1973–74 Buffalo Sabres season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1973–74 1973 Buffalo Sabres East 5th 32–34–12 23–10–6 9–24–6 242 250 Punch Imlach Joe Crozier Gerry Meehan Don LuceGilbert PerreaultJim Schoenfeld Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 15,668 Rick Martin (52) Rene Robert (44) Rick Martin (86) Larry Carriere (103) Dave Dryden (23) Dave Dryden (2.97) The 1973–74 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' fourth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Sabres did not qualify for the 1974 Stanley Cup playoffs, despite qualifying the previous year. 2 Offseason NHL draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team1 12 Morris Titanic Left wingCanada Sudbury Wolves (OHA)228Jean LandryDefenseCanadaQuebec Remparts (QMJHL)344Andre DeschampsLeft wingCanadaQuebec Remparts (QMJHL)460Yvon DupuisRight wingCanadaQuebec Remparts (QMJHL)576Bob SmuldersRight wingCanadaPeterborough Petes (OHA)692Neil KorzackLeft wingCanadaPeterborough Petes (OHA)7108Bob YoungDefenseUnited StatesUniversity of Denver (NCAA)8124Tim O'ConnellRight wingUnited StatesUniversity of Vermont (NCAA) Regular season Death of Tim Horton Early on the morning of February 21, 1974, while driving on the Queen Elizabeth Way from Toronto to Buffalo in his white De Tomaso Pantera sports car, (a gift from Sabres' GM George "Punch" Imlach), Horton was involved in what is now an infamous accident. He was negotiating a curve on the QEW where it crosses over Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines when he lost control and hit a cement culvert. The impact flipped the vehicle and Horton was thrown. He was not wearing a seat belt. Horton was reported dead on arrival at the local hospital, aged only 44. A police officer pursuing Horton's vehicle said that he had been travelling at over 160 km/h mph on 5. There were reports Horton had consumed a considerable amount of vodka, and was rumoured to have been taking pain killers due to a jaw injury suffered in practice the day before. An autopsy report released in 2005 showed Horton had a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit. The blood test also showed signs of amobarbital, which was possibly a residue from the Dexamyl pills that were found on Horton's body. The autopsy showed no indication Horton was taking painkillers as previously thought. Season standings BUF Record vs. opponents BUF Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#003087 5px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 5px solid; 1973–74 regular season1973-74 Buffalo Sabres Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BUF/1974_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 25, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 10, 1973||4–7 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||0–1–0 |- |2||W||October 13, 1973||4–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) ||1–1–0 |- |3||L||October 14, 1973||1–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||1–2–0 |- |4||W||October 18, 1973||6–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) ||2–2–0 |- |5||W||October 20, 1973||2–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1973–74) ||3–2–0 |- |6||W||October 21, 1973||4–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||4–2–0 |- |7||W||October 24, 1973||3–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) ||5–2–0 |- |8||L||October 25, 1973||4–9 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1973–74) ||5–3–0 |- |9||W||October 28, 1973||5–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1973–74) ||6–3–0 |- |10||W||October 31, 1973||3–2 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1973–74) ||7–3–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |11||T||November 4, 1973||1–1 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) ||7–3–1 |- |12||L||November 6, 1973||2–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||7–4–1 |- |13||L||November 9, 1973||3–6 || align="left"| @ California Golden Seals (1973–74) ||7–5–1 |- |14||W||November 10, 1973||5–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) ||8–5–1 |- |15||W||November 14, 1973||3–1 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1973–74) ||9–5–1 |- |16||L||November 17, 1973||5–8 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) ||9–6–1 |- |17||L||November 18, 1973||0–2 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1973–74) ||9–7–1 |- |18||L||November 21, 1973||2–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1973–74) ||9–8–1 |- |19||L||November 22, 1973||6–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1973–74) ||9–9–1 |- |20||L||November 25, 1973||3–4 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1973–74) ||9–10–1 |- |21||W||November 29, 1973||2–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) ||10–10–1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |22||W||December 1, 1973||4–1 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||11–10–1 |- |23||W||December 2, 1973||6–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||12–10–1 |- |24||W||December 6, 1973||8–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1973–74) ||13–10–1 |- |25||L||December 8, 1973||2–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1973–74) ||13–11–1 |- |26||W||December 9, 1973||5–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||14–11–1 |- |27||T||December 12, 1973||1–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1973–74) ||14–11–2 |- |28||L||December 