Historic Hockey Seasons

 

Watch Howe, Hull, Gretzky and Flyers Soar,

While Habs and Isles Build Dynasties

 

By Glenn Guzzo

 

            Two complete Original Six-era National Hockey League seasons and the season that launched the NHL-World Hockey Association merger will be on their way to Strat-O-Matic gamers soon.

 

            The lineup of three historic seasons includes the 1956-57 season, which was part of Montreal’s record five consecutive Stanley Cups; the 1965-66 season, which featured milestone goal-scoring by Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe; and the 1979-80 season, which started the New York Islanders dynasty and introduced Wayne Gretzky to the NHL.

 

            As usual, Strat-O-Matic will produce six teams per season in card form. In the case of 1956-57 and 1965-66, that is every team. Card sets also include a print-utility that gives gamers access to extra players – and, in the case of 1979-80, all of the uncarded teams.

 

            The computer version of each season will have all of the NHL teams and every player from every team.

 

 

1979-80: NHL

 

            Perhaps no season following the final Original Six season in 1965-66 was more historically significant than this one.

 

Montreal was bidding for a record-tying fifth straight Stanley Cup and looked poised to do it following a 107-point regular season that featured the NHL’s No. 1 offense, a 147-goal line (LW Steve Shutt-47, C-Pierre Larouche-50 and RW Guy Lafleur-50) and a defense featuring Larry Robinson (14 goals, 61 assists), Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard and Rod Langway.

 

That paved the way for the New York Islanders to start another dynasty, winning their first of four consecutive Stanley Cups. Led by RW Mike Bossy (51 goals) playoff MVP Bryan Trottier (42 goals, 104 points) and defenseman Denis Potvin, the Islanders won the Cup in six games over Bobby Clarke’s Philadelphia, the regular-season points leader (116) whose 35-game unbeaten streak (25 wins) during the season is still the longest undefeated streak in North American professional team sports history.

 

            The six carded teams:

            Boston (105 points). Rookie-of-the-Year defenseman Ray Bourque (17 goals, 48 assists) had ample help from 40-goal forwards Rick Middleton and Peter McNab, plus C Jean Ratelle and a pair of goalies (Gerry Cheevers, Gilles Gilbert) who combined to permit the second-fewest goals allowed in the NHL.

 

            Buffalo (110 points). The Sabres allowed the fewest goals in the NHL by far (201) and had high-flying forwards Danny Gare (NHL-best 56 goals), Gilbert Perreault (40 goals, 106 points) and Rick Martin (45 goals). Goalies Bob Sauve (NHL-best 2.36 gaa) and Don Edwards (2.57) were tops.

 

            Chicago (87 points, division winner). Goalie Tony Esposito (2.97 gaa), centers Tom Lysiak and Terry Ruskowski and defenseman Doug Wilson set the pace for the Blackhawks, who got career seasons from wingers Grant Mulvey (39 goals) and Rich Preston (31).

 

            Montreal (107 points). In addition to the stars named above, the Canadiens had C Pierre Mondou (30 goals) and six more double-figure goal-scoring forwards and Denis Heron’s remarkable goaltending (25-3-3, 2.51 gaa).

 

            New York Islanders (91 points, Stanley Cup winner). In addition to the stars named above, the Isles had seven more double-figure goal scorers, plus goalies Chico Resch (3.04 gaa) and Billy Smith (2.95).

 

            Philadelphia (116 points, Stanley Cup runner-up).  Goalie Pete Peeters (29-5-5, 2.73 gaa) excelled for a Flyers team that had so much scoring power that it trailed league-leading Montreal by only one goal. Twelve men were double-figure goal scorers including LW Bill Barber (40) and RW Reggie Leach (50), linemates of C Bobby Clarke. LW Brian Propp (34), C Rick MacLeish (31) and RW Paul Holmgren (30) hit the net often and C Ken Linseman matched Clarke’s 57 assists.

 

            This season also marked the merger with the World Hockey Association, and thus the return of former NHL stars such as Dave Keon and 51-year-old Gordie Howe (who scored 15 goals for Hartford).

