1972–73 Atlanta Flames
Division7th West
1972–73 record25–38–15
Goals for191
Goals against239
Team information
General managerCliff Fletcher
CoachBernie Geoffrion
CaptainKeith McCreary
ArenaOmni Coliseum
Team leaders
GoalsBob Leiter (26)
AssistsBob Leiter (34)
PointsBob Leiter (60)
Penalty minutesPat Quinn (113)
WinsPhil Myre (16)
Goals against averagePhil Myre (3.03)

The 1972–73 Atlanta Flames season was the inaugural season for the Flames' franchise.

Offseason

NHL Amateur Draft

Round Pick Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team
1 2. Jacques Richard  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
2 18. Dwight Bialowas  Canada Regina Pats (WCJHL)
3 34. Jean Lemieux  Canada Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
4 50. Don Martineau  Canada New Westminster Royals (WCJHL)
5 78. Jean-Paul Martin  Canada Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL)
6 82. Frank Blum  Canada Sarnia Sting (SOJHL)
7 98. Scott Smith  Canada Regina Pats (WCJHL)
8 114. Dave Murphy  Canada Hamilton Red Wings (OHA)
9 130. Pierre Roy  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
9 132. Jean Lamarre  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

NHL Expansion Draft

Pick Player Position Drafted From
1.Phil MyreGMontreal Canadiens
3.Dan BouchardGBoston Bruins
6.Kerry KetterDMontreal Canadiens
8.Norm GrattonLWNew York Rangers
10.Ron HarrisDDetroit Red Wings
12.Larry RomanchychRWChicago Black Hawks
14.Bill MacMillanLWToronto Maple Leafs
16.Randy ManeryDDetroit Red Wings
18.Keith McCrearyRWPittsburgh Penguins
20.Ernie HickeCCalifornia Golden Seals
22.Lew MorrisonRWPhiladelphia Flyers
24.Lucien GrenierLWLos Angeles Kings
26.Bill PlagerDSt. Louis Blues
28.Morris StefaniwCNew York Rangers
30.John StewartLWPittsburgh Penguins
32.Bob LeiterCPittsburgh Penguins
34.Pat QuinnDVancouver Canucks
36.Larry HaleDPhiladelphia Flyers
38.Bill Heindl, Jr.LWMinnesota North Stars
40.Frank HughesLWCalifornia Golden Seals
42.Rod ZaineCBuffalo Sabres

Regular season

When it was first announced that Atlanta would have an NHL franchise many hockey observers thought that a team based in the southern United States was a ludicrous and foolish move, especially since the talent pool had been diluted by repeated expansion and the upstart WHA. Nevertheless, the team quickly began front office operations, naming young St. Louis Blues assistant general manager Cliff Fletcher as general manager. Soon after, Fletcher had found the team its first coach: former Canadiens star forward Bernie "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion.

The team was a pleasant surprise in its first season on the ice, its success built on new star goaltenders Dan Bouchard and Phil Myre, solid defensemen such as Randy Manery and Pat Quinn, and forwards Rey Comeau, (captain) Keith McCreary, Larry Romanchych and Bob Leiter. Despite its inexperience as a team, the Flames were quite successful in the beginning of their rookie season, posting a 20–19–8 record by January 19, 1973, off the success of their young goaltending tandem. However, they lost 19 of their last 31 games, finishing out of the playoffs. Part of the problem as that in defiance of all geographic reality, the Flames were placed in the West Division—saddling them with some of the longest road trips in the league—and ultimately, the team's excellent defense and goaltending were sabotaged by its lack of goalscoring, finishing second worst in the NHL in that category. However, their 65 points were 35 better than the Islanders, who toiled at the bottom of the East Division.

