Glenn Resch Had A Standout 1974-75 Season (And Was Still A Rookie In 1975-76)

It was just the second game of their existence. The Kansas City Scouts started play in the National Hockey League in 1974-75, along with the Washington Capitals. In their first game, they lost 6-2 to Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens with Michel Plasse facing 46 shots. In game two at Nassau County Coliseum, it was the Scouts doing the bulk of the shooting. But, Glenn Resch got in the way.

Butch Deadmarsh got the visitors on the board, scoring on Resch at 8:06 of the first period, assisted by Dave Hudson and Chris Evans. However, by the end of the frame, the Islanders had a 3-1 lead. In the end, it was another 6-2 loss but the Scouts certainly had their chances with 36 shots on Chico. Making the saves to give his team a chance for the W certainly became Resch's trademark.

Glenn had three shutouts during the 1974-75 NHL season but never faced more than 21 shots in any of those games. He finished the year with a .916 save percentage during the regular season but it was in the playoffs when he really came through.

In that 1974-75 post season, Resch played 12 games for the New York Islanders, posting a 2.17 goals against average, one shutout and an amazing .931 save percentage. Incredible numbers for a goalie on a team that was bounced in the semi-final. He led all goalies in save percentage in those playoffs.

In the team's quarter-final series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Glenn was in net for all four wins while Billy Smith took all three losses. Game seven was a 30 save 1-0 shutout with Ed Westfall scoring the game winning goal late in the third period.

Despite playing 25 regular season and 12 playoff games in 1974-75, his second year seeing NHL action, Resch was still considered a rookie in 1975-76. That year, he posted a 2.08 GAA with a league leading .928 save percentage along with seven shutouts. Glenn was runner-up to teammate Bryan Trottier for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

Islanders V Penguins NHL Playoff History

The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the National Hockey League as an expansion franchise in 1967-68. The New York Islanders were an expansion franchise, starting play in 1972-73. The two teams met for just the fourth time in a post season series in the opening round of the 2012-13 Stanley Cup playoffs. The first time they met was in 1974-75, New York’s third year in the NHL. The last time was in 1992-93 when the Islanders spoiled Pittsburgh’s 3-peat attempt. It’s hard to believe but the Penguins had never won a series against the Islanders until 2012-13.

1974-75

The two evenly matched teams met in the Quarter-Finals with the Islanders taking the series in seven games. The final game of the series was a 1-0 shutout by New York. New York beat the cross-town New York Rangers and the Penguins beat the St. Louis Blues to set up the showdown. During the regular season, the Islanders placed third in the Patrick Division with 88 points while the Penguins finished third in the Norris with 89 points.

The Islanders were coached by Al Arbour and led offensively by Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin. During the regular season, Billy Smith played the bulk of the games between the pipes with Glenn Resch as the backup. In the playoffs, the roles reversed with Resch taking on most of the goaltending load.

Pittsburgh was coached by Marc Boileau and was led by a pack of equally qualified stars in Ron Schock, Syl Apps, Jean Pronovost, VicHadfield and Pierre Larouche. Gary Inness saw the bulk of the team’s action in goal.

1981-82

Despite the matchup being a total mismatch, the Penguins held their own in the Patrick Division Semi-Final series with the Islanders. Pittsburgh fell three games to two. During the regular season, the Islanders finished first in the Patrick and first overall in the NHL with 118 points. Pittsburgh placed fourth in the Patrick with 75 points.

Once again, New York was coached by Al Arbour and led by Mike Bossy and Brian Trottier. Billy Smith was still the man in net for New York. The Islanders were at their greatest and advanced to win their third of four straight Stanley Cup championships with a sweep of the Vancouver Canucks in the finals.

Pittsburgh was coached by long-time NHL goaltender, Ed Johnston. Leading the way offensively were Rick Kehoe and defenseman Randy Carlyle. Playing most of Pittsburgh’s games in net was Michel Dion.

1992-93

This was the last time the Islanders won a playoff series. New York beat the Penguins four games to three in the Patrick Division finals. New York wrecked what should have the Penguins third consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Pittsburgh finished first overall in the NHL with 119 points. The Islanders placed fourth in the Patrick with 87 points.

