1972–73 New York Islanders season

The 1972-73 New York Islanders season was their 1st season in the National Hockey League. The Islanders finished 8th in the East Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.
==Off-season==
At the beginning of 1972, Gordie Howe was offered the job as first head coach of the New York Islanders, but turned it down.Jim Proudfoot (column), Toronto Star, January 8, 1972, p. 41 The Islanders were coached by Phil Goyette (6-38-4) and Earl Ingarfield, Sr. (6-22-2).
===Draft Picks===
Round	Pick	Player 	Nationality	College/junior/club team
1 	1. 	Billy Harris	 	Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p.162, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
===NHL Expansion Draft===
# 	Player 	Drafted From 	Drafted By
2. 	Gerry Desjardins (G)	Chicago Black Hawks 	New York Islanders
4. 	Billy Smith (G) 	Los Angeles Kings 	New York Islanders
5. 	Bart Crashley (D) 	Montreal Canadiens 	New York Islanders
7. 	Dave Hudson (C) 	Chicago Black Hawks 	New York Islanders
9. 	Ed Westfall (RW) 	Boston Bruins 	New York Islanders
11.	Garry Peters (C) 	Boston Bruins 	New York Islanders
13.	Larry Hornung (D) 	St. Louis Blues 	New York Islanders
15.	Bryan Lefley (D) 	New York Rangers 	New York Islanders
17.	Brian Spencer (LW) 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	New York Islanders
19.	Terry Crisp (C) 	St. Louis Blues 	New York Islanders
21.	Ted Hampson (C) 	Minnesota North Stars 	New York Islanders
23.	Gerry Hart (D) 	Detroit Red Wings 	New York Islanders
25.	John Schella (D) 	Vancouver Canucks 	New York Islanders
27.	Bill Mikkelson (D) 	Los Angeles Kings 	New York Islanders
29.	Craig Cameron (RW) 	Minnesota North Stars 	New York Islanders
31.	Tom Miller (C) 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	New York Islanders
33.	Brian Marchinko (C) 	Buffalo Sabres 	New York Islanders
35.	Ted Taylor (LW) 	Vancouver Canucks 	New York Islanders
37.	Norm Ferguson (RW) 	California Golden Seals	New York Islanders
39.	Jim Mair (D) 	Philadelphia Flyers 	New York Islanders
41.	Ken Murray (D) 	Buffalo Sabres 	New York Islanders
==Regular Season==
With the impending start of the World Hockey Association in the fall of 1972, the upstart league had plans to place its New York team in the brand-new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Nassau County, New York. However, Nassau County officials did not consider the WHA a professional league and wanted nothing to do with the upstart New York Raiders. The only legal way to keep the Raiders out of the Coliseum was to get an NHL team to play there, so William Shea, who had helped bring the New York Mets to the area a decade earlier, was pressed into service once again. Shea found a receptive ear in league president Clarence Campbell, who did not want the additional competition in the New York area. So, despite having expanded to 14 teams just two years before, the NHL hastily awarded a Long Island-based franchise to clothing manufacturer Roy Boe, owner of the American Basketball Association's New York Nets. A second expansion franchise was awarded to Atlanta (the Flames) at the same time to balance the schedule. The new team was widely expected to take the Long Island Ducks name used by an Eastern Hockey League franchise; the more geographically expansive "New York Islanders" came largely as a surprise.
The fledgling Islanders, who were soon nicknamed the Isles by the local newspapers, had an extra burden to pay in the form of a $4 million territorial fee to the nearby New York Rangers. True to their name, the New York Islanders officially represent New York (city and state), with their nickname and logo denoting their current arena location and fan heartbed; but their support has also naturally come from the boroughs, upsate, Connecticut, and elsewhere in the metro area. This geographical backdrop set the stage for one of the NHL's fiercest and most celebrated regional rivalries.
While the Islanders secured veteran forward Ed Westfall from the Boston Bruins in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, junior league star Billy Harris in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, and a few other respectable players, several other draftees jumped to the WHA. Unlike most other expansion teams' general managers, Islanders' GM Bill Torrey didn't make many trades for veteran players in the early years. Rather than pursue a "win now" strategy of getting a few veterans to boost attendance (a tactic which proved disastrous for many teams in the long run), Torrey was committed to building through the draft.
