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The 1974-75 NHL season was the 58th season of the National Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 80 games. With the addition of two new teams, the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts, the NHL bumped up the number of games from 78 to 80 and split the previously two-division league into four divisions and two conferences. Because the new conferences and divisions had little to do with North American geography, geographical references were also removed. The East Division became the Prince of Wales Conference and consisted of the Adams Division and Norris Division and the West Division became the Clarence Campbell Conference and consisted of the Patrick Division and Smythe Division. This further expansion was considered by many ill-fated, and with the World Hockey Association continuing to drain talent away, the Capitals had the worst season ever recorded in the history of major professional hockey, and the third worst in the postwar era the following season, while the Scouts the following season would have the fifth worst record of the postwar era.
The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Buffalo Sabres four games to two for their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
[edit] Regular season
For the first time ever in the National Hockey League, there was a three-way tie for first place overall. The respective divisional leaders of the Norris, Patrick, and Adams all had 113 points. The Vancouver Canucks, which had been playing in the original East Division since they debuted in the league were moved over to the Campbell Conference and lead the way in the Smythe Division with a comparatively meager 86 points.
[edit] Final standings
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold
[edit] Prince of Wales Conference
[edit] Clarence Campbell Conference
[edit] Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
[edit] Leading goaltenders
[edit] Stanley Cup playoffs
All dates in 1975
With the new conference and division structure, the 1975 Stanley Cup playoffs used a new format. Twelve teams qualified for the post-season. The four division winners from the regular season received byes to the quarterfinal round. The next two teams in each division (eight teams total) were ranked according to their regular season point totals, with the highest ranked team playing against the lowest ranked team, and so on, in a best-of-three preliminary round. The four preliminary round winners and four division winners were re-ranked for the subsequent round. The biggest beneficiary of this format was the Vancouver Canucks, who were 9th in the regular season but received a first-round bye for winning the relatively weak Smythe Division.
[edit] Playoff bracket
[edit] NHL awards
| Prince of Wales Trophy: |
Buffalo Sabres |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: |
Philadelphia Flyers |
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: |
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: |
Don Luce, Buffalo Sabres |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: |
Eric Vail, Atlanta Flames |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: |
Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: |
Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers |
| Jack Adams Award: |
Bob Pulford, Los Angeles Kings |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: |
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: |
Marcel Dionne, Detroit Red Wings |
| Lester B. Pearson Award: |
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: |
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Vezina Trophy: |
Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers |
| Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Donald M. Clark, William L. Chadwick, Thomas N. Ivan |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