In the opening round, Pittsburgh beat the New Jersey Devils and the Islanders took out the Washington Capitals to set up the series. New York met the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference finals and lost. The Habs went on to win the Stanley Cup with a win over the Los Angeles Kings.

In his second last year as head coach in the NHL, Al Arbour was again behind the bench of the Islanders. The team was led by Pierre Turgeon and Steve Thomas with Glenn Healy seeing the majority of action in net. The Penguins were coached by the great Scotty Bowman. Mario Lemieux, Kevin Stevens, Rick Tocchet and Ron Francis all had 100 points or more during the regular season.

2012-13

For the Islanders, it was their first visit to the Stanley Cup playoffs since losing to the Buffalo Sabres in the 2006-07 opening round. 2012-13 did not bring around their first series win since beating the Penguins back in 1992-93.

After game four, the series was tied at two games each. However, it could have been a 3-1 Islanders lead if the Pens had not snuck out a game three victory in overtime. Pittsburgh then won the final two games to take the series in six. However, the Islanders fought until the end with game six also going into extra time.

In that final game, the Penguins never led. Evgeny Malkin tied the score at three fairly late in the third to force overtime. It was Malkin and Tyler Kennedy setting up Brooks Orpik in the first overtime period for the win.

Pittsburgh then beat the Ottawa Senators in five in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. It was the Boston Bruins that ended the team's run, sweeping the Penguins in the Conference finals. Over their 15 playoff games, the team was led offensively by Malkin, Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby.

Upsets Abound In 1981-82 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 1981-82 National Hockey League season was the end of an evenly distributed regular season schedule. Teams now played more games against teams in their own division than the other teams in the league. The Colorado Rockies were in their last season in Denver. The following season, the franchise relocated to East Rutherford, New Jersey to become the present day New Jersey Devils. It was also the year that the record for most goals in a single season was set at an unbeatable level with Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers scoring 92.

1981-82 was also a year of playoff upsets. The New York Islanders were looking for their third Stanley Cup championship in a row. The Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky, were assured to challenge the Islanders for the ultimate prize. At least, that’s the way it should have played out.

Four of the eight first round matchups were upsets. The Quebec Nordiques ousted their provincial rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, three games to two. The Canadiens finished the regular season with 109 points and were first in the Adams Division. Quebec finished with 82 points and in fourth place in the Adams. That 27 point differential was wiped out in five short games.

In the Norris Division Semi-finals, the fourth place Chicago Blackhawks took out the first place Minnesota North Stars three games to one. Minnesota finished the regular season twenty-two points ahead of the Blackhawks with 94 to Chicago’s 72.

The other Norris Division Semi also ended with the underdog on top. The third place St. Louis Blues beat out the second place Winnipeg Jets in four games. This upset was not quite as dramatic as the Blues finished just eight points behind the Jets in the regular season.

The Edmonton Oilers expected run to a Stanley Cup championship ended prematurely against the Los Angeles Kings in the Smythe Division Semi-finals. The Kings finished the season winning just 24 games while losing 41 and tying 15 for just 63 points. The Oilers finished second overall to only the New York Islanders with a total of 111 points. The Kings took the series in five games. Their run would come to a halt in the next round, however, when they bowed out to eventual Stanley Cup finalist, the Vancouver Canucks.

The upsets continued in the following round. In the Adams Division final, fourth place Quebec beat out the second place Boston Bruins in seven games. In the Smythe Division, fourth place Chicago defeated third place St. Louis in six.

The magic would end for the Quebec Nordiques in the conference finals when they came up against the New York Islanders. The Islanders easily swept the Nordiques in four games. It would also come to an end for the Blackhawks as Chicago lost out to the Vancouver Canucks in five games.

Although Vancouver was always the top seed in each series until the finals when they lost out to the Islanders in four games, their run to the finals should be seen as an upset of sorts. Vancouver finished the season with a weak record of 30 wins, 33 losses and 17 ties. The only reason they ranked high is because they were in the weakest conference. They were seeded second in the Smythe and fourth in the conference. Their point total would have placed them eighth in the other conference.

