1973-1974  Coach: Jacques Plante QUÉBEC  Record: 38-36-4, 80 points. NORDIQUES  Finish: 5th, Eastern Division  Playoffs: Did not qualify.

The Nordiques made a splash by signing goaltending great Jacques Plante to serve as the team’s coach for 1973-74, while Serge Bernier was rescued from hockey Siberia in Los Angeles to come home and play for his kinsmen. Overall, the Nordiques improved by nine points, finishing with a 38-36-4 mark and 80 points, but painfully missing out on the playoffs once again, this time being pushed aside by the Chicago Cougars. On offense, the Nordiques showed hints of what they were capable of, scoring 306 goals (third best in the league), led by Bernier’s 37 scores, followed by Alain Caron and Bobby Guindon, who both scored 31. Ex- Canadien Rejean Houle added 27 goals, as did Guy Dufour. J.-C. Tremblay once again was the star of the blue line, assisted ably by Francois Lacombe and newcomer Dale “Red” Hoganson. The goaltending was handled by Serge Aubry, Richard Brodeur and Michel Deguise rotating in nets. Although the record shows Plante was the team’s coach for the entire season, he seemed to lose his drive to coach midway into the season, sometimes leaving the team for short periods and turning over the reins to Maurice Filion. Plante would actually return to the WHA in 1974-75, this time as a player tending the nets for the Oilers. The Nordiques would seek to solve the puzzle of making the playoffs and becoming a force in the league the following year.

Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime)

