1972–73 Alberta Oilers season

The 1972–73 Alberta Oilers season was the Oilers' first season, as one of twelve inaugural franchises of the now-defunct World Hockey Association (WHA). [1][2]

1972–73 Alberta Oilers
Division5th Western
1972–73 record38–37–3
Home record26–13–2
Road record12–24–1
Goals for269 (9th)
Goals against256 (4th)
Team information
General managerBill Hunter
CoachRay Kinasewich
Bill Hunter
CaptainAl Hamilton
Alternate captainsDoug Barrie
Val Fonteyne
Jim Harrison
ArenaEdmonton Gardens
Average attendance3,848 (74.0%)
Team leaders
GoalsJim Harrison (39)
AssistsAl Hamilton (50)
PointsJim Harrison (86)
Penalty minutesAl Hamilton (124)
WinsJack Norris (28)
Goals against averageJack Norris (3.06)

Regular season

The Oilers victory over the Ottawa Nationals on October 11, 1972, was the first game in league history, with Ron Anderson scoring the first goal.

Jim Harrison led the team in scoring, with 39 goals and 86 points. On January 30, 1973, in an 11–3 defeat of the New York Raiders, Harrison set a major professional hockey record with 10 points (3G, 7A) in a single game. That feat was later matched by Darryl Sittler on February 7, 1976, in a National Hockey League game.

The Oilers posted a winning record in the regular season, with 38 wins, 37 losses and 3 ties. The Minnesota Fighting Saints finished with an identical record, so a single game playoff was contested to decide fourth place in the Western Division. The Fighting Saints defeated the Oilers 4–2 on a neutral site rink (in Calgary), ending the Oilers season.

Season standings

Western Division
GP W L T GF GA PIM Pts
Winnipeg Jets784331428524975790
Houston Aeros7839354284269136382
Los Angeles Sharks7837356259250147780
Minnesota Fighting Saints783837325026984379
Alberta Oilers7838373269256113479
Chicago Cougars782650224529581154

Schedule and results

1972–73 Game Log

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

The Oilers and the Minnesota Fighting Saints were tied at the end of the season. They had the same number of victories and points, and they had both won four games against each other. Subsequently, it was decided that the two teams would play a one-game playoff to decide the final spot in the playoffs, to be played in Calgary. The Oilers lost the game, and the Fighting Saints went on to play in the Quarterfinals.

1973 Avco Cup Playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties In Minutes

Player Regular season Playoffs
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
Jim Harrison663947869310112
Al Hamilton7811506112410002
Ross Perkins712137581910002
Ed Patenaude782927565910114
Ron Walters782826543711010
Bob Wall781629452010110
Val Fonteyne7773239210000
Eddie Joyal712216381610000
Bill Hicke731424382010000
Brian Carlin65122234610000
Doug Barrie5492231111100022
Ron Anderson731415294310000
Ken Baird7514152911211016
Bob Falkenberg77623294410000
Steve Carlyle67710173510000
Dennis Kassian5067131410110
Bob McAneeley51571224
Bernie Blanchette235492
Roger Cote603584610000
John Fisher400550
Jack Norris64033210000
Jim Benzelock2611210
Derek Harker10000
Ken Brown200002

Denotes player traded to the Oilers mid-season.
Denotes player traded away mid-season.
Statistics for all players reflect only games played with the Oilers.

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player Regular season Playoffs
GP TOI W L T GA SO SV% GAA GP TOI W L GA SO SV% GAA
Jack Norris6437052829318910.9033.0615901400.8334.07
Ken Brown20103410806310.8833.65

Awards and records

Four Oilers were selected to play in the mid-season All-Star Game on January 6:

