Nordiques de Québec
Nordiques de Québec | |
---|---|
founding | 1972 |
history |
Nordiques de Québec 1972 - 1995 Colorado Avalanche since 1995 |
Stadion | Colisee de Quebec |
Location | Quebec City |
Team colors | red, white, blue |
National Hockey League | |
Stanley Cups | no |
Conference title | no |
Division title | 1985/86 , 1994/95 |
World Hockey Association | |
Avco World Trophies | 1976/77 |
Division title | 1974/75 , 1976/77 |
The Nordiques de Québec ( English Quebec Nordiques ) were an ice hockey team from the city of Québec in Canada . The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972–1979) and in the National Hockey League (1979–1995). In 1995 the team moved to Denver and called themselves Colorado Avalanche from then on .
history
The time in the WHA
The Québec Nordiques were one of the founding members of the World Hockey Association in 1972 , a league that was on par with the National Hockey League in terms of player potential . The franchise was actually given to a group from California , but in the end the deal didn't materialize. The Nordiques got their name because they were settled relatively far to the north.
The first coach of the Nordiques was the legendary Maurice Richard , who only stood behind the gang for one game and then declared that it was not the right job for him. The Nordiques' first star became JC Tremblay , a defender who topped the list of top assistants in season one and was always an all- star for the WHA's first four years. 1974/75 you could reach the playoffs for the first time , thanks to the help of top scorer Marc Tardif . They made it to the final, but lost to the Houston Eros, led by ice hockey legend Gordie Howe , in four games.
In the 1976/77 season, the team won the Avco World Trophy , which was awarded to the winner of the play-offs, when the team defeated the New England Whalers , Indianapolis Racers and, in the final, the Winnipeg Jets in the decisive seventh game .
In 1978 the uncertainties began in the WHA. The Nordiques were unable to defend their title and were subject to the New England Whalers in the play-offs. In 1979 the WHA came to an end and the last season was played.
In the summer of 1979, the team joined the NHL along with WHA competitors Edmonton Oilers , Winnipeg Jets and New England Whalers.
The years in the NHL
The 1980s
Since many players had contracts with NHL teams in addition to their WHA contracts, almost all players left the Nordiques team and you had to build a new team, which led to the fact that you sank into the basement of the NHL table. One of the few positive moments they had when Réal Cloutier became the first player in league history to score a hat trick in his first game .
The Nordiques finished the 1979/80 season last in the league, despite the good game of talented rookie Michel Goulet . In 1980 Peter Šťastný signed with the Nordiques and his brothers Anton and Marián soon followed to Québec as well. Peter Šťastný reached 109 points in the 1980/81 season and he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best new professional. The Nordiques reached the NHL playoffs for the first time, but were subject to the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round .
Peter Šťastný and Michel Goulet formed a strong team for the next few years that led the Nordiques.
1981/82 they built on the performance of the previous year, switched off the local rivals Canadiens de Montréal and then the Boston Bruins . But then lost the conference final against the future Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders .
The rivalry between the Montréal Canadiens and the Nordiques intensified in 1983/84 when it came to the famous "Vendredi Saint" brawl in the playoffs. The Canadiens won the series. During the season, the Nordiques were the first NHL team to have a mascot and keep the crowd entertained during breaks. A man disguised as a strange blue creature performed funny dances in front of the audience.
In the following season, the Canadiens and Nordiques fought for first place in the Adams Division , which the Montreal team was able to bring with a three point lead. The Nordiques reciprocated in the playoffs and won the decisive seventh game in extra time. 1985/86 won the first division title, but flew out against the Hartford Whalers in the playoffs.
The next season there was again a seven-game battle in the playoffs against the Montréal Canadiens, but this time the Canadiens were successful. The defeat heralded one of the most difficult phases in the history of the Québec Nordiques. The next season they missed the playoffs and finished last in their division. 1988/89 you became the last of the NHL and the top stars Peter Šťastný and Michel Goulet decided to leave the team. The Nordiques signed the member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Guy Lafleur in the summer of 1989 , who, however, had his prime behind him. Only a young center by the name of Joe Sakic could give the Nordiques some shine back.