date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 7 New England 4-2 W 1-0-0 2 4-2 40. Jan 6 Chicago 4-0 W 19-18-3 41 149-130 2. Oct 9 @ New England 2-3 L 1-1-0 2 6-5 41. Jan 10 Los Angeles 7-1 W 20-18-3 43 156-131 3. Oct 11 @ Toronto 4-1 W 2-1-0 4 10-6 42. Jan 12 @ Houston 1-5 L 20-19-3 43 157-136 4. Oct 13 @ Cleveland 3-6 L 2-2-0 4 13-12 43. Jan 15 @ Los Angeles 4-6 L 20-20-3 43 161-142 5. Oct 18 Toronto 5-2 W 3-2-0 6 18-14 44. Jan 19 @ Chicago 2-5 L 20-21-3 43 163-147 6. Oct 20 New York 8-1 W 4-2-0 8 26-15 45. Jan 20 Minnesota *5-4 W 21-21-3 45 168-151 7. Oct 21 @ New York 3-4 L 4-3-0 8 29-19 46. Jan 24 @ Houston 1-5 L 21-22-3 45 169-156 8. Oct 25 Chicago 2-4 L 4-4-0 8 31-23 47. Jan 25 @ Los Angeles 0-2 L 21-23-3 45 169-158 9. Oct 26 @ Minnesota 5-4 W 5-4-0 10 36-27 48. Jan 27 Cleveland 4-3 W 22-23-3 47 173-161 10. Oct 28 @ Houston 3-2 W 6-4-0 12 39-29 49. Jan 29 Los Angeles 5-0 W 23-23-3 49 178-161 11. Oct 30 @ Los Angeles 6-4 W 7-4-0 14 45-33 50. Jan 31 Houston 6-4 W 24-23-3 51 184-165 12. Oct 31 @ Vancouver 5-1 W 8-4-0 16 50-34 51. Feb 1 Toronto 2-1 W 25-23-3 53 186-166 13. Nov 2 @ Edmonton 4-5 L 8-5-0 16 54-39 52. Feb 3 Jersey 5-3 W 26-23-3 55 191-169 14. Nov 4 @ Winnipeg 2-8 L 8-6-0 16 56-47 53. Feb 6 @ New England 3-0 W 27-23-3 57 194-169 15. Nov 6 Winnipeg 2-2 T 8-6-1 17 58-49 54. Feb 8 @ Vancouver 3-7 L 27-24-3 57 197-176 16. Nov 8 Edmonton 3-4 L 8-7-1 17 61-53 55. Feb 10 @ Edmonton 4-3 W 28-24-3 59 201-179 17. Nov 10 @ New York 3-4 L 8-8-1 17 64-57 56. Feb 12 @ Toronto 4-6 L 28-25-3 59 205-185 18. Nov 11 New England 3-2 W 9-8-1 19 67-59 57. Feb 14 @ Chicago 5-3 W 29-25-3 61 210-188 19. Nov 15 New England 3-5 L 9-9-1 19 70-64 58. Feb 16 @ Cleveland 2-5 L 29-26-3 61 212-193 20. Nov 17 @ New England 10-4 W 10-9-1 21 80-68 59. Feb 17 @ Jersey 3-10 L 29-27-3 61 215-203 21. Nov 18 Houston 8-3 W 11-9-1 23 88-71 60. Feb 19 Cleveland *6-5 W 30-27-3 63 221-208 22. Nov 22 Toronto 2-4 L 11-10-1 23 90-75 61. Feb 22 Minnesota 4-6 L 30-28-3 63 225-214 23. Nov 23 @ Cleveland 3-2 W 12-10-1 25 93-77 62. Feb 24 Jersey 7-4 W 31-28-3 65 232-218 24. Nov 25 @ Jersey 1-3 L 12-11-1 25 94-80 63. Feb 26 Winnipeg 7-1 W 32-28-3 67 239-219 25. Nov 27 @ Toronto 1-3 L 12-12-1 25 95-83 64. Feb 28 Vancouver 9-4 W 33-28-3 69 248-223 26. Nov 29 Cleveland 4-4 T 12-12-2 26 99-87 65. Mar 3 @ Winnipeg 6-8 L 33-29-3 69 254-231 27. Dec 1 Houston 3-3 T 12-12-3 27 102-90 66. Mar 7 Chicago 2-3 L 33-30-3 69 256-234 28. Dec 2 @ Winnipeg 3-5 L 12-13-3 27 105-95 67. Mar 9 @ Minnesota 5-9 L 33-31-3 69 261-243 29. Dec 8 @ Minnesota 1-4 L 12-14-3 27 106-99 68. Mar 10 Jersey 5-2 W 34-31-3 71 266-245 30. Dec 9 Chicago 6-1 W 13-14-3 29 112-100 69. Mar 14 @ Toronto 3-2 W 35-31-3 73 269-247 31. Dec 12 @ Vancouver *1-2 L 13-15-3 29 113-102 70. Mar 16 @ Chicago *3-4 L 35-32-3 73 272-251 32. Dec 14 @ Edmonton 4-3 W 14-15-3 31 117-105 71. Mar 17 Minnesota 3-5 L 35-33-3 73 275-256 33. Dec 16 @ Toronto *4-3 W 15-15-3 33 121-108 72. Mar 21 Edmonton 5-5 T 35-33-4 74 280-261 34. Dec 18 Edmonton 4-2 W 16-15-3 35 125-110 73. Mar 23 Vancouver 6-2 W 36-33-4 76 286-263 35. Dec 22 Toronto 4-6 L 16-16-3 35 129-116 74. Mar 24 New England 4-3 W 37-33-4 78 290-266 36. Dec 27 Cleveland 4-2 W 17-16-3 37 133-118 75. Mar 27 @ Cleveland *4-5 L 37-34-4 78 294-271 37. Dec 28 @ Chicago 4-6 L 17-17-3 37 137-124 76. Mar 28 Los Angeles 9-3 W 38-34-4 80 303-274 38. Dec 29 Winnipeg 3-4 L 17-18-3 37 140-128 77. Mar 30 Toronto 1-3 L 38-35-4 80 304-277 39. Jan 5 Vancouver 5-2 W 18-18-3 39 145-130 78. Mar 31 @ New England *2-3 L 38-36-4 80 306-280

148