# 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

1973–74 regular season :
October
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
1October 7New England Whalers2–4Quebec Nordiques1–0–02
2October 9Quebec Nordiques2–3New England Whalers1–1–02
3October 11Quebec Nordiques4–1Toronto Toros2–1–04
4October 13Quebec Nordiques3–6Cleveland Crusaders2–2–04
5October 18Toronto Toros2–5Quebec Nordiques3–2–06
6October 20New York Golden Blades1–8Quebec Nordiques4–2–08
7October 21Quebec Nordiques3–4New York Golden Blades4–3–08
8October 25Chicago Cougars4–2Quebec Nordiques4–4–08
9October 26Quebec Nordiques5–4Minnesota Fighting Saints5–4–010
10October 28Quebec Nordiques3–2Houston Aeros6–4–012
11October 30Quebec Nordiques6–4Los Angeles Sharks7–4–014
12October 31Quebec Nordiques5–1Vancouver Blazers8–4–016 :
November
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
13November 2Quebec Nordiques4–5Edmonton Oilers8–5–016
14November 4Quebec Nordiques2–8Winnipeg Jets8–6–016
15November 6Winnipeg Jets2–2Quebec Nordiques8–6–117
16November 8Edmonton Oilers4–3Quebec Nordiques8–7–117
17November 10Quebec Nordiques3–4New York Golden Blades8–8–117
18November 11New England Whalers2–3Quebec Nordiques9–8–119
19November 15New England Whalers5–3Quebec Nordiques9–9–119
20November 17Quebec Nordiques10–4New England Whalers10–9–121
21November 18Houston Aeros3–8Quebec Nordiques11–9–123
22November 22Toronto Toros4–2Quebec Nordiques11–10–123
23November 23Quebec Nordiques3–2Cleveland Crusaders12–10–125
24November 25Quebec Nordiques1–3Jersey Knights12–11–125
25November 27Quebec Nordiques1–3Toronto Toros12–12–125
26November 29Cleveland Crusaders4–4Quebec Nordiques12–12–226 :
December
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
27December 1Houston Aeros3–3Quebec Nordiques12–12–327
28December 2Quebec Nordiques3–5Winnipeg Jets12–13–327
29December 8Quebec Nordiques1–4Minnesota Fighting Saints12–14–327
30December 9Chicago Cougars1–6Quebec Nordiques13–14–329
31December 12Quebec Nordiques1–2Vancouver Blazers13–15–329
32December 14Quebec Nordiques4–3Edmonton Oilers14–15–331
33December 16Quebec Nordiques4–3Toronto Toros15–15–333
34December 18Edmonton Oilers2–4Quebec Nordiques16–15–335
35December 22Toronto Toros6–4Quebec Nordiques16–16–335
36December 27Cleveland Crusaders2–4Quebec Nordiques17–16–337
37December 28Quebec Nordiques4–6Chicago Cougars17–17–337
38December 29Winnipeg Jets4–3Quebec Nordiques17–18–337 :
January
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
39January 5Vancouver Blazers2–5Quebec Nordiques18–18–339
40January 6Chicago Cougars0–4Quebec Nordiques19–18–341
41January 10Los Angeles Sharks1–7Quebec Nordiques20–18–343
42January 12Quebec Nordiques1–5Houston Aeros20–19–343
43January 15Quebec Nordiques4–6Los Angeles Sharks20–20–343
44January 19Quebec Nordiques2–5Chicago Cougars20–21–343
45January 20Minnesota Fighting Saints4–5Quebec Nordiques21–21–345
46January 24Quebec Nordiques1–5Houston Aeros21–22–345
47January 25Quebec Nordiques0–2Los Angeles Sharks21–23–345
48January 27Cleveland Crusaders3–4Quebec Nordiques22–23–347
49January 29Los Angeles Sharks0–5Quebec Nordiques23–23–349
50January 31Houston Aeros4–6Quebec Nordiques24–23–351 :
February
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
51February 1Toronto Toros1–2Quebec Nordiques25–23–353
52February 3Jersey Knights3–5Quebec Nordiques26–23–355
53February 6Quebec Nordiques3–0New England Whalers27–23–357
54February 8Quebec Nordiques3–7Vancouver Blazers27–24–357
55February 10Quebec Nordiques4–3Edmonton Oilers28–24–359
56February 12Quebec Nordiques4–6Toronto Toros28–25–359
57February 14Quebec Nordiques5–3Chicago Cougars29–25–361
58February 16Quebec Nordiques2–5Cleveland Crusaders29–26–361
59February 17Quebec Nordiques3–10Jersey Knights29–27–361
60February 19Cleveland Crusaders5–6Quebec Nordiques30–27–363
61February 22Minnesota Fighting Saints6–4Quebec Nordiques30–28–363
62February 24Jersey Knights4–7Quebec Nordiques31–28–365
63February 26Winnipeg Jets1–7Quebec Nordiques32–28–367
64February 28Vancouver Blazers4–9Quebec Nordiques33–28–369 :
March
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPoints
65March 3Quebec Nordiques6–8Winnipeg Jets33–29–369
66March 7Chicago Cougars3–2Quebec Nordiques33–30–369
67March 9Quebec Nordiques5–9Minnesota Fighting Saints33–31–369
68March 10Jersey Knights2–5Quebec Nordiques34–31–371
69March 14Quebec Nordiques3–2Toronto Toros35–31–373
70March 16Quebec Nordiques3–4Chicago Cougars35–32–373
71March 17Minnesota Fighting Saints5–3Quebec Nordiques35–33–373
72March 21Edmonton Oilers5–5Quebec Nordiques35–33–474
73March 23Vancouver Blazers2–6Quebec Nordiques36–33–476
74March 24New England Whalers3–4Quebec Nordiques37–33–478
75March 27Quebec Nordiques4–5Cleveland Crusaders37–34–478
76March 28Los Angeles Sharks3–9Quebec Nordiques38–34–480
77March 30Toronto Toros3–1Quebec Nordiques38–35–480
78March 31Quebec Nordiques2–3New England Whalers38–36–480 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## 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) |