1973–74 Houston Aeros season World Hockey Association team season
The 1973–74 Houston Aeros season was the Houston Aeros second season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The season saw the debut of Gordie Howe and his sons in the WHA. The team would win the Avco World Trophy WHA championship.[ 1] [ 2]
Offseason
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(July 2010 )
Regular season
At age 45, Howe scored 100 points during the season, and he was subsequently awarded the Gary L. Davidson Award for most valuable player. Two seasons after he won the award, it was renamed to honor his legacy. The Aeros won the Western Division for the first time in their history.[ 3]
Final standings
Game log
Regular season schedule
No.
R
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
1
W
October 13, 1973
4–3
@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 )
1–0–0
2
L
October 14, 1973
2–5
@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 )
1–1–0
3
W
October 17, 1973
7–2
@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 )
2–1–0
4
L
October 21, 1973
0–2
Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 ) 2–2–0
5
W
October 24, 1973
6–2
Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 ) 3–2–0
6
T
October 27, 1973
2–2
@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 )
3–2–1
7
L
October 28, 1973
2–3
Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 ) 3–3–1
8
W
October 30, 1973
6–1
Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 ) 4–3–1
9
W
November 3, 1973
6–4
Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 ) 5–3–1
10
L
November 7, 1973
4–5
Toronto Toros (1973–74 ) 5–4–1
11
W
November 10, 1973
8–3
Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 ) 6–4–1
12
W
November 13, 1973
5–2
@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 )
7–4–1
13
L
November 15, 1973
2–3
@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74 )
7–5–1
14
W
November 17, 1973
3–2
@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 )
8–5–1
15
L
November 18, 1973
3–8
@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 )
8–6–1
16
W
November 21, 1973
4–1
New England Whalers (1973–74 ) 9–6–1
17
W
November 24, 1973
5–3
Chicago Cougars (1973–74 ) 10–6–1
18
W
November 25, 1973
2–1
Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 ) 11–6–1
19
T
November 28, 1973
4–4
Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 ) 11–6–2
20
L
November 29, 1973
2–5
@ New England Whalers (1973–74 )
11–7–2
21
T
December 1, 1973
3–3
@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 )
11–7–3
22
L
December 2, 1973
2–5
@ Toronto Toros (1973–74 )
11–8–3
23
W
December 5, 1973
5–2
New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 ) 12–8–3
24
L
December 6, 1973
3–4
@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 )
12–9–3
25
W
December 9, 1973
5–3
@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 )
13–9–3
26
W
December 12, 1973
3–2
@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 )
14–9–3
27
W
December 14, 1973
5–2
@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 )
15–9–3
28
L
December 15, 1973
2–5
@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74 )
15–10–3
29
T
December 16, 1973
2–2
Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 ) 15–10–4
30
W
December 19, 1973
10–0
Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 ) 16–10–4
31
L
December 21, 1973
1–3
@ Toronto Toros (1973–74 )
16–11–4
32
W
December 22, 1973
8–3
Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 ) 17–11–4
33
L
December 26, 1973
2–3 OT
New England Whalers (1973–74 ) 17–12–4
34
W
December 29, 1973
3–0
Chicago Cougars (1973–74 ) 18–12–4
35
W
December 30, 1973
6–4
@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 )
19–12–4
36
L
January 5, 1974
1–2
@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 )
19–13–4
37
W
January 6, 1974
7–1
Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 ) 20–13–4
38
W
January 8, 1974
6–2
Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 ) 21–13–4
39
W
January 12, 1974
5–1
Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 ) 22–13–4
40
W
January 16, 1974
4–1
Toronto Toros (1973–74 ) 23–13–4
41
W
January 17, 1974
7–4
Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 ) 24–13–4
42
L
January 19, 1974
2–3
Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 ) 24–14–4
43
W
January 22, 1974
3–1
Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 ) 25–14–4
44
W
January 24, 1974
5–1
Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 ) 26–14–4
45
W
January 26, 1974