The Oilers licked their wounds and came back strong the following season. The Islanders won their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup in 1982-83, the last for the franchise, but the Oilers would make it to the finals against New York this time. The following season, the Oilers won the Stanley Cup and would win it again in three of next four seasons. One dynasty had replaced another.

 

NHL Hockey Trivia: New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are a National Hockey League that began play in 1972-73 along with their expansion partners, the Atlanta Flames. The Islanders reached their pinnacle less than a decade later when they ruled the NHL with four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Since, the organization has fallen into disarray but a move to Brooklyn may change the fortunes of the franchise.

Test and expand your knowledge of the NHL’s New York Islanders with these four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Which player is the New York Islanders all-time leader in regular season points?

A. Bryan Trottier contributed 1,353 points over his fifteen seasons in an Islanders jersey. Trottier was an essential part of the formula during the Stanley Cup streak of the 1980’s. Mike Bossy comes in second with 1,126 points. However, Bossy played just 752 games for the Islanders, compared to 1,123 for Trottier. Denis Potvin is the only other player in NYI history to top 1,000 points with 1,052 over 1,060 games.

Q. Who was the first team captain of the New York Islanders?

A. Ed Westfall was taken away from the Boston Bruins in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft. Westfall had played eleven seasons with the Bruins before coming to New York. He served as captain until the end of the 1976-77 season. At the point, the ‘C’ was transferred to Clark Gillies. Westfall remained with the team for two more seasons and retired after the 1978-79 season, missing the New York’s first Stanley Cup victory by one year.

Q. What New York Islander holds the team record for the most goals in a single regular season?

A. Mike Bossy scored 69 goals in 1978-79. Bossy surpassed the 60 goal plateau on five occasions and scored less than 50 in only one season during his career, his last. Bossy is one of just four players in Islanders history to top the 50 goal plateau. Bryan Trottier scored 50 in 1981-82, Pat Lafontaine scored 54 in 1989-90 and Pierre Turgeon netted 58 in 1992-93.

Q. The number 9 is retired by the New York Islanders in honour of what player?

A. Clark Gillies was the fifth of six players to have their number retired by the Islanders.  Clark was a fourth overall pick of the Islanders at the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. Gillies played twelve seasons with the Islanders and two additional seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring.

As metioned, he took over the captaincy of the Islanders from Ed Westfall for the 1977-78 season. That responsibility was transferred to Denis Potvin two years later. Gillies sits fourth all-time for the Islanders in goals, assists and points behind Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. Clark was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

1993 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees

In 1993, four National Hockey League players entered the Hockey Hall of Fame. Three of the four starred on either the Montreal Canadiens or New York Islanders teams that dominated the Stanley Cup from 1976 to 1983. The other was a mainstay with the New York Rangers in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Guy Lapointe

Guy Lapointe played 894 regular season games in the NHL between 1968-69 to 1983-84. He played the bulk of his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens while also having stints with St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins nearer the end of his career. The defenseman was a part of six Stanley Cup championship teams with Montreal during the 1970’s.

Despite putting up great numbers from the blue line, Guy was denied the Norris Trophy during his playing days, not able to steal the limelight from the likes of Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin and Montreal teammate Larry Robinson. Lapointe played seven of the eight games for Canada at the 1972 Summit Series with the Soviet Union.

Edgar Laprade

Edgar Laprade played his entire NHL career with the New York Rangers between 1945-46 and 1954-55, appearing in exactly 500 regular season games. With 34 points in 49 games during his rookie season, Laprade was selected as the recipient of the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top first year player. His 34 assists In 1947-48, Edgard placed third in the National hockey League with 34 assists.

Edgar was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy in 1949-50, amassing just one minor penalty over 60 games. In fact, Laprade sat just 42 minutes in the penalty box over his 500 games.

Steve Shutt

At the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected Steve Shutt fourth overall. Fresh off the roster of the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey League, Shutt jumped right into the Montreal lineup without missing a beat. Steve appeared in 930 regular season NHL games between 1972-73 and 1984-85. All his time was spent with the Habs with exception of 59 games with the Los Angeles Kings in his final season after he was traded.

