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1968–69 Oakland Seals
Division2nd West
1968–69 record29–36–11
Goals for219
Goals against251
Team information
General manager Frank Selke, Jr.
Coach Fred Glover
Captain Ted Hampson
ArenaOakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
Average attendance4,584
Team leaders
Goals Norm Ferguson (34)
Assists Ted Hampson (49)
PointsTed Hampson (75)
Penalty minutes Carol Vadnais (151)
Wins Gary Smith (21)
Goals against averageGary Smith (2.96)
←  1967–68
1969–70 →

The 1968–69 Oakland Seals season was the Seals' second season in the National Hockey League. For the first time in their history they qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs after finishing second in the West Division, with a record of 26–36–11. They were upset in the playoffs, losing their quarter-finals series to the fourth-place Los Angeles Kings in seven games (Oakland's three playoff game victories against Los Angeles were the only ones the franchise would get in their entire ten-year history).

Off-season

Frank Selke, Jr. was named general manager of the team, replacing Bert Olmstead. Selke hired Fred Glover as coach. [1] Rumors persisted over the off-season that the team would be sold to brothers Northrup and Seymour Knox III and moved to Buffalo. [2]

Amateur draft

Main article: 1968 NHL Amateur Draft
Round Pick Player Nationality College/junior/club team
2 13. Doug Smith ( C)   Canada Winnipeg Jets ( WCJHL)
3 20. Jim Trewin ( D)   Canada Flin Flon Bombers ( WCJHL)

Regular season

Early in 1969 the Knox brothers did buy a 20% stake in the team; the remaining 80% was purchased by Trans-National Communications, a holding company based in New York City. [3] The sale was $4.5 million: $1.6 million for Seals outright; $1.9 million in debt; the remaining expansion fee due to the NHL; a $680,000 loan to Labatt Brewery; an undisclosed sum to Hockey Investors Inc. (their role in the sale was not disclosed); and settlements to Rudy Pilous, Bert Olmstead, and Gord Fashoway. [4]

The Seals finished the season with a record of 26 wins, 36 losses, and 11 ties, second in the West Division. [5] Attendance averaged 4,584 per game. [6]

Norm Ferguson scored 34 goals, tying him with Danny Grant for the most by an NHL rookie (set by Nels Stewart in 1925–26. [5] Ferguson finished second to Grant in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie-of-the-year. Ted Hampson won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for "exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey". This would be the only major NHL trophy a Seal player would win. Hampson also finished second overall in voting for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship. [7]

Final standings

West Division [8]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1 St. Louis Blues 76 37 25 14 204 157 +47 88
2 Oakland Seals 76 29 36 11 219 251 −32 69
3 Philadelphia Flyers 76 20 35 21 174 225 −51 61
4 Los Angeles Kings 76 24 42 10 185 260 −75 58
5 Pittsburgh Penguins 76 20 45 11 189 252 −63 51
6 Minnesota North Stars 76 18 43 15 189 270 −81 51

