1978-79 Birmingham Bulls
Record: 32-42-6, 70 pts
No longer will teams visiting Birmingham be bullied. Instead, with the sixth-place Bulls of a year ago losing several regulars at various positions, owner John Bassett has gone to the under-age junior approach to try to build his team. What it will cost him, in addition to slightly-less fanatical audiences with enforcers such as Steve Durbano and Frank Beaton no longer around to stir up the crowd, is probably a spot in the playoffs.
Last year the Bulls set a Major League mark for penalty minutes (2,187) and increased their victory total by 5 to 36, to go along with 41 losses and three ties. Their record of 287 goals for and 314 against was quite similar to the preceding years' mark of 289 for and 309 against, and they can thank goaltender John Garrett, who worked in 58 games, for that.
However, they have lost leading goal scorer and point getter Ken Linesman (38 goals, 38 assists) to the Philadelphia Flyers, and will also be without Mark Napier, who became a free agent on August 31. Napier ranked fourth on the club in scoring with 33 goals and 32 assists. Also missing from the forward lines will be Frank Mahovlich, who struggled through last season after knee surgery and who, at age 39, wasn't offered a contract; and speedy young Tony McKegney, who was released from his contract to sign with the Buffalo Sabres.
From their defense, the Bulls lost their two top tormentors, Durbano, who is the league's number one bad man with 284 penalty minutes, and Beaton, who was close behind with just five minutes less.
Durbano opted for what he termed more security in signing with the St. Louis Blues, while Beaton inked a pact with the New York Rangers.
That doesn't mean that the Bulls will suddenly become patsies. They still have left winger Gilles Bilodeau, who finished third in the penalties race with 258 minutes, and defenseman Dave (Slap Shot) Hanson, who was tied for fourth spot with a rousing 241 total. But with half of their intimidators removed, the Bulls will be less ornery.
Rounding out the defense crew are captain Dale Hoganson, who missed 37 games due to injury last year; Brent Hughes, who led the defense and scoring with 9 goals and 35 assists; and veterans like Serge Beaudoin, Jim Turkiewicz and Pat Westrum.
Center remains one of the Bulls' strong points, with Peter Marin, the club's leading scorer after Linseman, with 73 points including 28 goals; second-year-man Tony Cassolato (18-25-43), J. C. Stewart, who centered for Dave Gorman (19-21-40) and Steve Alley, a line which carried the team into the playoffs with 17 points on the final night of the season, a game which gave the bulls sixth place.
On the left side there's Paul Henderson, who was back in 1972-Team-Canada form with a 37-29-66 season, young Rod Langway, tough Bilodeau, and Gord Gallant.
Two of the club's top right wingers, Phil Roberto and Joe Noris, who also plays center, should be healthy after each missing a number of games last year.
The team's fortunes in goal, of course, are handled by 27-year-old John Garrett and his 5-9, 170-pound frame. He was second in minutes played by WHA goaltenders last year, saw 1,714 shots directed his way, and still managed to come up with 24 of the team's 36 victories. Wayne Wood was his backup with a 3.83 goals against average, 0.02 higher than Garrett's.
Next season will undoubtedly be a rebuilding year for the Bulls, though, as they expose a whole batch of teenagers to life as a professional hockey player. That's because owner Bassett went out and signed four players who still have a year of junior eligibility to one-year contracts calling for $60,000 apiece.
"If an 18 year old can vote, can drink, can fight for his country, then what's wrong with them making a living playing hockey?" Asked Bassett, who added that it would be unfair to deprive a young man the chance to earn $60,000 a year rather than $75 a week as a junior.
Although WHA policy does not advocate signing underage players, last year's court ruling on the Ken Linseman case which upheld Bassett's right to sign him, has opened the door to make way for more underage players entering the league.
Three junior defensemen, Rob Ramage of London (OHA), Craig Hartsburg of Sault Ste. Marie of the same league, and Gaston Gingras of Brantford, each agreed to one year deals with the Bulls and will fight for a job on defense, while right winger Rick Vaive of Sherbrooke in the Quebec league, who turned in a 76-79-155 season, appears likely to find a place in the starting lineup.
There is some talent on the Birmingham club, but it will be difficult for them to move up in the standings with so many key players removed from the club. They'll likely be sixth again, but this year it's only a seven-team league.
