The 1974–75 Cleveland Crusaders season was the Cleveland Crusaders third season of operation in the World Hockey Association. It was the Crusaders' first season in the new Coliseum at Richfield. The Crusaders made the playoffs, losing in the quarter-finals to the Houston Aeros.
Regular season
Final standings
Schedule and results
|1||W||October 19, 1974||3–1 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||1–0–0
|2||T||October 20, 1974||4–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||1–0–1
|3||L||October 22, 1974||2–5 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||1–1–1
|4||L||October 23, 1974||1–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||1–2–1
|5||W||October 31, 1974||4–2 || align="left"| @ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||2–2–1
|6||L||November 2, 1974||2–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||2–3–1
|7||W||November 8, 1974||2–1 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||3–3–1
|8||L||November 10, 1974||1–4 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||3–4–1
|9||W||November 14, 1974||2–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||4–4–1
|10||W||November 15, 1974||5–3 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||5–4–1
|11||L||November 19, 1974||5–6 || align="left"| Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||5–5–1
|12||L||November 22, 1974||2–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||5–6–1
|13||W||November 24, 1974||3–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||6–6–1
|14||W||November 27, 1974||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||7–6–1
|15||W||November 29, 1974||4–2 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||8–6–1
|16||W||November 30, 1974||5–4 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||9–6–1
|17||L||December 4, 1974||2–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1974–75) ||9–7–1
|18||W||December 7, 1974||3–1 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||10–7–1
|19||L||December 10, 1974||3–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||10–8–1
|20||L||December 12, 1974||2–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||10–9–1
|21||L||December 13, 1974||6–7 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||10–10–1
|22||L||December 15, 1974||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||10–11–1
|23||L||December 17, 1974||3–8 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||10–12–1
|24||L||December 19, 1974||0–1 || align="left"| @ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||10–13–1
|25||W||December 20, 1974||3–0 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1974–75) ||11–13–1
|26||L||December 22, 1974||0–3 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||11–14–1
|27||W||December 23, 1974||4–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||12–14–1
|28||W||December 27, 1974||4–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||13–14–1
|29||L||December 28, 1974||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||13–15–1
|30||L||December 29, 1974||0–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||13–16–1
|31||L||December 31, 1974||3–4 || align="left"| Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||13–17–1
|32||L||January 1, 1975||2–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||13–18–1
|33||W||January 2, 1975||4–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||14–18–1
|34||L||January 4, 1975||0–2 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||14–19–1
|35||L||January 5, 1975||3–4 || align="left"| Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||14–20–1
|36||T||January 7, 1975||4–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||14–20–2
|37||W||January 10, 1975||6–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||15–20–2
|38||W||January 12, 1975||4–2 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||16–20–2
|39||L||January 15, 1975||2–4 || align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||16–21–2
|40||L||January 16, 1975||2–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||16–22–2
|41||W||January 18, 1975||2–1 || align="left"| Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||17–22–2
|42||L||January 19, 1975||4–9 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||17–23–2
|43||W||January 23, 1975||5–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||18–23–2
|44||W||January 25, 1975||2–1 || align="left"| Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||19–23–2
|45||L||January 27, 1975||0–2 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1974–75) ||19–24–2
|46||L||January 28, 1975||3–4 || align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||19–25–2
|47||W||January 29, 1975||6–2 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||20–25–2
|48||W||January 31, 1975||2–0 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||21–25–2
|49||L||February 2, 1975||3–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1974–75) ||21–26–2
|50||W||February 5, 1975||3–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||22–26–2
|51||W||February 6, 1975||4–0 || align="left"| @ Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||23–26–2
