1975-76 Winnipeg Jets
Record: 52-27-2, 106 pts
Finish: 1st, Canadian
Playoffs: Won AVCO Cup Championship
Coach: Bobby Kromm
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Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot
Everywhere the Winnipeg Jets went in 1974-75, they created excitement. They offered "the greatest forward line in all of hockey," which is the way Rudy Pilous, Jet's director of hockey operations modestly describes Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson. They attracted huge crowds, home and away. They also missed the playoffs. So, Pilous went out and signed two more Swedes. He also picked up two aging but willing defensemen, Larry Hillman and Ted Green. But the most important item in his rush of dealings undoubtedly was his hiring Bobby Kromm as coach. Kromm, 46, has a long, distinctive history at Dallas, Texas, of all places, where he coached Chicago Black Hawks' Central League team for the past eight years. Kromm has been regarded as the outstanding coach in the minors, so only the extreme stability of the Black Hawk front office kept him from a major league job there. Now that he's moved to the Jets, the Hawks are sure to be criticized for losing him. "Everybody knows the right coach is important," said Pilous. "Well, all I know is we have a situation that's unique in hockey. We have seven Swedes, two Finlanders, a superstar in Bobby Hull, and two spirited goaltenders who need to be worked with for them to be at their best. Yes, you could say we offer a coach a challenging situation." Most teams strive for a style of play or system all their players can follow. Not the Jets. "Our big line plays differently than any other," says Pilous. "Now that we've signed Willy Lindstrom and Mats Lindh, we'll have a second line with a different style. Our third line, of course, is Canadian, which will play in the more traditional style. "So don't be surprised if you see us keeping the same defense pairs with the same forward lines most of the time, so that we have three complete five-man units, each playing differently from the others. That way, we don't restrict any of our players by trying to change them, and, beyond that, make it a little more difficult for teams trying to check us." Kromm isn't entirely new to the concepts of international hockey, of course, because he played for the Trail Smoke Eaters when they won a world championship for Canada in 1961. "I feel. he's old enough to understand the modern kind of hockey and young enough to communicate with the kind of team we have," Pilous added. "I will work with him closely, not so much in the role of manager but in handling the unique kind of lineup we have." Two major weaknesses allowed the Jets to be exploited in the past. "They rely too much on the Hull line," Jean-Guy Gendron, the Quebec coach, said last year. "Neutralize that line and you can probably beat them." The second weakness, after the lack of depth at the forward positions, was the lack of toughness on defense. The new forwards should help make Jets more than a one-shot team. Chances are, if the second and third forward units are good enough to justify extra ice time, the Hull line will improve with their increase in rest. As for the defense, Hillman and Green may have passed their peaks long ago, but they do know what to do in front of their own net, which is to allow no loitering by opposing forwards. Jets should be sufficiently improved to encourage Pilous to revive his entire stock of dialect jokes, famous throughout hockey. Certainly, all of his Scandinavian stories have happy endings. |
