1973–74 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1973–74 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' fourth season in the National Hockey League.

1973–74 Buffalo Sabres
Division	5th East
1973–74 record	32–34–12
Home record	23–10–6
Road record	9–24–6
Goals for	242
Goals against	250
Team information
General manager	Punch Imlach
Coach	Joe Crozier
Captain	Gerry Meehan
Alternate captains	Don Luce Gilbert Perreault Jim Schoenfeld
Arena	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Average attendance	15,668
Team leaders
Goals	Rick Martin (52)
Assists	Rene Robert (44)
Points	Rick Martin (86)
Penalty minutes	Larry Carriere (103)
Wins	Dave Dryden (23)
Goals against average	Dave Dryden (2.97)
← 1972–73 1974–75 →

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team
1	12	Morris Titanic	Left wing	Canada	Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
2	28	Jean Landry	Defense	Canada	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
3	44	Andre Deschamps	Left wing	Canada	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
4	60	Yvon Dupuis	Right wing	Canada	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5	76	Bob Smulders	Right wing	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
6	92	Neil Korzack	Left wing	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
7	108	Bob Young	Defense	United States	University of Denver (NCAA)
8	124	Tim O'Connell	Right wing	United States	University of Vermont (NCAA)

Regular season

Death of Tim Horton

Early on the morning of February 21, 1974, while driving on the Queen Elizabeth Way from Toronto to Buffalo in his white De Tomaso Pantera sports car, (a gift from Sabres' GM George "Punch" Imlach), Horton was involved in what is now an infamous accident. He was negotiating a curve on the QEW where it crosses over Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines when he lost control and hit a cement culvert. The impact flipped the vehicle and Horton was thrown. He was not wearing a seat belt. Horton was reported dead on arrival at the local hospital, aged only 44. A police officer pursuing Horton's vehicle said that he had been travelling at over 160 km/h (100 mph).

There were reports Horton had consumed a considerable amount of vodka, and was rumoured to have been taking pain killers due to a jaw injury suffered in practice the day before. An autopsy report released in 2005 showed Horton had a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit. The blood test also showed signs of amobarbital, which was possibly a residue from the Dexamyl pills that were found on Horton's body. The autopsy showed no indication Horton was taking painkillers as previously thought.

Season standings

East Division^[1]

• v
• t
• e

		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	DIFF	Pts
1	Boston Bruins	78	52	17	9	349	221	+128	113
2	Montreal Canadiens	78	45	24	9	293	240	+53	99
3	New York Rangers	78	40	24	14	300	251	+49	94
4	Toronto Maple Leafs	78	35	27	16	274	230	+44	86
5	Buffalo Sabres	78	32	34	12	242	250	−8	76
6	Detroit Red Wings	78	29	39	10	255	319	−64	68
7	Vancouver Canucks	78	24	43	11	224	296	−72	59
8	New York Islanders	78	19	41	18	182	247	−65	56

Record vs. opponents

Vs. East Division 1973–74 NHL records^[2] Team BOS BUF DET MTL NYI NYR TOR VAN Total Boston — 4–1 4–1–1 4–2 4–1 4–1 4–2 4–0–1 28–8–2 Buffalo 1–4 — 5–1 0–3–2 3–0–2 2–2–1 2–3–1 2–4 15–17–6 Detroit 1–4–1 1–5 — 2–3 4–1 2–3–1 2–2–1 2–3 14–21–3 Montreal 2–4 3–0–2 3–2 — 4–1–1 4–2 2–3 4–0–1 22–12–4 N.Y. Islanders 1–4 0–3–2 1–4 1–4–1 — 1–4 0–4–2 2–1–3 6–24–8 N.Y. Rangers 1–4 2–2–1 3–2–1 2–4 4–1 — 1–2–2 4–1–1 17–16–5 Toronto 2–4 3–2–1 2–2–1 3–2 4–0–2 2–1–2 — 0–4–1 16–15–7 Vancouver 0–4–1 4–2 3–2 0–4–1 1–2–3 1–4–1 4–0–1 — 13–18–7

