1974–75 Toronto Toros season

The 1973–74 Toronto Toros season was the team's 2nd season in Toronto after their inaugural season as the Ottawa Nationals in 1972-73. The Toros finished 2nd in the Canadian Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the San Diego Mariners 4 games to 3. 
==Off-season==
The Toros strengthened themselves in the off-season with the signing two ex-Toronto Maple Leafs, former NHL superstar Frank Mahovlich and the hero from the 1972 Summit Series, Paul Henderson. Czech star Vaclav Nedomansky defected and signed with Toronto. 
The Toros moved from Varsity Arena to Maple Leaf Gardens for the start of their second season. However, Harold Ballard had regained control of the Gardens. A violent opponent of the WHA, he never forgave the upstart league for nearly decimating the Leafs' roster in the early 1970s, he deliberately made the Toros' lease terms at the Gardens as onerous as possible. Besides making them pay $15,000 per game, the arena was dim for the first game. It was then that Ballard demanded $3,500 for use of the lights. Ballard also denied the Toros access to the Leafs' locker room, forcing them to build their own at a cost of $55,000. He also removed the cushions from the home bench for Toros' games (he told an arena worker, "Let 'em buy their own cushions!").
The Toros jerseys were the same design as in the 1973-74 season.
==Pre-season==
On October 6, 1974, the Toros lost an exhibition game 5-3 against the Minnesota North Stars.
==Regular Season==
Tom Simpson became the first professional hockey player in Toronto to have a 50-goal season, scoring 52 goals (a number he would never come close to matching again). The Toros finished the year with the league's fifth-best record at 43-33-2.
During the intermission of the March 25, 1975 game versus the Vancouver Blazers, a breakaway exhibition was held between daredevil Evel Knievel and Toros goaltender Les Binkley. Wearing a Toros #13 jersey, Knievel (who had played semi-pro hockey in Montana) deked Binkley out and scored.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 15 	New England Whalers 	2–6 	Toronto Toros 	1–0–0 	2
2 	October 18 	Indianapolis Racers 	1–3 	Toronto Toros 	2–0–0 	4
3 	October 20 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	3–4 	Toronto Toros 		3–0–0 	6
4 	October 22 	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	2–11 	Toronto Toros 	4–0–0 	8
5 	October 25 	Winnipeg Jets 	1–3 	Toronto Toros 	5–0–0 	10
6 	October 28 	Phoenix Roadrunners 	3–7 	Toronto Toros 	6–0–0 	12
7 	October 30 	Toronto Toros 	2–5 	New England Whalers 	6–1–0 	12
8 	November 1 	Toronto Toros 	1–10 	Winnipeg Jets 	6–2–0 	12
9 	November 2 	Toronto Toros 	3–4 OT	Chicago Cougars 	6–3–0 	12
10	November 4 	Quebec Nordiques 	5–3 	Toronto Toros 	6–4–0 	12
11	November 5 	Toronto Toros 	5–2 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	7–4–0 	14
12	November 9 	Toronto Toros 	7–4 	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	8–4–0 	16
13	November 10	Toronto Toros 	7–0 	Chicago Cougars 	9–4–0 	18
14	November 13	Toronto Toros 	5–3 	Vancouver Blazers 	10–4–0 	20
15	November 15	Toronto Toros 	4–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	10–5–0 	20
16	November 17	Toronto Toros 	3–1 	Winnipeg Jets 	11–5–0 	22
17	November 19	Toronto Toros 	6–5 	Cleveland Crusaders 	12–5–0 	24
18	November 22	Edmonton Oilers 	8–2 	Toronto Toros 	12–6–0 	24
