1973–74 Los Angeles Sharks season

World Hockey Association team season August 2023 WHA 1973–74 1973 Los Angeles Sharks 25–53–0 17–22–0 8–31–0 Western 6th 239 339 Dennis Murphy Terry Slater (5–14–0)Ted McCaskill (20–39–0) Ted McCaskill (until mid-November) Gerry OdrowskiJim Watson L.A. Sports Arena 5,338 (36.7%) Marc Tardif (40) J.P. LeBlanc (46) Marc Tardif (70) Steve Sutherland (182) Ian Wilkie (11) Ian Wilkie (3.92) 1974–75 The 1973–74 Los Angeles Sharks season was the Los Angeles Sharks' second and final season in Los Angeles in the World Hockey Association. The club finished last in the WHA Western Division and missed the playoffs. They moved to Detroit, MI after the season and became the Michigan Stags.World Hockey Association World Hockey Association 1973 WHA 1973–74 Media Guide World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey Association World Hockey Association 1974 WHA 1974–75 Media Guide World Hockey Association 2 Offseason The Sharks lured promising left wing Marc Tardif from the Montreal Canadiens to jump to the Sharks. Regular season The Sharks attempted to build on their first season by signing their first bonafide NHL star in the Montreal Canadiens' Marc Tardif. And while the offense featured five 20 goal scorers (Tardif with 40, Gary Veneruzzo with 39, Brian McDonald with 22, and J.P. LeBlanc and Steve Sutherland with 20 apiece), they still ranked last in the league in scoring. The defense was equally porous, falling from 3rd in the league to 11th (next to last). Last year's #1 goalie George Gardner played only 2 games due to injuries, and Russ Gillow suffered from injuries and the "sophomore jinx" as his GAA went from 2.91 in 1972–73 to 3.98 in 1973–74. The other goalies that were brought in didn't fare much better, with Ian Wilkie sporting an unimpressive 3.91 GAA, Jim McLeod at 4.27, and Paul Hoganson even worse with a 4.68 GAA. The special teams, which were solid the season before, also fell on hard times as the power play ranked 9th and the penalty killing went from 3rd in the league to last. The Sharks ended up with the worst record in the league, and endured losing streaks of 9 and 6 games. The only noteworthy item was that they became the first team ever to have no ties (the WHA 10-minute overtime rule helped, but WHA teams still averaged 4 ties per season). Final standings LAS Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 5px solid; border-bottom:#000000 5px solid; 1973–74 regular season1973-74 Los Angeles Sharks Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/LAS/1974_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 11, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 13, 1973||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||October 16, 1973||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||0–2–0 |- |3||L||October 18, 1973||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||0–3–0 |- |4||W||October 21, 1973||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||1–3–0 |- |5||W||October 23, 1973||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||2–3–0 |- |6||L||October 24, 1973||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||2–4–0 |- |7||L||October 26, 1973||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||2–5–0 |- |8||L||October 27, 1973||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New England Whalers (1973–74) ||2–6–0 |- |9||W||October 28, 1973||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Golden Blades (1973–74) ||3–6–0 |- |10||L||October 30, 1973||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||3–7–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |11||L||November 2, 1973||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||3–8–0 |- |12||L||November 3, 1973||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||3–9–0 |- |13||L||November 4, 1973||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||3–10–0 |- |14||L||November 6, 1973||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||3–11–0 |- |15||W||November 7, 1973||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||4–11–0 |- |16||W||November 9, 1973||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||5–11–0 |- |17||L||November 11, 1973||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||5–12–0 |- |18||L||November 13, 1973||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||5–13–0 |- |19||L||November 16, 1973||3–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||5–14–0 |- |20||L||November 18, 1973||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New England Whalers (1973–74) ||5–15–0 |- |21||W||November 20, 1973||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||6–15–0 |- |22||L||November 22, 1973||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||6–16–0 |- |23||W||November 23, 1973||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||7–16–0 |- |24||W||November 27, 1973||5–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||8–16–0 |- |25||W||November 30, 1973||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||9–16–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |26||W||December 1, 1973||5–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||10–16–0 |- |27||L||December 4, 1973||2–9 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||10–17–0 |- |28||W||December 6, 1973||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||11–17–0 |- |29||W||December 12, 1973||7–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||12–17–0 |- |30||L||December 14, 1973||0–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||12–18–0 |- |31||L||December 15, 1973||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||12–19–0 |- |32||W||December 16, 1973||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||13–19–0 |- |33||L||December 18, 1973||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||13–20–0 |- |34||L||December 21, 1973||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||13–21–0 |- |35||L||December 22, 1973||3–8 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||13–22–0 |- |36||L||December 27, 1973||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New England Whalers (1973–74) ||13–23–0 |- |37||L||December 30, 1973||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||13–24–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |38||W||January 4, 1974||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||14–24–0 |- |39||W||January 8, 1974||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||15–24–0 |- |40||L||January 10, 1974||1–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||15–25–0 |- |41||L||January 12, 1974||4–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||15–26–0 |- |42||L||January 13, 1974||6–9 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New England Whalers (1973–74) ||15–27–0 |- |43||W||January 15, 1974||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||16–27–0 |- |44||W||January 18, 1974||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||17–27–0 |- |45||W||January 19, 1974||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||18–27–0 |- |46||L||January 20, 1974||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||18–28–0 |- |47||L||January 22, 1974||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||18–29–0 |- |48||W||January 25, 1974||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||19–29–0 |- |49||W||January 27, 1974||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||20–29–0 |- |50||L||January 29, 1974||0–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||20–30–0 |- |51||L||January 31, 1974||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||20–31–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |52||L||February 1, 1974||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||20–32–0 |- |53||L||February 3, 1974||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||20–33–0 |- |54||L||February 7, 1974||4–7 || style="text-align:left;"| Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||20–34–0 |- |55||L||February 10, 1974||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||20–35–0 |- |56||L||February 12, 1974||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||20–36–0 |- |57||L||February 15, 1974||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||20–37–0 |- |58||L||February 17, 1974||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||20–38–0 |- |59||W||February 20, 1974||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New England Whalers (1973–74) ||21–38–0 |- |60||L||February 24, 1974||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||21–39–0 |- |61||L||February 26, 1974||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Cougars (1973–74) ||21–40–0 |- |62||L||February 27, 1974||4–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||21–41–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |63||L||March 2, 1974||7–8 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||21–42–0 |- |64||L||March 3, 1974||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||21–43–0 |- |65||L||March 5, 1974||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||21–44–0 |- |66||W||March 8, 1974||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||22–44–0 |- |67||W||March 10, 1974||6–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||23–44–0 |- |68||L||March 12, 1974||1–8 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||23–45–0 |- |69||L||March 13, 1974||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||23–46–0 |- |70||L||March 14, 1974||0–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Houston Aeros (1973–74) ||23–47–0 |- |71||L||March 20, 1974||5–8 || style="text-align:left;"| Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||23–48–0 |- |72||L||March 22, 1974||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74) ||23–49–0 |- |73||W||March 24, 1974||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||24–49–0 |- |74||L||March 27, 1974||1–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New England Whalers (1973–74) ||24–50–0 |- |75||L||March 28, 1974||3–9 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||24–51–0 |- |76||L||March 30, 1974||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||24–52–0 |- |77||L||March 31, 1974||4–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||24–53–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#E51837 2px solid; border-bottom:#000000 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |78||W||April 4, 1974||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||25–53–0 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Marc Tardif LW 75 40 30 70 4701003 Gary Veneruzzo W 78 39 29 68 680504 J.P. LeBlanc Jean-Paul LeBlanc (ice hockey) C 78 20 46 66 580700 Brian McDonald Brian McDonald (ice hockey) C 56 22 30 52 540403 Gerry Odrowski D 77 4 32 36 480200 Reg Thomas Reg Thomas (ice hockey) LW 72 14 21 35 220103 Ron Ward Ron Ward (ice hockey) C 40 14 19 33 160302 Steve Sutherland Steve Sutherland (ice hockey) LW 72 20 12 32 1820404 Bart Crashley D 78 4 26 30 160201 Ron Walters Ron Walters (ice hockey) C 71 14 14 28 280103 Alton White RW 48 8 13 21 130000 Tom Serviss C 74 6 15 21 370021 Jim Niekamp D 76 2 19 21 950000 Ron Garwasiuk LW 51 6 13 19 1000010 Don Gordon Don Gordon (ice hockey) RW 29 8 6 14 240100 Bob Whitlock C 14 4 10 14 40100 Ted Hodgson RW 23 3 9 12 220200 Jerry Zrymiak D 27 2 8 10 80001 Bill Horton Bill Horton (ice hockey) D 60 0 9 9 460000 Earl Heiskala LW 24 2 6 8 450000 Fred Speck C 18 2 5 7 40000 Jim Watson Jim Watson (ice hockey) D 48 0 6 6 280000 Ted McCaskill C 18 2 2 4 630010 Bill Young Bill Young (ice hockey) LW 16 1 3 4 40000 Hal Willis Hal Willis (ice hockey) D 18 1 2 3 240000 Ralph MacSweyn D 13 0 3 3 60000 Peter Slater Peter Slater (ice hockey) RW 19 1 1 2 20000 Kirk Bowman LW 10 0 2 2 00000 Mike Hyndman RW 8 0 1 1 00000 Brian Derksen D 1 0 0 0 20000 George Gardner George Gardner (ice hockey) G 2 0 0 0 00000 Russ Gillow G 18 0 0 0 20000 Paul Hoganson G 27 0 0 0 00000 Jim McLeod G 17 0 0 0 00000 Ian Wilkie G 23 0 0 0 20000Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO Ian Wilkie 1257 23 11 9 0 82 3.91 1 Paul Hoganson 1308 27 6 16 0 102 4.68 0 Russ Gillow 1041 18 4 13 0 69 3.98 1 Jim McLeod 969 17 4 13 0 69 4.27 1 George Gardner George Gardner (ice hockey) 120 2 0 2 0 13 6.50 0 Team: 4695 78 25 53 0 335 4.28 3 hockey-reference.com 2009-07-02 1973-74 Los Angeles Sharks Statistics – Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/LAS/1974.html Note: Pos = Position; 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; Transactions The Sharks' decline in the standings and quality of play was poorly timed in that the NHL's Los Angeles Kings across town were beginning a resurgence that would see them make the playoffs for the next decade. The novelty of the WHA wore off, and attendance dropped measurably. After the 1973–74 season, the Sharks moved to Detroit, MI and became the Michigan Stags. After 43 games in Detroit MI, the Stags moved to Baltimore and finished out the season as the Baltimore Blades. Tom Gilmore traded to Edmonton Oilers for Ron Walters, October, 1973. George Gardner & Ralph MacSweyn traded to Vancouver Blazers for Ron Ward, October, 1973. Ian Wilkie purchased from Edmonton Oilers, November, 1973. Mike Hyndman sold to Phoenix Roadrunners(WHL), December, 1973. Peter Slater sold to Denver Spurs (WHL), December, 1973. Russ Gillow & Earl Heiskala traded to Jersey Knights for Jim McLeod, January, 1974. Don Gordon & Jim Watson traded to Chicago Cougars for Bobby Whitlock, February, 1974. Ron Ward traded to Cleveland Crusaders for Ted Hodgson & Bill Young, February, 1974. Ian Wilkie traded to Edmonton Oilers for Wayne Zuk, March, 1974. Draft picks Los Angeles's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/wha1973a.html 1973 WHA Amateur Draft hockeyDB.com December 19, 2018 Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)18Reg Thomas (C)CanadaLondon Knights (OHA)222Paul Sheard (LW)CanadaOttawa 67's (OHA)334Doug Gibson (C)CanadaPeterborough Petes (OHA)447Jim Cowell (F)CanadaOttawa 67's (OHA)450Peter Crosbie (G)CanadaLondon Knights (OHA)560Dennis Abgrall (RW)CanadaSaskatoon Blades (WCHL)673Stu Davison (C)CanadaCornwall Royals (QMJHL)786David Lee (LW)CanadaOttawa 67's (OHA)898Sam Clegg (G)CanadaMedicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)9109Randy Aimoe (D)CanadaMedicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) See also 1973–74 WHA season References Category:Los Angeles Sharks seasons Los