1972–73 Alberta Oilers season
The 1972–73 Alberta Oilers season was the Oilers' first season, as one of twelve inaugural franchises of the now-defunct World Hockey Association (WHA). [1][2]
1972–73 Alberta Oilers | |
---|---|
Division | 5th Western |
1972–73 record | 38–37–3 |
Home record | 26–13–2 |
Road record | 12–24–1 |
Goals for | 269 (9th) |
Goals against | 256 (4th) |
Team information | |
General manager | Bill Hunter |
Coach | Ray Kinasewich Bill Hunter |
Captain | Al Hamilton |
Alternate captains | Doug Barrie Val Fonteyne Jim Harrison |
Arena | Edmonton Gardens |
Average attendance | 3,848 (74.0%) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Jim Harrison (39) |
Assists | Al Hamilton (50) |
Points | Jim Harrison (86) |
Penalty minutes | Al Hamilton (124) |
Wins | Jack Norris (28) |
Goals against average | Jack Norris (3.06) |
Regular season
The Oilers victory over the Ottawa Nationals on October 11, 1972, was the first game in league history, with Ron Anderson scoring the first goal.
Jim Harrison led the team in scoring, with 39 goals and 86 points. On January 30, 1973, in an 11–3 defeat of the New York Raiders, Harrison set a major professional hockey record with 10 points (3G, 7A) in a single game. That feat was later matched by Darryl Sittler on February 7, 1976, in a National Hockey League game.
The Oilers posted a winning record in the regular season, with 38 wins, 37 losses and 3 ties. The Minnesota Fighting Saints finished with an identical record, so a single game playoff was contested to decide fourth place in the Western Division. The Fighting Saints defeated the Oilers 4–2 on a neutral site rink (in Calgary), ending the Oilers season.
Season standings
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winnipeg Jets | 78 | 43 | 31 | 4 | 285 | 249 | 757 | 90 |
Houston Aeros | 78 | 39 | 35 | 4 | 284 | 269 | 1363 | 82 |
Los Angeles Sharks | 78 | 37 | 35 | 6 | 259 | 250 | 1477 | 80 |
Minnesota Fighting Saints | 78 | 38 | 37 | 3 | 250 | 269 | 843 | 79 |
Alberta Oilers | 78 | 38 | 37 | 3 | 269 | 256 | 1134 | 79 |
Chicago Cougars | 78 | 26 | 50 | 2 | 245 | 295 | 811 | 54 |
Schedule and results
1972–73 Game Log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend: Win (2 points) Loss (0 points) Tie (1 point) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playoffs
The Oilers and the Minnesota Fighting Saints were tied at the end of the season. They had the same number of victories and points, and they had both won four games against each other. Subsequently, it was decided that the two teams would play a one-game playoff to decide the final spot in the playoffs, to be played in Calgary. The Oilers lost the game, and the Fighting Saints went on to play in the Quarterfinals.
1973 Avco Cup Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Player statistics
Skaters
Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties In Minutes
Player | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
Jim Harrison | 66 | 39 | 47 | 86 | 93 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Al Hamilton | 78 | 11 | 50 | 61 | 124 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Ross Perkins | 71 | 21 | 37 | 58 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Ed Patenaude | 78 | 29 | 27 | 56 | 59 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Ron Walters | 78 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Bob Wall | 78 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Val Fonteyne | 77 | 7 | 32 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Eddie Joyal | 71 | 22 | 16 | 38 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bill Hicke | 73 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Brian Carlin | 65 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Doug Barrie | 54 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 111 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
Ron Anderson | 73 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ken Baird | 75 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 112 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Bob Falkenberg | 77 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Steve Carlyle | 67 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dennis Kassian | 50 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Bob McAneeley | 51 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
Bernie Blanchette† | 23 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Roger Cote | 60 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
John Fisher | 40 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
Jack Norris | 64 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jim Benzelock‡ | 26 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
Derek Harker‡ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
Ken Brown | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
†Denotes player traded to the Oilers mid-season.
‡Denotes player traded away mid-season.
Statistics for all players reflect only games played with the Oilers.
Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA | |
Jack Norris | 64 | 3705 | 28 | 29 | 3 | 189 | 1 | 0.903 | 3.06 | 1 | 59 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.833 | 4.07 |
Ken Brown | 20 | 1034 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 63 | 1 | 0.883 | 3.65 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Awards and records
Four Oilers were selected to play in the mid-season All-Star Game on January 6:
- Jack Norris (G)
- Al Hamilton (D)
- Bob Wall (D)
- Jim Harrison (C)
Milestones
Regular Season | |||||||||
Player | Milestone | Reached | |||||||
Ron Anderson | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | October 11, 1972 | |||||||
Bill Hicke | |||||||||
Eddie Joyal | |||||||||
Ron Walters | |||||||||
Ken Brown | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Win | ||||||||
Steve Carlyle | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
John Fisher | |||||||||
Val Fonteyne | |||||||||
Al Hamilton | |||||||||
Bob McAneeley | |||||||||
Bob Wall | |||||||||
Bob Falkenberg | 1st WHA Game | ||||||||
Ed Patenaude | |||||||||
Jim Harrison | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
Jack Norris | 1st WHA Game | October 13, 1972 | |||||||
Roger Côté | 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | October 15, 1972 | |||||||
Val Fonteyne | 1st WHA Goal | ||||||||
Eddie Joyal | 1st WHA Assist | ||||||||
Ron Walters | |||||||||
Ron Anderson | 1st WHA Assist | October 17, 1972 | |||||||
Jack Norris | 1st WHA Win | ||||||||
Bob Falkenberg | 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | October 20, 1972 | |||||||
Ed Patenaude | 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
Ron Walters | 1st WHA Hat-trick | ||||||||
Brian Carlin | 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | October 24, 1972 | |||||||
Bill Hicke | 1st WHA Assist | ||||||||
Dennis Kassian | 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | October 28, 1972 | |||||||
Ross Perkins | 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
Ken Baird | 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | October 29, 1972 | |||||||
Ross Perkins | 1st WHA Goal | ||||||||
Doug Barrie | 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | November 3, 1972 | |||||||
Brian Carlin | 1st WHA Assist | ||||||||
Bob Wall | 1st WHA Goal | ||||||||
Dennis Kassian | 1st WHA Assist | November 5, 1972 | |||||||
Doug Barrie | |||||||||
Steve Carlyle | 1st WHA Goal | November 7, 1972 | |||||||
Al Hamilton | |||||||||
Ken Baird | 1st WHA Goal | November 9, 1972 | |||||||
Bob Falkenberg | 1st WHA Goal | November 11, 1972 | |||||||
Jim Benzelock | 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | November 25, 1972 | |||||||
Bob McAneeley | 1st WHA Goal | November 30, 1972 | |||||||
Jim Benzelock | 1st WHA Goal | December 12, 1972 | |||||||
Roger Côté | 1st WHA Assist | December 21, 1972 | |||||||
Jim Harrison | 1st WHA Gordie Howe hat trick | ||||||||
Ross Perkins | 1st WHA Hat-Trick | January 1, 1973 | |||||||
Jack Norris | 1st WHA Assist | January 16, 1973 | |||||||
Jim Harrison | 1st WHA Hat-Trick | January 30, 1973 | |||||||
Jack Norris | 1st WHA Shutout | February 9, 1973 | |||||||
Al Hamilton | 100th WHA PIM | February 27, 1973 | |||||||
Ken Baird | 100th WHA PIM | March 17, 1973 | |||||||
Ken Brown | 1st WHA Shutout | ||||||||
Jim Harrison | 2nd WHA Gordie Howe hat trick | ||||||||
Doug Barrie | 100th WHA PIM | March 28, 1973 | |||||||
Ken Baird | 1st WHA Game | TBD | |||||||
Doug Barrie | |||||||||
Jim Benzelock | |||||||||
Brian Carlin | |||||||||
Roger Côté | |||||||||
Derek Harker | |||||||||
Dennis Kassian | |||||||||
Ross Perkins |
Playoffs | |||||||||
Player | Milestone | Reached | |||||||
Ron Anderson | 1st WHA Game | April 4, 1973 | |||||||
Doug Barrie | |||||||||
Brian Carlin | |||||||||
Steve Carlyle | |||||||||
Roger Côté | |||||||||
Bob Falkenberg | |||||||||
Val Fonteyne | |||||||||
Al Hamilton | |||||||||
Bill Hicke | |||||||||
Eddie Joyal | |||||||||
Jack Norris | |||||||||
Ross Perkins | |||||||||
Ken Baird | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Goal 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
Ron Walters | |||||||||
Jim Harrison | 1st WHA Game 1st WHA Assist 1st WHA Point | ||||||||
Dennis Kassian | |||||||||
Ed Patenaude | |||||||||
Bob Wall |
Transactions
Draft picks
The WHA General Player Draft was held on February 12–13, 1972 to stock each new WHA team with their initial rosters. The Oilers selected four NHL players with their "priority" selections:
- Norm Ullman, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Bobby Clarke, C, Philadelphia Flyers
- Bruce MacGregor, RW, New York Rangers
- Phil Myre, G, Montreal Canadiens
Ullman and MacGregor would eventually play for the Oilers, but not for the 1972–73 season. Both were Edmonton-born players who finished their playing careers with the Oilers after long NHL careers.
