1973–74 Toronto Maple Leafs season

The 1973–74 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the fifty-seventh season of the Toronto NHL franchise, forty-seventh as the Maple Leafs. The Leafs finished 4th in the East Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the Boston Bruins 4 games to 0.
==Off-season==
The Maple Leafs made several signings that would improve their team. At the entry draft, the Maple Leafs chose Lanny McDonald with the fourth-overall draft pick. He would play six and a half seasons with the Maple Leafs. Bernie Parent, who had left the team for the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972, made it known that he wanted to return to the NHL. The Maple Leafs still had his NHL rights, and they traded Parent to the Philadelphia Flyers for Doug Favell and a first-round draft pick, which the Maple Leafs used to choose Bob Neely. Neely would play four seasons for the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Colorado Rockies.
In a first for Toronto, the club signed players from Europe. Toronto signed Swedish defenceman Borje Salming and forward Inge Hammarstrom. Salming had made the all-star team at the 1973 world championships. Hammarstrom was one of the top scorers in Sweden. Both had played for Brynas of the Swedish league, and the Leafs had to pay the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation for their release. Salming would play with the Leafs until 1989, when he joined the Detroit Red Wings. Hammarstrom would play five seasons in Toronto before moving to the St. Louis Blues.
==Regular Season==
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results 	Regular Season Results
No. 	R 	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
1 	W 	October 10, 1973 	7–4 	Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	1–0–0
2 	L 	October 11, 1973 	0–2 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) 	1–1–0
3 	W 	October 13, 1973 	6–3 	Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) 	2–1–0
4 	W 	October 17, 1973 	5–3 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) 	3–1–0
5 	W 	October 20, 1973 	3–2 	New York Rangers (1973–74) 	4–1–0
6 	L 	October 21, 1973 	3–4 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	4–2–0
7 	T 	October 23, 1973 	2–2 	Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) 	4–2–1
8 	L 	October 27, 1973 	2–3 	Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	4–3–1
9 	T 	October 28, 1973 	1–1 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) 	4–3–2
10 	W 	October 30, 1973 	7–0 	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) 	5–3–2
11 	T 	November 1, 1973 	2–2 	@ New York Islanders (1973–74) 	5–3–3
12 	W 	November 3, 1973 	6–0 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) 	6–3–3
13 	L 	November 7, 1973 	1–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) 	6–4–3
14 	T 	November 10, 1973 	3–3 	New York Islanders (1973–74) 	6–4–4
15 	L 	November 11, 1973 	4–5 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) 	6–5–4
16 	W 	November 14, 1973 	4–1 	@ California Golden Seals (1973–74)	7–5–4
17 	T 	November 16, 1973 	3–3 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) 	7–5–5
18 	W 	November 17, 1973 	4–3 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) 	8–5–5
19 	W 	November 20, 1973 	4–2 	@ New York Islanders (1973–74) 	9–5–5
20 	L 	November 22, 1973 	2–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) 	9–6–5
21 	L 	November 24, 1973 	1–3 	Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) 	9–7–5
22 	W 	November 28, 1973 	4–3 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) 	10–7–5
23 	W 	November 29, 1973 	5–1 	St. Louis Blues (1973–74) 	11–7–5
24 	W 	December 1, 1973 	3–2 	California Golden Seals (1973–74) 	12–7–5
25 	L 	December 2, 1973 	4–6 	@ New York Rangers (1973–74) 	12–8–5
26 	W 	December 6, 1973 	4–1 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) 	13–8–5
27 	L 	December 8, 1973 	1–3 	Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) 	13–9–5
28 	L 	December 9, 1973 	2–5 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	13–10–5
29 	L 	December 11, 1973 	3–7 	@ St. Louis Blues (1973–74) 	13–11–5
30 	W 	December 13, 1973 	6–1 	@ Atlanta Flames (1973–74) 	14–11–5
31 	T 	December 15, 1973 	2–2 	New York Rangers (1973–74) 	14–11–6
32 	W 	December 19, 1973 	5–3 	California Golden Seals (1973–74) 	15–11–6
33 	L 	December 22, 1973 	4–6 	Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) 	15–12–6