In the team's first season, young players such as goaltender Billy Smith (the team's second pick in the expansion draft) and forwards Bob Nystrom and Lorne Henning were given chances to prove themselves in the NHL. However, this young and inexperienced expansion team posted a record of 12–60–6, one of the worst in NHL history.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
No.	R	Date 	Score	Opponent 	Record
1 	L	October 7, 1972 	2–3 	Atlanta Flames (1972–73) 	0–1–0
2 	W	October 12, 1972 	3–2 	Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) 	1–1–0
3 	L	October 14, 1972 	4–7 	Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	1–2–0
4 	L	October 17, 1972 	0–5 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) 	1–3–0
5 	L	October 21, 1972 	1–2 	New York Rangers (1972–73) 	1–4–0
6 	L	October 24, 1972 	3–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) 	1–5–0
7 	T	October 28, 1972 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) 	1–5–1
8 	L	October 29, 1972 	1–9 	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	1–6–1
9 	W	November 1, 1972 	6–2 	@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)	2–6–1
10 	L	November 3, 1972 	2–7 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) 	2–7–1
11 	L	November 4, 1972 	2–9 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) 	2–8–1
12 	L	November 8, 1972 	1–6 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) 	2–9–1
13 	L	November 11, 1972	0–3 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73) 	2–10–1
14 	L	November 14, 1972	2–7 	Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) 	2–11–1
15 	L	November 16, 1972	0–4 	@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) 	2–12–1
16 	L	November 18, 1972	3–7 	Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	2–13–1
17 	W	November 21, 1972	4–2 	California Golden Seals (1972–73) 	3–13–1
18 	L	November 22, 1972	3–5 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) 	3–14–1
19 	T	November 25, 1972	2–2 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) 	3–14–2
20 	L	November 26, 1972	2–9 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	3–15–2
21 	L	November 28, 1972	2–7 	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	3–16–2
22 	L	December 2, 1972 	1–4 	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) 	3–17–2
23 	L	December 3, 1972 	1–5 	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	3–18–2
24 	L	December 5, 1972 	1–6 	Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) 	3–19–2
25 	L	December 9, 1972 	1–4 	New York Rangers (1972–73) 	3–20–2
26 	L	December 10, 1972	1–4 	@ New York Rangers (1972–73) 	3–21–2
27 	T	December 12, 1972	4–4 	St. Louis Blues (1972–73) 	3–21–3
28 	L	December 13, 1972	1–9 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) 	3–22–3
29 	L	December 16, 1972	1–2 	Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) 	3–23–3
30 	L	December 17, 1972	0–4 	@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) 	3–24–3
31 	L	December 20, 1972	2–4 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) 	3–25–3
32 	T	December 21, 1972	4–4 	Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) 	3–25–4
33 	W	December 23, 1972	4–2 	Minnesota North Stars (1972–73) 	4–25–4
34 	L	December 27, 1972	1–4 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) 	4–26–4
35 	L	December 29, 1972	2–5 	@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)	4–27–4
36 	L	December 30, 1972	2–5 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) 	4–28–4
37 	L	January 2, 1973 	1–6 	Atlanta Flames (1972–73) 	4–29–4
38 	L	January 3, 1973 	1–4 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	4–30–4
39 	L	January 6, 1973 	0–4 	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) 	4–31–4
40 	L	January 7, 1973 	0–4 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) 	4–32–4
41 	L	January 9, 1973 	2–3 	Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) 	4–33–4
42 	L	January 10, 1973 	2–4 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) 	4–34–4
43 	L	January 13, 1973 	1–8 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73) 	4–35–4
44 	L	January 14, 1973 	1–2 	St. Louis Blues (1972–73) 	4–36–4
45 	L	January 16, 1973 	0–1 	Minnesota North Stars (1972–73) 	4–37–4
46 	W	January 18, 1973 	9–7 	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	5–37–4
47 	L	January 20, 1973 	1–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73) 	5–38–4