The 1990s
Before the 1989/90 season , the franchise secured the rights to Sweden's Mats Sundin in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft , making him the NHL's first European "first overall" draft pick. The following year they again had the first choice in the draft and chose Owen Nolan .
In 1991, due to the poor placement in the season, they again had the “first overall” draft pick. Although one of the greatest talents in ice hockey, Eric Lindros said he would never play for Québec, he was selected anyway. Lindros wore the Nordiques jersey on the day of the draft, but refused to sign a contract. The Nordiques missed the playoffs again and in the summer of 1992 they reached an agreement with Lindros. He was transferred to the Philadelphia Flyers , for which the Nordiques in exchange for striker Mike Ricci , goalkeeper Ron Hextall , defenders Steve Duchesne and Kerry Huffman , two first-round draft picks and $ 15 million. In addition, the trade still included the rights to a young Swedish player by the name of Peter Forsberg . One draft pick was transferred in a swap deal and the other was used in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft to get the rights to Jocelyn Thibault . This transfer deal between the Flyers and the Nordiques is probably the most significant of the decade and turned the weak Québec team into a potential Stanley Cup candidate.
1992/93 reached the team led by Joe Sakic, who was meanwhile a regular guest at the NHL All Star Game , together with the young stars Mats Sundin and Owen Nolan the play-offs after a great season performance. But in the play-offs it was over after the first round against local rivals from Montreal. In 1993/94 , the team missed the move into the play-offs, as they had to fight injury problems throughout the season.
The transfer of Eric Lindros was a godsend for the Nordiques. After his first season in 1994/95, Peter Forsberg was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie and today - something that could not be known in 1995 - hardly any team Peter Forsberg would give for Eric Lindros. Forsberg was the star of the franchise for over a decade. Ron Hextall was transferred to the New York Islanders after just one season and you got two draft picks, with which you secured the rights to Alex Tanguay and Adam Deadmarsh , who were later important players as the team after moving to Colorado the Stanley Cup won. Jocelyn Thibault was given to the Montréal Canadiens a few months after arriving in Denver, for which goalie legend Patrick Roy was given.
Farewell to Québec
In 1994/95 Peter Forsberg was supposed to play in the NHL for the first time, but first there was the lockout . The shortened season ended the Nordiques in first place in the Conference, but in the first round you had to admit defeat defending champion New York Rangers .
The team's financial problems became a focus during the season and eventually owner Marcel Aubut sold the Nordiques to a group of investors in Denver . The franchise then also moved to Colorado and was renamed Colorado Avalanche . Many Québec fans continued to stick with the team and congratulate them when the Avalanche won the 1996 Stanley Cup.
There was even talk of having a second Stanley Cup parade in Québec, after all, the team had only been in Colorado for a year. But the city refused and wanted to draw a line.