Steve was a member of four consecutive Stanley Cup championship teams in Montreal between 1975-76 and 1978-79. The pinnacle of his NHL career was 1976-77 when he scored 60 goals and amassed 105 points. He led the league in goals that season and placed third for points. Three more times during his NHL career, Shutt placed in the top ten for goals in the NHL but he never again surpassed the 50 goal plateau.

Billy Smith

Billy Smith was the backbone of the New York Islanders Stanley Cup dynasty of the early 1980’s when the team won four straight between 1979-80 and 1982-83. Although drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, Smith played just five games with the club before becoming a member of the Islanders.

Billy Smith was a goalie in the National Hockey League from 1971-72 to 1988-89. He earned the Vezina Trophy in 1981-82 and the Conn Smythe Trophy for his performance during the 1982-83 Stanley Cup playoff run.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Denis Potvin

Denis Potvin was to be the next Bobby Orr when picked by the New York Islanders in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. Although not quite achieving the greatness of Orr, Potvin’s career went down as one of the greatest ever for a defenseman.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Islanders great, Denis Potvin, with the following four hockey trivia questions.

Q. In what year did Denis Potvin become only the second defenseman in NHL history to surpass 100 points in a single regular season?

A. Potvin contributed 101 points in 1978-79 for the New York Islanders while missing seven games. Denis became the second defenseman to accomplish the feat with Bobby Orr being the first. Just Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis and Brian Leetch have reached the plateau since.

Q. What Ontario Hockey League team’s record does Denis Potvin still hold for most points by a defenseman in a single season?

A. Potvin had 35 goals and 88 assists for 123 points in just 61 games in 1972-73 for the Ottawa 67’s. The total stood as an OHL record until Bryan Fogarty had 155 with the Niagara Falls Thunder in 1988-89.

Q. The New York Islanders retired number 5 in honour of Denis Potvin in 1992. His number is also retired by the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, however it is not number 5. Which number is retired by the Ottawa 67’s in honour of Potvin?

A. Denis Potvin wore number 7 with the Ottawa 67’s and that is the number that is retired for Denis, as well as Doug Wilson. When Potvin arrived with the Islanders for the 1973-74 season, despite being the first overall pick, he lost number seven to Germain Gagnon who was in his second season with the Islanders and was therefore the veteran. Gagnon made it 62 games into the season before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. Potvin could have reclaimed the jersey number but chose to stick with number 5. Gagnon made it two more seasons in the NHL before retiring with the Kansas City Scouts after the 1975-76 season.

Q. To this day, in which NHL arena will you hear the chant, “Potvin Sucks”?

A. Of course, Madison Square Garden, the home of the New York Rangers when the Islanders cross the river to play their rivals. Some people still have the nerve to argue that Toronto and Montreal have the most heated rivalry in the NHL. It just doesn’t compare to the hatred that Islanders and Rangers fans have for each other.

Bonus: Denis Potvin won the Max Kaminsky Trophy twice, 1971-72 and 1972-73, as the Ontario Hockey League’s top defenseman. He also won the James Norris Trophy three times as the NHL’s top defenseman.

Potvin is one of just three players to win the Kaminsky Trophy on more than one occasion. The other two are Bryan Berard and Ryan Ellis. There are also just three players that have won both the Kaminsky Trophy and Norris Trophy. The other two are Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Minnesota North Stars

The Minnesota North Stars were one of the six expansion teams that doubled the size of the NHL for the 1967-68 season. The North Stars remained in the Twin Cities until the end of the 1992-93 season when they were moved to Dallas where they became known as simply the Stars. NHL hockey returned to Minnesota in 2000 as the Wild entered the league.

Test and expand your knowledge of Minnesota North Stars trivia with the following questions.

Q. In their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 1981, which team did the Minnesota North Stars lose to?

A. The North Stars lost to the New York Islanders. For New York, it was their second of four consecutive Stanley Cup victories. The North Stars finished the 1980-81 regular season in third place in the Adams Division, behind the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. Minnesota knocked off both those teams before upsetting the Calgary Flames in the conference final.