Record vs. opponents


Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1 L October 11, 1968 1–5 Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 0–1–0
2 T October 13, 1968 4–4 Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 0–1–1
3 L October 16, 1968 1–2 Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 0–2–1
4 L October 19, 1968 1–4 @ St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 0–3–1
5 W October 20, 1968 4–3 @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 1–3–1
6 W October 22, 1968 3–2 @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 2–3–1
7 L October 23, 1968 1–6 @ New York Rangers ( 1968–69) 2–4–1
8 L October 25, 1968 2–4 Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 2–5–1
9 T October 27, 1968 2–2 Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 2–5–2
10 W November 1, 1968 5–2 Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 3–5–2
11 L November 3, 1968 1–3 Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 3–6–2
12 L November 8, 1968 2–3 New York Rangers 1 ( 1968–69) 3–7–2
13 L November 10, 1968 1–3 Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 3–8–2
14 L November 12, 1968 1–3 @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 3–9–2
15 W November 13, 1968 2–1 Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 4–9–2
16 T November 16, 1968 3–3 @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 4–9–3
17 L November 17, 1968 3–6 @ Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 4–10–3
18 L November 20, 1968 0–7 @ St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 4–11–3
19 L November 21, 1968 1–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 4–12–3
20 W November 23, 1968 2–1 @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 5–12–3
21 L November 24, 1968 2–3 @ New York Rangers ( 1968–69) 5–13–3
22 T November 27, 1968 3–3 @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 5–13–4
23 W November 29, 1968 5–4 Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 6–13–4
24 T December 1, 1968 4–4 Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 6–13–5
25 W December 6, 1968 4–0 Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 7–13–5
26 L December 8, 1968 1–4 Minnesota North Stars 1 ( 1968–69) 7–14–5
27 W December 12, 1968 6–0 Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 8–14–5
28 L December 14, 1968 1–3 @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 8–15–5
29 L December 15, 1968 4–7 @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 8–16–5
30 W December 17, 1968 3–2 @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 9–16–5
31 L December 18, 1968 2–5 @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 9–17–5
32 L December 20, 1968 0–1 St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 9–18–5
33 W December 22, 1968 2–1 Philadelphia Flyers 1 ( 1968–69) 10–18–5
34 W December 25, 1968 3–1 @ Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 11–18–5
35 L December 26, 1968 1–3 @ New York Rangers ( 1968–69) 11–19–5
36 W December 28, 1968 4–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 12–19–5
37 W December 29, 1968 2–1 @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 13–19–5
38 L January 1, 1969 3–7 @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 13–20–5
39 L January 3, 1969 1–3 St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 13–21–5
40 T January 5, 1969 0–0 Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 13–21–6
41 L January 9, 1969 4–8 @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 13–22–6
42 W January 11, 1969 4–2 @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 14–22–6
43 L January 12, 1969 1–5 @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 14–23–6
44 W January 15, 1969 4–3 Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 15–23–6
45 L January 17, 1969 1–3 New York Rangers ( 1968–69) 15–24–6
46 W January 19, 1969 6–3 Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 16–24–6
47 W January 23, 1969 5–3 @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 17–24–6
48 L January 25, 1969 3–5 @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 17–25–6
49 L January 26, 1969 1–3 @ St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 17–26–6
50 T January 29, 1969 3–3 Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 17–26–7
51 W January 31, 1969 5–4 Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 18–26–7
52 L February 1, 1969 5–8 @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 18–27–7
53 W February 5, 1969 5–1 Montreal Canadiens ( 1968–69) 19–27–7
54 W February 8, 1969 4–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 20–27–7
55 T February 9, 1969 3–3 @ Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 20–27–8
56 W February 12, 1969 3–2 New York Rangers ( 1968–69) 21–27–8
57 T February 15, 1969 4–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 21–27–9
58 L February 16, 1969 2–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 21–28–9
59 W February 19, 1969 5–2 Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 22–28–9
60 W February 21, 1969 3–2 St. Louis Blues 1 ( 1968–69) 23–28–9
61 L February 23, 1969 3–4 Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 23–29–9
62 W February 26, 1969 6–5 Minnesota North Stars 1 ( 1968–69) 24–29–9
63 L February 27, 1969 0–9 Boston Bruins ( 1968–69) 24–30–9
64 T March 2, 1969 4–4 Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 24–30–10
65 L March 5, 1969 2–5 @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 24–31–10
66 L March 8, 1969 2–5 @ St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 24–32–10
67 L March 9, 1969 3–5 @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1968–69) 24–33–10
68 W March 12, 1969 4–1 @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1968–69) 25–33–10
69 L March 13, 1969 1–3 Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1968–69) 25–34–10
70 W March 16, 1969 7–2 Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1968–69) 26–34–10
71 L March 18, 1969 2–3 @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 26–35–10
72 T March 19, 1969 4–4 Detroit Red Wings ( 1968–69) 26–35–11
73 W March 22, 1969 4–0 @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 27–35–11
74 W March 23, 1969 5–4 Los Angeles Kings ( 1968–69) 28–35–11
75 L March 26, 1969 3–5 St. Louis Blues ( 1968–69) 28–36–11
76 W March 29, 1969 7–2 Minnesota North Stars ( 1968–69) 29–36–11
  • ^1 Game played at Cow Palace in Daly City.

