# 1974–75 New England Whalers season

The 1974–75 New England Whalers season was the Whalers' third season of play. It was also the first season the franchise played in Hartford, Connecticut. Ryan was replaced by Kelley before the playoffs started; the Whalers lost to Minnesota in 6 games.

## Regular season
### Final standings

| Eastern Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
| New England Whalers | 78 | 43 | 30 | 5 | 91 | 274 | 279 | 867 |
| Cleveland Crusaders | 78 | 35 | 40 | 3 | 73 | 236 | 258 | 1273 |
| Chicago Cougars | 78 | 30 | 47 | 1 | 61 | 261 | 312 | 1086 |
| Indianapolis Racers | 78 | 18 | 57 | 3 | 39 | 216 | 338 | 970 |

## Schedule and results

1974–75 regular season :
October
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
1LOctober 15, 19742–6@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)0–1–0
2WOctober 19, 19742–1 OTMichigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)1–1–0
3WOctober 23, 19745–4Houston Aeros (1974–75)2–1–0
4WOctober 26, 19746–1Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)3–1–0
5WOctober 30, 19745–2Toronto Toros (1974–75)4–1–0
6WOctober 31, 19746–1@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)5–1–0 :
November
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
7WNovember 2, 19744–2Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)6–1–0
8WNovember 8, 19743–0San Diego Mariners (1974–75)7–1–0
9LNovember 9, 19742–4Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)7–2–0
10LNovember 12, 19741–6@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)7–3–0
11WNovember 14, 19747–2@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)8–3–0
12LNovember 16, 19743–6@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)8–4–0
13WNovember 17, 19746–1@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)9–4–0
14WNovember 19, 19745–4@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)10–4–0
15WNovember 21, 19744–0@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)11–4–0
16WNovember 23, 19743–2Chicago Cougars (1974–75)12–4–0
17WNovember 24, 19749–5@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)13–4–0
18WNovember 26, 19745–4 OT@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)14–4–0
19LNovember 29, 19741–5@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)14–5–0 :
December
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
20LDecember 1, 19744–8@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)14–6–0
21LDecember 3, 19741–2@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)14–7–0
22WDecember 4, 19743–2@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)15–7–0
23LDecember 5, 19741–9@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)15–8–0
24WDecember 7, 19746–3Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)16–8–0
25WDecember 11, 19743–1Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)17–8–0
26WDecember 14, 19749–4Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)18–8–0
27WDecember 15, 19744–3@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)19–8–0
28TDecember 17, 19742–2@ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)19–8–1
29LDecember 20, 19740–3@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)19–9–1
30LDecember 21, 19743–5Houston Aeros (1974–75)19–10–1
31LDecember 22, 19741–2@ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75)19–11–1
32LDecember 27, 19743–6@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)19–12–1
33LDecember 28, 19741–6@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)19–13–1 :
January
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
34WJanuary 3, 19755–3@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)20–13–1
35WJanuary 4, 19754–3 OTVancouver Blazers (1974–75)21–13–1
36LJanuary 5, 19753–9@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)21–14–1
37LJanuary 7, 19753–5@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)21–15–1
38TJanuary 9, 19751–1@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)21–15–2
39WJanuary 11, 19754–3 OTSan Diego Mariners (1974–75)22–15–2
40WJanuary 15, 19757–5Chicago Cougars (1974–75)23–15–2
41WJanuary 17, 19752–1Toronto Toros (1974–75)24–15–2
42LJanuary 18, 19752–8@ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)24–16–2
43LJanuary 19, 19751–3Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)24–17–2
44LJanuary 24, 19751–4@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)24–18–2
45LJanuary 25, 19752–6@ San Diego Mariners (1974–75)24–19–2
46WJanuary 27, 19752–0Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)25–19–2
47WJanuary 29, 19754–3Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)26–19–2
48WJanuary 31, 19754–2Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75)27–19–2 :
February
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
49WFebruary 7, 19755–4 OT@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)28–19–2
50LFebruary 8, 19751–4@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)28–20–2
51LFebruary 9, 19751–5@ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)28–21–2
52TFebruary 12, 19752–2Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)28–21–3
53WFebruary 14, 19754–3 OTIndianapolis Racers (1974–75)29–21–3
54LFebruary 18, 19753–6@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)29–22–3
55WFebruary 21, 19754–2@ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)30–22–3
56WFebruary 23, 19752–1 OT@ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)31–22–3
57WFebruary 25, 19753–2Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)32–22–3
58LFebruary 26, 19753–4Chicago Cougars (1974–75)32–23–3
59WFebruary 27, 19755–2Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)33–23–3 :
March
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
60TMarch 1, 19754–4Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)33–23–4
61WMarch 2, 19754–1Vancouver Blazers (1974–75)34–23–4
62LMarch 5, 19753–5@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75)34–24–4
63WMarch 8, 19755–4@ Houston Aeros (1974–75)35–24–4
64WMarch 11, 19756–2Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)36–24–4
65TMarch 13, 19755–5Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)36–24–5
66WMarch 15, 19756–2Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)37–24–5
67WMarch 16, 19757–5Toronto Toros (1974–75)38–24–5
68LMarch 19, 19751–6San Diego Mariners (1974–75)38–25–5
69LMarch 21, 19753–6Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)38–26–5
70LMarch 22, 19753–5Houston Aeros (1974–75)38–27–5
71WMarch 25, 19755–4Edmonton Oilers (1974–75)39–27–5
72WMarch 27, 19755–3Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)40–27–5
73LMarch 29, 19753–9Winnipeg Jets (1974–75)40–28–5
74WMarch 30, 19754–3@ Toronto Toros (1974–75)41–28–5 :
April
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
75WApril 1, 19755–3Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75)42–28–5
76WApril 3, 19754–1Quebec Nordiques (1974–75)43–28–5
77LApril 4, 19751–3@ Chicago Cougars (1974–75)43–29–5
78LApril 5, 19752–5@ Cleveland Crusaders (1974–75)43–30–5 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## Playoffs