The playoff hero for Minnesota was Steve Payne with 17 goals and 29 points over 19 games. He was followed close behind by Bobby Smith and Dino Ciccarelli. Now in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ciccarelli played the last half of the 1980-81 season with the North Stars, his first National Hockey League action, after starting the year with the Oklahoma City Stars of the CHL. Minnesota was coached that year by Glen Sonmor with Murray Oliver and J.P. Parise at his side.

Q. In their second trip to the Stanley Cup finals, which team beat the North Stars in 1991?

A. The Pittsburgh Penguins took out the North Stars in six games. The North Stars finished the regular season with an anaemic 27 wins but upset Chicago, St. Louis and Edmonton before bowing out to the Penguins.

That version of the North Stars had a Montreal Canadiens feel behind the bench with Bob Gainey acting as head coach and Doug Jarvis by his side as assistant coach. Minnesota was led in the playoffs by Dave Gagner’s 12 goals and Brian Bellows and his 29 points. Mike Modano was in just his second year in the NHL and contributed 20 points over 23 playoff games.

Q. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was named for the Minnesota North Stars player who died as a result of an on-ice injury during Minnesota’s first season. Who was the only Minnesota North Star to win the Masterton?

A. Al MacAdam won the award in 1979-80. MacAdam started his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing just five games with the club in 1973-74. The following year, he was a member of the California Seals and followed that franchise through Cleveland and eventually to Minnesota.

In 1979-80, Al scored 42 goals and assisted on 51 for 93 points, leading the team in goals and points. Over his career, MacAdam played 864 regular season games in the NHL with the Flyers, Seals, Barons, North Stars and Vancouver Canucks.

Q. In their second season in the NHL, which Minnesota North Stars forward won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie?

A. Danny Grant won the Calder in 1968-69. Grant played the season before with the Montreal Canadiens but didn’t appear in enough regular season games to qualify as a rookie. He helped Montreal in the playoffs as they won the 1969 Stanley Cup. Grant is one of just four players to win the Stanley Cup before winning the Calder.

In that 1968-69 season, Grant scored 34 and assisted on 31 for 65 points over 75 games, leading the North Stars in goals and points. Danny played 736 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1978-79 with the Canadiens, North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He was a 50 goal scorer with Detroit in 1974-75.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Al Arbour

Al Arbour played 626 games in the National Hockey League from 1953-54 to 1970-71. Yet it was his accomplishments as a head coach with the New York Islanders than earned him a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Test and expand your knowledge of Al Arbour and the NHL with these hockey trivia questions.

Q. What team did Al Arbour begin his NHL career with?

A. Arbour began his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1953-54 season. Arbour played with Detroit until the end of the 1957-58 season. He began the next year with the Chicago Black Hawks. He would also play for the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 1953-54, Al played in 36 games with the Red Wings and contributed just one assists. He also appeared in 19 games in the QHL with the Sherbrooke Saints. Arbour would not play in the National Hockey League again until the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1955-56. After a full season in the WHL with the Edmonton Flyers, Al joined the Red Wings for the playoffs. He played in four of the team’s ten post season games as Detroit fell in the finals to the Montreal Canadiens.

Q. What team did Al Arbour play his final NHL game with?

A. Arbour played his final season, 1970-71 with the St. Louis Blues. He took over as head coach of the Blues during that season. In that final year, Arbour played just 22 regular season games. He was credited with 50 games as head coach of the team before being replaced by Scotty Bowman. In the playoffs, Al played another six games for the Blues. St. Louis fell in the opening round to the Minnesota North Stars in six games, ending their run of consecutive Stanley Cup finals appearances at three. In his four years as a player with St. Louis, Arbour served as team captain.

Q. How many years did Al Arbour coach the New York Islanders?

A. Arbour coached the Islanders for nineteen seasons, beginning in 1973-74. He coached through to the end of the 1985-86 season. He then took over as head coach again in 1988-89 and lasted until the end of the 1993-94 season. He coached one game in the 2007-08 season.