48 	W	January 23, 1973 	8–1 	California Golden Seals (1972–73) 	6–38–4
49 	L	January 24, 1973 	1–6 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) 	6–39–4
50 	L	January 26, 1973 	1–5 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) 	6–40–4
51 	L	January 31, 1973 	3–5 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) 	6–41–4
52 	L	February 1, 1973 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) 	6–42–4
53 	T	February 3, 1973 	1–1 	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	6–42–5
54 	L	February 4, 1973 	1–5 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	6–43–5
55 	W	February 6, 1973 	4–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) 	7–43–5
56 	L	February 7, 1973 	0–6 	@ New York Rangers (1972–73) 	7–44–5
57 	L	February 10, 1973	0–6 	New York Rangers (1972–73) 	7–45–5
58 	L	February 13, 1973	2–8 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) 	7–46–5
59 	L	February 14, 1973	2–4 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) 	7–47–5
60 	L	February 17, 1973	2–6 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) 	7–48–5
61 	L	February 18, 1973	2–3 	@ New York Rangers (1972–73) 	7–49–5
62 	L	February 20, 1973	0–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) 	7–50–5
63 	L	February 22, 1973	1–2 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) 	7–51–5
64 	W	February 24, 1973	4–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) 	8–51–5
65 	L	February 27, 1973	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) 	8–52–5
66 	W	March 3, 1973 	9–3 	Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) 	9–52–5
67 	L	March 4, 1973 	1–5 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) 	9–53–5
68 	L	March 6, 1973 	2–3 	Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) 	9–54–5
69 	L	March 8, 1973 	1–4 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) 	9–55–5
70 	L	March 10, 1973 	4–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73) 	9–56–5
71 	L	March 11, 1973 	1–2 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73) 	9–57–5
72 	L	March 13, 1973 	0–3 	Boston Bruins (1972–73) 	9–58–5
73 	W	March 17, 1973 	6–4 	St. Louis Blues (1972–73) 	10–58–5
74 	W	March 20, 1973 	6–3 	California Golden Seals (1972–73) 	11–58–5
75 	W	March 24, 1973 	3–2 	Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) 	12–58–5
76 	L	March 27, 1973 	2–3 	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) 	12–59–5
77 	L	March 31, 1973 	2–10 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) 	12–60–5
78 	T	April 1, 1973 	4–4 	@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) 	12–60–6
==Playoffs==
*The Islanders did not qualify for the post season.
==Player Stats==
===Forwards===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Billy Harris 	78	28	22	50 	35
Ed Westfall 	67	15	31	46 	25
Germain Gagnon 	63	12	29	41 	31
Brian Spencer 	78	14	24	38 	90
Craig Cameron 	72	19	14	33 	27
Dave Hudson 	69	12	19	31 	17
Tom Miller 	69	13	17	30 	21
Lorne Henning 	63	7 	19	26 	14
Terry Crisp 	54	4 	16	20 	6
Don Blackburn 	56	7 	10	17 	20
Bob Cook 	33	8 	6 	14 	14
Ralph Stewart 	31	4 	10	14 	4
Brian Lavender 	43	6 	6 	12 	47
Brian Marchinko	36	2 	6 	8 	0
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/NYI/1973.html
===Defencemen===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
Jim Mair 	49	2	11	13 	41
Arnie Brown 	48	4	8 	12 	27
Gerry Hart 	47	1	11	12 	158
Bill Mikkelson	72	1	10	11 	45
Bryan Lefley 	63	3	7 	10 	56
Neil Nicholson	30	3	1 	4 	23
===Goaltending===
Note: GP= Games played; MIN = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	GP	MIN 	W	L 	T	SO	GA 	GAA
Gerry Desjardins	37	2498	5	35	3	0 	195	4.68
Gerry Gray 	1 	60 	0	1 	0	0 	5 	5.00
Billy Smith 	37	2122	7	24	3	0 	147	4.16
==Awards and Records==
*The Islanders did not win any awards this season.
==Gallery==
29Oct1972-Walton_Bucyk_NYI.jpg|John Bucyk scores on Billy Smith, October 29, 1972.
Orr_goal-18Nov1972.gif|Bobby Orr scores on his second return to the line-up, November 18, 1972.
Bucyk_3_goals-18Jan1973.gif|John Bucyk had a four goal game, January 18, 1973
==Video==
Highlights of the Bruins-Islanders game on January 18, 1973.
Hapless '73 Islanders Shock the Big, Bad Bruins
==References==
*Islanders on Hockey Database
Category:New York Islanders seasons
Category:1972 in hockey
Category:1973 in hockey