Vs. West Division 1973–74 NHL records Team ATL CAL CHI LAK MIN PHI PIT STL Total Boston 2–3 4–1 0–2–3 3–1–1 3–0–2 3–1–1 5–0 4–1 24–9–7 Buffalo 1–3–1 3–2 2–0–3 4–1 3–1–1 0–5 2–3 2–2–1 17–17–6 Detroit 1–3–1 4–1 0–4–1 3–1–1 2–1–2 0–5 2–2–1 3–1–1 15–18–7 Montreal 2–3 3–1–1 2–2–1 3–1–1 4–1 2–2–1 4–0–1 3–2 23–12–5 N.Y. Islanders 3–1–1 2–1–2 1–2–2 1–3–1 3–1–1 0–5 1–2–2 2–2–1 13–17–10 N.Y. Rangers 2–1–2 5–0 1–3–1 2–1–2 4–0–1 2–1–2 4–1 3–1–1 23–8–9 Toronto 4–0–1 4–0–1 1–3–1 2–1–2 3–1–1 0–4–1 3–1–1 2–2–1 19–12–9 Vancouver 2–3 4–1 0–4–1 2–3 0–4–1 1–3–1 1–4 1–3–1 11–25–4

Schedule and results

Regular season results
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	L	October 10, 1973	4–7	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	0–1–0
2	W	October 13, 1973	4–3	@ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74)	1–1–0
3	L	October 14, 1973	1–3	Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	1–2–0
4	W	October 18, 1973	6–2	Los Angeles Kings (1973–74)	2–2–0
5	W	October 20, 1973	2–1	@ New York Islanders (1973–74)	3–2–0
6	W	October 21, 1973	4–3	Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	4–2–0
7	W	October 24, 1973	3–1	Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74)	5–2–0
8	L	October 25, 1973	4–9	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74)	5–3–0
9	W	October 28, 1973	5–2	New York Islanders (1973–74)	6–3–0
10	W	October 31, 1973	3–2	California Golden Seals (1973–74)	7–3–0
11	T	November 4, 1973	1–1	Montreal Canadiens (1973–74)	7–3–1
12	L	November 6, 1973	2–3	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	7–4–1
13	L	November 9, 1973	3–6	@ California Golden Seals (1973–74)	7–5–1
14	W	November 10, 1973	5–3	@ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74)	8–5–1
15	W	November 14, 1973	3–1	@ Atlanta Flames (1973–74)	9–5–1
16	L	November 17, 1973	5–8	@ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74)	9–6–1
17	L	November 18, 1973	0–2	California Golden Seals (1973–74)	9–7–1
18	L	November 21, 1973	2–3	@ Atlanta Flames (1973–74)	9–8–1
19	L	November 22, 1973	6–7	New York Rangers (1973–74)	9–9–1
20	L	November 25, 1973	3–4	Atlanta Flames (1973–74)	9–10–1
21	W	November 29, 1973	2–1	Los Angeles Kings (1973–74)	10–10–1
22	W	December 1, 1973	4–1	@ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	11–10–1
23	W	December 2, 1973	6–1	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	12–10–1
24	W	December 6, 1973	8–4	New York Rangers (1973–74)	13–10–1
25	L	December 8, 1973	2–5	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74)	13–11–1
26	W	December 9, 1973	5–2	Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	14–11–1
27	T	December 12, 1973	1–1	@ New York Rangers (1973–74)	14–11–2
28	L	December 15, 1973	3–4	@ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74)	14–12–2
29	L	December 16, 1973	2–5	St. Louis Blues (1973–74)	14–13–2
30	T	December 19, 1973	2–2	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74)	14–13–3
31	T	December 20, 1973	2–2	Montreal Canadiens (1973–74)	14–13–4
32	L	December 22, 1973	1–7	@ Montreal Canadiens (1973–74)	14–14–4
33	W	December 23, 1973	3–2	Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74)	15–14–4
34	W	December 27, 1973	3–1	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	16–14–4
35	L	December 30, 1973	4–5	Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74)	16–15–4
36	W	December 31, 1973	6–5	@ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	17–15–4
37	W	January 3, 1974	6–1	Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74)	18–15–4
38	L	January 5, 1974	2–5	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74)	18–16–4
