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![]() ![]() '72-'73 | ![]() ![]() '73-'74 | ![]() ![]() '74-'75 | ![]() ![]() '75-'76 | ![]() ![]() '76-'77 | ![]() ![]() '77-'78 | ![]() ![]() '78-'79 | POST-LEAGUE SYNOPSIS |
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS New England Whalers 46 30 2 94 Winnipeg Jets 43 31 4 90Cleveland Crusaders 43 32 3 89 Houston Aeros 39 35 4 82Philadelphia Blazers 38 40 0 76 Los Angeles Sharks 37 35 6 80*Ottawa Nationals 35 39 4 74 Minnesota Saints 38 37 3 79 Quebec Nordiques 33 40 5 71 **Alberta Oilers 38 37 3 79 New York Raiders 33 43 2 68 Chicago Cougars 26 50 2 54* The Nationals played their playoff games in Toronto.
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Whalers over Crusaders 4-2
Jets over Aeros 4-0
AVCO CUP FINALSNew England over Winnipeg 4 games to 1
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS New England Whalers 43 31 4 90 Houston Aeros 48 25 5 101Toronto Toros 41 33 4 86 Minnesota Saints 39 35 4 82Cleveland Crusaders 37 32 9 83 Edmonton Oilers 37 35 6 80Chicago Cougars 38 35 5 81 Winnipeg Jets 38 37 3 79 Quebec Nordiques 38 36 4 80 Vancouver Blazers 38 37 3 79 *New Jersey Knights 32 42 4 68 Los Angeles Sharks 26 50 2 54*The New Jersey Knights started as the New York Golden Blades, but moved in mid season and changed their name.
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Aeros over Fighting Saints 4-2
Cougars over Toros 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALSHouston over Chicago in 4 games straight
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS New England Whalers 43 30 5 91 Houston Aeros 53 25 0 104Cleveland Crusaders 35 40 3 73 San Diego Mariners 43 31 4 90Chicago Cougars 30 47 1 61 Minnesota Saints 42 33 3 87Indianapolis Racers 18 57 3 39 Phoenix Roadrunners 39 31 8 86 *Baltimore Blades 21 53 4 46 CANADIAN DIVISION W L T PTS Quebec Nordiques 46 32 0 92 Toronto Toros 43 33 2 86 Winnipeg Jets 38 35 5 81 Vancouver Blazers 37 39 2 76 Edmonton Oilers 36 38 4 76*The Blades began the season as the Michigan Stags, but moved to Baltimore after 61 games
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Nordiques over Fighting Saints 4-2
Aeros over Mariners 4-0
AVCO CUP FINALSHouston over Quebec 4 games straight
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS Indianapolis Racers 35 39 6 76 Houston Aeros 53 27 0 106Cleveland Crusaders 35 40 5 75 Phoenix Roadrunners 39 35 6 84New England Whalers 33 40 7 73 San Diego Mariners 36 38 6 78Cincinnati Stingers 35 44 1 71 *Minnesota Saints 30 25 4 64 Quebec Nordiques 38 36 4 80 **Denver Spurs 14 26 1 29 CANADIAN DIVISION W L T PTS Winnipeg Jets 52 27 2 106 Quebec Nordiques 50 27 4 104 Calgary Cowboys 41 35 4 86 Edmonton Oilers 27 49 5 59 Toronto Toros 24 52 5 53* Minnesota Fighting Saints folded after 59 games
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Oilers 4-0
Cowboys over Nordiques 4-0
Whalers over Racers 4-3
Aeros over Mariners 4-2
THIRD ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Cowboys 4-2
Aeros over Whalers 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALSWinnipeg over Houston 4 games straight
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS Quebec Nordiques 47 31 3 97 Houston Aeros 50 24 6 106Cincinnati Stingers 39 37 5 83 Winnipeg Jets 46 32 2 94Indianapolis Racers 36 37 8 80 San Diego Mariners 40 37 4 84New England Whalers 35 40 6 76 Edmonton Oilers 34 43 7 75 Birmingham Bulls 31 46 4 66 Calgary Cowboys 31 43 7 69 **Minnesota Saints 19 18 5 43 Phoenix Roadrunners 28 48 4 60**Minnesota Fighting Saints folded (again) after 42 games
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Nordiques over Racers 4-2
Jets over Aeros 4-2
AVCO CUP FINALSQuebec over Winnipeg 4 games to 3
W L T PTS Winnipeg Jets 50 28 2 102 New England Whalers 44 31 5 93Houston Aeros 42 34 4 86 Quebec Nordiques 40 37 3 83 Edmonton Oilers 38 39 3 79 Birmingham Bulls 36 41 3 75 Cincinnati Stingers 35 42 3 73 Indianapolis Racers 24 51 5 53
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Whalers over Nordiques 4-2
Jets (BYE)
AVCO CUP FINALSWinnipeg over New England 4 games to 1
W L T PTS Edmonton Oilers 48 30 2 98 Quebec Nordiques 41 34 5 87Winnipeg Jets 39 35 6 84 New England Whalers 37 34 9 83 Cincinnati Singers 33 41 6 72 Birmingham Bulls 32 42 6 70 *Indianapolis Racers 5 18 2 12*Indianapolis Racers folded after 25 games
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Nordiques 4-0
Oilers over Whalers 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALSWinnipeg over Edmonton 4 games to 2
The Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers (following an official name change to Hartford), Quebec Nordiques and Edmonton Oilers all merged with the NHL the next year but today the Jets are now in Phoenix, Whalers in Carolina and Les Nordiques in Colorado.
The Oilers, the only team of the four survivors admittedly not to have won the Avco Cup, is also the only team to have won the Stanley Cup - the undisputed Holy Grail - 5 of 7 years, and the last true dynasty in my biased opinion.