Milestones

Regular Season
PlayerMilestoneReached
Ron Anderson1st WHA Game
1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
October 11, 1972
Bill Hicke
Eddie Joyal
Ron Walters
Ken Brown1st WHA Game
1st WHA Win
Steve Carlyle1st WHA Game
1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
John Fisher
Val Fonteyne
Al Hamilton
Bob McAneeley
Bob Wall
Bob Falkenberg1st WHA Game
Ed Patenaude
Jim Harrison1st WHA Game
1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
Jack Norris1st WHA GameOctober 13, 1972
Roger Côté1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
October 15, 1972
Val Fonteyne1st WHA Goal
Eddie Joyal1st WHA Assist
Ron Walters
Ron Anderson1st WHA AssistOctober 17, 1972
Jack Norris1st WHA Win
Bob Falkenberg1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
October 20, 1972
Ed Patenaude1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
Ron Walters1st WHA Hat-trick
Brian Carlin1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
October 24, 1972
Bill Hicke1st WHA Assist
Dennis Kassian1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
October 28, 1972
Ross Perkins1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
Ken Baird1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
October 29, 1972
Ross Perkins1st WHA Goal
Doug Barrie1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
November 3, 1972
Brian Carlin1st WHA Assist
Bob Wall1st WHA Goal
Dennis Kassian1st WHA AssistNovember 5, 1972
Doug Barrie
Steve Carlyle1st WHA GoalNovember 7, 1972
Al Hamilton
Ken Baird1st WHA GoalNovember 9, 1972
Bob Falkenberg1st WHA GoalNovember 11, 1972
Jim Benzelock1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
November 25, 1972
Bob McAneeley1st WHA GoalNovember 30, 1972
Jim Benzelock1st WHA GoalDecember 12, 1972
Roger Côté1st WHA AssistDecember 21, 1972
Jim Harrison1st WHA Gordie Howe hat trick
Ross Perkins1st WHA Hat-TrickJanuary 1, 1973
Jack Norris1st WHA AssistJanuary 16, 1973
Jim Harrison1st WHA Hat-TrickJanuary 30, 1973
Jack Norris1st WHA ShutoutFebruary 9, 1973
Al Hamilton100th WHA PIMFebruary 27, 1973
Ken Baird100th WHA PIMMarch 17, 1973
Ken Brown1st WHA Shutout
Jim Harrison2nd WHA Gordie Howe hat trick
Doug Barrie100th WHA PIMMarch 28, 1973
Ken Baird1st WHA GameTBD
Doug Barrie
Jim Benzelock
Brian Carlin
Roger Côté
Derek Harker
Dennis Kassian
Ross Perkins
Playoffs
PlayerMilestoneReached
Ron Anderson1st WHA GameApril 4, 1973
Doug Barrie
Brian Carlin
Steve Carlyle
Roger Côté
Bob Falkenberg
Val Fonteyne
Al Hamilton
Bill Hicke
Eddie Joyal
Jack Norris
Ross Perkins
Ken Baird1st WHA Game
1st WHA Goal
1st WHA Point
Ron Walters
Jim Harrison1st WHA Game
1st WHA Assist
1st WHA Point
Dennis Kassian
Ed Patenaude
Bob Wall

Transactions

Draft picks

The WHA General Player Draft was held on February 12–13, 1972 to stock each new WHA team with their initial rosters. The Oilers selected four NHL players with their "priority" selections:

Ullman and MacGregor would eventually play for the Oilers, but not for the 1972–73 season. Both were Edmonton-born players who finished their playing careers with the Oilers after long NHL careers.

The Oilers selected an additional 96 players in subsequent rounds of the draft. Of those, 22 players would play for the Oilers, 16 in the 1972–73 season.

Player Pos Team League Joined Oilers
Ron AndersonRWBuffalo SabresNHL1972–73
Ace BaileyLWBoston BruinsNHL1978–79
Ken BairdDCalifornia Golden SealsNHL1972–73
Doug BarrieDLos Angeles KingsNHL1972–73
Jim BenzelockRWDayton GemsIHL1972–73
Brian CarlinLWLos Angeles KingsNHL1972–73
Roger CoteDCleveland BaronsAHL1972–73
Bob FalkenbergDDetroit Red WingsNHL1972–73
John FisherCFort Worth WingsCHL1972–73
Val FonteyneLWPittsburgh PenguinsNHL1972–73
Del HallLWCalifornia Golden SealsNHL1977–78
Al HamiltonDBuffalo SabresNHL1972–73
Eddie JoyalCPhiladelphia FlyersNHL1972–73
Kerry KetterDNova Scotia VoyageursAHL1975–76
Barry LongDPortland BuckaroosWHL1974–75
Len LundeLWIlves TampereSM-sarja1973–74
Bob McAneeleyLWUniversity of British ColumbiaCWUAA1972–73
Ed PatenaudeRWFort Wayne KometsIHL1972–73
Ross PerkinsCFort Worth WingsCHL1972–73
Glen SatherLWNew York RangersNHL1976–77
Bob WallDDetroit Red WingsNHL1972–73
Ron WaltersCTidewater WingsAHL1972–73

Trades

DateTo Alberta OilersTraded toTraded for
May 1972Jim HarrisonCalgary BroncosCash
May 1972Dennis KassianHouston AerosCash
June 1972Future considerationsQuebec NordiquesFrançois Lacombe
June 1972Jack NorrisCleveland CrusadersCash
July 1972Steve CarlyleCleveland CrusadersCash
July 1972Ken BrownCleveland CrusadersCash
July 1972Future considerationsCleveland CrusadersJoe Hardy
August 1972CashCleveland CrusadersDoug Brindley
September 1972CashOttawa NationalsGilles Gratton
November 1972CashPhiladelphia BlazersDerek Harker
December 27, 1972Bernie BlanchetteChicago CougarsJim Benzelock

Free Agents

References

  1. World Hockey Association (1972). WHA 1972-73 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
  2. World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
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