19	November 23	Toronto Toros 	9–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	13–6–0 	26
20	November 24	Toronto Toros 	9–2 	Indianapolis Racers 	14–6–0 	28
21	November 26	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	6–2 	Toronto Toros 	14–7–0 	28
22	November 28	Vancouver Blazers 	6–2 	Toronto Toros 	14–8–0 	28
23	November 29	Toronto Toros 	4–4 	Phoenix Roadrunners 		14–8–1	29
24	December 1 	Toronto Toros 	3–1 	San Diego Mariners 	15–8–1 	31
25	December 3 	Houston Aeros 		5–4 	Toronto Toros 	15–9–1 	31
26	December 7 	Toronto Toros 	3–9 	Chicago Cougars 	15–10–1	31
27	December 8 	Toronto Toros 	5–2 	Phoenix Roadrunners 	16–10–1	33
28	December 10	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	4–2 	Toronto Toros 	16–11–1	33
29	December 13	Cleveland Crusaders 	6–7 OT	Toronto Toros 	17–11–1	35
30	December 15	Toronto Toros 	7–2 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	18–11–1	37
31	December 17	Winnipeg Jets 		4–1 	Toronto Toros 	18–12–1	37
32	December 22	Chicago Cougars 	2–5 	Toronto Toros 	19–12–1	39
33	December 23	Cleveland Crusaders 	4–1 	Toronto Toros 	19–13–1	39
34	December 27	Chicago Cougars 	2–4 	Toronto Toros 	20–13–1	41
35	January 3 	New England Whalers 	5–3 	Toronto Toros 	20–14–1	41
36	January 4 	Toronto Toros 	1–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	20–15–1	41
37	January 5 	Toronto Toros 	4–3 	Cleveland Crusaders 	21–15–1	43
38	January 7 	Phoenix Roadrunners 	3–2 	Toronto Toros 	21–16–1	43
39	January 10 	San Diego Mariners 	3–4 	Toronto Toros 	22–16–1	45
40	January 12 	Toronto Toros 	7–4 	Houston Aeros 	23–16–1	47
41	January 14 	Toronto Toros 	4–6 	San Diego Mariners 	23–17–1	47
42	January 15 	Toronto Toros 	5–5 	Phoenix Roadrunners 	23–17–2	48
43	January 17 	Toronto Toros 	1–2 	New England Whalers 	23–18–2	48
44	January 24 	Toronto Toros 	5–7 	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	23–19–2	48
45	January 26 	Toronto Toros 	7–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–19–2	50
46	January 28 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–6 	Toronto Toros 	25–19–2	52
47	January 30 	Toronto Toros 	3–2 	Indianapolis Racers 	26–19–2	54
48	January 31 	Vancouver Blazers 	0–6 	Toronto Toros 	27–19–2	56
49	February 2 	Toronto Toros 	2–4 	Vancouver Blazers 	27–20–2	56
50	February 4 	Toronto Toros 	4–8 	San Diego Mariners 	27–21–2	56
51	February 5 	Toronto Toros 	2–5 	Houston Aeros 	27–22–2	56
52	February 7 	Cleveland Crusaders 	1–4 	Toronto Toros 	28–22–2	58
53	February 9 	Indianapolis Racers 	5–7 	Toronto Toros 	29–22–2	60
54	February 11	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	Toronto Toros 	30–22–2	62
55	February 12	Toronto Toros 	7–4 	Winnipeg Jets 	31–22–2	64
56	February 14	Toronto Toros 	4–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	31–23–2	64
57	February 16	Toronto Toros 	7–4 	Vancouver Blazers 	32–23–2	66
58	February 20	Chicago Cougars 	4–3 OT	Toronto Toros 	32–24–2	66
59	February 22	Toronto Toros 	3–4 	Cleveland Crusaders 	32–25–2	66
60	February 23	Toronto Toros 	1–5 	Houston Aeros 	32–26–2	66
61	February 25	San Diego Mariners 	4–6 	Toronto Toros 	33–26–2	68
62	March 2 	Toronto Toros 	3–5 	Minnesota Fighting Saints 	33–27–2	68
63	March 4 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	4–6 	Toronto Toros 	34–27–2	70
64	March 7 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–1 	Toronto Toros 	34–28–2	70
65	March 8 	Toronto Toros 	7–4 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	35–28–2	72