Q. How many Stanley Cup winning teams did Al Arbour coach?

A. Arbour coached the New York Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1979-80 to 1982-83. These were the only four Stanley Cups that Arbour would win. Leading up to that dynastic run, the Islanders reached the final four in four of Al’s first six years behind the bench in Long Island. The team fell in the semi-finals in 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77 and 1978-79. In 1983-84, New York reached the final again, looking for their fifth straight championship but fell to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. Arbour reached the semi-finals one more time, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93.

Hockey Trivia: 1979 NHL Entry Draft

The 1979 NHL Entry Draft had one of the best first rounds ever. All 21 players selected in the first round went on to careers in the NHL in some degree. The least regular season NHL games any of the first round picks went on to play was 238 (Ray Allison – 18^th overall by the Hartford Whalers).

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft with the following four trivia questions.

Q. Who was the first overall pick in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft?

A. The Colorado Rockies chose Rob Ramage as the first overall pick. Ramage was drafted from the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association, though he played his junior hockey with the London Knights of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. Ramage played in the NHL from 1979-80 to 1993-94 with the Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers.

Q. What player was the only one to be drafted in the first round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft from the U.S. University system?

A. Mike Ramsey was selected eleventh overall by the Buffalo Sabres. Ramsey previously played for the University of Minnesota. Mike played over 1,000 career NHL games from 1979-80 to 1996-97 with the Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

Q. What Hockey Hall of Fame member who played 1756 regular season games in the NHL was not selected until the third round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft?

A. Mark Messier was selected 48^th overall by the Edmonton Oilers after a season with the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA. Messier scored 694 regular season goals during his NHL career and contributed 1,887 points with the Oilers, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. Mark was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mark’s point total places him second all-time in National Hockey League history. He sits just ahead of Gordie Howe but nearly 1,000 points behind Wayne Gretzky. Messier was just recently pushed down to eighth overall for goals scored by Jaromir Jagr. His 1,756 regular season games puts Mark just eleven games behind Howe for the most all-time.

Q. Who was the first European selected in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft?

A. The first round of the 1979 Draft featured players from North America only. In the second round, the New York Islanders selected Tomas Jonsson 25^th overall. Jonsson, from Sweden, played 552 NHL regular season games from 1981-82 to 1988-89 before returning to Sweden to play nine years for Leksands in the Swedish Elite League. Two other Swedes were selected in that second round, Pelle Lindbergh by the Philadelphia Flyers and Mats Naslund by the Montreal Canadiens.

Hockey Trivia: The WHA And Its Amateur Draft

The World Hockey Association existed for just seven years in the 1970’s. Most years, they ran an amateur draft alongside that of the National Hockey League. Often, the results of the drafts in each league were quite similar and the prospects had the option to choose between the two professional hockey leagues. The NHL was stable and the WHA was a risky venture that offered a chance to make a whole lot of money or lose everything.

Test and expand your knowledge of hockey trivia with these four questions based on the WHA’s Amateur Draft.

Q. In 1973, the first overall draft pick at the WHA Amateur Draft opted to play for what NHL team?

A. Bob Neely was selected first overall in the 1973, WHA Amateur draft but decided to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs chose Neely tenth overall in the 1973 NHL Entry Draft. Bob went on to play 283 regular season games in the NHL, scoring 39 goals and assisting on 59 for 98 points. He played an additional 26 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, adding 12 points.

Neely played pro hockey from 1973-74 to 1979-80 in the NHL, CHL and AHL. Typically, a player will go from being an offensive star in junior to a role player and even enforcer in the NHL. Bob is an odd case study where that went nearly in reverse.

With the Roger Neilson coached Peterborough Petes of the OHL in 1972-73, Neely led the league with 304 penalty minutes over 55 regular season games. However, he also scored 24 and totalled 76 points. With the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1976-77, he wasn’t exactly a powerhouse but his 17 goals and 33 points over 70 games were decent numbers for that time in NHL history. However, his penalty minute totals were certainly eye-catching at just 16 PIM.

Q. Bob Neely was a draft pick of what World Hockey Association team?

A. The Chicago Cougars selected Bob Neely. The Cougars were an original WHA team that played three seasons before folding. Their greatest success came in their second season when they lost in the Avco Cup finals to the Houston Aeros.

Q. What first overall pick in 1974 played one season in the WHA then moved to the NHL where he had a 700+ regular season game career?