34 	L 	December 23, 1973 	3–4 	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	15–13–6
35 	W 	December 26, 1973 	9–2 	Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) 	16–13–6
36 	T 	December 29, 1973 	3–3 	Atlanta Flames (1973–74) 	16–13–7
37 	W 	December 30, 1973 	4–3 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) 	17–13–7
38 	W 	January 2, 1974 	4–3 	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) 	18–13–7
39 	L 	January 5, 1974 	3–5 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) 	18–14–7
40 	W 	January 7, 1974 	6–2 	Atlanta Flames (1973–74) 	19–14–7
41 	W 	January 9, 1974 	6–4 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) 	20–14–7
42 	W 	January 12, 1974 	4–2 	St. Louis Blues (1973–74) 	21–14–7
43 	L 	January 15, 1974 	2–4 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) 	21–15–7
44 	T 	January 16, 1974 	5–5 	@ California Golden Seals (1973–74)	21–15–8
45 	L 	January 19, 1974 	3–5 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) 	21–16–8
46 	L 	January 23, 1974 	3–4 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) 	21–17–8
47 	T 	January 26, 1974 	3–3 	@ St. Louis Blues (1973–74) 	21–17–9
48 	W 	January 27, 1974 	5–2 	@ Atlanta Flames (1973–74) 	22–17–9
49 	W 	January 31, 1974 	3–1 	Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) 	23–17–9
50 	W 	February 2, 1974 	6–2 	Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	24–17–9
51 	T 	February 3, 1974 	3–3 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	24–17–10
52 	T 	February 6, 1974 	2–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) 	24–17–11
53 	W 	February 9, 1974 	4–1 	Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) 	25–17–11
54 	L 	February 13, 1974 	1–3 	Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) 	25–18–11
55 	W 	February 16, 1974 	7–2 	Atlanta Flames (1973–74) 	26–18–11
56 	L 	February 17, 1974 	1–4 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) 	26–19–11
57 	W 	February 20, 1974 	4–2 	Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	27–19–11
58 	L 	February 23, 1974 	3–4 	Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) 	27–20–11
59 	T 	February 24, 1974 	3–3 	Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) 	27–20–12
60 	L 	February 26, 1974 	3–7 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) 	27–21–12
61 	W 	February 28, 1974 	6–4 	@ New York Islanders (1973–74) 	28–21–12
62 	W 	March 2, 1974 	5–2 	New York Islanders (1973–74) 	29–21–12
63 	W 	March 3, 1974 	6–4 	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	30–21–12
64 	T 	March 7, 1974 	2–2 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) 	30–21–13
65 	L 	March 9, 1974 	1–2 	Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) 	30–22–13
66 	L 	March 12, 1974 	1–2 	@ St. Louis Blues (1973–74) 	30–23–13
67 	W 	March 14, 1974 	2–1 	New York Islanders (1973–74) 	31–23–13
68 	L 	March 16, 1974 	2–5 	Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	31–24–13
69 	T 	March 17, 1974 	2–2 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) 	31–24–14
70 	T 	March 19, 1974 	1–1 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) 	31–24–15
71 	W 	March 22, 1974 	3–2 	@ California Golden Seals (1973–74)	32–24–15
72 	L 	March 24, 1974 	2–3 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) 	32–25–15
73 	L 	March 27, 1974 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) 	32–26–15
74 	W 	March 30, 1974 	7–3 	New York Rangers (1973–74) 	33–26–15
75 	T 	March 31, 1974 	3–3 	@ New York Rangers (1973–74) 	33–26–16
76 	W 	April 3, 1974 	5–3 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) 	34–26–16
77 	W 	April 6, 1974 	3–1 	Buffalo Sabres (1973–74) 	35–26–16
78 	L 	April 7, 1974 	4–6 	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74) 	35–27–16
==Playoffs==
===Boston Bruins 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 0===
The Bruins and Leafs last met in the 1972 Quarter-finals where the Bruins won the series in five games. Although Phil Esposito was held to one goal in the series by the checking of Dave Keon, the Bruins second line of Gregg Sheppard, John Bucyk and Bobby Schmautz dominated with Sheppard scoring four goals and Schmautz adding six points. Gilles Gilbert played every minute of the series in goal for the Bruins while Doug Favell played in Games 1, 2 and 4. Gilbert recorded a shutout and held Toronto to ten goals in the series.