|52||L||February 7, 1975||1–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||23–27–2
|53||L||February 9, 1975||1–4 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||23–28–2
|54||W||February 12, 1975||5–3 || align="left"| Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||24–28–2
|55||W||February 14, 1975||3–2 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1974–75) ||25–28–2
|56||L||February 15, 1975||1–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||25–29–2
|57||L||February 17, 1975||1–2 || align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||25–30–2
|58||L||February 19, 1975||3–5 || align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974–75) ||25–31–2
|59||W||February 22, 1975||4–3 || align="left"| Toronto Toros (1974–75) ||26–31–2
|60||L||February 23, 1975||0–6 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||26–32–2
|61||L||February 26, 1975||5–9 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||26–33–2
|62||T||March 1, 1975||4–4 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1974–75) ||26–33–3
|63||W||March 4, 1975||3–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||27–33–3
|64||L||March 5, 1975||2–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1974–75) ||27–34–3
|65||W||March 8, 1975||6–5 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||28–34–3
|66||L||March 12, 1975||0–2 || align="left"| Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) ||28–35–3
|67||W||March 14, 1975||3–0 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||29–35–3
|68||L||March 16, 1975||1–2 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||29–36–3
|69||L||March 17, 1975||2–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||29–37–3
|70||W||March 19, 1975||5–4 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1974–75) ||30–37–3
|71||W||March 22, 1975||5–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1974–75) ||31–37–3
|72||W||March 26, 1975||4–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Blazers (1974–75) ||32–37–3
|73||L||March 27, 1975||3–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1974–75) ||32–38–3
|74||W||March 29, 1975||7–5 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1974–75) ||33–38–3
|75||W||March 30, 1975||7–6 || align="left"| Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||34–38–3
|76||L||April 1, 1975||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars (1974–75) ||34–39–3
|77||L||April 2, 1975||6–7 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1974–75) ||34–40–3
|78||W||April 5, 1975||5–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1974–75) ||35–40–3
Legend:
Playoffs
| 1 || April 10 || Cleveland Crusaders || 5–8 || Houston Aeros || 0–1
| 2 || April 12 || Cleveland Crusaders || 3–5 || Houston Aeros || 0–2
| 3 || April 13 || Houston Aeros || 1–3 || Cleveland Crusaders || 1–2
| 4 || April 15 || Houston Aeros || 7–2 || Cleveland Crusaders || 1–3
| 5 || April 17 || Cleveland Crusaders || 1–3 || Houston Aeros || 1–4
Legend:
Player statistics Players + Regular season Player Position C 78 35 31 66 12212500 RW 78 34 30 64 27-111200 C 73 30 32 62 187500 C 60 20 22 42 106-8600 LW 77 17 24 41 708100 LW 74 13 28 41 71-6400 C 71 15 23 38 1089100 LW 78 12 15 27 242020 RW 66 14 11 25 8016000 RW 78 10 13 23 7-10000 D 61 3 20 23 28-4000 LW 75 9 13 22 127-3010 D 66 4 18 22 514000 D 49 7 14 21 10311300 D 78 4 17 21 65-6010 D 77 0 16 16 83-6000 C 59 4 7 11 85000 D 60 2 9 11 373000 D 39 0 9 9 107000 C 9 1 3 4 40000 C 4 2 0 2 20100 G 52 0 1 1 590000 D 5 0 0 0 371000 G 29 0 0 0 20000
+ Avco Cup playoffs Player Position LW 5 3 1 4 6000 D 5 1 3 4 0001 RW 5 2 1 3 2000 D 5 2 1 3 15000 C 5 1 2 3 4000 D 5 2 0 2 0000 D 4 1 1 2 0000 C 5 1 1 2 0000 D 5 0 2 2 2000 C 5 0 2 2 2000 C 5 0 2 2 2000 RW 5 1 0 1 17000 LW 5 0 1 1 14000 RW 5 0 1 1 0000 LW 5 0 1 1 0000 D 5 0 1 1 4000 G 5 0 0 0 0000 LW 5 0 0 0 0000 C 1 0 0 0 0000
Goaltending Player 3076 52 26 24 2 167 3.26 4 1654 29 9 16 1 89 3.23 0 Team: 4730 78 35 40 3 256 3.25 4
+Avco Cup playoffsPlayer 300 5 1 4 23 4.60 0 Team: 300 5 1 4 23 4.60 0
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;
Draft picks Cleveland's draft picks at the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.
Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) WHA Secret Amateur Draft110Doug Risebrough (F)Kitchener Rangers (OHA)113Bruce Affleck (D)University of Denver (WCHA)225John Stewart (C)Bowling Green State University (CCHA) WHA Amateur Draft111Paul Baxter (D)Winnipeg Clubs (WCHL)226Charlie Simmer (F)Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHA)449Jamie Hislop (F)University of New Hampshire (ECAC)570Mike Thompson (D)Victoria Cougars (WCHL)685Tom Lindskog (D)University of Michigan (WCHA)7100Harvey Stewart (G)Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)8115Steve Colp (C)Michigan Americans (SOJHL)9130Jack Brownschidle (D)University of Notre Dame (WCHA)10143Serge Gamelin (RW)Sorel Black Hawks (QMJHL)11157Glen McLeod (D)Sudbury Wolves (OHA)12170Doug Allan (G)New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)13181Gordon Stewart (F)Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)
See also 1974–75 WHA season
References