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Ted Green acquired from New England for future considerations, May 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 9 @ Quebec 5-3 W 1-0-0 2 5-3 41. Jan 4 @ Edmonton 8-1 W 27-14-0 54 171-114
2. Oct 12 @ Phoenix 4-0 W 2-0-0 4 9-3 42. Jan 6 @ Calgary 0-5 L 27-15-0 54 171-119
3. Oct 16 @ Denver 7-3 W 3-0-0 6 16-6 43. Jan 7 Toronto 8-2 W 28-15-0 56 179-121
4. Oct 18 @ San Diego 1-2 L 3-1-0 6 17-8 44. Jan 9 Indianapolis *1-2 L 28-16-0 56 180-123
5. Oct 19 @ Phoenix 5-6 L 3-2-0 6 22-14 45. Jan 11 Ottawa *6-5 W 29-16-0 58 186-128
6. Oct 21 Cincinnati 7-0 W 4-2-0 8 29-14 46. Jan 14 Houston 4-1 W 30-16-0 60 190-129
7. Oct 24 Denver 5-2 W 5-2-0 10 34-16 47. Jan 16 Edmonton 1-5 L 30-17-0 60 191-134
8. Oct 26 Phoenix 5-0 W 6-2-0 12 39-16 48. Jan 18 New England 8-0 W 31-17-0 62 199-134
9. Oct 30 Cincinnati 4-0 W 7-2-0 14 43-16 49. Jan 21 Calgary 4-1 W 32-17-0 64 203-135
10. Nov 2 Quebec 0-1 L 7-3-0 14 43-17 50. Jan 23 Edmonton 4-2 W 33-17-0 66 207-137
11. Nov 4 New England *3-2 W 8-3-0 16 46-19 51. Jan 28 @ Minnesota 2-6 L 33-18-0 66 209-143
12. Nov 9 Toronto 5-3 W 9-3-0 18 51-22 52. Jan 30 @ New England 6-3 W 34-18-0 68 215-146
13. Nov 11 Cleveland 2-3 L 9-4-0 18 53-25 53. Jan 31 @ Cincinnati 5-2 W 35-18-0 70 220-148
14. Nov 13 @ Calgary 4-2 W 10-4-0 20 57-27 54. Feb 1 @ Indianapolis 2-1 W 36-18-0 72 222-149
15. Nov 14 Edmonton 6-1 W 11-4-0 22 63-28 55. Feb 3 @ Quebec 4-5 L 36-19-0 72 226-154
16. Nov 16 Indianapolis 2-1 W 12-4-0 24 65-29 56. Feb 6 @ Toronto 7-6 W 37-19-0 74 233-160
17. Nov 18 Houston 2-3 L 12-5-0 24 67-32 57. Feb 7 @ Cleveland 4-4 T 37-19-1 75 237-164
18. Nov 20 @ Quebec *3-2 W 13-5-0 26 70-34 58. Feb 8 Calgary 8-4 W 38-19-1 77 245-168
19. Nov 22 @ Cleveland 3-6 L 13-6-0 26 73-40 59. Feb 11 Quebec 4-6 L 38-20-1 77 249-174
20. Nov 23 @ New England 3-2 W 14-6-0 28 76-42 60. Feb 15 Toronto 7-6 W 39-20-1 79 256-180
21. Nov 26 @ Cincinnati 11-3 W 15-6-0 30 87-45 61. Feb 17 @ Edmonton 4-4 T 39-20-2 80 260-184
22. Nov 27 @ Indianapolis 1-3 L 15-7-0 30 88-48 62. Feb 18 Phoenix 4-3 W 40-20-2 82 264-187
23. Nov 28 @ Toronto 5-3 W 16-7-0 32 93-51 63. Feb 20 Edmonton 4-2 W 41-20-2 84 268-189
24. Nov 30 Minnesota 5-3 W 17-7-0 34 98-54 64. Feb 25 Cleveland 5-2 W 42-20-2 86 273-191
25. Dec 2 @ Denver *4-3 W 18-7-0 36 102-57 65. Feb 27 Edmonton 4-3 W 43-20-2 88 277-194
26. Dec 4 @ San Diego 5-4 W 19-7-0 38 107-61 66. Feb 28 @ Quebec *4-3 W 44-20-2 90 281-197
27. Dec 5 @ Houston 4-5 L 19-8-0 38 111-66 67. Feb 29 @ Toronto 7-11 L 44-21-2 90 288-208
28. Dec 7 Quebec 2-3 L 19-9-0 38 113-69 68. Mar 7 Calgary 3-1 W 45-21-2 92 291-209
29. Dec 10 Toronto *6-5 W 20-9-0 40 119-74 69. Mar 9 @ Toronto 5-2 W 46-21-2 94 296-211
30. Dec 12 Calgary 4-2 W 21-9-0 42 123-76 70. Mar 10 Quebec 10-3 W 47-21-2 96 306-214
31. Dec 14 @ Edmonton 3-1 W 22-9-0 44 126-77 71. Mar 12 Quebec 8-10 L 47-22-2 96 314-224
32. Dec 16 @ Toronto 4-3 W 23-9-0 46 130-80 72. Mar 14 Edmonton 4-2 W 48-22-2 98 318-226
33. Dec 18 @ Quebec 4-5 L 23-10-0 46 134-85 73. Mar 17 Calgary 3-2 W 49-22-2 100 321-228
34. Dec 20 @ Minnesota 3-6 L 23-11-0 46 137-91 74. Mar 19 @ Edmonton 1-2 L 49-23-2 100 322-230
35. Dec 21 Minnesota 1-3 L 23-12-0 46 138-94 75. Mar 21 @ Toronto 2-5 L 49-24-2 100 324-235
36. Dec 23 @ Edmonton 6-2 W 24-12-0 48 144-96 76. Mar 24 Edmonton 2-3 L 49-25-2 100 326-238
37. Dec 26 Calgary 4-5 L 24-13-0 48 148-101 77. Mar 28 San Diego 6-1 W 50-25-2 102 332-239
38. Dec 28 @ Calgary 4-6 L 24-14-0 48 152-107 78. Mar 31 Toronto 5-3 W 51-25-2 104 337-242
39. Dec 30 @ Houston 5-3 W 25-14-0 50 157-110 79. Apr 2 @ Calgary 1-4 L 51-26-2 104 338-246
40. Jan 3 @ Calgary 6-3 W 26-14-0 52 163-113 80. Apr 4 @ Edmonton 2-5 L 51-27-2 104 340-251
- - - - - - - - 81. Apr 6 @ Calgary 5-3 W 52-27-2 106 345-254
pos.
