# 1973–74 Quebec Nordiques season

The 1973–74 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques second season, as they were coming off a 33–40–5 record, earning 71 points, failing to qualify for the playoffs in their first season.
The Nordiques would replace head coach Maurice Filion in the off-season, and name recently retired NHL superstar goaltender Jacques Plante as head coach of the team. The club also acquired Serge Bernier from the Los Angeles Kings and Rejean Houle from the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL to try to spark the offense.
The Nordiques would improve and finish over .500 for the first time in team history with a 38–36–4 record, however, they would once again come up short for a playoff berth, finishing only 1 point behind the Chicago Cougars for the final spot.
Offensively, Quebec was led by Serge Bernier, as he would post a team best 86 points, scoring a Nordiques record 37 goals along the way. Bob Guindon would have a very solid season, scoring 31 goals and 70 points, while Alain Coron would also score 31 goals while appearing in only 59 games due to injuries. Defenseman J. C. Tremblay would anchor the defense, scoring 9 goals and earning 53 points, while Pierre Roy supplied the team toughness, recording 137 penalty minutes in only 44 games.
In goal, Richard Brodeur would lead the Nordiques in wins with 15 and save percentage at .901, while Michel DeGuise would post a team best 3.29 GAA, playing in a team high 32 games. Serge Aubry also had some playing time, winning 11 games.

## Season standings

Eastern Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts |
| New England Whalers | 78 | 43 | 31 | 4 | 291 | 260 | 875 | 90 |
| Toronto Toros | 78 | 41 | 33 | 4 | 304 | 272 | 871 | 86 |
| Cleveland Crusaders | 78 | 37 | 32 | 9 | 266 | 264 | 1007 | 83 |
| Chicago Cougars | 78 | 38 | 35 | 5 | 271 | 273 | 1041 | 81 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 78 | 38 | 36 | 4 | 306 | 280 | 909 | 80 |
| NY Golden Blades / Jersey Knights | 78 | 32 | 42 | 4 | 268 | 313 | 933 | 68 |

