29:
299:
The
Canucks won the new Smythe Division, and consistently played to at or near capacity at Pacific Coliseum while the Blazers struggled to fill the building to half capacity. Under such circumstances, it was evident that Vancouver was not large enough to support both the NHL and WHA; thus after only
287:
The
Blazers' (and WHA's) efforts to attract fans were certainly not helped by the machinations of the NHL, which was aggressively expanding to try and keep its rival out of premium arenas and markets. Prior to the WHA's arrival, the Canucks had consistently finished well out of playoff contention.
279:
The team performed poorly in their first year, finishing with a record of 27-50-1; despite this, Vancouver was such a strong hockey town that the
Blazers actually led the WHA in attendance, drawing 9,356 a night, more than 50% above the average of the other eleven clubs in the league. The next
602:
were then mooted as a "regional" franchise that would play in both
Edmonton and Calgary, but that first season the Oilers played only one game in Calgary: a one-game playoff against Minnesota, which they lost. The franchise was renamed the
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were slated to start playing there for the inaugural WHA season. However, after
Broncos' owner Bob Brownridge died, the franchise was placed in
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However, after the
Blazers' first season in the Pacific Coliseum, the NHL not only expanded again but also dissolved the Canucks' tough
627:
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272:, had been forced out at the end of the season in a major embarrassment to the team and league. Pattison tried to sign Boston star
997:
982:
357:
GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
346:
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284:, the club improved to only two games below .500, only to see attendance slip to 8,014 a game, sixth in the 14-team WHA.
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276:, offering him $ 2.5 million over five years. Esposito decided to stay with the Bruins for less money.
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161:. Unable to establish a strong fan base in Vancouver, the team was moved again in 1975 to become the
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two seasons on the west coast the team made its third franchise shift in three years, this time to
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of the NHL, who shared the same arena, he needed to attract a major star to the team, as
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264:, who had led the league in scoring the previous year, left to join the
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308:. The Cowboys would be the WHA's second attempt in Calgary, as the
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197:. After only one season in Philadelphia, the team relocated to
157:. The franchise moved to Vancouver after a single season in
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237:
905:
Howard
Baldwin Trophy / Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy
268:, while the team's (and league's) highest-paid player,
209:. After two seasons, the team was again relocated to
173:
The
Blazers were one of the founding members of the
607:in 1973, which has been their identity ever since.
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256:Pattison knew that in order to compete with the
649:NHL.com article about the Philadelphia Blazers
153:. The Blazers were owned by local businessman
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319:The last active Vancouver Blazers player was
137:from 1973 to 1975. The Blazers played at the
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580:List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia
875:Gary L. Davidson Award / Gordie Howe Trophy
644:Unofficial Home of the Philadelphia Blazers
676:
662:
330:
241:who moved the team north of the border to
16:Defunct World Hockey Association franchise
225:. Two years later, the franchise folded.
993:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1975
292:and placed the team in the much weaker
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657:
988:Ice hockey clubs established in 1972
978:Ice hockey teams in British Columbia
228:
205:and became the Vancouver Blazers in
177:. Originally the team, called the
13:
973:Defunct ice hockey teams in Canada
323:who retired in the NHL during the
14:
1009:
632:
575:List of Vancouver Blazers players
360:
347:1974–75 Vancouver Blazers season
339:1973–74 Vancouver Blazers season
145:, sharing the facility with the
27:
512:
362:
998:World Hockey Association teams
798:New York Raiders/Golden Blades
592:
1:
983:Ice hockey teams in Vancouver
585:
947:North American Hockey League
639:Philadelphia Blazers History
7:
568:
10:
1014:
304:, where they were renamed
168:
918:
860:
781:Minnesota Fighting Saints
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113:
103:
93:
81:
76:
61:
51:
35:
26:
21:
685:World Hockey Association
175:World Hockey Association
135:World Hockey Association
133:team that played in the
895:Dennis A. Murphy Trophy
331:Season-by-season record
771:Miami Screaming Eagles
266:New York Golden Blades
179:Miami Screaming Eagles
151:National Hockey League
88:Miami Screaming Eagles
181:, was to be based in
835:San Francisco Sharks
813:Philadelphia Blazers
195:Philadelphia Blazers
129:were a professional
98:Philadelphia Blazers
65:Yellow, burnt orange
932:List of WHA players
927:List of WHA seasons
818:Phoenix Roadrunners
787:New England Whalers
761:Indianapolis Racers
734:Cleveland Crusaders
729:Cincinnati Stingers
249:where it was named
193:and debuted as the
900:Paul Deneau Trophy
890:Ben Hatskin Trophy
880:Bill Hunter Trophy
830:San Diego Mariners
766:Los Angeles Sharks
325:1987-88 NHL season
235:1972–73 WHA season
960:
959:
937:WHA amateur draft
885:Lou Kaplan Trophy
870:Avco World Trophy
845:Vancouver Blazers
566:
565:
478:Vancouver Blazers
436:Vancouver Blazers
258:Vancouver Canucks
251:Vancouver Blazers
229:Vancouver Blazers
147:Vancouver Canucks
127:Vancouver Blazers
123:
122:
108:Vancouver Blazers
77:Franchise history
22:Vancouver Blazers
1005:
923:Related articles
824:Quebec Nordiques
808:Ottawa Nationals
709:Birmingham Bulls
704:Baltimore Blades
678:
671:
664:
655:
654:
608:
596:
517:Franchise totals
509:Did not qualify
467:Did not qualify
361:
302:Calgary, Alberta
247:British Columbia
203:British Columbia
139:Pacific Coliseum
72:
69:
56:Pacific Coliseum
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45:British Columbia
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910:WHA Playoff MVP
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750:Edmonton Oilers
724:Chicago Cougars
719:Calgary Cowboys
714:Calgary Broncos
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605:Edmonton Oilers
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310:Calgary Broncos
306:Calgary Cowboys
294:Smythe Division
270:Derek Sanderson
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219:Calgary Cowboys
171:
163:Calgary Cowboys
118:Calgary Cowboys
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942:NHL–WHA merger
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699:Alberta Oilers
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633:External links
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84:(did not play)
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803:Ottawa Civics
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506:4th, Canadian
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290:East Division
285:
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274:Phil Esposito
271:
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263:
262:Andre Lacroix
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952:Broadcasters
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744:Denver Spurs
739:Dayton Aeros
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464:5th, Western
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239:Jim Pattison
232:
191:Pennsylvania
187:Philadelphia
172:
159:Philadelphia
155:Jim Pattison
126:
124:
107:
967:Categories
863:and awards
586:References
233:After the
131:ice hockey
52:Home arena
372:Team Name
321:Pat Price
316:instead.
314:Cleveland
243:Vancouver
199:Vancouver
143:Vancouver
114:1975–1976
104:1973–1975
94:1972–1973
41:Vancouver
861:Trophies
569:See also
423:Playoffs
280:season,
473:1974–75
431:1973–74
282:1974–75
223:1975–76
217:as the
215:Alberta
211:Calgary
207:1973–74
169:History
149:of the
62:Colours
417:Finish
366:Season
71:
68:
692:Teams
355:Note:
598:The
557:5278
552:1498
547:1381
503:1075
461:1047
345:See
337:See
221:for
125:The
82:1972
36:City
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522:395
500:270
497:256
458:345
455:278
412:PIM
397:PTS
141:in
969::
925::
537:14
494:76
488:39
485:37
482:78
452:55
446:50
443:27
440:78
407:GA
402:GF
377:GP
327:.
296:.
253:.
245:,
213:,
201:,
189:,
165:.
43:,
677:e
670:t
663:v
491:2
449:1
392:T
387:L
382:W
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