A. Pat Price was selected first overall by the Vancouver Blazers. Price played one full season with the Blazers then went on to play for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars.

In 1975, Pat was the eleventh overall pick at the NHL Amateur Draft by the Islanders after four years of junior with the Saskatoon Blades. The defenseman topped out with eleven goals as a member of the Edmonton Oilers in 1979-80, the team’s first year in the NHL. Price retired after playing just 14 games with the North Stars in 1987-88.

Q. Who was the last first overall pick in the WHA Entry Draft?

A. Scott Campbell was taken first overall by the Houston Aeros in 1977. The league would continue for one more season but did not have a draft before that last season. Campbell played a year for the Aeros then moved on to the Winnipeg Jets.

Scott was also taken ninth overall by the St. Louis Blues at the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. He would play three games with St. Louis but not until 1981-82. After three years of junior with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Campbell played pro from 1977-78 to 1981-82 in the WHA, NHL and CHL.

 

Bridgeport Sound Tigers Scoring Records

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers joined the American Hockey League as an expansion franchise for the 2001-02 season. In their first year, the Sound Tigers reached the Calder Cup finals before losing to the Chicago Wolves. They have not won a playoff series since 2002-03. Bridgeport is affiliated with the New York Islanders of the NHL. The single season individual offensive records of the Sound Tigers are quite modest.

Jeff Hamilton – Most Goals

Jeff Hamilton holds the team record for most goals in a single season with 43 in 2003-04. The number led the offensively challenged AHL and Hamilton was honoured with the Willie Marshall Award. In 2003-04, Jeff also played one game with the Islanders, his first game in the National Hockey League.

Hamilton has appeared in 157 regular season NHL games to date with the Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also played at the elite level in Finland, Russia and Switzerland, retiring after the 2010-11 season which he spent with HIFK in Finland’s SM-Liiga.

Rob Collins – Most Assists

Rob Collins set the mark for assists in a single season with 48 in 2005-06. The total was not high enough to place him in the AHL’s top ten. 2005-06 was Rob’s third of three years with the Sound Tigers. He also played eight games with the Islanders that season, his only NHL action to date. Collins has been playing in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) since 2006-07, the last two with the Hamburg Freezers.

Jeff Tambellini – Most Points

Jeff Tambellini holds the team record for points in a single season with 76 in 2007-08. Tambellini set the mark while playing only 57 games. The total was good for seventh in the AHL that season and he finished second with 38 goals. Jeff also played in 31 games with the Islanders in 2007-08 for a total of 88 games combined.

Tambellini has played in 242 regular season NHL games to date with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks. 2012-13 was his second year with ZSC of Switzerland’s National League A. He has signed with MODO in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for the 2013-14 season.

In 2012-13, there was no threat of any of these records being broken. The Sound Tigers were led in the goals department by Nino Niederreiter with 28. Matt Donovan led Bridgeport with 34 assists. Brock Nelson led the team in points with just 52 over 66 regular season games. Bridgeport did not qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs.

 

3 From 1970 NHL Amateur Draft Now In Hockey Hall Of Fame

The 1970 NHL Amateur Draft was the first for the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks and saw 14 teams select 115 players over 14 rounds. 62 of the 115 players went on to play at least one game in the National Hockey League. Three of the 115 went on to have stellar NHL careers and eventually get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Gilbert Perreault - 1990

Gilbert Perreault getting chosen first overall by the expansion Buffalo Sabres came down to a spin of the wheel. In deciding which of the two new teams would choose first, Buffalo and Vancouver each took a spin of ‘crown and anchor’ type wheel with Buffalo winning. The Sabres took Perreault and the Canucks took defenseman Dale Tallon.

Perreault was coming off a dominant junior season in the OHA, scoring 51 goals and totalling 121 points in 54 games for the Montreal Junior Canadiens. He finished second in the race for the Eddie Powers Trophy to Marcel Dionne of the St. Catherines Black Hawks, who finished with 132 points. Dionne would go second overall to the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971 draft.