The Oilers selected an additional 96 players in subsequent rounds of the draft. Of those, 22 players would play for the Oilers, 16 in the 1972–73 season.
Player | Pos | Team | League | Joined Oilers |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ron Anderson | RW | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1972–73 |
Ace Bailey | LW | Boston Bruins | NHL | 1978–79 |
Ken Baird | D | California Golden Seals | NHL | 1972–73 |
Doug Barrie | D | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 1972–73 |
Jim Benzelock | RW | Dayton Gems | IHL | 1972–73 |
Brian Carlin | LW | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 1972–73 |
Roger Cote | D | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 1972–73 |
Bob Falkenberg | D | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 1972–73 |
John Fisher | C | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 1972–73 |
Val Fonteyne | LW | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 1972–73 |
Del Hall | LW | California Golden Seals | NHL | 1977–78 |
Al Hamilton | D | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1972–73 |
Eddie Joyal | C | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 1972–73 |
Kerry Ketter | D | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 1975–76 |
Barry Long | D | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 1974–75 |
Len Lunde | LW | Ilves Tampere | SM-sarja | 1973–74 |
Bob McAneeley | LW | University of British Columbia | CWUAA | 1972–73 |
Ed Patenaude | RW | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 1972–73 |
Ross Perkins | C | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 1972–73 |
Glen Sather | LW | New York Rangers | NHL | 1976–77 |
Bob Wall | D | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 1972–73 |
Ron Walters | C | Tidewater Wings | AHL | 1972–73 |
Trades
Date | To Alberta Oilers | Traded to | Traded for |
---|---|---|---|
May 1972 | Jim Harrison | Calgary Broncos | Cash |
May 1972 | Dennis Kassian | Houston Aeros | Cash |
June 1972 | Future considerations | Quebec Nordiques | François Lacombe |
June 1972 | Jack Norris | Cleveland Crusaders | Cash |
July 1972 | Steve Carlyle | Cleveland Crusaders | Cash |
July 1972 | Ken Brown | Cleveland Crusaders | Cash |
July 1972 | Future considerations | Cleveland Crusaders | Joe Hardy |
August 1972 | Cash | Cleveland Crusaders | Doug Brindley |
September 1972 | Cash | Ottawa Nationals | Gilles Gratton |
November 1972 | Cash | Philadelphia Blazers | Derek Harker |
December 27, 1972 | Bernie Blanchette | Chicago Cougars | Jim Benzelock |
Free Agents
- Bill Hicke signed September 1972
References
- World Hockey Association (1972). WHA 1972-73 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
- World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
- Surgent, Scott (September 2004). The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference to the World Hockey Association, 1972–1979 (7th ed.). Xaler Press. pp. 48–69. ISBN 0-9644774-4-0.
- "1972–73 Alberta Oilers [WHA] player statistics". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- "1972–73 World Hockey Association [WHA] standings". The Internet Hockey Database. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- "WHA Oilers Page – 1972-73 Results". "The Home of the Oilers". Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- "WHA Oilers Page – 1972 Alberta Oilers". "The Home of the Oilers". Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- "WHA Oilers Page – 1972 WHA General Player Draft". "The Home of the Oilers". Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- "WHA Oilers Page – All Time Trades". "The Home of the Oilers". Retrieved 2009-02-20.