66	March 9 	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	2–8 	Toronto Toros 	36–28–2	74
67	March 11 	Phoenix Roadrunners 	4–7 	Toronto Toros 	37–28–2		76
68	March 13 	Toronto Toros 	4–5 	Indianapolis Racers 	37–29–2	76
69	March 14 	San Diego Mariners 	6–4 	Toronto Toros 	37–30–2	76
70	March 16 	Toronto Toros 	5–7 	New England Whalers 	37–31–2	76
71	March 17 	Houston Aeros 	4–5 		Toronto Toros 	38–31–2	78
72	March 25 	Vancouver Blazers 	4–8 	Toronto Toros 	39–31–2	80
73	March 28 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Toronto Toros 	40–31–2	82
74	March 29 	Toronto Toros 	5–4 OT	Quebec Nordiques 	41–31–2	84
75	March 30 		New England Whalers 	4–3 	Toronto Toros 	41–32–2	84
76	April 1 	Indianapolis Racers 	1–7 	Toronto Toros 	42–32–2	86
77	April 4 	Winnipeg Jets 	1–7 	Toronto Toros 	43–32–2	88
78	April 6 	Houston Aeros 	5–2 	Toronto Toros 	43–33–2	88
==Playoffs==
===San Diego Mariners 4, Toronto Toros 2===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	April 9 	Toronto Toros 	3–5 	San Diego Mariners	0-1
2	April 12	Toronto Toros 	6–7 	San Diego Mariners	0-2
3	April 14	San Diego Mariners	2–5 	Toronto Toros 	1-2
4	April 16	San Diego Mariners	5–6 	Toronto Toros 	2-2
5	April 18	Toronto Toros 	3–4 	San Diego Mariners	2-3
6	April 21	San Diego Mariners	6–4 	Toronto Toros 	2-4
==Player Stats==
===Regular Season===
;Scoring Leaders
# 	Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
9 	Wayne Dillon 	77	29	66	95 	22
27	Frank Mahovlich 	73	38	44	82 	27
14	Vaclav Nedomansky 	78	41	40	81 	19
12	Tom Simpson 	70	52	28	80 	48
11	Gavin Kirk 	78	15	58	73 	69
16	Pat Hickey 	74	35	34	69 	50
10	Paul Henderson 	58	30	33	63 	18
26	Tony Featherstone 	76	25	38	63 	26
7 	Jim Dorey 	43	11	23	34 	69
17	Tom Martin 	64	15	17	32 	18
8 	Richard Farda 	66	6 	25	31 	2
2 	Jim Turkiewicz 	78	3 	27	30 	28
6 	Brian Gibbons 	73	4 	22	26 	105
3 	Rick Cunningham 	71	7 	18	25 	117
21	Lou Nistico 	29	11	11	22 	75
4 	Steve Cuddie 	70	5 	16	21 	49
25	Jeff Jacques 	41	12	8 	20 	26
5 	Mike Amodeo 	64	1 	13	14 	50
23	George Kuzmicz 	34	0 	12	12 	22
 	Larry Mavety 	17	0 	9 	9 	24
7 	Guy Trottier 	14	4 	4 	8 	4
19	Bob Leduc 	19	3 	4 	7 	9
15	Brit Selby 	17	1 	4 	5 	0
20	Peter Marrin 	3 	3 	1 	4 	0
33	Gilles Gratton (G)	53	0 	4 	4 	8
 	Gord Titcomb 	2 	0 	1 	1 	0
30	Les Binkley (G) 	17	0 	0 	0 	0
1 	Jim Shaw (G) 	21	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA 	Save %
Les Binkley 	17	772 	6 	4 	0	47 	0 	3.65	.888
Gilles Gratton	53	2881	30	20	1	185	2 	3.85	.887
Jim Shaw 	21	1055	7 	9 	1	70 	0 	3.98	.885
===Playoffs===
;Scoring Leaders
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Gavin Kirk 	6 	5	6	11 	2
Wayne Dillon 	6 	4	4	8 	4
Jim Dorey 	6 	2	6	8 	2
Lou Nistico 	6 	6	1	7 	19
Tom Martin 	5 	1	5	6 	0
Vaclav Nedomansky 	6 	3	1	4 	9
Steve Cuddie 	6 	0	4	4 	8
Jeff Jacques 	6 	0	4	4 	2
Peter Marrin 	6 	0	4	4 	2
Frank Mahovlich 	6 	3	0	3 	2
Tony Featherstone 	6 	2	1	3 	2
Larry Mavety 	6 	0	3	3 	6
Tom Simpson 	6 	1	1	2 	0
Mike Amodeo 	3 	0	1	1 	4
Pat Hickey 	5 	0	1	1 	4
Rick Cunningham 	5 	0	1	1 	0
Richard Farda 	1 	0	0	0 	0
Jack Gibson 	1 	0	0	0 	0
Brian Gibbons 	5 	0	0	0 	4
Les Binkley (G) 	1 	0	0	0 	0
Gilles Gratton (G)	1 	0	0	0 	0
Jim Shaw (G) 	5 	0	0	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA 	Save %
Jim Shaw 	5 	262	2	2	18	0 	4.12	
Les Binkley 	1 	59 	0	1	5 	0 	5.08	
Gilles Gratton	1 	36 	0	1	5 	0 	8.33	
==Awards and Records==
*The Toros did not win any awards this season.