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Michel Goulet, Craig Hartsburg, Rob Ramage signed to contracts, Jun 1978
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
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• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
(c) Scott Surgent
Finish: 6th, League
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: John Brophy
Bulls Preview, 1978-79 • The Hockey News 1979 Yearbook
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
1 Oct 13 Winnipeg *4-5 L 0-1-0 0 4-5 41 Jan 19 @ Edmonton 3-11 L 15-23-3 33 144-167
2 Oct 15 @ Indianapolis 9-3 W 1-1-0 2 13-8 42 Jan 21 @ Edmonton 4-3 W 16-23-3 35 148-170
3 Oct 20 @ Cincinnati 2-5 L 1-2-0 2 15-13 43 Jan 23 Quebec 5-7 L 16-24-3 35 153-177
4 Oct 22 @ Quebec 8-5 W 2-2-0 4 23-18 44 Jan 26 New England 5-4 W 17-24-3 37 158-181
5 Oct 24 @ Edmonton 3-2 W 3-2-0 6 26-20 45 Jan 30 Quebec 2-1 W 18-24-3 39 160-182
6 Oct 25 @ Winnipeg 2-7 L 3-3-0 6 28-27 46 Feb 1 Quebec 7-5 W 19-24-3 41 167-187
7 Oct 27 Indianapolis 4-2 W 4-3-0 8 32-29 47 Feb 3 New England 2-2 T 19-24-4 42 169-189
8 Nov 1 @ Cincinnati *4-3 W 5-3-0 10 36-32 48 Feb 6 @ Edmonton 2-6 L 19-25-4 42 171-195
9 Nov 3 Quebec 2-3 L 5-4-0 10 38-35 49 Feb 7 @ Winnipeg 2-3 L 19-26-4 42 173-198
10 Nov 4 Quebec 1-4 L 5-5-0 10 39-39 50 Feb 11 @ Edmonton *3-4 L 19-27-4 42 176-202
11 Nov 9 Winnipeg 6-5 W 6-5-0 12 45-44 51 Feb 14 @ New England 7-4 W 20-27-4 44 183-206
12 Nov 11 Edmonton 3-5 L 6-6-0 12 48-49 52 Feb 16 Winnipeg 2-1 W 21-27-4 46 185-207
13 Nov 14 New England 5-5 T 6-6-1 13 53-54 53 Feb 18 Edmonton 3-6 L 21-28-4 46 188-213
14 Nov 17 New England 7-1 W 7-6-1 15 60-55 54 Feb 20 Quebec 3-7 L 21-29-4 46 191-220
15 Nov 18 @ New England 3-2 W 8-6-1 17 63-57 55 Feb 23 Winnipeg 9-1 W 22-29-4 48 200-221
16 Nov 22 @ Cincinnati *5-6 L 8-7-1 17 68-63 56 Feb 25 @ Edmonton 4-5 L 22-30-4 48 204-226
17 Nov 23 Cincinnati 3-4 L 8-8-1 17 71-67 57 Feb 27 @ Winnipeg 5-2 W 23-30-4 50 209-228
18 Nov 25 @ New England 2-5 L 8-9-1 17 73-72 58 Mar 3 @ Quebec 2-3 L 23-31-4 50 211-231
19 Nov 26 @ New England 3-9 L 8-10-1 17 76-81 59 Mar 4 @ Quebec 4-5 L 23-32-4 50 215-236
20 Nov 29 @ Quebec 4-7 L 8-11-1 17 80-88 60 Mar 6 Winnipeg 5-4 W 24-32-4 52 220-240
21 Dec 1 @ Indianapolis 3-6 L 8-12-1 17 83-94 61 Mar 9 Edmonton 4-4 T 24-32-5 53 224-244
22 Dec 2 Indianapolis 4-2 W 9-12-1 19 87-96 62 Mar 11 Edmonton 0-4 L 24-33-5 53 224-248
23 Dec 7 Cincinnati 4-2 W 10-12-1 21 91-98 63 Mar 13 New England 3-4 L 24-34-5 53 227-252
24 Dec 9 Edmonton 6-2 W 11-12-1 23 97-100 64 Mar 15 @ New England *4-3 W 25-34-5 55 231-255
25 Dec 10 Cincinnati 1-0 W 12-12-1 25 98-100 65 Mar 16 New England 5-5 T 25-34-6 56 236-260
26 Dec 14 @ Quebec 2-3 L 12-13-1 25 100-103 66 Mar 18 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 25-35-6 56 238-264
