1972–73 Winnipeg Jets season

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1972–73 Winnipeg Jets
Western Division champions
League2nd WHA
Division1st Western
1972–73 record43–31–4
Home record26–11–2
Road record17–20–2
Goals for285
Goals against249
Team information
General managerAnnis Stukus
CoachBobby Hull
Nick Mickoski
CaptainAb McDonald
Alternate captainsBill Sutherland
Bob Woytowich
ArenaWinnipeg Arena
Average attendance6,102 (55.5%)
Team leaders
GoalsBobby Hull (51)
AssistsNorm Beaudin (65)
PointsBobby Hull (103)
Norm Beaudin (103)
Penalty minutesSteve Cuddie (121)
WinsErnie Wakely (26)
Goals against averageJoe Daley (2.89)

The 1972–73 Winnipeg Jets season was their first season in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets' first player signed was Norm Beaudin ("the Original Jet") and their first major signing was Bobby Hull.[1][2]

Offseason

Bobby Hull

Long unhappy because of his relatively poor salary in the period when he was hockey's preeminent superstar, Hull responded to overtures from the upstart World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets in 1972 by jesting that he'd jump to them for a million dollars, a sum then considered absurd. Gathering the other league owners together to contribute to the unprecedented amount on the grounds that inking such a major star would give instant credibility to the new rival league that was competing directly against the entrenched NHL, Jets' owner Ben Hatskin agreed to the sum and signed Hull for a contract worth $1,000,000 over ten years. Although his debut with Winnipeg was held up in litigation by the NHL, Hull instantly became the WHA's greatest star.

Regular season

When the Jets played their first game on October 12 in New York against the Raiders, the Jets were without Bobby Hull. He was in court battling his former team, the Chicago Black Hawks over his new contract. The Jets would still win that first game 6–4. Three days later, the Jets would make their home debut losing to the Alberta Oilers 5–2. Bobby Hull won his court battle and joined the Jets 15 games into the season. Bobby Hull captured the WHA's first MVP award, by scoring 51 goals. The Jets won the Western Division with a 43–31–4 record.

Season standings

Western Division
GP W L T GF GA PIM Pts
Winnipeg Jets 78 43 31 4 285 249 757 90
Houston Aeros 78 39 35 4 284 269 1363 82
Los Angeles Sharks 78 37 35 6 259 250 1477 80
Minnesota Fighting Saints 78 38 37 3 250 269 843 79
Alberta Oilers 78 38 37 3 269 256 1134 79
Chicago Cougars 78 26 50 2 245 295 811 54