Season standings

West Division[1]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Chicago Black Hawks7842279284225+5993
2Philadelphia Flyers78373011296256+4085
3Minnesota North Stars78373011254230+2485
4St. Louis Blues78323412233251−1876
5Pittsburgh Penguins7832379257265−873
6Los Angeles Kings78313611232245−1373
7Atlanta Flames78253815191239−4865
8California Golden Seals78164616213323−11048

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record Attendance [3]
1WOctober 7, 19723–2@ New York Islanders (1972–73)1–0–012,221
2LOctober 8, 19723–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)1–1–015,508
3LOctober 11, 19721–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)1–2–0N/A
4LOctober 12, 19720–3@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)1–3–016,002
5TOctober 14, 19721–1Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)1–3–114,568
6LOctober 18, 19720–6Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)1–4–18,852
7WOctober 21, 19723–2@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)2–4–115,229
8LOctober 22, 19722–7@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)2–5–115,516
9WOctober 25, 19724–3@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)3–5–11,998
10LOctober 26, 19721–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)3–6–16,155
11WOctober 28, 19722–1@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)4–6–115,570
12WNovember 1, 19724–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)5–6–111,344
13LNovember 2, 19721–6Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)5–7–112,280
14TNovember 5, 19722–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)5–7–210,732
15TNovember 8, 19723–3Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)5–7–39,073
16WNovember 10, 19725–1Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)6–7–312,066
17WNovember 12, 19723–1Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)7–7–310,486
18LNovember 15, 19721–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)7–8–316,381
19WNovember 16, 19724–0New York Islanders (1972–73)8–8–39,820
20LNovember 18, 19721–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)8–9–310,959
21WNovember 19, 19723–2Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)9–9–39,972
22LNovember 21, 19721–3New York Rangers (1972–73)9–10–311,505
23LNovember 24, 19720–4Boston Bruins (1972–73)9–11–315,078
24WNovember 26, 19726–2Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)10–11–39,041
25LNovember 29, 19720–5@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)10–12–315,125
26TNovember 30, 19725–5@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)10–12–414,221
27TDecember 2, 19724–4@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)10–12–516,455
28LDecember 3, 19722–3@ New York Rangers (1972–73)10–13–517,500
29WDecember 7, 19725–2Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)11–13–511,018
30LDecember 9, 19721–2@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)11–14–518,425
31LDecember 10, 19724–5St. Louis Blues (1972–73)11–15–511,140
32WDecember 13, 19722–0@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)12–15–511,044
33LDecember 16, 19723–5@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)12–16–511,095
34WDecember 17, 19724–0New York Islanders (1972–73)13–16–510,117
35WDecember 20, 19725–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)14–16–512,590
36WDecember 21, 19725–2@ New York Rangers (1972–73)15–16–517,500
37LDecember 23, 19721–3@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)15–17–515,003
38LDecember 27, 19721–3Boston Bruins (1972–73)15–18–515,078
39TDecember 30, 19721–1@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)15–18–617,024
40WJanuary 2, 19736–1@ New York Islanders (1972–73)16–18–610,042
41LJanuary 3, 19731–3Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)16–19–611,144
42TJanuary 6, 19732–2@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)16–19–719,065
43WJanuary 7, 19735–2Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)17–19–79,206
44WJanuary 10, 19735–2Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)18–19–711,829
45WJanuary 12, 19731–0Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)19–19–715,078
46WJanuary 14, 19734–1Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)20–19–711,194
47TJanuary 17, 19733–3@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)20–19–818,181
48LJanuary 19, 19731–2St. Louis Blues (1972–73)20–20–815,078
49LJanuary 21, 19732–3Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)20–21–815,078
50LJanuary 24, 19732–5California Golden Seals (1972–73)20–22–811,222
51TJanuary 26, 19733–3Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)20–22–915,078
52WJanuary 28, 19738–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)21–22–915,668
53WFebruary 1, 19733–1Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)22–22–914,169
54LFebruary 3, 19730–1@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)22–23–912,862
55LFebruary 4, 19730–6@ New York Rangers (1972–73)22–24–917,500
56LFebruary 7, 19733–5Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)22–25–913,186
57LFebruary 9, 19733–4Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)22–26–915,078
58WFebruary 11, 19733–1California Golden Seals (1972–73)23–26–913,422
59TFebruary 14, 19733–3@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)23–26–103,829
60LFebruary 16, 19730–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)23–27–1015,570
61TFebruary 17, 19733–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)23–27–1111,108
62TFebruary 21, 19732–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)23–27–1216,352
63LFebruary 25, 19732–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)23–28–12N/A
64TMarch 1, 19734–4Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)23–28–1312,730
65LMarch 3, 19730–3@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)23–29–1315,512
66WMarch 4, 19733–2California Golden Seals (1972–73)24–29–1311,565
67LMarch 7, 19732–5Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)24–30–1312,632
68LMarch 9, 19732–3Boston Bruins (1972–73)24–31–1315,078
69LMarch 10, 19731–2@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)24–32–1316,600
70TMarch 14, 19731–1St. Louis Blues (1972–73)24–32–1415,078
71WMarch 17, 19733–2Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)25–32–1415,078
72LMarch 18, 19731–7@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)25–33–1415,003
73LMarch 22, 19731–4New York Rangers (1972–73)25–34–1415,078
74LMarch 24, 19730–7@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)25–35–14N/A
75LMarch 25, 19732–4Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)25–36–1413,200
76LMarch 28, 19733–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)25–37–1410,081
77LMarch 29, 19732–4@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)25–38–1416,600
78TApril 1, 19734–4New York Islanders (1972–73)25–38–1513,592