Season statistics
World Hockey Association
Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, OTL = defeats after overtime , SOL = defeats after shootout , Pts = points, GF = goals scored, GA = goals conceded, PIM = penalty minutes
season | GP | W. | L. | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | space | Playoffs |
1972/73 | 78 | 33 | 40 | 5 | 71 | 276 | 313 | 1354 | 5th, Eastern | not qualified |
1973/74 | 78 | 38 | 36 | 4th | 80 | 306 | 280 | 909 | 5th, Eastern | not qualified |
1974/75 | 78 | 46 | 32 | 0 | 92 | 331 | 299 | 1132 | 1st, Canadian | Victory in the quarter-finals, 4-1 ( Phoenix ) victory in the semifinals, 4-2 ( Minnesota ) defeat in the final, 0-4 ( Houston ) |
1975/76 | 81 | 50 | 27 | 4th | 104 | 371 | 316 | 1654 | 2nd, Canadian | Quarter-finals lost, 4-1 ( Calgary ) |
1976/77 | 81 | 47 | 31 | 3 | 97 | 353 | 295 | 1485 | 1st, Eastern | Victory in quarter-finals, 4-1 ( New England ) victory in semi-finals, 4-1 ( Indianapolis ) victory in final, 4-3 ( Winnipeg ) |
1977/78 | 80 | 40 | 37 | 3 | 83 | 349 | 347 | 1185 | 4th, WHA | Victory in quarter-finals, 4-2 ( Houston ), defeat in semi-finals, 1-4 ( New England ) |
1978/79 | 80 | 41 | 34 | 5 | 87 | 288 | 271 | 1399 | 2., WHA | Semi-final defeat, 4-0 ( Winnipeg ) |
total | 556 | 295 | 237 | 24 | 614 | 2274 | 2121 | 9118 | 5 playoff appearances 10 series: 6 wins, 4 losses 52 games: 26 wins, 26 losses |
National Hockey League
Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, Pts = points, GF = goals scored, GA = goals conceded, PIM = penalty minutes
season | GP | W. | L. | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | space | Playoffs |
1979/80 | 80 | 25th | 44 | 11 | 61 | 248 | 313 | 1062 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1980/81 | 80 | 30th | 32 | 18th | 78 | 314 | 318 | 1524 | 4th, Adams | Defeat in the preliminary round, 2-3 ( Philadelphia ) |
1981/82 | 80 | 33 | 31 | 16 | 82 | 356 | 345 | 1757 | 4th, Adams | Victory in the division semi-finals, 3-2 ( Montréal ) victory in the division final, 4-3 ( Boston ) defeat in the conference final, 0-4 ( New York ) |
1982/83 | 80 | 34 | 34 | 12 | 80 | 343 | 336 | 1648 | 4th, Adams | Division semi-final defeat, 3-1 ( Boston ) |
1983/84 | 80 | 42 | 28 | 10 | 94 | 360 | 278 | 1600 | 3rd, Adams | Victory in division final, 3-0 ( Buffalo ) defeat in division final, 2: 4 ( Montréal ) |
1984/85 | 80 | 41 | 30th | 9 | 91 | 323 | 275 | 1643 | 2nd, Adams | Victory in the division semi-finals, 3-2 ( Buffalo ) victory in the division final, 4-3 ( Montréal ) defeat in the conference final, 2-4 ( Philadelphia ) |
1985/86 | 80 | 43 | 31 | 6th | 92 | 330 | 289 | 1847 | 1st, Adams | Division semi-finals lost, 3-0 ( Hartford ) |
1986/87 | 80 | 31 | 39 | 10 | 72 | 267 | 276 | 1741 | 4th, Adams | Victory in the division semi-finals, 4: 2 ( Hartford ), defeat in the division final, 3: 4 ( Montréal ) |
1987/88 | 80 | 32 | 43 | 5 | 69 | 271 | 306 | 2042 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1988/89 | 80 | 27 | 46 | 7th | 61 | 269 | 342 | 2004 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1989/90 | 80 | 12 | 61 | 7th | 31 | 240 | 407 | 2104 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1990/91 | 80 | 16 | 50 | 14th | 46 | 236 | 354 | 1741 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1991/92 | 80 | 20th | 48 | 12 | 52 | 255 | 318 | 2044 | 5th, Adams | not qualified |
1992/93 | 84 | 47 | 27 | 10 | 104 | 351 | 300 | 1846 | 2nd, Adams | Division semi-finals defeat, 2-4 ( Montréal ) |
1993/94 | 84 | 34 | 42 | 8th | 76 | 277 | 292 | 1625 | 5th, Northeast | not qualified |
1994/95 1 | 48 | 30th | 13 | 5 | 65 | 185 | 134 | 770 | 1st, Northeast | Conference quarter-finals lost, 2-4 ( New York ) |
total | 1256 | 497 | 599 | 160 | 1154 | 4625 | 4883 | 26998 | 9 playoff appearances 15 series: 6 wins, 9 losses 80 games: 35 wins, 45 losses |