           

It also brought four WHA franchises (Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec and Winnipeg) and their stars, including second-year wonder Wayne Gretzky, who scored 50 goals and tied Los Angeles’ Marcel Dionne for the league lead with 137 points in Gretzky’s NHL debut.

 

All of the former WHA teams will be on the print utility and in the computer game. In addition to Gretzky, Edmonton has 46-goal scorer Blair MacDonald and young Mark Messier (12 goals). Hartford has Blaine Stoughton (his 56 goals tied Buffalo’s Danny Gare and Los Angeles’ Charlie Simmer for the league lead), Mike Rogers (44 goals) Howe and Keon. Quebec has snipers Real Cloutier, Marc Tardif and Michelle Goulet.

 

 

            The Islanders, Philadelphia, 107-point Montreal (Guy Lafleur’s 50 goals), 110-point Buffalo (Gilbert Perreault’s 106 points and the fewest goals allowed), Boston (rookie of the year Ray Bourque) and Chicago (Hull) are the six teams that will be carded by Strat-O-Matic.

             

 

1965-66: NHL

 

This is a “link” season for Strat-O-Matic. Now, gamers can play every season from 1964-65 through 1970-71.

 

Chicago’s Bobby Hull became the first man to eclipse 50 goals in a season and led the league’s best offense. Detroit’s Gordie Howe scored his 600th goal (on the way to 801). But it was Montreal holding the Stanley Cup again.

 

            Montreal led both the regular season (41-21-8, 90 points) and won the Cup, a double-feat the Canadiens had not accomplished since 1960. Their 90 points in 70 games were 8 better than second-place Chicago on the strength of the NHL’s stingiest defense, led by Norris winner Jacques Laperriere and goalies Gump Worsley (2.36 gaa) and Charlie Hodge (2.58). The offense was no slouch, with 239 goals (one less than Chicago). C Jean Beliveau (29 goals, 48 assists) and RW Bobby Rousseau (30 goals, 48 assists) tied for the NHL lead in assists. C’s Henri Richard and Ralph Backstrom and LWs Gilles Tremblay and Dick Duff also topped 20 goals each.

 

            Twelve different Canadiens scored the team’s 18 goals in the six-game Stanley Cup finals.

 

            Chicago (37-25-8, 82 points) had Hull’s 54 goals and 97 points. Both marks led the league and earned Hull his second straight MVP award. C Stan Mikita’s (30 goals and 48 assists) tied for the NHL lead in assists. D Pierre Pilote again led all defensemen in scoring and teammate Pat Stapleton was only two points behind. Mostly, they set up Hull, Mikita, Cs Phil Esposito (27 goals) and Bill Hay (20), RW Ken Wharram (26) and LW Doug Mohns (22). G Glenn Hall’s 34 wins led the league and his 2.63 gaa was third best.

 

 Toronto (34-25-11, 79 points) relied mostly on defense that permitted goalie John Bower’s to post an NHL-best 2.25 goals against average. LW Frank Mahovlich’s 32 goals were second to Hull, while LW Eddie Shack had a career-best 26 goals. Hall-of-Fame Cs Bob Pulford (28 goals) and Dave Keon (24) were the Leafs’ other top scorers. Rookie of the Year Brit Selby added 14 goals. But Toronto was no match for Montreal in the playoffs, swept out of the first round in four games.

 

Detroit (31-27-12, 74 points) bumped Chicago in the playoffs, then looked they might shock Montreal in the finals. The Red Wings won the first two games – in Montreal – and took an early 1-0 lead in Game 3 at Detroit. But Montreal stormed back to win that one and the next three, with the Cup-clinching goal coming on Henri Richard’s overtime tally. Detroit goalie Roger Crozier was the playoff MVP, a rarity for a player on a losing team.

 

Detroit’s +27 goal differential in the regular season was third best in the league. Cs Norm Ullman and Alex Delvecchio tied for third in the NHL with 31 goals and RW Gordie Howe had 29.  With Paul Henderson, Floyd Smith and Bruce MacGregor also topping 20 goals, only the Wings matched Montreal and Chicago’s six 20-goal men.

