1974–75 WHA season

Professional ice hockey league season

The 1974–75 WHA season was the third season of the World Hockey Association. Fourteen teams each played 78 games. The Houston Aeros won the Avco World Trophy for the second straight year in dominating fashion, losing only one time in the playoffs.

1974 75 World Hockey Association Division Team City Arena Capacity Canadian Edmonton Oilers Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton Gardens Northlands Coliseum 5,200 16,000 Quebec Nordiques Quebec City, Quebec Colisée de Québec 10,004 Toronto Toros Toronto, Ontario Maple Leaf Gardens 16,316 Vancouver Blazers Vancouver, British Columbia Pacific Coliseum 15,570 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg Arena 10,100 Eastern Chicago Cougars Chicago, Illinois International Amphitheatre 9,000 Cleveland Crusaders Richfield, Ohio Richfield Coliseum 18,544 Indianapolis Racers Indianapolis, Indiana Market Square Arena 15,993 New England Whalers Hartford, Connecticut Hartford Civic Center 10,507 Western Houston Aeros Houston, Texas Sam Houston Coliseum 9,217 Michigan Stags Baltimore Blades Detroit, Michigan Baltimore, Maryland Cobo Arena Baltimore Civic Center 12,191 14,000 Minnesota Fighting Saints St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul Civic Center 16,000 Phoenix Roadrunners Phoenix, Arizona Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,730 San Diego Mariners San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena 12,920

The WHA expanded by adding the Indianapolis Racers and Phoenix Roadrunners, and splitting into three divisions: Western, Eastern, and Canadian. The top two teams in each division qualified for the playoffs along with the two next best teams overall. Prior to the season, Southern California welcomed the Jersey Knights, who moved to San Diego and became the Mariners, and said goodbye to the Los Angeles Sharks, who moved to Detroit and became the Michigan Stags. Midway through the season, the Stags moved to Baltimore and became the Blades; they folded for good after the season. Chicago also folded at season's end. Also, the New England Whalers left Boston for Hartford, but played the first half of the season in Springfield, Massachusetts until construction on the Hartford Civic Center was finished. The NHL also expanded this season, to 18 teams, making a total of 32 clubs playing major professional hockey in North America. This number has not been surpassed, though the NHL expanded to 32 teams in 2021.

At Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, the West defeated the East 6–4.

Eight teams qualified for the playoffs; the top two teams in each division and the next two teams with the highest point totals. The teams were then pooled together, according to point totals, to determine quarter final match ups. The three division winners were guaranteed the top three seeds, according to their point totals. Teams were not "reseeded" after the quarter final round.

Avco World Trophy: Houston AerosGary L. Davidson Award: Bobby Hull, Winnipeg JetsBill Hunter Trophy: Andre Lacroix, San Diego MarinersLou Kaplan Trophy: Anders Hedberg, Winnipeg Jets Ben Hatskin Trophy: Ron Grahame, Houston AerosDennis A. Murphy Trophy: J. C. Tremblay, Quebec NordiquesPaul Deneau Trophy: Mike Rogers, Edmonton OilersHoward Baldwin Trophy: Sandy Hucul, Phoenix RoadrunnersWHA Playoff MVP: Ron Grahame, Houston Aeros

Position First Team Second Team Centre Andre Lacroix, San Diego Serge Bernier, Quebec Right Wing Gordie Howe, Houston Anders Hedberg, Winnipeg Left Wing Bobby Hull, Winnipeg Marc Tardif, Quebec Defence J. C. Tremblay, Quebec Poul Popiel, Houston Defence Kevin Morrison, San Diego Barry Long, Edmonton Goaltender Ron Grahame, Houston Gerry Cheevers, Cleveland