ San Diego 1-4 L 10-14-1 21 76-79 65. Mar 4 @ San Diego 2-8 L 27-32-6 60 203-238
26. Dec 7 @ Denver 1-5 L 10-15-1 21 77-84 66. Mar 6 @ Phoenix 5-3 W 28-32-6 62 208-241
27. Dec 10 Minnesota 3-2 W 11-15-1 23 80-86 67. Mar 7 @ Cincinnati 3-5 L 28-33-6 62 211-246
28. Dec 13 Cleveland 5-4 W 12-15-1 25 85-90 68. Mar 10 Phoenix 2-3 L 28-34-6 62 213-249
29. Dec 14 @ Indianapolis 2-2 T 12-15-2 26 87-92 69. Mar 12 Cleveland 8-2 W 29-34-6 64 221-251
30. Dec 17 @ Minnesota 0-0 T 12-15-3 27 87-92 70. Mar 13 @ Cincinnati 5-1 W 30-34-6 66 226-252
31. Dec 19 Edmonton 4-2 W 13-15-3 29 91-94 71. Mar 16 @ Quebec 1-5 L 30-35-6 66 227-257
32. Dec 20 @ Cincinnati 2-4 L 13-16-3 29 93-98 72. Mar 17 Indianapolis 2-5 L 30-36-6 66 229-262
33. Dec 22 @ Cleveland 4-1 W 14-16-3 31 97-99 73. Mar 19 Cincinnati *6-5 W 31-36-6 68 235-267
34. Dec 26 Cincinnati 4-3 W 15-16-3 33 101-102 74. Mar 20 Indianapolis 1-1 T 31-36-7 69 236-268
35. Dec 28 Cleveland 4-0 W 16-16-3 35 105-102 75. Mar 24 Calgary 6-7 L 31-37-7 69 242-275
36. Dec 30 San Diego 5-3 W 17-16-3 37 110-105 76. Mar 26 Calgary 4-1 W 32-37-7 71 246-276
37. Jan 3 Cleveland 3-2 W 18-16-3 39 113-107 77. Mar 28 Indianapolis 1-3 L 32-38-7 71 247-279
38. Jan 4 @ Indianapolis 2-3 L 18-17-3 39 115-110 78. Mar 31 @ Cleveland 1-5 L 32-39-7 71 248-284
39. Jan 7 @ Ottawa 3-2 W 19-17-3 41 118-112 79. Apr 3 @ Indianapolis 5-2 W 33-39-7 73 253-286
40. Jan 9 San Diego 3-5 L 19-18-3 41 121-117 80. Apr 4 Indianapolis 2-4 L 33-40-7 73 255-290
pos.
Player
G Abrahamsson, Christer
D Abrahamsson, Thommie
LW Arndt, Danny
C Backstrom, Ralph
LW Blackburn, Don
LW Bolduc, Dan
LW Borgeson, Don
RW Busniuk, Ron
RW Byers, Mike
C Caffery, Terry
LW Carleton, Wayne
LW Charlebois, Bob
LW Climie, Ron
G Cooley, Gaye
C Danby, John
RW Earl, Tom
LW Fotiu, Nick
D Gateman, J.Marty
D Hangsleben, Alan
G Hoganson, Paul
D Hurley, Paul
G Landon, Bruce
D Ley, Rick
C McManama, Rob
RW O'Donnell, Fred
RW Paiement, Rosaire
C Pleau, Larry
G Raeder, Cap
C Richardson, Steve
D Roberts, Doug
D Roberts, Gordie
C Rogers, Mike
D Selwood, Brad
C Swain, Garry
RW Troy, Jim
RW Webster, Tom
Goaltender
Abrahamsson, C.
Cooley, Gaye
Hoganson, Paul
Landon, Bruce
Raeder, Cap
• Marty Gateman, Doug Roberts and Gordie Roberts signed to contracts, Sep 1975
• Terry Caffery traded to Calgary for future considerations, Oct 1975
• Mike Byers and Paul Hoganson released, Nov 1975. Both subsequently signed by Cincinnati
• Ralph Backstrom and Don Borgeson purchased from Ottawa, Jan 1976
• Wayne Carleton traded to Edmonton for Mike Rogers, Jan 1976
• Paul Hurley traded to Edmonton for Kerry Ketter and Steve Carlyle, Feb 1976
• Ron Busniuk signed as free agent from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976
• Dan Bolduc signed to contract, Mar 1976
• Gaye Cooley signed as emergency goaltender, Apr 1976
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Calgary 3-2-0 22-17 2-1-0 13-9 1-1-0 9-8
Cincinnati 5-6-0 41-43 4-1-0 24-18 1-5-0 17-25
Cleveland 6-3-1 34-28 4-1-0 21-14 2-2-1 13-14
Denver-Ottawa 2-1-0 11-10 1-0-0 7-3 1-1-0 4-7
Edmonton 2-1-1 11-12 2-0-0 9-6 0-1-1 2-6
Houston 2-4-0 17-26 1-2-0 6-11 1-2-0 11-15
Indianapolis 2-7-3 31-44 1-4-2 18-24 1-3-1 13-20
Minnesota 1-2-1 5-7 1-1-0 3-4 0-1-1 2-3
Phoenix 2-3-1 24-23 1-2-0 11-11 1-1-1 13-12
Quebec 1-4-0 7-20 1-1-0 5-5 0-3-0 2-15
San Diego 3-3-0 23-27 2-1-0 16-12 1-2-0 7-15
Toronto 4-0-0 22-13 2-0-0 10-4 2-0-0 12-9
Winnipeg 0-4-0 7-20 0-2-0 5-9 0-2-0 2-11
October 5-2-1 23-25 4-1-0 15-13 1-1-1 8-12
November 4-10-0 43-43 4-5-0 33-26 0-5-0 10-17
December 8-4-2 44-37 6-0-0 25-14 2-4-2 19-23
January 5-7-2 48-61 4-2-0 28-23 1-5-2 20-38
February 4-8-1 39-61 1-3-1 15-23 3-5-0 24-38
March 6-8-1 51-57 3-4-1 30-27 3-4-0 21-30
April 1-1-0 7-6 0-1-0 2-4 1-0-0 5-2
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