Game Two at Hartford on April 11 went to overtime and the Whalers won in the extra period 3–2. The game was famous for a huge brawl early in the second period that involved both benches and lasted nearly five full minutes; the primary fighters were Nick Fotiu, Bill Butters, and Jack Carlson that raged on the ice and even in the penalty boxes.
1975 Avco Cup playoffs :
Division Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Fighting Saints – Fighting Saints win 4–2
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1April 9Minnesota Fighting Saints6–5New England Whalers0–1
2April 11Minnesota Fighting Saints2 – 3 OTNew England Whalers1–1
3April 13New England Whalers3–8Minnesota Fighting Saints1–2
4April 15New England Whalers5–2Minnesota Fighting Saints2–2
5April 18Minnesota Fighting Saints4–0New England Whalers2–3
6April 19New England Whalers1–6Minnesota Fighting Saints2–4 :
Legend:
  Win
  Loss :

## Draft picks

New England's draft picks at the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| WHA Secret Amateur Draft |||||
| 1 | 14 | Peter Sturgeon (LW) | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHA) |
| 2 | 29 | Michel Deziel (LW) | Canada | Sorel Black Hawks (QMJHL) |
| WHA Amateur Draft |||||
| 1 | 13 | Tim Young (F) | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OHA) |
| 2 | 28 | Mike Eruzione (LW) | United States | Boston University (ECAC) |
| 3 | 43 | Peter Brown (D) | United States | Boston University (ECAC) |
| 4 | 58 | Dick Lamby (D) | United States | Salem State College (ECAC-2) |
| 5 | 72 | Don McLean (D) | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 6 | 87 | Joe Rando (D) | United States | University of New Hampshire (ECAC) |
| 7 | 102 | Brian Walsh (RW) | United States | University of Notre Dame (WCHA) |
| 8 | 117 | John Nazar (LW) | Canada | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 9 | 132 | Warren Miller (F) | United States | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 10 | 145 | Tony White (F) | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHA) |
| 11 | 158 | Robbie Moore (G) | Canada | Michigan Americans (SOJHL) |
| 12 | 171 | Cliff Cox (F) | Canada | University of New Hampshire (ECAC) |
| 13 | 182 | Dave Staffen (F) | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OHA) |
| 14 | 190 | Peter Tighe (D) | Canada | London Knights (OHA) |
| 15 | 195 | Brian Durocher (G) | United States | Springfield Olympics (NEJHL) |
| 16 | 199 | Colin Ahern (C) | United States | Tyngsboro Huskies |
| 17 | 203 | Dwane Byers (F) | Canada | Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) |