==Transactions==
==Draft Picks==
Toronto's draft picks at the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	12 	Jim Turkiewicz 	 	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
2 	27 	Roger Lemelin 	 	London Knights (OHA)
5 	71 	Carlo Torresan 	 	Sorel Black Hawks (QMJHL)
6 	86 	Ron Sedlbauer 	 	Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
7 	100	Gilles Lupien 	 	Montreal Red White and Blue (QMJHL)
8 	115	Garth Malarchuk	 	Calgary Centennials (WCHL)
9 	130	John Harper 	 	Cornell University (NCAA)
10 	145	Joe McNeil 	 	St. Francis Xavier University (CIAU)
11 	160	Jack Davies 	 	Thunder Bay Hurricanes (MJHL)
12 	173	Bill Hassard 	 	Wexford Raiders (OPJHL)
==Farm Teams==
*Mohawk Valley Comets, NAHL
==Gallery==
1974-Oct15-Smith-Mahovlich.jpg|Frank Mahovlich scores on Al Smith, October 15, 1974.
1974-Nov13-McLeod-McKenzie-Farda-Price.jpg|Don McLeod, John McKenzie, Richard Farda, Pat Price, November 13, 1974.
1974-Nov13-McLeod-Pelyk-Henderson.jpg|Don McLeod, Mike Pelyk, Paul Henderson, November 13, 1974.
1974-Nov26-Henderson-Curran-Dillon.jpg|Paul Henderson, goalie Mike Curran, Wayne Dillon, November 26, 1974.
1974-Dec2-Dillon-Hinse-Lund-Gratton.jpg|Larry Lund scores on Gilles Gratton as Wayne Dillon and Andre Hinse look on, December 2, 1974.
1975-Jan10-Hargreaves-Henderson.jpg|Paul Henderson (wearing a cage to protect his broken nose) and Jim Hargreaves, January 10, 1975.
1975-Feb20-Maggs-Cuddie-Dryden.jpg|Daryl Maggs, Steve Cuddie, Dave Dryden, February 20, 1975.
1975-Feb26-Mahovlich-Wakely-Dillon.jpg|Frank Mahovlich scores on Ernie Wakely as Wayne Dillon looks on, February 26, 1975.
1975-Mar4-Cuddie-Andrascik-Serviss-Amadeo-Binkley.jpg|Steve Cuddie, Steve Andrascik, Tom Serviss, Mike Amodeo, Les Binkley, March 4, 1975.
1975-Apr4-Cuddy-Hull-Dorey-Shaw.jpg|Steve Cuddie, Bobby Hull, Jim Dorey, goalie Jim Shaw, April 4, 1975.
74-75WHATorontoGameAd.jpg
==See Also==
*1974–75 WHA season
==References==
Toronto Toros season, 1974–75
Toronto Toros season, 1974–75
Category:Toronto Toros seasons