Game 1 at the Boston Garden was the tightest match of the series. The Leafs outshot the Bruins 35-33 and there were only three power plays in the game. After a scoreless first period, where Toronto had the edge in play, Gregg Sheppard scored the only goal of the game 4:12 into the second period, assisted by Dallas Smith and Don Marcotte. Boston took over the game in the third period, outshooting Toronto and held on for a 1-0 victory.
Game 2 at Boston saw the teams trade goals in the first period with Ken Hodge, Ron Ellis, Bobby Schmautz and Dave Keon scoring. In the second period, Schmautz set up goals by John Bucyk and Wayne Cashman before Darryl Sittler cut the Bruins lead to 4-3. The Leafs pressed in the third period and outshot the Bruins 16-6. However, Phil Esposito scored on Boston's only power play of the period and Gregg Sheppard added an empty net goal for a 6-3 Bruins victory and a 2-0 lead in the series.
Game 3 at Maple Leaf Gardens saw former Bruin Eddie Johnston in goal for the Leafs. Toronto started the game strong and after several co-incidental minor penalties, Bob Neely scored the only goal of the period. However, Boston broke the game open in the second period with André Savard scoring his first career NHL playoff goal, followed by a pair by Sheppard and John Bucyk's second goal of the series. Neely set up Darryl Sittler with 30 second left to trim Boston's lead to 4-2 heading into the third period. Wayne Cashman scored a little over a minute into the period answered a minute later by Eddie Shack, with the last playoff goal of his career. Despite pouring 24 shots on Gilles Gilbert, the Leafs couldn't muster another goal and Bobby Schmautz sealed Boston's 6-3 victory with Gilbert stopping 45 shots.
Game 4 at Toronto saw Doug Favell back in net for the Leafs. Terry O'Reilly opened the scoring with his first career NHL playoff goal before Ron Ellis responded. In the second period, Ken Hodge and Norm Ullman traded goals before Wayne Cashman and Garry Monahan fought. In the third period, the Bruins pressed for the win and broke through with less than three minutes left as Bobby Orr scored his first of the series. Desperate to avoid a sweep, the Leafs fought back with Inge Hammarström scoring his first career NHL playoff goal, sending the game into overtime. It took the Bruins less than two minutes to end the series as Ken Hodge tipped in Carol Vadnais' point shot.
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	Record
1	April 10	Toronto Maple Leafs	0-1 	Boston Bruins 	0-1
2	April 11	Toronto Maple Leafs	3-6 	Boston Bruins 	0-2
3	April 13	Boston Bruins 	6-3 	Toronto Maple Leafs	3-0
4	April 14	Boston Bruins 	4-3 (OT)	Toronto Maple Leafs	4-0
==Player Stats==
===Regular Season===
;Scoring
Player	Pos	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
 	C 	78	38	46	84 	55 	12 	11 	0 	6
 	C 	78	22	47	69 	12 	10 	4 	0 	2
 	RW 	69	24	31	55 	40 	9 	5 	0 	2
 	C 	74	25	28	53 	7 	13 	1 	2 	3
 	RW 	70	23	25	48 	12 	8 	3 	0 	3
 	LW 	66	20	23	43 	14 	17 	4 	0 	4
 	D 	77	14	28	42 	36 	16 	3 	0 	1
 	RW 	69	18	22	40 	8 	19 	3 	0 	3
 	D 	76	5 	34	39 	48 	38 	3 	0 	0
 	D 	78	8 	27	35 	74 	12 	2 	0 	2
 	D 	71	12	19	31 	94 	5 	0 	0 	1
 	RW 	70	14	16	30 	43 	3 	2 	0 	3
 	LW 	78	9 	16	25 	70 	4 	0 	0 	1
 	LW 	46	9 	14	23 	32 	8 	1 	2 	1
 	D 	65	4 	18	22 	100	27 	1 	1 	0
 	LW 	34	8 	9 	17 	8 	3 	2 	0 	0
 	LW 	59	7 	8 	15 	74 	1 	4 	0 	1
 	LW 	56	7 	8 	15 	6 	2 	0 	0 	2
 	LW 	54	5 	7 	12 	98 	-14	2 	0 	0
 	LW 	12	2 	8 	10 	10 	8 	0 	0 	0