- 1 season shortened due to the NHL lockout in 1994/95
Trainer
As the first head coach in franchise history, Maurice Richard took the position on the gang and led the team into their first game of the World Hockey Association . Then he was replaced by Maurice Filion , who was entrusted with the management of the Nordiques. After the play-offs were missed in the premiere season, another experienced NHL player followed for the 1973/74 season with Jacques Plante . After he was allowed to make it to the finals, he returned as an active player on the ice. His successor Jean-Guy Gendron led the team in their third season for the first time in the play-offs. After victories over the Phoenix Roadrunners and Minnesota Fighting Saints , the team faced the Houston Eros in the finals of the Avco World Trophy , but lost the series in four games. In the 1975/76 season, the Nordiques set a new franchise record with 104 points in the regular season and dropped out of the competition in the second round against the Calgary Cowboys .
Abbreviations: GC = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, OTL = defeats
after overtime , Pts = points, Win% = win rate
Surname | season | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||
GC | W. | L. | T | Pts | Win% | GC | W. | L. | ||
Maurice Richard | 1972/73 * | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | - | - |
Maurice Filion | 1972/73 * | 76 | 33 | 38 | 5 | 71 | .467 | - | - | - |
Jacques Plante | 1973/74 | 78 | 38 | 36 | 4th | 80 | .513 | - | - | - |
Jean-Guy Gendron | 1974 / 75-1975 / 76 | 159 | 96 | 59 | 4th | 196 | .616 | 20th | 9 | 11 |
Marc Boileau | 1976 / 77-1977 / 78 | 161 | 87 | 68 | 6th | 180 | .559 | 28 | 17th | 11 |
Maurice Filion | Summer 1978 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Jacques Demers | 1978 / 79–1979 / 80 | 160 | 66 | 79 | 16 | 148 | . | 4th | 0 | 4th |
Michel Bergeron | 1980/81 * | 74 | 29 | 29 | 16 | 74 | .463 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
Maurice Filion | 1980/81 * | 6th | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4th | .333 | - | - | - |
Michel Bergeron | 1981 / 82-1986 / 87 | 480 | 224 | 193 | 63 | 511 | .532 | 63 | 29 | 34 |
André Savard | 1987/88 * | 24 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 21st | .438 | - | - | - |
Ron Lapointe | 1987/88 * –1988 / 89 * | 89 | 33 | 50 | 6th | 72 | .404 | - | - | - |
Jean Perron | 1988/89 * | 47 | 16 | 26th | 5 | 37 | .394 | - | - | - |
Michel Bergeron | 1989/90 | 80 | 12 | 61 | 7th | 31 | .194 | - | - | - |
Dave Chambers | 1990 / 91–1991 / 92 * | 98 | 19th | 64 | 15th | 53 | .270 | - | - | - |
Pierre Pagé | 1991/92 * -1993/94 | 230 | 98 | 103 | 30th | 226 | .491 | 6th | 2 | 4th |
Marc Crawford | 1994/95 | 48 | 30th | 13 | 5 | 65 | .677 | 6th | 2 | 4th |
* Change during the current season
For the 1976/77 season Marc Boileau was entrusted with the management of the team. Boileau, previously fired from the Pittsburgh Penguins, led the squad to their greatest success in franchise history. After victories against the New England Whalers and Indianapolis Racers , they made it into the finals for the second time. In seven games against the Winnipeg Jets , the team won the Avco World Trophy and secured the WHA championship for the first time. After Boileau failed with the team in the second playoff round the following year, Maurice Filion took over the position on the gang at short notice. This was replaced by Jacques Demers , who led the team through their final season in the WHA and into the premier season of the National Hockey League . The team finished last in the Adams Division with 61 points . After Maurice Filion had taken over the Nordiques again for a few games, Michel Bergeron was installed as the new head coach.
