1973–74 Chicago Cougars season

Offseason

The Chicago Cougars revamped their lineup during the off-season in hopes of escaping the cellar. The Cougars strengthened their defense by signing National Hockey League all-star defenceman Pat Stapleton from the Chicago Blackhawks as a player-coach, Darryl Maggs from the California Golden Seals and goaltender Cam Newton from the Pittsburgh Penguins. To the forward line, the Cougars signed Ralph Backstrom, also from the Blackhawks, Eric Nesterenko, who had spent a season in Switzerland after a long career with the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs, and junior all-star Frank Rochon from the Sherbrooke Beavers, and acquired Joe Hardy from the Cleveland Crusaders and Duke Harris from the Houston Aeros.

Regular season

The Cougars scored 26 more goals than the previous season and reduced the goals against by 22 to post a 50% improvement in points and secure the final playoff spot in the East Division by a single point over the Quebec Nordiques.

Final standings

Schedule and results

|- |1||T||October 7, 1973||4–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||0–0–1 |- |2||W||October 11, 1973||4–3 || align="left"| @ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74) ||1–0–1 |- |3||L||October 13, 1973||4–6 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1973–74) ||1–1–1 |- |4||L||October 14, 1973||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74) ||1–2–1 |- |5||W||October 18, 1973||7–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74) ||2–2–1 |- |6||L||October 20, 1973||3–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74) ||2–3–1 |- |7||L||October 21, 1973||1–4 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74) ||2–4–1 |- |8||W||October 25, 1973||4–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74) ||3–4–1 |- |9||W||October 28, 1973||3–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Toros (1973–74) ||4–4–1 |- |10||W||October 30, 1973||4–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1973–74) ||5–4–1

| Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 6 || Chicago Cougars || 4–6 || New England Whalers || 0–1 |- | 2 || April 7 || Chicago Cougars || 3–4 OT || New England Whalers || 0–2 |- | 3 || April 9 || New England Whalers || 6–8 || Chicago Cougars || 1–2 |- | 4 || April 10 || New England Whalers || 1–2 OT || Chicago Cougars || 2–2 |- | 5 || April 12 || Chicago Cougars || 4–2 || New England Whalers || 2–3 |- | 6 || April 14 || New England Whalers || 2–0 || Chicago Cougars || 3–3 |- | 7 || April 16 || Chicago Cougars || 3–2 || New England Whalers|| 4–3

| Legend:

Player statistics

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Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

  MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; 

Transactions

Trades

Draft picks

Chicago's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.

References

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References

1. World Hockey Association. (1973). "WHA 1973-74 Media Guide". World Hockey Association.
2. World Hockey Association. (1974). "WHA 1974-75 Media Guide". World Hockey Association.
3. (December 1973). "New Faces in WHA for '73-74". Norman Jacobs.
4. "1973-74 Chicago Cougars Schedule".
5. "1973-74 Chicago Cougars Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com.
6. World Hockey Association. (1974). "WHA 1974-75 Media Guide". World Hockey Association.
7. "1973 WHA Amateur Draft".