1974–75 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1974–75 Montreal Canadiens season was the 66th season in team history. The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated in the semi-finals against the Buffalo Sabres four games to two. Henri Richard would play his final season with the club.

1974–75 Montreal Canadiens
Norris Division champions
Division1st Norris
Conference2nd Wales
1974–75 record47–14–19
Goals for374
Goals against225
Team information
General managerSam Pollock
CoachScotty Bowman
CaptainHenri Richard
Alternate captainsYvan Cournoyer
Pete Mahovlich
ArenaMontreal Forum
Team leaders
GoalsGuy Lafleur (53)
AssistsPete Mahovlich (82)
PointsGuy Lafleur (117)
Penalty minutesDoug Risebrough (198)
Plus/minusSerge Savard (+71)
WinsKen Dryden (30)
Goals against averageKen Dryden (2.69)

Offseason

Frank Mahovlich left the Canadiens, signing with the Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association (WHA). Jacques Laperriere retired, he and Scotty Bowman unable to get along.[1] Ken Dryden returned to the club after his law articling.[2]

Regular season

Henri Richard entered his 20th season with the Canadiens, but his health was failing. He played 16 games before fracturing his left ankle on November 13, 1974, in a game against Buffalo and did not play again until the spring.[1]

Guy Lafleur had a break-out season, breaking the Canadiens' goal-scoring record of 50 goals held by Maurice Richard and Bernie Geoffrion. Lafleur finished with 53 goals and 119 points.[2] Lafleur finally realized his potential despite a slow start to the season and missing 10 games in mid-season with an injury.

Final standings

Norris Division[3]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Montreal Canadiens80471419374225+149113
2Los Angeles Kings80421721269185+84105
3Pittsburgh Penguins80372815326289+3789
4Detroit Red Wings80234512259335−7658
5Washington Capitals808675181446−26521

Schedule and results

Regular season schedule
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1TOctober 9, 19745–5New York Islanders (1974–75)0–0–1
2TOctober 12, 19744–4Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)0–0–2
3LOctober 15, 19743–6@ New York Islanders (1974–75)0–1–2
4LOctober 17, 19742–3@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75)0–2–2
5WOctober 19, 19745–1California Golden Seals (1974–75)1–2–2
6TOctober 20, 19742–2@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)1–2–3
7WOctober 23, 19743–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)2–2–3
8WOctober 26, 19744–2Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)3–2–3
9LOctober 27, 19742–3@ Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)3–3–3
10TOctober 30, 19744–4Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)3–3–4
11WOctober 31, 19743–0@ Washington Capitals (1974–75)4–3–4
12LNovember 2, 19740–3Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)4–4–4
13WNovember 4, 19746–1Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)5–4–4
14TNovember 6, 19744–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)5–4–5
15WNovember 9, 19744–3Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)6–4–5
16WNovember 10, 197411–1@ Washington Capitals (1974–75)7–4–5
17LNovember 13, 19746–8Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)7–5–5
18WNovember 14, 19744–1@ Boston Bruins (1974–75)8–5–5
19TNovember 16, 19744–4New York Rangers (1974–75)8–5–6
20WNovember 18, 19749–4Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)9–5–6
21TNovember 20, 19743–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)9–5–7
22WNovember 22, 19747–6@ Kansas City Scouts (1974–75)10–5–7
23LNovember 24, 19744–6@ Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)10–6–7
24WNovember 27, 19743–2@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)11–6–7
25WNovember 30, 19747–1St. Louis Blues (1974–75)12–6–7
26WDecember 2, 19742–0Atlanta Flames (1974–75)13–6–7
27TDecember 4, 19744–4Boston Bruins (1974–75)13–6–8
28WDecember 7, 19745–2Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)14–6–8
29TDecember 8, 19743–3@ New York Rangers (1974–75)14–6–9
30WDecember 10, 19745–3@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)15–6–9
31TDecember 12, 19743–3@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)15–6–10
32WDecember 14, 19745–3California Golden Seals (1974–75)16–6–10
33WDecember 18, 19744–3@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)17–6–10
34WDecember 20, 19746–1@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)18–6–10
35TDecember 21, 19742–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)18–6–11
36WDecember 27, 19747–1Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)19–6–11
37WDecember 28, 19747–2Kansas City Scouts (1974–75)20–6–11
38TJanuary 2, 19751–1@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75)20–6–12
39WJanuary 4, 197510–0Washington Capitals (1974–75)21–6–12
40WJanuary 5, 19756–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)22–6–12
41TJanuary 8, 19754–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)22–6–13
42WJanuary 11, 19756–0Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)23–6–13
43WJanuary 12, 19757–2@ Washington Capitals (1974–75)24–6–13
44WJanuary 15, 19755–3Boston Bruins (1974–75)25–6–13
45LJanuary 18, 19753–5Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)25–7–13
46LJanuary 19, 19753–6Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)25–8–13
47WJanuary 23, 19757–0@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75)26–8–13
48LJanuary 25, 19756–7Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)26–9–13
49WJanuary 26, 19757–2Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)27–9–13
50WJanuary 28, 19753–1@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)28–9–13
51WFebruary 1, 19755–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)29–9–13
52WFebruary 2, 19755–1@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)30–9–13
53WFebruary 5, 19758–5Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)31–9–13
54WFebruary 8, 19757–1New York Rangers (1974–75)32–9–13
55TFebruary 9, 19754–4@ Buffalo Sabres (1974–75)32–9–14
56TFebruary 12, 19752–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)32–9–15
57WFebruary 15, 197512–3Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)33–9–15
58WFebruary 16, 19756–3@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75)34–9–15
59TFebruary 18, 19754–4@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75)34–9–16
60WFebruary 20, 19756–3@ Kansas City Scouts (1974–75)35–9–16
61LFebruary 22, 19756–7New York Islanders (1974–75)35–10–16
62WFebruary 26, 19754–3Vancouver Canucks (1974–75)36–10–16
63LMarch 1, 19753–4St. Louis Blues (1974–75)36–11–16
64WMarch 3, 19754–2California Golden Seals (1974–75)37–11–16
65WMarch 5, 19754–3@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75)38–11–16
66WMarch 7, 19758–4Washington Capitals (1974–75)39–11–16
67WMarch 9, 19755–3@ New York Rangers (1974–75)40–11–16
68TMarch 12, 19753–3@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)40–11–17
69WMarch 15, 19753–0Los Angeles Kings (1974–75)41–11–17
70WMarch 17, 19755–1Atlanta Flames (1974–75)42–11–17
71WMarch 19, 19752–1Boston Bruins (1974–75)43–11–17
72LMarch 22, 19754–6Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75)43–12–17
73LMarch 23, 19751–2@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75)43–13–17
74TMarch 25, 19753–3@ New York Islanders (1974–75)43–13–18
75LMarch 26, 19754–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)43–14–18
76WMarch 29, 19754–1Kansas City Scouts (1974–75)44–14–18
77TMarch 30, 19752–2@ Boston Bruins (1974–75)44–14–19
78WApril 2, 19756–0Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75)45–14–19
79WApril 5, 197510–2Washington Capitals (1974–75)46–14–19
80WApril 6, 19754–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75)47–14–19