15, 1973||3–4 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) ||14–12–2 |- |29||L||December 16, 1973||2–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1973–74) ||14–13–2 |- |30||T||December 19, 1973||2–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) ||14–13–3 |- |31||T||December 20, 1973||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) ||14–13–4 |- |32||L||December 22, 1973||1–7 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) ||14–14–4 |- |33||W||December 23, 1973||3–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) ||15–14–4 |- |34||W||December 27, 1973||3–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||16–14–4 |- |35||L||December 30, 1973||4–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) ||16–15–4 |- |36||W||December 31, 1973||6–5 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||17–15–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |37||W||January 3, 1974||6–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) ||18–15–4 |- |38||L||January 5, 1974||2–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) ||18–16–4 |- |39||W||January 6, 1974||6–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||19–16–4 |- |40||L||January 9, 1974||0–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1973–74) ||19–17–4 |- |41||W||January 10, 1974||7–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1973–74) ||20–17–4 |- |42||L||January 12, 1974||2–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) ||20–18–4 |- |43||W||January 13, 1974||1–0 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1973–74) ||21–18–4 |- |44||L||January 17, 1974||2–7 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) ||21–19–4 |- |45||T||January 19, 1974||2–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1973–74) ||21–19–5 |- |46||W||January 20, 1974||6–4 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1973–74) ||22–19–5 |- |47||L||January 24, 1974||1–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1973–74) ||22–20–5 |- |48||L||January 27, 1974||2–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||22–21–5 |- |49||L||January 31, 1974||3–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) ||22–22–5 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |50||L||February 2, 1974||1–6 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1973–74) ||22–23–5 |- |51||T||February 3, 1974||3–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||22–23–6 |- |52||L||February 6, 1974||1–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) ||22–24–6 |- |53||W||February 8, 1974||7–2 || align="left"| @ California Golden Seals (1973–74) ||23–24–6 |- |54||L||February 10, 1974||2–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||23–25–6 |- |55||W||February 14, 1974||4–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1973–74) ||24–25–6 |- |56||W||February 17, 1974||2–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||25–25–6 |- |57||L||February 20, 1974||2–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||25–26–6 |- |58||T||February 21, 1974||4–4 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1973–74) ||25–26–7 |- |59||W||February 24, 1974||3–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1973–74) ||26–26–7 |- |60||T||February 28, 1974||2–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) ||26–26–8 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |61||L||March 2, 1974||2–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) ||26–27–8 |- |62||W||March 3, 1974||4–3 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1973–74) ||27–27–8 |- |63||T||March 6, 1974||4–4 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) ||27–27–9 |- |64||W||March 8, 1974||4–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74) ||28–27–9 |- |65||L||March 10, 1974||3–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74) ||28–28–9 |- |66||L||March 12, 1974||0–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1973–74) ||28–29–9 |- |67||L||March 14, 1974||3–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1973–74) ||28–30–9 |- |68||T||March 16, 1974||2–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1973–74) ||28–30–10 |- |69||W||March 17, 1974||5–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) ||29–30–10 |- |70||W||March 20, 1974||3–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) ||30–30–10 |- |71||T||March 23, 1974||1–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1973–74) ||30–30–11 |- |72||L||March 24, 1974||3–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1973–74) ||30–31–11 |- |73||L||March 27, 1974||1–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74) ||30–32–11 |- |74||T||March 28, 1974||2–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74) ||30–32–12 |- |75||W||March 31, 1974||6–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1973–74) ||31–32–12 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |76||L||April 4, 1974||2–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74) ||31–33–12 |- |77||L||April 6, 1974||1–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74) ||31–34–12 |- |78||W||April 7, 1974||5–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1973–74) ||32–34–12 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Awards and records Rick Martin, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star References Sabres on Hockey Database Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons Buff Buffalo Buffalo Category:1970s in Buffalo, New York