## Schedule and results

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record | Pts |
| 1 | October 7 | New England Whalers | 2–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–0–0 | 2 |
| 2 | October 9 | Quebec Nordiques | 2–3 | New England Whalers | 1–1–0 | 2 |
| 3 | October 11 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–1 | Toronto Toros | 2–1–0 | 4 |
| 4 | October 13 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–6 | Cleveland Crusaders | 2–2–0 | 4 |
| 5 | October 18 | Toronto Toros | 2–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–2–0 | 6 |
| 6 | October 20 | New York Golden Blades | 1–8 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–2–0 | 8 |
| 7 | October 21 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–4 | New York Golden Blades | 4–3–0 | 8 |
| 8 | October 25 | Chicago Cougars | 4–2 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–4–0 | 8 |
| 9 | October 26 | Quebec Nordiques | 5–4 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 5–4–0 | 10 |
| 10 | October 28 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–2 | Houston Aeros | 6–4–0 | 12 |
| 11 | October 30 | Quebec Nordiques | 6–4 | Los Angeles Sharks | 7–4–0 | 14 |
| 12 | October 31 | Quebec Nordiques | 5–1 | Vancouver Blazers | 8–4–0 | 16 |
| 13 | November 2 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–5 | Edmonton Oilers | 8–5–0 | 16 |
| 14 | November 4 | Quebec Nordiques | 2–8 | Winnipeg Jets | 8–6–0 | 16 |
| 15 | November 6 | Winnipeg Jets | 2–2 | Quebec Nordiques | 8–6–1 | 17 |
| 16 | November 8 | Edmonton Oilers | 4–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 8–7–1 | 17 |
| 17 | November 10 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–4 | New York Golden Blades | 8–8–1 | 17 |
| 18 | November 11 | New England Whalers | 2–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 9–8–1 | 19 |
| 19 | November 15 | New England Whalers | 5–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 9–9–1 | 19 |
| 20 | November 17 | Quebec Nordiques | 10–4 | New England Whalers | 10–9–1 | 21 |
| 21 | November 18 | Houston Aeros | 3–8 | Quebec Nordiques | 11–9–1 | 23 |
| 22 | November 22 | Toronto Toros | 4–2 | Quebec Nordiques | 11–10–1 | 23 |
| 23 | November 23 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–2 | Cleveland Crusaders | 12–10–1 | 25 |
| 24 | November 25 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–3 | Jersey Knights | 12–11–1 | 25 |
| 25 | November 27 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–3 | Toronto Toros | 12–12–1 | 25 |
| 26 | November 29 | Cleveland Crusaders | 4–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 12–12–2 | 26 |
| 27 | December 1 | Houston Aeros | 3–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 12–12–3 | 27 |
| 28 | December 2 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–5 | Winnipeg Jets | 12–13–3 | 27 |
| 29 | December 8 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–4 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 12–14–3 | 27 |
| 30 | December 9 | Chicago Cougars | 1–6 | Quebec Nordiques | 13–14–3 | 29 |
| 31 | December 12 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–2 | Vancouver Blazers | 13–15–3 | 29 |
| 32 | December 14 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–3 | Edmonton Oilers | 14–15–3 | 31 |
| 33 | December 16 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–3 | Toronto Toros | 15–15–3 | 33 |
| 34 | December 18 | Edmonton Oilers | 2–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 16–15–3 | 35 |
| 35 | December 22 | Toronto Toros | 6–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 16–16–3 | 35 |
| 36 | December 27 | Cleveland Crusaders | 2–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 17–16–3 | 37 |
| 37 | December 28 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–6 | Chicago Cougars | 17–17–3 | 37 |
| 38 | December 29 | Winnipeg Jets | 4–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 17–18–3 | 37 |
| 39 | January 5 | Vancouver Blazers | 2–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 18–18–3 | 39 |
| 40 | January 6 | Chicago Cougars | 0–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 19–18–3 | 41 |
| 41 | January 10 | Los Angeles Sharks | 1–7 | Quebec Nordiques | 20–18–3 | 43 |
| 42 | January 12 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–5 | Houston Aeros | 20–19–3 | 43 |
| 43 | January 15 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–6 | Los Angeles Sharks | 20–20–3 | 43 |
| 44 | January 19 | Quebec Nordiques | 2–5 | Chicago Cougars | 20–21–3 | 43 |
| 45 | January 20 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 4–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 21–21–3 | 45 |
| 46 | January 24 | Quebec Nordiques | 1–5 | Houston Aeros | 21–22–3 | 45 |
| 47 | January 25 | Quebec Nordiques | 0–2 | Los Angeles Sharks | 21–23–3 | 45 |
| 48 | January 27 | Cleveland Crusaders | 3–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 22–23–3 | 47 |
| 49 | January 29 | Los Angeles Sharks | 0–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 23–23–3 | 49 |
| 50 | January 31 | Houston Aeros | 4–6 | Quebec Nordiques | 24–23–3 | 51 |
| 51 | February 1 | Toronto Toros | 1–2 | Quebec Nordiques | 25–23–3 | 53 |
| 52 | February 3 | Jersey Knights | 3–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 26–23–3 | 55 |
| 53 | February 6 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–0 | New England Whalers | 27–23–3 | 57 |
| 54 | February 8 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–7 | Vancouver Blazers | 27–24–3 | 57 |
| 55 | February 10 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–3 | Edmonton Oilers | 28–24–3 | 59 |
| 56 | February 12 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–6 | Toronto Toros | 28–25–3 | 59 |
| 57 | February 14 | Quebec Nordiques | 5–3 | Chicago Cougars | 29–25–3 | 61 |
| 58 | February 16 | Quebec Nordiques | 2–5 | Cleveland Crusaders | 29–26–3 | 61 |
| 59 | February 17 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–10 | Jersey Knights | 29–27–3 | 61 |
| 60 | February 19 | Cleveland Crusaders | 5–6 | Quebec Nordiques | 30–27–3 | 63 |
| 61 | February 22 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 6–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 30–28–3 | 63 |
| 62 | February 24 | Jersey Knights | 4–7 | Quebec Nordiques | 31–28–3 | 65 |
| 63 | February 26 | Winnipeg Jets | 1–7 | Quebec Nordiques | 32–28–3 | 67 |
| 64 | February 28 | Vancouver Blazers | 4–9 | Quebec Nordiques | 33–28–3 | 69 |
| 65 | March 3 | Quebec Nordiques | 6–8 | Winnipeg Jets | 33–29–3 | 69 |
| 66 | March 7 | Chicago Cougars | 3–2 | Quebec Nordiques | 33–30–3 | 69 |
| 67 | March 9 | Quebec Nordiques | 5–9 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 33–31–3 | 69 |
| 68 | March 10 | Jersey Knights | 2–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 34–31–3 | 71 |
| 69 | March 14 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–2 | Toronto Toros | 35–31–3 | 73 |
| 70 | March 16 | Quebec Nordiques | 3–4 | Chicago Cougars | 35–32–3 | 73 |
| 71 | March 17 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | 5–3 | Quebec Nordiques | 35–33–3 | 73 |
| 72 | March 21 | Edmonton Oilers | 5–5 | Quebec Nordiques | 35–33–4 | 74 |
| 73 | March 23 | Vancouver Blazers | 2–6 | Quebec Nordiques | 36–33–4 | 76 |
| 74 | March 24 | New England Whalers | 3–4 | Quebec Nordiques | 37–33–4 | 78 |
| 75 | March 27 | Quebec Nordiques | 4–5 | Cleveland Crusaders | 37–34–4 | 78 |
| 76 | March 28 | Los Angeles Sharks | 3–9 | Quebec Nordiques | 38–34–4 | 80 |
| 77 | March 30 | Toronto Toros | 3–1 | Quebec Nordiques | 38–35–4 | 80 |
| 78 | March 31 | Quebec Nordiques | 2–3 | New England Whalers | 38–36–4 | 80 |

## Season stats
### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Serge Bernier | 74 | 37 | 49 | 86 | 107 |
| Bob Guindon | 77 | 31 | 39 | 70 | 30 |
| Andre Gaudette | 78 | 24 | 44 | 68 | 16 |
| Rejean Houle | 69 | 27 | 35 | 62 | 17 |
| Michel Parizeau | 78 | 26 | 34 | 60 | 39 |

### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA | Save % |
| Michel DeGuise | 32 | 1750 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 96 | 1 | 3.29 | .896 |
| Richard Brodeur | 30 | 1607 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 89 | 1 | 3.32 | .901 |
| Serge Aubry | 26 | 1395 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 90 | 1 | 3.87 | .880 |

## Draft picks

Quebec's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 3 | Andre Savard | Canada | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 2 | 14 | Blaine Stoughton | Canada | Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) |
| 2 | 17 | Morris Titanic | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 3 | 29 | Eric Vail | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 4 | 42 | Jean Landry | Canada | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 5 | 55 | Denis Patry | Canada | Drummondville Rangers (QMJHL) |
| 6 | 68 | Dale Cook | Canada | Victoria Cougars (WCHL) |
| 7 | 81 | Andre Deschamps | Canada | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 8 | 94 | Bob Stumpf | Canada | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |
| 9 | 105 | Guy Ross | Canada | Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) |
| 10 | 116 | Michel Belisle | Canada | Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL) |