Gilbert played his entire career with the Sabres, from 1970-71 to 1986-87. To this day, he is arguably the franchise’s greatest player. In his first season, he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie while scoring 38 goals and assisting on 34 others. That, coupled with the Lady Byng Trophy he won in 1972-73 would be the only major individual awards Perreault would win. He finished his career with 512 goals and 1,326 points. Gilbert Perreault was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990.

Darryl Sittler - 1989

Darryl Sittler was taken in the eighth position by the Toronto Maple Leafs after playing three years of junior hockey with the OHA’s London Knights. Although an immediate regular with Toronto, Sittler was a bit slower to start than his counterpart in Buffalo. In his first two seasons, Darryl contributed just 50 points in 123 regular season games.

Sittler played nearly 1,100 regular season games in the NHL between 1970-71 and 1984-85 with the Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. Never a Stanley Cup winner and never the recipient of a major NHL individual award, Darryl did have two 100+ points seasons with Toronto and ended his career with 484 goals and 1,121 points. Darryl Sittler was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.

Billy Smith - 1993

NHL teams rarely select goaltenders in the early rounds of the draft. Thus was the case with Billy Smith. The junior star with the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL was taken down in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Kings, 59^th overall. Smith played just five games with the Kings in 1971-72 but became a regular with the New York Islanders in their inaugural season, 1972-73.

Smith was mostly New York’s number one goalie until he retired after the 1988-89 season. He viscously guarded between the pipes as the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1979-80 to 1982-83. Billy was awarded the Vezina Trophy in 1981-82 and received the Conn Smythe Trophy the following season as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Billy Smith was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

1973 NHL Amateur Draft: 3 First Rounders Now in the Hockey Hall of Fame

In today’s National Hockey League, with advanced scouting and technology added to the fact that there are 30 teams and plenty of job openings, the first round picks at the NHL Entry Draft often, but not always, stick. In the 1970’s, it wasn’t so much the case. The fact that three of the top eight picks at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft are now in the Hockey Hall of Fame is quite astounding.

 

Bob Gainey

Bob Gainey was selected eighth overall in 1973 by the Montreal Canadiens. 20 years later, in 1992, Gainey was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Also picked fourth overall in the WHA amateur draft in 1973 by the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Gainey chose the NHL route and was a regular on the league’s top team in 1973-74.

Bob was taken from the OHA’s Peterborough Petes after playing just one season, 1972-73. He played his entire NHL career with Montreal from 1973-74 to 1988-89, winning five Stanley Cups with the team. He was a four time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner as the league’s most defensive forward. In fact, he won the trophy in its first four years of existence and is the only four-time winner to date. Gainey’s number 23 was retired by the Canadiens in 2008.

 

Lanny McDonald

Lanny McDonald was taken fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of three first round picks by Toronto at the 1973 NHL Draft. Like Bob Gainey, McDonald was also taken in the first round of the WHA draft, 10^th overall by the Cleveland Crusaders. He had played two seasons of junior hockey in the WCHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1971-72 and 1972-73. In his two seasons, Lanny contributed 114 and 139 points.

Over his NHL career that spanned from 1973-74 to 1988-89, McDonald played 1,111 regular season games with an additional 117 in the playoffs. He began with Toronto, made a stop with the Colorado Rockies then finished off his career with the Calgary Flames. With Calgary, he scored 66 goals in 1982-83 and won the Stanley Cup in 1985-86. He finished his career with exactly 500 goals and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame along with Bob Gainey in 1992.

 

Denis Potvin

Denis Potvin was the first overall pick at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, going to the New York Islanders. After five years of junior hockey with the OHA’s Ottawa 67’s, Potvin jumped right into a starring role with New York for the 1973-74 season, winning the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Denis played his entire career with the Islanders, retiring after the 1987-88 season. He captained the team for eight years, from 1979-80 to 1986-87, including the team’s four year Stanley Cup championship run from 1979-80 to 1982-83.

In all, Potvin played 1,052 NHL games and scored 310 goals. He was a three time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, winning in 1975-76, 1977-78 and 1978-79. In 1991, his number 5 was the first jersey number ever retired by the New York Islanders. Denis had a one year head start on Gainey and McDonald, being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.