AHL 1971/72

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Master:	Nova Scotia Voyageurs
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The 1971/72 season was the 36th regular season of the American Hockey League (AHL). During the regular season, the league's eleven teams played 76 games each. The eight best teams in the AHL then played in a play-off round for the Calder Cup .

Team changes

The following changes were made before the start of the season:

• The Boston Braves were added to the league as an expansion team
• The Cincinnati Swords were added to the league as an expansion team
• The Tidewater Wings were added to the league as an expansion team
• The As de Québec were relocated to Richmond , Virginia , and played under the name Richmond Robins from then on
• The Voyageurs de Montréal were relocated to Halifax , Nova Scotia , and from then on played under the name Nova Scotia Voyageurs

Regular season

Closing tables

Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, OTL = defeat after overtime , GF = goals scored, GA = goals conceded, Pts = points
Explanations: The placement within the conference is shown in brackets;     = Playoff qualification,     = division winner,     = conference winner

Regular season

East Division	GP	W.	L.	T	GF	GA	Pts
Boston Braves	76	41	21st	14th	260	191	96
Nova Scotia Voyageurs	76	41	21st	14th	274	202	96
Springfield Kings	76	31	30th	15th	273	266	77
Providence Reds	76	28	37	11	250	274	67
Rochester Americans	76	28	38	10	242	311	66

West Division	GP	W.	L.	T	GF	GA	Pts
Baltimore Clippers	76	34	31	11	266	253	79
Hershey Bears	76	33	30th	13	238	212	79
Cincinnati Swords	76	30th	28	18th	252	258	78
Cleveland Barons	76	32	34	10	269	263	74
Richmond Robins	76	29	34	13	237	218	71
Tidewater Wings	76	22nd	45	9	197	275	53

Best scorer

Abbreviations: GP = games, G = goals, A = assists , Pts = points, +/- = plus / minus , PIM = penalty minutes; Bold: Season best

player	team	GP	G	A.	Pts	PIM
Don Blackburn	Providence Reds	76	34	65	99	12
Buster Harvey	Cleveland Barons	73	41	54	95	72
Terry Caffery	Cleveland Barons	65	29	59	88	18th
Gord Labossiere	Cleveland Barons	66	40	45	85	71
Ed Hoekstra	Springfield Kings	74	16	69	85	32
Pete Laframboise	Baltimore Clippers	72	37	44	81	95
Wayne Rivers	Springfield Kings	68	48	33	81	67
Germain Gagnon	Nova Scotia Voyageurs	70	25th	56	81	34
Joe Szura	Baltimore Clippers	72	38	38	76	20th
Doug Roberts	Boston Braves	74	35	40	75	107

Calder Cup playoffs

mode

The eight best teams in the American Hockey League qualified for the play-offs. In the first two play-off rounds, the winners of the respective divisions were played, with the second player first playing against the third party and then the winner of this duel in round two against the first place in the regular season. In round three, the two division winners met in the final. The first two play-off rounds and the final were played in best-of-seven mode.

Play-off overview

Semifinals division

Division Finals

Calder Cup Final

E1

Boston Braves

4th

E4

Providence Reds

1

E1

Boston Braves

0

Eastern Division

E2

Nova Scotia Voyageurs

4th

E2

Nova Scotia Voyageurs

4th

E3

Springfield Indians

1

E2

Nova Scotia Voyageurs

4th

W1

Baltimore Clippers

2

W1

Baltimore Clippers

4th

W4

Cleveland Barons

2

W1

Baltimore Clippers

4th

Western Division

W3

Cincinnati Swords

2

W2

Hershey Bears

0

W3

Cincinnati Swords

4th

Calder Cup winner

Calder Cup winners Nova Scotia Voyageurs

Goalkeepers: Michel Plasse , Wayne Thomas Defenders: Murray Anderson , Kerry Ketter , Bob Murray , Noel Price , Larry Robinson Attackers: Chuck Arnason , Ron Busniuk , Rey Comeau , Tony Featherstone , Germain Gagnon , Joe Hardy , Yvon Lambert , Michael Laughton , Chuck Lefley , Lynn Powis , Randy Rota , Murray Wilson Head Coach: Al MacNeil   General Manager: Al MacNeil

Awarded trophies

Team trophies

Award	team
Calder Cup winners of the AHL playoffs	Nova Scotia Voyageurs
FG "Teddy" Oke Trophy Best team in the East Division, regular season	Boston Braves
John D. Chick Trophy Best Team in the West Division, Regular Season	Baltimore Clippers

Individual trophies

Award	player	team
Les Cunningham Award MVP of the regular season	Garry Peters	Boston Braves
John B. Sollenberger Trophy Best Scorer	Don Blackburn	Providence Reds
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Best Rookie	Terry Caffery	Cleveland Barons
Eddie Shore Award Best Defender	Noel Price	Nova Scotia Voyageurs
		Springfield Kings
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Goalkeeper with the fewest goals conceded	Ross Brooks	Boston Braves
	Dan Bouchard
Louis AR Pieri Memorial Award Best Trainer	Al MacNeil	Nova Scotia Voyageurs

Web links

• Official site of the AHL (English)