Player
D Asmundson, Duke
RW Beaudin, Norm
D Bergman, Thommie
G Daley, Joe
D Ford, Mike
D Green, Ted
LW Guindon, Robert
RW Hedberg, Anders
D Hillman, Larry
D Hornung, Larry
LW Hull, Bobby
C Ketola, Veli-Pekka
G Larsson, Curt
D Legge, Randy
LW Lesuk, Bill
D Lindh, Mats
RW Lindstrom, Willy
D Miller, Perry
LW Moffat, Lyle
C Nilsson, Ulf
D Odrowski, Gerry
D Riihiranta, Heikki
D Sjoberg, Lars-Erik
C Sullivan, Peter
Goaltender
Daley, Joe
Larsson, Curt
• Rights to Bill Lesuk acquired from Edmonton for future considerations, Jul 1975
• Willy Lindstrom signed to contract, Jul 1975
• Peter Sullivan signed to contract, Aug 1975
• Bobby Guindon signed to contract, Nov 1975
• Randy Legge traded to Cleveland for Lyle Moffat, Jan 1976
• Perry Miller traded to Minnesota for Gerry Odrowski, Jan 1976, subsequently re-signed as a free agent from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976
• Morris Mott signed to contract, Mar 1976
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Calgary 8-4-0 46-38 5-1-0 26-15 3-3-0 20-23
Cincinnati 4-0-0 27-5 2-0-0 11-0 2-0-0 16-5
Cleveland 1-2-1 14-15 1-1-0 7-5 0-1-1 7-10
Denver-Ottawa 4-0-0 22-13 2-0-0 11-7 2-0-0 11-6
Edmonton 8-4-1 49-33 5-2-0 25-18 3-2-1 24-15
Houston 2-2-0 15-12 1-1-0 6-4 1-1-0 9-8
Indianapolis 2-2-0 6-7 1-1-0 3-3 1-1-0 3-4
Minnesota 1-3-0 11-18 1-1-0 6-6 0-2-0 5-12
New England 4-0-0 20-7 2-0-0 11-2 2-0-0 9-5
Phoenix 3-1-0 18-9 2-0-0 9-3 1-1-0 9-6
Quebec 4-6-0 44-41 1-4-0 24-23 3-2-0 20-18
San Diego 2-1-0 12-7 1-0-0 6-1 1-1-0 6-6
Toronto 9-2-0 61-49 5-0-0 31-19 4-2-0 30-30
October 7-2-0 43-16 4-0-0 21-2 3-2-0 22-14
November 10-5-0 55-38 5-3-0 25-17 5-2-0 30-21
December 8-7-0 59-56 2-3-0 17-18 6-4-0 42-38
January 10-4-0 63-38 6-2-0 36-18 4-2-0 27-20
February 9-3-2 68-60 6-1-0 36-26 3-2-2 32-34
March 7-4-0 49-34 6-2-0 41-25 1-2-0 8-9
April 1-2-0 8-12 0-0-0 0-0 1-2-0 8-12
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