 	C 	16	0 	4 	4 	4 	1 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	17	0 	1 	1 	20 	2 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	24	0 	0 	0 	6 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	26	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	32	0 	0 	0 	20 	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN 	GP	W 	L 	T 	GA 	GAA 	SO
 	1752	32	14	7 	9 	79 	2.71	0
 	1516	26	12	9 	4 	78 	3.09	1
 	1412	24	9 	11	3 	68 	2.89	1
Team: 	4680	78	35	27	16	225	2.88	2
===Playoffs===
;Scoring
Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
 	LW 	4 	1	3	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	RW 	4 	2	1	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C 	4 	2	1	3 	6 	1 	0 	0
 	C 	4 	1	2	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C 	4 	1	1	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	RW 	4 	0	2	2 	2 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	2	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	1	0	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	1	0	1 	2 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	2 	0	1	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C 	3 	0	1	1 	2 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	0	1	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	0	1	1 	7 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	1	1 	4 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	1 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	3 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	3 	0	0	0 	10 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	0	0 	4 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	0	0 	8 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	1 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	3 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA 	SO
 	181	3 	0	3	10	3.31	0
 	60 	1 	0	1	6 	6.00	0
Team: 	241	4 	0	4	16	3.98	0
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals 
MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts 
==Awards and Records==
*The Maple Leafs did not win any awards this season.
==Transactions==
The Maple Leafs were involved in the following transactions during the 1973-74 season.
===Trades===
May 22, 1973 	To Boston BruinsFuture Considerations 	To Toronto Maple LeafsEddie Johnston
May 23, 1973 	To Philadelphia FlyersCash 	To Toronto Maple LeafsWillie Brossart
May 29, 1973 	To Vancouver CanucksMurray HeatleyLarry McIntyre	To Toronto Maple LeafsDunc Wilson
July 3, 1973 	To Pittsburgh PenguinsCash 	To Toronto Maple LeafsEddie Shack
October 17, 1973 	To Detroit Red WingsTerry Clancy 	To Toronto Maple LeafsCash
November 29, 1973	To Detroit Red WingsPierre Jarry 	To Toronto Maple LeafsTim Ecclestone
May 27, 1974 	To Philadelphia FlyersDave FortierRandy Osburn 	To Toronto Maple LeafsBill Flett
May 27, 1974 	To St. Louis BluesEddie Johnston 	To Toronto Maple LeafsGary Sabourin
===Free agents===
{|class="wikitable"	
Player 	Former Team
Bill Butters 	Undrafted Free Agent
Scott Garland	Tulsa Oilers (CHL)
==Draft Picks==
==Farm Teams==
==Gallery==
Espo_from_Orr-27Oct1973.gif|Bobby Orr sets up Phil Esposito, October 27, 1973.
Orr_goal_Game4-14Apr1974.gif|Bobby Orr scores, Game 4 of the 1974 Quarter-finals, April 14, 1974.
14Apr1974-Hodge_series_winner.jpg|Ken Hodge scores the series winner, Game 4 of the 1974 Quarter-finals, April 14, 1974.
73-74NHLTorontoGameAd.jpg
74-75NHLTorontoHomeOpener.jpg|Home opener
==See Also==
*1973–74 NHL season
==References==
* 
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs seasons
Category:1973 in hockey
Category:1974 in hockey