The 1973–74 WCHL season was the eighth season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). It featured twelve teams and a 68-game regular season. The Regina Pats topped the season's standings with 43 wins, and in the playoffs went on to win the team's first President's Cup, defeating the Calgary Centennials in the championship series. The win earned the Pats a berth in the 1974 Memorial Cup tournament, and Regina would go on to win its first Memorial Cup since 1930. This was the first Memorial Cup title for a team representing the WCHL.
The season was the first for the Kamloops Chiefs after the Vancouver Nats relocated to Kamloops prior to the season. The Winnipeg Jets also opted to change their name to the Winnipeg Clubs, mitigating confusion caused by the 1972 arrival of the professional World Hockey Association Jets.
Team changes The Winnipeg Jets are renamed the Winnipeg Clubs. The Vancouver Nats relocate to Kamloops, British Columbia, becoming the Kamloops Chiefs.
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Ron Chipperfield Brandon Wheat Kings 66 90 72 162 82 Dennis Sobchuk Regina Pats 66 68 78 146 78 Mike Rogers Calgary Centennials 66 67 73 140 32 Al Hiller Flin Flon Bombers 68 30 108 138 33 Terry Ruskowski Swift Current Broncos 68 40 93 133 243 Rick Blight Brandon Wheat Kings 67 49 81 130 122 Danny Gare Calgary Centennials 65 68 59 127 238 Jerry Holland Calgary Centennials 67 55 65 120 54 Ed Johnstone Medicine Hat Tigers 68 64 54 118 164 Clark Gillies Regina Pats 65 46 66 112 179
1974 WCHL Playoffs
League quarter-finals Swift Current defeated Flin Flon 4 games to 3 Regina defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 2 New Westminster defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 2 Calgary defeated Edmonton 4 games to 1
League semi-finals Regina defeated Swift Current 4 games to 2 Calgary defeated New Westminster 4 games to 1
WHL Championship Regina defeated Calgary 4 games to 0
All-Star game
On January 29, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 6–5 at Edmonton, Alberta in front of a crowd of 2,471.
WHL awards Most Valuable Player: Ron Chipperfield, Brandon Wheat KingsTop Scorer: Ron Chipperfield, Brandon Wheat KingsMost Sportsmanlike Player: Mike Rogers, Calgary CentennialsTop Defenseman: Pat Price, Saskatoon BladesRookie of the Year: Cam Connor, Flin Flon BombersTop Goaltender: Garth Malarchuk, Calgary CentennialsCoach of the Year: Stan Dunn, Swift Current BroncosRegular season champions: Regina Pats
All-Star Team Goaltender: Larry Hendrick, Edmonton Oil Kings Defenseman: Pat Price, Saskatoon Blades Defenseman: Ron Greschner, New Westminster Bruins & Greg Joly, Regina Pats (tied) Centerman: Ron Chipperfield, Brandon Wheat Kings & Dennis Sobchuk, Regina Pats (tied) Left Winger: Clark Gillies, Regina Pats Right Winger: Danny Gare, Calgary Centennials
See also 1974 NHL entry draft 1973 in sports 1974 in sports
References
2005–06 WHL Guide