Schedule and results

1972–73 regular season[3]
October
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
1 W October 12, 1972 6–4 @ New York Raiders 1–0–0
2 W October 13, 1972 4–3 @ Minnesota Fighting Saints 2–0–0
3 L October 15, 1972 2–5 Alberta Oilers 2–1–0
4 L October 17, 1972 2–3 OT @ Alberta Oilers 2–2–0
5 T October 20, 1972 1–1 Minnesota Fighting Saints 2–2–1
6 W October 22, 1972 6–3 Philadelphia Blazers 3–2–1
7 W October 24, 1972 5–3 Philadelphia Blazers 4–2–1
8 W October 27, 1972 4–2 Chicago Cougars 5–2–1
9 W October 29, 1972 5–3 Houston Aeros 6–2–1
10 L October 31, 1972 1–3 @ Chicago Cougars 6–3–1
November
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
11 L November 1, 1972 0–3 @ Minnesota Fighting Saints 6–4–1
12 L November 3, 1972 6–9 New York Raiders 6–5–1
13 W November 5, 1972 3–1 New York Raiders 7–5–1
14 L November 6, 1972 2–6 @ New England Whalers 7–6–1
15 L November 8, 1972 2–3 @ Quebec Nordiques 7–7–1
16 W November 9, 1972 4–1 @ Ottawa Nationals 8–7–1
17 L November 10, 1972 1–5 Minnesota Fighting Saints 8–8–1
18 W November 12, 1972 5–2 Los Angeles Sharks 9–8–1
19 W November 14, 1972 8–0 Los Angeles Sharks 10–8–1
20 L November 15, 1972 1–3 @ Alberta Oilers 10–9–1
21 W November 17, 1972 5–1 @ Los Angeles Sharks 11–9–1
22 W November 19, 1972 4–3 @ Los Angeles Sharks 12–9–1
23 W November 21, 1972 4–2 @ Houston Aeros 13–9–1
24 L November 23, 1972 5–6 OT @ Houston Aeros 13–10–1
25 W November 24, 1972 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 14–10–1
26 W November 26, 1972 4–1 Quebec Nordiques 15–10–1
27 W November 28, 1972 3–0 Alberta Oilers 16–10–1
28 T November 30, 1972 3–3 @ Alberta Oilers 16–10–2
December
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
29 L December 1, 1972 3–4 Ottawa Nationals 16–11–2
30 W December 3, 1972 5–1 Minnesota Fighting Saints 17–11–2
31 L December 5, 1972 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 17–12–2
32 W December 6, 1972 7–1 Chicago Cougars 18–12–2
33 W December 8, 1972 6–2 Houston Aeros 19–12–2
34 W December 9, 1972 3–2 OT @ Cleveland Crusaders 20–12–2
35 L December 11, 1972 3–4 @ New England Whalers 20–13–2
36 L December 13, 1972 4–7 @ Philadelphia Blazers 20–14–2
37 L December 15, 1972 4–6 @ Philadelphia Blazers 20–15–2
38 W December 17, 1972 4–3 @ New York Raiders 21–15–2
39 L December 21, 1972 0–3 @ Minnesota Fighting Saints 21–16–2
40 L December 22, 1972 2–3 @ Chicago Cougars 21–17–2
41 W December 26, 1972 3–2 Chicago Cougars 22–17–2
January
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
42 L January 1, 1973 3–7 @ Alberta Oilers 22–18–2
43 W January 7, 1973 6–2 @ Minnesota Fighting Saints 23–18–2
44 W January 10, 1973 6–1 Alberta Oilers 24–18–2
45 W January 12, 1973 5–3 Cleveland Crusaders 25–18–2
46 W January 14, 1973 3–1 Cleveland Crusaders 26–18–2
47 W January 16, 1973 3–1 Minnesota Fighting Saints 27–18–2
48 W January 19, 1973 6–2 New England Whalers 28–18–2
49 L January 21, 1973 2–7 New England Whalers 28–19–2
50 L January 23, 1973 4–5 OT @ Cleveland Crusaders 28–20–2
51 L January 24, 1973 1–6 @ New England Whalers 28–21–2
52 T January 26, 1973 2–2 @ Quebec Nordiques 28–21–3
53 W January 28, 1973 5–4 @ Ottawa Nationals 29–21–3
February
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
54 L February 2, 1973 3–4 Alberta Oilers 29–22–3
55 W February 4, 1973 5–3 @ Alberta Oilers 30–22–3
56 L February 7, 1973 2–5 @ Houston Aeros 30–23–3
57 W February 8, 1973 3–1 @ Houston Aeros 31–23–3
58 W February 10, 1973 6–5 OT @ Los Angeles Sharks 32–23–3
59 W February 11, 1973 3–0 @ Los Angeles Sharks 33–23–3
60 W February 15, 1973 7–2 @ Chicago Cougars 34–23–3
61 W February 16, 1973 7–0 Houston Aeros 35–23–3
62 W February 18, 1973 4–2 Houston Aeros 36–23–3
63 W February 25, 1973 5–3 Philadelphia Blazers 37–23–3
64 W February 27, 1973 5–1 Chicago Cougars 38–23–3
March
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
65 W March 2, 1973 2–1 Los Angeles Sharks 39–23–3
66 W March 4, 1973 2–1 Los Angeles Sharks 40–23–3
67 L March 6, 1973 2–5 @ Ottawa Nationals 40–24–3
68 W March 8, 1973 7–4 @ Quebec Nordiques 41–24–3
69 L March 10, 1973 2–3 OT @ New York Raiders 41–25–3
70 L March 11, 1973 2–11 Cleveland Crusaders 41–26–3
71 L March 14, 1973 5–7 New England Whalers 41–27–3
72 L March 16, 1973 1–6 Ottawa Nationals 41–28–3
73 L March 18, 1973 2–4 Ottawa Nationals 41–29–3
74 T March 22, 1973 1–1 Alberta Oilers 41–29–4
75 W March 25, 1973 8–4 New York Raiders 42–29–4
76 W March 28, 1973 4–3 OT @ Chicago Cougars 43–29–4
77 L March 30, 1973 2–4 @ Cleveland Crusaders 43–30–4
April
Game Result Date Score Opponent Record
78 L April 1, 1973 2–4 @ Philadelphia Blazers 43–31–4