[4]

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Guy LafleurRW705366119375215211
Pete MahovlichC80358211764411313
Jacques LemaireC8036569220251208
Guy LapointeD8028477588461110
Yvan CournoyerRW7629457432151102
Yvon LambertLW8032356774261003
Steve ShuttLW773035654040305
Larry RobinsonD801447617661102
Serge SavardD802040606471712
Doug RisebroughC6415324719827202
Murray WilsonLW732418424413406
Mario TremblayRW6321183910823001
Bob GaineyLW801720374923102
Jim RobertsD/RW79513185218020
Glen SatherLW63610164414010
Henri RichardC163101349000
Pierre BouchardD7939126524000
Don AwreyD56111125821000
Claude LaroseRW81236−2000
Chuck LefleyLW1812340000
Ken DrydenG5603320000
John Van BoxmeerD90220−1000
Glenn GoldupRW90112−1000
Michel LarocqueG2501120000
Ron AndruffC50002−1000
Rick ChartrawD/RW120006−4000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Ken Dryden332056309161492.694
Michel Larocque1480251753743.003
Team:4800804714192232.797

Playoffs

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Guy LafleurRW111271915404
Pete MahovlichC116101610101
Jacques LemaireC1157124100
Yvan CournoyerRW1156114200
Guy LapointeD1164104310
Doug RisebroughC1135837000
Serge SavardD111782000
Steve ShuttLW91674000
Yvon LambertLW114260200
Bob GaineyLW112464001
Don AwreyD1106612000
Jim RobertsD/RW112242000
Larry RobinsonD1104427000
Henri RichardC61234000
Murray WilsonLW50334000
Glen SatherLW111124000
Pierre BouchardD1002210000
Mario TremblayRW110117000
Ken DrydenG110000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Ken Dryden6881165292.532
Team:6881165292.532

[5]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Playoffs

The Canadiens' first round opponent was the Vancouver Canucks and the Canadiens won the series in five games to advance to the semi-finals against the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres defeated the Canadiens in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup final. The Sabres' checkers were able to shut down the Canadiens' top scorers, while the Canadiens' checkers were not able to contain the Sabres' French Connection line.[2]

Transactions

Following the 1975 playoffs, Henri Richard retired after 20 NHL seasons. Having been the Canadiens captain since 1971, he was succeeded in that post by Yvan Cournoyer.

Draft picks

NHL Draft

= NHL All-Star = Hall of Famer
Round Pick Player Nationality College/junior/club team
15Cam Connor CanadaFlin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
17Doug Risebrough CanadaKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
110Rick Chartraw United StatesKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
112Mario Tremblay CanadaMontreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (OMJHL)
115Gord McTavish CanadaSudbury Wolves (OMJHL)
230Gary MacGregor CanadaCornwall Royals (QMJHL)
233Gilles Lupien CanadaMontreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL)
351Marty Howe United StatesHouston Aeros (WHA)
461Barry Legge CanadaWinnipeg Clubs (WCHL)
469Mike McKegney CanadaKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
6105John Stewart CanadaBowling Green University (CCHA)
7123Joe Micheletti United StatesUniversity of Minnesota (WCHA)
8140Jamie Hislop CanadaUniversity of New Hampshire (ECAC)
9157Gordon Stewart CanadaKamloops Chiefs (WCHL)
10172Chuck Luksa CanadaKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
11187Cliff Cox CanadaUniversity of New Hampshire (ECAC)
12199Dave Lumley CanadaUniversity of New Hampshire (ECAC)
13209Mike Hobin CanadaHamilton Fincups (OMJHL)

References

  • Jenish, D'Arcy (2008). Montreal Canadiens: 100 years of glory. Doubleday Canada.
  • Canadiens on Hockey Database
  • Canadiens on NHL Reference
  1. Jenish(2008), p. 220.
  2. Jenish(2008), p. 221.
  3. "1974-1975 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
  4. "1974–75 Montreal Canadiens Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  5. "1974-75 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.