# 1973–74 New England Whalers season

The 1973–74 New England Whalers season was the second season of the Whalers' franchise. The Whalers qualified for the playoffs for the second-straight season to attempt to defend their championship. They were defeated in the first round by the Chicago Cougars.

## Regular season
### Final 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
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
1LOctober 7, 19732–4@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)0–1–0
2WOctober 9, 19733–2Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)1–1–0
3WOctober 13, 19736–4Chicago Cougars (1973–74)2–1–0
4WOctober 14, 19732–1 OT@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)3–1–0
5TOctober 15, 19733–3Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)3–1–1
6LOctober 17, 19731–3Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)3–2–1
7LOctober 19, 19730–1@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)3–3–1
8WOctober 21, 19734–3@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)4–3–1
9WOctober 22, 19734–1New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)5–3–1
10WOctober 25, 19738–3@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)6–3–1
11WOctober 27, 19733–1Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)7–3–1 :
November
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
12LNovember 3, 19734–5Toronto Toros (1973–74)7–4–1
13WNovember 4, 19737–5Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)8–4–1
14WNovember 7, 19739–2Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)9–4–1
15LNovember 10, 19733–6Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)9–5–1
16LNovember 11, 19732–3@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)9–6–1
17WNovember 12, 19733–2 OTNew York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)10–6–1
18WNovember 15, 19735–3@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)11–6–1
19LNovember 17, 19734–10Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)11–7–1
20WNovember 18, 19735–2@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)12–7–1
21LNovember 21, 19731–4@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)12–8–1
22LNovember 22, 19735–7@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)12–9–1
23WNovember 26, 19734–2New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)13–9–1
24WNovember 29, 19735–2Houston Aeros (1973–74)14–9–1 :
December
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
25WDecember 2, 19734–3Chicago Cougars (1973–74)15–9–1
26LDecember 8, 19731–2 OT@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)15–10–1
27WDecember 9, 19733–2Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)16–10–1
28WDecember 12, 19738–6Toronto Toros (1973–74)17–10–1
29WDecember 14, 19733–1New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)18–10–1
30LDecember 16, 19732–3Chicago Cougars (1973–74)18–11–1
31WDecember 19, 19734–2Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)19–11–1
32LDecember 22, 19730–2Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)19–12–1
33WDecember 24, 19735–4 OTVancouver Blazers (1973–74)20–12–1
34WDecember 26, 19733–2 OT@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)21–12–1
35WDecember 27, 19735–1@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)22–12–1
36LDecember 29, 19732–6@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)22–13–1
37LDecember 30, 19735–6 OT@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)22–14–1 :
January
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
38WJanuary 4, 19744–3@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)23–14–1
39LJanuary 5, 19740–1@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)23–15–1
40LJanuary 8, 19742–3Toronto Toros (1973–74)23–16–1
41TJanuary 10, 19746–6@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)23–16–2
42WJanuary 13, 19749–6Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)24–16–2
43WJanuary 16, 19744–2New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)25–16–2
44LJanuary 17, 19742–5Chicago Cougars (1973–74)25–17–2
45WJanuary 19, 19745–2Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)26–17–2
46LJanuary 20, 19744–8@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)26–18–2
47LJanuary 22, 19743–5@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)26–19–2
48WJanuary 26, 19744–0Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)27–19–2
49WJanuary 28, 19746–4Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)28–19–2
50LJanuary 31, 19741–4@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)28–20–2 :
February
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
51WFebruary 2, 19745–2Houston Aeros (1973–74)29–20–2
52LFebruary 3, 19741–3@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)29–21–2
53LFebruary 6, 19740–3Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)29–22–2
54WFebruary 8, 19744–2@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)30–22–2
55LFebruary 10, 19742–5Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)30–23–2
56LFebruary 13, 19744–9@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)30–24–2
57WFebruary 15, 19747–3@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)31–24–2
58WFebruary 17, 19743–2 OT@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)32–24–2
59LFebruary 20, 19742–4@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)32–25–2
60WFebruary 23, 19743–0@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)33–25–2
61LFebruary 24, 19740–2@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)33–26–2
62WFebruary 27, 19745–3Toronto Toros (1973–74)34–26–2
63TFebruary 28, 19743–3@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)34–26–3 :
March
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
64WMarch 2, 19747–1Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)35–26–3
65WMarch 3, 19746–3@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)36–26–3
66WMarch 5, 19743–2@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)37–26–3
67LMarch 6, 19746–8@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)37–27–3
68WMarch 8, 19747–2@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)38–27–3
69LMarch 12, 19743–5@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)38–28–3
70WMarch 14, 19746–3@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)39–28–3
71WMarch 15, 19746–2@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)40–28–3
72LMarch 17, 19741–10@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)40–29–3
73TMarch 20, 19742–2Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)40–29–4
74LMarch 24, 19743–4@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)40–30–4
75WMarch 27, 19747–1Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)41–30–4
76WMarch 28, 19743–2Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)42–30–4
77WMarch 31, 19743–2 OTQuebec Nordiques (1973–74)43–30–4 :
April
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
78LApril 1, 19741–4Houston Aeros (1973–74)43–31–4 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## Playoffs

1974 Avco Cup playoffs :
Division Quarterfinals vs. Chicago Cougars – Cougars win 4–3
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1April 6Chicago Cougars4–6New England Whalers1–0
2April 7Chicago Cougars3 – 4 OTNew England Whalers2–0
3April 9New England Whalers6–8Chicago Cougars2–1
4April 10New England Whalers1 – 2 OTChicago Cougars2–2
5April 12Chicago Cougars4–2New England Whalers3–2
6April 14New England Whalers2–0Chicago Cougars3–3
7April 16Chicago Cougars3–2New England Whalers3–4 :
Legend:
  Win
  Loss :

## Draft picks

New England's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 2 | Glenn Goldup (F) | Canada | Toronto Marlboros (OHA) |
| 1 | 12 | Blake Dunlop (F) | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OHA) |
| 2 | 26 | Mike Clarke (C) | Canada | Calgary Centennials (WCHL) |
| 3 | 38 | Tom Colley (C) | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 4 | 41 | Randy Holt (D) | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 4 | 51 | Alan Hangsleben (D) | United States | University of North Dakota (WCHA) |
| 5 | 53 | Larry Patey (C) | Canada | Boston University (ECAC) |
| 5 | 64 | Cap Raeder (G) | United States | University of New Hampshire (ECAC) |
| 6 | 77 | Rick Chinnick (F) | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHA) |
| 7 | 90 | Steve Alley (LW) | United States | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) |