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

Playoffs

In the playoffs, the Jets would beat the Minnesota Fighting Saints in 5 games. In the second round of the playoffs, the Jets beat the Houston Aeros in 4 straight to reach the Avco World Trophy finals. In the finals, the Jets were beaten by the New England Whalers in 5 games.

1973 Avco World Trophy playoffs[3]
Quarterfinals vs. (W4) Minnesota Fighting Saints – Jets win 4–1
Game Date Visitor Score Home Series
1 April 6 Minnesota Fighting Saints 1–3 Winnipeg Jets 1–0
2 April 8 Minnesota Fighting Saints 2–5 Winnipeg Jets 2–0
3 April 10 Winnipeg Jets 4–6 Minnesota Fighting Saints 2–1
4 April 11 Winnipeg Jets 3–2 OT Minnesota Fighting Saints 3–1
5 April 15 Minnesota Fighting Saints 5–8 Winnipeg Jets 4–1
Semifinals vs. (W2) Houston Aeros – Jets win 4–0
Game Date Visitor Score Home Series
1 April 20 Houston Aeros 1–5 Winnipeg Jets 1–0
2 April 22 Houston Aeros 0–2 Winnipeg Jets 2–0
3 April 24 Winnipeg Jets 4–2 Houston Aeros 3–0
4 April 26 Winnipeg Jets 3–0 Houston Aeros 4–0
Avco World Trophy Finals vs. (E1) New England Whalers – Whalers win 4–1
Game Date Visitor Score Home Series
1 April 29 Winnipeg Jets 2–7 New England Whalers 0–1
2 May 2 New England Whalers 7–4 Winnipeg Jets 0–2
3 May 3 New England Whalers 3–4 Winnipeg Jets 1–2
4 May 5 Winnipeg Jets 2–4 New England Whalers 1–3
5 May 6 Winnipeg Jets 6–9 New England Whalers 1–4

Legend:   Win   Loss

Awards and records

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; A= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G A PTS PIM
Bobby Hull 63 51 52 103 37
Norm Beaudin 78 38 65 103 15
Chris Bordeleau 78 47 54 101 12
Dan Johnson 76 19 23 42 17
Ab McDonald 77 17 24 41 16
Milt Black 75 18 16 34 14
Wally Boyer 69 6 28 34 27
Dunc Rousseau 75 16 17 33 75
Cal Swenson 77 7 21 28 19
Jean-Guy Gratton 71 15 12 27 37
Bill Sutherland 48 6 16 22 34
Garth Rizzuto 61 10 10 20 32
Freeman Asmundson 76 2 14 16 54
Brian Cadle 56 4 4 8 39

Defencemen

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; A= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G A PTS PIM
Larry Hornung 77 13 45 58 28
Joe Zanussi 73 4 21 25 53
Steve Cuddie 77 7 13 20 121
Bob Ash 76 3 14 17 39
Bob Woytowich 62 2 4 6 47

Goaltending

Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against

Player GP MIN W L T SO GAA
Joe Daley 29 1718 17 10 1 2 2.89
Ernie Wakely 49 2894 26 19 3 2 3.15
Gordon Tumilson 3 138 0 2 0 0 4.34

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.
  3. ^ a b "1972-73 Winnipeg Jets Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
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