27 Dec 16 @ Cincinnati 2-2 T 12-13-2 26 102-105 67 Mar 20 @ Cincinnati 2-5 L 25-36-6 56 240-269
28 Dec 17 Soviet All-Stars 2-2 T 12-13-3 27 104-107 68 Mar 23 Cincinnati 2-1 W 26-36-6 58 242-270
29 Dec 19 Edmonton 2-5 L 12-14-3 27 106-112 69 Mar 24 @ New England 4-3 W 27-36-6 60 246-273
30 Dec 22 Quebec 1-5 L 12-15-3 27 107-117 70 Mar 25 @ Quebec 2-3 L 27-37-6 60 248-276
31 Dec 23 @ New England 3-4 L 12-16-3 27 110-121 71 Mar 27 New England 3-1 W 28-37-6 62 251-277
32 Dec 26 Cincinnati 4-2 W 13-16-3 29 114-123 72 Mar 30 Cincinnati 2-3 L 28-38-6 62 253-280
33 Dec 28 @ Cincinnati 6-5 W 14-16-3 31 120-128 73 Mar 31 Cincinnati 6-3 W 29-38-6 64 259-283
34 Dec 29 @ New England 0-5 L 14-17-3 31 120-133 74 Apr 3 Quebec 5-3 W 30-38-6 66 264-286
35 Dec 30 @ Quebec 2-3 L 14-18-3 31 122-136 75 Apr 6 @ Winnipeg 2-1 W 31-38-6 68 266-287
36 Jan 7 Czechoslovakia 10-2 W 15-18-3 33 132-138 76 Apr 8 @ Edmonton 4-5 L 31-39-6 68 270-292
37 Jan 12 Winnipeg 1-3 L 15-19-3 33 133-141 77 Apr 11 @ Winnipeg 1-2 L 31-40-6 68 271-294
38 Jan 13 Winnipeg 1-3 L 15-20-3 33 134-144 78 Apr 13 Edmonton 4-6 L 31-41-6 68 275-300
39 Jan 14 @ Cincinnati 2-4 L 15-21-3 33 136-148 79 Apr 14 Edmonton 7-6 W 32-41-6 70 282-306
40 Jan 17 @ Cincinnati 5-8 L 15-22-3 33 141-156 80 Apr 15 @ Winnipeg *4-5 L 32-42-6 70 286-311
pos.
Player
C Adduono, Rick
LW Alley, Steve
D Beaudoin, Serge
RW Cassolato, Tony
RW Crowder, Keith
C Dillon, Wayne
D Gingras, Gaston
RW Gorman, Dave
LW Goulet, Michel
D Hanson, Dave
D Hartsburg, Craig
LW Henderson, Paul
D Hughes, Brent
C Kirk, Gavin
C Marrin, Peter
C O'Neil, Paul
D Ramage, Rob
G Riggin, Pat
RW Sleigher, Louis
D Stephenson, Bob
C Stewart, John C.
D Tebbutt, Greg
D Turkiewicz, Jim
RW Vaive, Rick
G Wakely, Ernie
G Wood, Wayne
Goaltender
Riggin, Pat
Wakely, Ernie
Wood, Wayne
• Rick Adduono, Keith Crowder, Paul O'Neil, Pat Riggin signed to contracts, Jul 1978
• Ernie Wakely signed to contract after securing release from Winnipeg, Jul 1978 (Winnipeg had purchased his contract from defunct Houston)
• Louis Sleigher signed to contract, Sep 1978
• Dave Hanson purchased from Detroit (NHL), Dec 1978
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Cincinnati 7-7-1 50-53 5-2-0 22-15 2-5-1 28-38
Edmonton 4-10-1 52-74 2-5-1 29-38 2-5-0 23-36
Indianapolis 3-1-0 20-13 2-0-0 8-4 1-1-0 12-9
New England 7-5-3 56-57 3-1-3 30-27 4-4-0 26-35
Quebec 4-11-0 50-64 3-5-0 26-35 1-6-0 24-29
Winnipeg 6-8-0 46-46 4-3-0 28-22 2-5-0 18-24
Touring Teams 1-0-1 12-4 1-0-1 12-4 0-0-0 0-0
October 4-3-0 32-29 1-1-0 8-7 3-2-0 24-22
November 4-8-1 48-59 2-4-1 27-27 2-4-0 21-32
December 6-7-2 42-48 5-2-1 24-20 1-5-1 18-28
January 4-6-0 38-46 3-3-0 24-20 1-3-0 14-26
February 5-6-1 49-46 3-2-1 26-22 2-4-0 23-24
March 6-8-2 50-55 4-3-2 30-29 2-5-0 20-26
April 3-4-0 27-28 2-1-0 16-15 1-3-0 11-13
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WHA Fact Book, 2nd ed
Complete WHA, 11th ed