1975–76 Quebec Nordiques season

The 1975–76 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques fourth season, as they were coming off their best season to date in 1974–75, earning 92 points and finishing on top of the Canadian Division in the regular season, and making it to the Avco Cup finals in the playoffs, where they were swept by the Houston Aeros.

1975–76 Quebec Nordiques
Division2nd Canadian
1975–76 record50–27–4
Home record33–7–0
Road record17–20–4
Goals for371
Goals against316
Team information
General managerMaurice Filion
CoachJean-Guy Gendron
CaptainMichel Parizeau
ArenaColisée de Québec
Team leaders
GoalsMarc Tardif (71)
AssistsMarc Tardif and J. C. Tremblay (77)
PointsMarc Tardif (148)
Penalty minutesGord Gallant (297)
WinsRichard Brodeur (44)
Goals against averageRichard Brodeur (3.69)

Quebec would have a very strong start to the season, and would battle with the Winnipeg Jets all season long on top of the Canadian Division. Quebec would finish the season with a franchise record 50 wins and 104 points, but would finish behind the Jets, who tied the Houston Aeros with the most points in the league at 106. The Nordiques scored a league high 371 goals, and finished with a very impressive record of 33–7–0 at home, tying the Aeros for the best home record in the league.

Offensively, Quebec was led by Marc Tardif, who had the most goals and points in the league with 71 and 148 respectively, while his 77 assists tied teammate J. C. Tremblay for the most in the WHA. Tremblay would finish the year with 89 points, leading the Nordiques blueline. Real Cloutier had a breakout season, scoring 60 goals and earning 114 points, as did Chris Bordeleau, who had 37 goals and 109 points. Rejean Houle and Serge Bernier also finished with over 100 points, as they earned 103 and 102 respectively. Gord Gallant had a team high 297 penalty minutes, while Pierre Roy was not too far behind with 259.

In goal, Richard Brodeur shattered the Nordiques record for wins, earning 44, while he posted a 3.69 GAA and earned 2 shutouts in 69 games. Michel DeGuise backed him up, winning 6 games.

In the opening round of the playoffs, Quebec would face the Calgary Cowboys, who finished the season 3rd in the Canadian Division with 86 points, which was 18 fewer than the Nordiques. Calgary would quiet the Nordiques home crowd in the first game, beating Quebec 3–1, then the Cowboys would win the second game by a score of 8–4 to take a 2–0 series lead. Quebec would fall behind 3–0 in the series after Calgary took the third game by a 3–2 score. The Nordiques managed to squeak out a 4–3 win in the fourth game, however, Calgary would end the series with a 6–4 win at Le Colisée in the fifth game, ending the Nordiques season much sooner than anyone expected.

Season standings

edit
Canadian Division GP W L T GF GA Pts
Winnipeg Jets 81 52 27 2 345 254 106
Quebec Nordiques 81 50 27 4 371 316 104
Calgary Cowboys 80 41 35 4 307 282 86
Edmonton Oilers 81 27 49 5 268 345 59
Toronto Toros 81 24 52 5 335 398 53