Michel Bergeron was the head coach of the Nordiques for six years. In the 1981/82 season , after narrow successes against the Canadiens de Montréal and Boston Bruins, they made it to the Conference Finals, in which the team was defeated in four games against the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the New York Islanders . In the following five years, in which Bergeron was active as head coach at the Nordiques, the team always qualified for the finals. In the 1984/85 season , the team advanced again to the Conference Finals and lost in six games against the Philadelphia Flyers . After two more years as head coach, Michel Bergeron joined the New York Rangers in 1987 . André Savard , who had also played for the Québec team during his active career, was introduced as his successor . In his only season behind the gang, the play-offs were not reached. Finally Ron Lapointe was entrusted with the management of the team, but released after a few months. His successor Jean Perron could not meet expectations either, and his engagement ended after the 1988/89 season . As a result, Michel Bergeron was introduced as his successor.
However, Bergeron did not manage to build on his earlier successes with the team and the play-offs took place for the third time in a row without the Nordiques. He was followed by Dave Chambers, the eleventh head coach in franchise history. After the 1990/91 season , which was the lowest point in the history of the Nordiques with only 16 wins and 46 points, Chambers also held on to the start of the following season. When the first 18 games resulted in only three wins, he was thrown out. Pierre Pagé , who could not bring the team on the playoff course in the same season, led the team back into the finals in the 1992/93 season for the first time in six years. After in the first round in six games against the Canadiens de Montréal from elimination and in the following year the team again fell short of expectations by failing to qualify for the play-offs, Pagé was replaced by Marc Crawford in the 1994/95 season . In the last season of the Nordiques' existence, they once again made it into the finals, in which they were eliminated in round one in six games against the New York Rangers.
General manager
Surname | season |
Maurice Filion | 1979 / 80-1987 / 88 |
Martin Madden | 1988 / 89-1989 / 90 |
Maurice Filion | 1989/90 |
Pierre Pagé | 1990 / 91-1993 / 94 |
Pierre Lacroix | 1994/95 |
player
Team captains
- Jean-Guy Gendron 1972–1974
- Michel Parizeau 1974-1976
- Marc Tardif 1976-1981
- Robbie Ftorek and André Dupont 1981–1982
- Mario Marois 1982–1985
- Mario Marois and Peter Šťastný 1985–1986
- Peter Šťastný 1986–1990
- Steven Finn and Joe Sakic 1990-1991
- Mike Hough 1991-1992
- Joe Sakic 1992-1995
Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Surname | Year of admission | position |
Michel Goulet | 1998 | player |
Guy Lafleur | 1988 | player |
Jacques Plante | 1978 | Trainer |
Maurice Richard | 1961 | Trainer |
Joe Sakic | 2012 | player |
Peter Šťastný | 1998 | player |
Mats Sundin | 2012 | player |
Blocked jersey numbers
- 3 JC Tremblay
- 8 Marc Tardif
- 16 Michel Goulet
- 26 Peter Šťastný
Numbers will be available again after moving to Colorado
Top 10 voting rights in the NHL Entry Draft
Surname | year | Draft position |
Bryan Fogarty | 1987 | 9. |
Curtis Leschyshyn Daniel Doré |
1988 | 3. 5. |
Mats Sundin | 1989 | 1. |
Owen Nolan | 1990 | 1. |
Eric Lindros | 1991 | 1. |
Todd Warriner | 1992 | 4th |
Jocelyn Thibault | 1993 | 10. |
swell
- sportsecyclopedia.com, History of the Nordiques de Québec (Eng.)
Web links
- Information on the Nordiques de Québec at hockeydb.com