39	W	January 6, 1974	6–3	Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	19–16–4
40	L	January 9, 1974	0–3	@ Atlanta Flames (1973–74)	19–17–4
41	W	January 10, 1974	7–2	New York Rangers (1973–74)	20–17–4
42	L	January 12, 1974	2–5	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74)	20–18–4
43	W	January 13, 1974	1–0	St. Louis Blues (1973–74)	21–18–4
44	L	January 17, 1974	2–7	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74)	21–19–4
45	T	January 19, 1974	2–2	@ New York Islanders (1973–74)	21–19–5
46	W	January 20, 1974	6–4	California Golden Seals (1973–74)	22–19–5
47	L	January 24, 1974	1–4	Montreal Canadiens (1973–74)	22–20–5
48	L	January 27, 1974	2–3	Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	22–21–5
49	L	January 31, 1974	3–4	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74)	22–22–5
50	L	February 2, 1974	1–6	@ St. Louis Blues (1973–74)	22–23–5
51	T	February 3, 1974	3–3	Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	22–23–6
52	L	February 6, 1974	1–5	@ Los Angeles Kings (1973–74)	22–24–6
53	W	February 8, 1974	7–2	@ California Golden Seals (1973–74)	23–24–6
54	L	February 10, 1974	2–5	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	23–25–6
55	W	February 14, 1974	4–2	Los Angeles Kings (1973–74)	24–25–6
56	W	February 17, 1974	2–1	Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	25–25–6
57	L	February 20, 1974	2–4	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	25–26–6
58	T	February 21, 1974	4–4	Atlanta Flames (1973–74)	25–26–7
59	W	February 24, 1974	3–2	Boston Bruins (1973–74)	26–26–7
60	T	February 28, 1974	2–2	Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74)	26–26–8
61	L	March 2, 1974	2–4	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74)	26–27–8
62	W	March 3, 1974	4–3	New York Islanders (1973–74)	27–27–8
63	T	March 6, 1974	4–4	@ Minnesota North Stars (1973–74)	27–27–9
64	W	March 8, 1974	4–2	@ Vancouver Canucks (1973–74)	28–27–9
65	L	March 10, 1974	3–4	Philadelphia Flyers (1973–74)	28–28–9
66	L	March 12, 1974	0–4	@ Boston Bruins (1973–74)	28–29–9
67	L	March 14, 1974	3–4	Boston Bruins (1973–74)	28–30–9
68	T	March 16, 1974	2–2	@ St. Louis Blues (1973–74)	28–30–10
69	W	March 17, 1974	5–2	Minnesota North Stars (1973–74)	29–30–10
70	W	March 20, 1974	3–2	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74)	30–30–10
71	T	March 23, 1974	1–1	@ New York Islanders (1973–74)	30–30–11
72	L	March 24, 1974	3–5	@ New York Rangers (1973–74)	30–31–11
73	L	March 27, 1974	1–3	@ Detroit Red Wings (1973–74)	30–32–11
74	T	March 28, 1974	2–2	Chicago Black Hawks (1973–74)	30–32–12
75	W	March 31, 1974	6–1	Minnesota North Stars (1973–74)	31–32–12
76	L	April 4, 1974	2–4	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1973–74)	31–33–12
77	L	April 6, 1974	1–3	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1973–74)	31–34–12
78	W	April 7, 1974	5–2	St. Louis Blues (1973–74)	32–34–12

Player statistics

Forwards

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

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM

Defencemen

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

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Player	GP	W	L	T	SO	GAA

Playoffs

The Sabres did not qualify for the 1974 Stanley Cup playoffs, despite qualifying the previous year.

Awards and records

• Rick Martin, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star

References

• Sabres on Hockey Database

1. "1973–1974 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
2. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.