Player statistics

Skaters

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

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
Ted Hampson 10 76 26 49 75 6 7 3 4 7 2
Bill Hicke 9 67 25 36 61 68 7 0 3 3 4
Norm Ferguson 17 76 34 20 54 31 7 1 4 5 7
Gary Jarrett 12 63 22 23 45 22 7 2 1 3 4
Gerry Ehman 8 70 21 24 45 12 7 2 2 4 0
Mike Laughton 15 53 20 23 43 22 7 3 2 5 0
Carol Vadnais 5 76 15 27 42 151 7 1 4 5 10
Brian Perry 20 61 10 21 31 10 6 1 1 2 4
Earl Ingarfield† 7 26 8 15 23 8 7 4 6 10 2
Joe Szura 18 70 9 12 21 20 7 2 3 5 2
Doug Roberts 2 76 1 19 20 79 7 0 1 1 34
Bob Dillabough† 21 48 7 12 19 4 7 3 0 3 0
Bert Marshall 19 68 3 15 18 81 7 0 7 7 20
Francois Lacombe 4 72 2 16 18 50 3 1 0 1 0
George Swarbrick‡ 14 50 3 13 16 75 – – – – –
Gene Ubriaco† 16 26 4 7 11 14 7 2 0 2 2
Dick Mattiussi† 6 24 1 9 10 16 7 0 1 1 6
Gerry Odrowski 11 74 5 1 6 24 7 0 1 1 2
Bryan Watson‡ 6 50 2 3 5 97 – – – – –
Billy Harris‡ 7 19 0 4 4 2 – – – – –
John Brenneman 16 21 1 2 3 6 7 0 0 0 0
Gary Smith 30 54 0 2 2 7 7 0 0 0 0
Len Ronson 15 5 0 0 0 0 – – – – –
Charlie Hodge 1 14 0 0 0 0 – – – – –
Chris Worthy 25 14 0 0 0 0 – – – – –

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Seals. Stats reflect time with the Seals only. ‡Traded mid-season

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Gary Smith 30 54 2993 21 24 7 148 4 2.96 7 420 3 4 23 0 3.29
Charlie Hodge 1 14 781 4 6 1 48 0 3.69 – – – – – – –
Chris Worthy 25 14 786 4 6 3 54 0 4.12 – – – – – – –

Transactions

The Seals were involved in the following transactions during the 1968–69 season:

Trades

May 14, 1968 To Oakland Seals
cash 		To Toronto Maple Leafs
Terry Clancy
May 21, 1968 To Oakland Seals
Norm Ferguson
Stan Fuller
Francois Lacombe
Michel Jacques 		To Montreal Canadiens
Wally Boyer
Alain Caron
rights to Lyle Bradley
May 27, 1968 To Oakland Seals
Gary Jarrett
Doug Roberts
Chris Worthy
Howie Young 		To Detroit Red Wings
Bobby Baun
Ron Harris
June 6, 1968 To Oakland Seals
Bryan Watson
cash 		To Montreal Canadiens
1st round pick in 1972 ( Michel Larocque)
August, 1968 To Oakland Seals
Len Ronson 		To Montreal Canadiens
cash
September 13, 1968 To Oakland Seals
cash 		To New York Rangers
Ron Boehm
November, 1968 To Oakland Seals
cash 		To San Diego Gulls ( WHL)
Len Ronson
November 29, 1968 To Oakland Seals
Bob Dillabough 		To Pittsburgh Penguins
Billy Harris
January 30, 1969 To Oakland Seals
Earl Ingarfield
Dick Mattiussi
Gene Ubriaco 		To Pittsburgh Penguins
Tracy Pratt
George Swarbrick
Bryan Watson

Additions and subtractions

Additions
Player Former team Via
Brian Perry Providence Reds ( AHL) Inter-league Draft (1968–06–06)
Carol Vadnais Montreal Canadiens Intra-league Draft (1968–06–12)
Subtractions
Player New team Via
Charlie Burns Pittsburgh Penguins Intra-league Draft (1968–06–12)
Larry Cahan Montreal Canadiens Intra-league Draft (1968–06–12)
Howie Young Chicago Black Hawks Waivers (1968–10–02)

Playoffs

The Seals made it into the playoffs and went against Los Angeles in the Quarter-finals in a best of seven series and lost in 7 games, or 3–4.

References

  1. ^ Currier 2017, p. 70
  2. ^ Currier 2017, pp. 80–81
  3. ^ Currier 2017, p. 80
  4. ^ Currier 2017, pp. 81–82
  5. ^ a b Currier 2017, p. 90
  6. ^ Currier 2017, p. 99
  7. ^ Currier 2017, p. 95
  8. ^ "1968–1969 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
  9. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

Bibliography

  • Currier, Steve (2017), The California Golden Seals: A Tale of White Skates, Red Ink, and One of the NHL's Most Outlandish Teams, Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, ISBN  978-0-8032-8848-5
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