Schedule and results

edit
# Date Visitor Score Home Record Pts
1 October 9 Winnipeg Jets 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 0–1–0 0
2 October 11 Toronto Toros 3–7 Quebec Nordiques 1–1–0 2
3 October 14 Edmonton Oilers 5–8 Quebec Nordiques 2–1–0 4
4 October 18 Houston Aeros 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 3–1–0 6
5 October 21 New England Whalers 1–6 Quebec Nordiques 4–1–0 8
6 October 25 Toronto Toros 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 5–1–0 10
7 October 28 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Toronto Toros 5–2–0 10
8 October 29 Quebec Nordiques 2–4 New England Whalers 5–3–0 10
9 October 31 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Cleveland Crusaders 5–4–0 10
10 November 1 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Indianapolis Racers 6–4–0 12
11 November 2 Quebec Nordiques 1–0 Winnipeg Jets 7–4–0 14
12 November 4 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Edmonton Oilers 8–4–0 16
13 November 5 Quebec Nordiques 2–4 Calgary Cowboys 8–5–0 16
14 November 6 Quebec Nordiques 5–3 Denver Spurs 9–5–0 18
15 November 8 Indianapolis Racers 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 10–5–0 20
16 November 9 Phoenix Roadrunners 3–7 Quebec Nordiques 11–5–0 22
17 November 11 Minnesota Fighting Saints 6–8 Quebec Nordiques 12–5–0 24
18 November 15 Quebec Nordiques 3–1 New England Whalers 13–5–0 26
19 November 18 Cincinnati Stingers 4–6 Quebec Nordiques 14–5–0 28
20 November 20 Winnipeg Jets 3–2 Quebec Nordiques 14–6–0 28
21 November 22 Quebec Nordiques 9–6 Cincinnati Stingers 15–6–0 30
22 November 23 Quebec Nordiques 0–4 Houston Aeros 15–7–0 30
23 November 27 Quebec Nordiques 1–5 San Diego Mariners 15–8–0 30
24 November 29 Quebec Nordiques 4–4 Phoenix Roadrunners 15–8–1 31
25 November 30 Quebec Nordiques 2–1 Phoenix Roadrunners 16–8–1 33
26 December 2 Cleveland Crusaders 2–9 Quebec Nordiques 17–8–1 35
27 December 5 Quebec Nordiques 4–7 Toronto Toros 17–9–1 35
28 December 7 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Winnipeg Jets 18–9–1 37
29 December 9 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 Calgary Cowboys 18–10–1 37
30 December 10 Quebec Nordiques 4–7 Edmonton Oilers 18–11–1 37
31 December 12 Quebec Nordiques 4–6 Toronto Toros 18–12–1 37
32 December 13 Toronto Toros 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 19–12–1 39
33 December 16 Calgary Cowboys 3–7 Quebec Nordiques 20–12–1 41
34 December 18 Winnipeg Jets 4–5 Quebec Nordiques 21–12–1 43
35 December 20 Calgary Flames 7–8 Quebec Nordiques 22–12–1 45
36 December 21 Quebec Nordiques 7–11 Cincinnati Stingers 22–13–1 45
37 December 23 Quebec Nordiques 4–10 San Diego Mariners 22–14–1 45
38 December 27 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 23–14–1 47
39 December 28 Quebec Nordiques 6–1 Toronto Toros 24–14–1 49
40 December 30 Quebec Nordiques 4–4 Minnesota Fighting Saints 24–14–2 50
41 January 2 Quebec Nordiques 4–5 Cleveland Crusaders 24–15–2 50
42 January 3 Phoenix Roadrunners 4–1 Quebec Nordiques 24–16–2 50
43 January 10 San Diego Mariners 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 25–16–2 52
44 January 15 Calgary Cowboys 3–5 Quebec Nordiques 26–16–2 54
45 January 17 Toronto Toros 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 27–16–2 56
46 January 21 Indianapolis Racers 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 28–16–2 58
47 January 25 Edmonton Oilers 6–7 Quebec Nordiques 29–16–2 60
48 January 27 Cincinnati Stingers 1–9 Quebec Nordiques 30–16–2 62
49 January 30 Quebec Nordiques 3–3 Toronto Toros 30–16–3 63
50 January 31 Toronto Toros 4–8 Quebec Nordiques 31–16–3 65
51 February 3 Winnipeg Jets 4–5 Quebec Nordiques 32–16–3 67
52 February 5 Quebec Nordiques 2–4 Indianapolis Racers 32–17–3 67
53 February 7 Quebec Nordiques 4–4 Calgary Cowboys 32–17–4 68
54 February 8 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Edmonton Oilers 33–17–4 70
55 February 11 Quebec Nordiques 6–4 Winnipeg Jets 34–17–4 72
56 February 12 Quebec Nordiques 4–6 Minnesota Fighting Saints 34–18–4 72
57 February 15 Quebec Nordiques 4–2 Houston Aeros 35–18–4 74
58 February 17 San Diego Mariners 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 36–18–4 76
59 February 22 New England Whalers 0–4 Quebec Nordiques 37–18–4 78
60 February 24 Houston Aeros 1–4 Quebec Nordiques 38–18–4 80
61 February 28 Winnipeg Jets 4–3 Quebec Nordiques 38–19–4 80
62 March 2 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Toronto Toros 38–20–4 80
63 March 4 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 Calgary Cowboys 38–21–4 80
64 March 5 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Edmonton Oilers 39–21–4 82
65 March 7 Quebec Nordiques 2–4 Edmonton Oilers 39–22–4 82
66 March 9 Quebec Nordiques 4–7 Calgary Cowboys 39–23–4 82
67 March 10 Quebec Nordiques 3–10 Winnipeg Jets 39–24–4 82
68 March 12 Quebec Nordiques 10–8 Winnipeg Jets 40–24–4 84
69 March 14 Toronto Toros 3–1 Quebec Nordiques 40–25–4 84
70 March 16 New England Whalers 1–5 Quebec Nordiques 41–25–4 86
71 March 19 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Toronto Toros 42–25–4 88
72 March 20 Calgary Cowboys 8–7 Quebec Nordiques 42–26–4 88
73 March 21 Quebec Nordiques 6–3 Edmonton Oilers 43–26–4 90
74 March 23 Cleveland Crusaders 3–1 Quebec Nordiques 43–27–4 90
75 March 25 Edmonton Oilers 5–7 Quebec Nordiques 44–27–4 92
76 March 27 Calgary Cowboys 4–6 Quebec Nordiques 45–27–4 94
77 March 30 Edmonton Oilers 3–8 Quebec Nordiques 46–27–4 96
78 April 1 Edmonton Oilers 2–7 Quebec Nordiques 47–27–4 98
79 April 3 Toronto Toros 1–5 Quebec Nordiques 48–27–4 100
80 April 4 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Toronto Toros 49–27–4 102
81 April 6 Toronto Toros 6–10 Quebec Nordiques 50–27–4 104