           

Boston (48 points) and New York (47 points) staged their customary 1960s battle to avoid the cellar. The Bruins’ had little more than LW Johnny Bucyk (27 goals). Somehow, the Rangers out-scored Boston (by 21 goals) and out-defended them (by 14 goals) and still finished last. RW Bob Nevin (29 goals), LW Don Marshall (26) and Cs Jean Ratelle (21) and Earl Ingarfield (20) supported young goalie Eddie Giacomin.

 

 

1956-57 NHL

 

With this season, Strat-O-Matic gamers have the first three of Montreal’s record five consecutive Stanley Cup-winning teams that started the trend in 1955-56. With 1959-60 also in the Strat-O-Matic lineup, only 1958-59 remains to be done to complete the dynasty, SOM-style.

 

But this was the only Canadiens team in that group that did not lead the regular-season standings, finishing six points behind Detroit. And with Montreal only two points better than third-place Boston, Strat-O-Matic gamers face interesting replay possibilities.

 

Montreal (35-23-12, 82 points) had 10 future Hall of Famers, including Vezina-winning goalie Jacques Plante (NHL-best 34 wins and 2.11 gaa) and defenseman Doug Harvey, who won his third straight Norris Trophy and lead all NHL defenseman with 44 assists and 50 points. C Jean Beliveau (33 goals, 84 points) was second in the league in goals and assists and RW Maurice Richard (33 goals, 62 points in 63 games), tied for second in goals. LW Dickie Moore (29 goals, 58 points) led seven other double-figure goal-scoring forwards. Although barely finishing second, the Canadiens topped the league in scoring and yielded the fewest goals for a +55 differential.

 

Detroit (38-20-12, 88 points) won seven straight regular-season titles before Montreal won in 1955-56. The Red Wings were back on top with the league’s MVP, Gordie Howe, whose 44 goals dwarfed all others and whose 89 points topped the NHL. Linemate LW Ted Lindsay led the league with 55 assists and finished second to Howe in scoring (85 points). C Norm Ullman, a top-10 scorer, led six other forwards who had double-figures in goals. Goalie Glenn Hall, who led the league with 38 wins and was second with a 2.24 gaa, was the NHL’s first-team all-star, as were Howe, Lindsay and Red Kelly, who was the league’s only defensemen with at least 10 goals.

 

Boston (34-14-12, 80 points) bounced Detroit in the playoffs before bowing to Montreal in the finals. Maurice Richard saw to the Canadiens’ dominance against the Bruins, scoring four goals in the first game of what turned out to be a five-game finals.

 

Still, it was a fine season for the Bruins, who were third in goals and third best in goals allowed. Goalies Terry Sawchuk (2.38 gaa) and Don Simmons (2.42) split time splendidly. LW Rene Chevrefils was fifth in the NHL with 31 goals, while Vic Stasiuk (24), Fleming Mackell (22), Andy Hebenton (21) and Don McKenney (21) added balance. Rookie of the Year Larry Regan had 14 goals and LW Leo Labine managed 18 goals and 29 assists while ranking No. 3 in penalty minutes. The Bruins also had three future Hall of Fame defensemen (Allan Stanley, Leo Boivin and Fern Flaman).

 

New York (26-30-14, 66 points). Well out of the three-team race, the Rangers nonetheless made the playoffs thanks to the NHL’s fourth-leading scorer, RW Andy Bathgate (27 goals, 77 points), D Bill Gadsby (second to Harvey with 41 points) and goalie Gump Worsley.

 

Toronto (57 points) finished ahead of lowly Chicago (47 points). The Leafs’ Dick Duff (26 goals) and goalie Ed Chadwick (2.74 gaa) had strong seasons. Blackhawks captain Ed Litzenberger was fourth in the NHL in goals (32) and fifth in points (64) for a team whose -56 goal differential made them as bad as Montreal was good. Chicago scored only five goals fewer than Toronto, but the league’s worst defense (225 goals allowed) made future Hall of Fame goalie Al Rollins helpless in 39 losses.