1974-75 WCLH Season

 

Standings

1. Lethbridge Cougars

2. Saskatoon Cats

3. Fargo Owls

4. Medicine Hat Hawks

5. Nanaimo Greyhounds

6. Abbotsford Forest Kings

7. North Battleford Crusaders

8. Kenora Pioneers

9. Moose Jaw Wings

10. Brandon Buffalos

Story:

On January 5, 1975, Greg Peterson passed away, his brother Jake takes over the club. One of Greg’s requests is to have his brother change the team’s name. Jake will announce the team’s new name comes to the 1975 off-season. The team put a patch with “GP” on both jerseys to honour Greg.

The new team, the Kenora Pioneers, surprised many critics with some good key wins, including winning the season series against the defending Jade Trophy champions Brandon Buffalos (2-1-1.) The team played well enough to finish 8th place and becoming the first team in WCLH history to make it to the playoffs on their first season.

Thanks to that history by the Pioneers, another one was made but not in a pretty way for the Buffalos. They lost their players from expansion drafts to Pro hockey drafts during the off-season. The team went through a rough season, including a 15-game losing streak that landed them in the last place, making them the first team in WCLH history to ever miss the playoffs after winning the Jade Trophy title a season ago.

Fargo made a big jump this season thanks to their goalie Shawn McNaughton of Grand Forks ND, with 20 wins and eight shutouts, the highest made by a goalie to this date. Owls rookie Tom Gregson made an impression with 25 goals, 32 assists. It would not be enough for the Owls to get swept by the Cats in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

3rd time was a charm for the Cougars as they seeded 1st for the third season in a row and went all the way to the finals beating the Saskatoon Cats 3 to 1 to win their first Jade Trophy title since winning the title in 1965.