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
Bob Leiter167826346019-----
Larry Romanchych217018304839-----
Rey Comeau187721214219-----
Keith McCreary97720214121-----
Ernie Hicke‡125814233737-----
Curt Bennett†5521817359-----
Randy Manery7785303544-----
John Stewart176817173430-----
Jacques Richard157413183132-----
Leon Rochefort†11549182710-----
Bill MacMillan207810152552-----
Pat Quinn37821820113-----
Lew Morrison877691519-----
Noel Price4541131438-----
Bill Plager2762111392-----
Noel Picard†22410101043-----
Norm Gratton‡102936912-----
Bob Paradise671178103-----
Ron Harris‡5242468-----
Morris Stefaniw19131122-----
Kerry Ketter244102258-----
Arnie Brown†191510117-----
Butch Deadmarsh†10191018-----
Dan Bouchard303401112-----
Phil Myre1460115-----
Bill Hogaboam‡1120000-----

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Atlanta. Stats reflect time with the Flames only. ‡Traded mid-season

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Phil Myre14627361623513823.03-------.--
Dan Bouchard303419449151010023.09-------.--

Transactions

The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 1972–73 season.

Trades

June, 1972 To: Atlanta Flames
Ted Tucker		 To: Montreal Canadiens
cash
June, 1972 To: Atlanta Flames
Bill Hogaboam		 To: New York Rangers
Bill Heindl, Jr.
October, 1972 To: Atlanta Flames
Brian McKenzie		 To: Pittsburgh Penguins
cash
November 28, 1972 To: Atlanta Flames
Leon Rochefort		 To: Detroit Red Wings
Bill Hogaboam
November 29, 1972 To: Atlanta Flames
Curt Bennett		 To: New York Rangers
Ron Harris
February 13, 1973 To: Atlanta Flames
Arnie Brown		 To: New York Islanders
Ernie Hicke
future considerations
(Bill MacMillan; May 29, 1973)
February 14, 1973 To: Atlanta Flames
Butch Deadmarsh		 To: Buffalo Sabres
Norm Gratton

Free agents

PlayerFormer team
D Ed KeaSt. Petersburg Suns (EHL)
PlayerNew team

Claimed off waivers

PlayerFormer team
D Noel PicardSt. Louis Blues

References

  1. ↑ "1972–1973 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
  2. ↑ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Hockey Summary Project - All Time Game Scores & Results".
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