4–2
@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 )
27–14–4
46
W
January 27, 1974
4–1
@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 )
28–14–4
47
L
January 30, 1974
1–5
@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 )
28–15–4
48
L
January 31, 1974
4–6
@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74 )
28–16–4
49
L
February 2, 1974
2–5
@ New England Whalers (1973–74 )
28–17–4
50
W
February 4, 1974
7–1
@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 )
29–17–4
51
W
February 5, 1974
4–0
New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 ) 30–17–4
52
W
February 8, 1974
6–2
@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 )
31–17–4
53
T
February 10, 1974
2–2
@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 )
31–17–5
54
W
February 12, 1974
3–1
@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 )
32–17–5
55
W
February 13, 1974
5–1
Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 ) 33–17–5
56
W
February 15, 1974
6–4
@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 )
34–17–5
57
L
February 17, 1974
1–6
Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 ) 34–18–5
58
W
February 20, 1974
7–2
New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74 ) 35–18–5
59
W
February 23, 1974
5–2
Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 ) 36–18–5
60
W
February 24, 1974
7–1
Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 ) 37–18–5
61
W
February 26, 1974
3–2
Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 ) 38–18–5
62
W
February 28, 1974
9–4
@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74 )
39–18–5
63
L
March 1, 1974
2–5
@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 )
39–19–5
64
L
March 3, 1974
3–6
New England Whalers (1973–74 ) 39–20–5
65
L
March 6, 1974
2–4
Edmonton Oilers (1973–74 ) 39–21–5
66
W
March 9, 1974
4–2
Toronto Toros (1973–74 ) 40–21–5
67
W
March 12, 1974
3–2
Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 ) 41–21–5
68
W
March 14, 1974
6–0
@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74 )
42–21–5
69
W
March 17, 1974
4–3
Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 ) 43–21–5
70
W
March 20, 1974
5–4
@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74 )
44–21–5
71
L
March 21, 1974
3–6
@ Toronto Toros (1973–74 )
44–22–5
72
W
March 22, 1974
4–2
@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 )
45–22–5
73
L
March 24, 1974
3–5
Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 ) 45–23–5
74
W
March 27, 1974
8–1
@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74 )
46–23–5
75
L
March 29, 1974
5–7
@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74 )
46–24–5
76
L
March 31, 1974
2–5
@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74 )
46–25–5
77
W
April 1, 1974
4–1
@ New England Whalers (1973–74 )
47–25–5
78
W
April 3, 1974
3–1
Chicago Cougars (1973–74 ) 48–25–5
Playoffs
The Aeros defeated the Winnipeg Jets in the Division semi-final 4–0. In the Division final, the Aeros defeated the Minnesota Fighting Saints 4–2 to advance to the Avco Cup final. The Aeros would sweep the Chicago Cougars to win their first WHA championship.
Player stats
Regular season
Scoring
Goaltending
Player
MIN
GP
W
L
T
GA
GAA
SO
1 - Don McLeod
2971
49
33
13
3
127
2.56
3
30 - Wayne Rutledge
1509
25
12
12
1
84
3.34
0
29 - Ron Grahame
250
4
3
0
1
5
1.20
1
Team: 4730
78
48
25
5
216
2.74
4
Playoffs
Scoring
Goaltending
Player
MIN
GP
W
L
GA
GAA
SO
Don McLeod 842
14
12
2
35
2.49
0
Team: 842
14
12
2
35
2.49
0
[ 4]
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Awards and records
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Transactions
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Draft picks
Houston's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft .[ 5]
Round
#
Player
Nationality
College/Junior/Club team (League)
1
9
Darcy Rota (F)Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)
2
23
Tom Lysiak (F)Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
3
35
Vic Mercredi (LW)New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)
4
48
Don Cutts (G)R.P.I. (ECAC)
5
61
Paul O'Neil (C)Boston University (ECAC)
6
74
Dennis Owchar (D)Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
7
87
Dan Hinton (F)Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHA)
8
99
Lee Palmer (D)
Clarkson University (ECAC)
9
110
Sean Shanahan (LW)Providence College (ECAC)
See also
References
External links
Information related to 1973–74 Houston Aeros season
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