Playoffs

edit

Calgary Cowboys 4, Quebec Nordiques 1

edit
# Date Visitor Score Home Record
1 April 10 Calgary Cowboys 3–1 Quebec Nordiques 0–1
2 April 11 Calgary Cowboys 8–4 Quebec Nordiques 0–2
3 April 14 Quebec Nordiques 2–3 Calgary Cowboys 0–3
4 April 16 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Calgary Cowboys 1–3
5 April 18 Calgary Cowboys 6–4 Quebec Nordiques 1–4

Season stats

edit

Scoring leaders

edit
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Marc Tardif 81 71 77 148 79
Real Cloutier 80 60 54 114 27
Chris Bordeleau 74 37 72 109 42
Rejean Houle 81 51 52 103 61
Serge Bernier 70 34 68 102 91

Goaltending

edit
Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA Save %
Richard Brodeur 69 3967 44 21 2 244 2 3.69 .890
Michel DeGuise 18 835 6 5 2 60 0 4.35 .870
Pete Donnelly 4 129 0 1 0 10 0 4.65 .846

Playoff stats

edit

Scoring leaders

edit
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Real Cloutier 5 4 5 9 0
Serge Bernier 5 2 6 8 6
Dale Hoganson 5 1 3 4 2
Steve Sutherland 5 2 1 3 17
Pierre Roy 5 1 2 3 29

Goaltending

edit
Player GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Richard Brodeur 5 299 1 4 22 0 4.41

Draft picks

edit

Quebec's draft picks at the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft.[1]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 14 Pierre Mondou   Canada Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL)
2 29 Doug Halward   Canada Peterborough Petes (OHA)
3 44 Pierre Giroux   Canada Hull Festivals (QMJHL)
4 59 Ted Bulley   Canada Hull Festivals (QMJHL)
5 73 Andre LePage   Canada Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL)
6 87 Jean Trottier   Canada Laval National (QMJHL)
7 100 Mike Backman   Canada Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL)
8 112 Michel Brisebois   Canada Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
9 124 Michel Hamel   Canada Laval National (QMJHL)
10 137 Florent Fortier   Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

References

edit
  1. ^ "1975 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.