1972-73 Cleveland Crusaders Roster

World Hockey Association (WHA)
Team Record: 43-32-3 - 89 points
Finishing 2nd in the WHA's WHA East Division
Postseason: 5-4
Lost AVCO Cup semi-finals
Division Semi-Finals - Defeated Philadelphia Blazers 4-0
Division Finals - Lost to New England Whalers 4-1
Coach: Bill Needham (43-32-3)
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
1972-73 Cleveland Crusaders Statistics
1972-73 Cleveland Crusaders Results

The Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association ended the 1972-73 season with a record of 43 wins and 32 losses and 3 ties for 89 points, finishing second in the WHA's WHA East Division. The team compiled a postseason mark of 5-4.

The Crusaders gave up 239 goals, the lowest total in the circuit. Cleveland netted 287 goals. Gary Jarrett scored 40 goals for the team, while Gerry Pinder and Ron Buchanan tallied 30 or more as well. Ron Buchanan contributed 44 assists. Gerry Cheevers earned 32 wins in front of the net for the squad and a team-best 2.84 goals against average, pacing goaltenders with enough qualifying appearances.

Bill Needham coached the team. The 1972-73 Cleveland Crusaders lost in the AVCO Cup semi-finals.

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Player Pos. Birth Date Height Weight S/C Hometown
Paul AndreaRJuly 31, 19415'10"174LNorth Sydney, NS Canada
Blake BallDFebruary 25, 19386'3"210LBerks Falls, ON Canada
Doug BrindleyCJune 8, 19496'1"175LWalkerton, ON Canada
Ron BuchananCNovember 15, 19446'3"170LMontreal, QC Canada
Gerry CheeversGDecember 7, 19405'11"185LSt. Catharines, ON Canada
Ray ClearwaterDNovember 10, 19425'11"175LWinnipeg, MB Canada
Bob DillaboughCApril 27, 19415'10"180LBelleville, ON Canada
Grant EricksonLApril 28, 19475'9"165LPierceland, SK Canada
John HannaDApril 5, 19355'11"175RSydney, NS Canada
Joe HardyCDecember 5, 19456'0"185LKenogami, QC Canada
Ted HodgsonRJune 30, 19455'11"185RHobbema, AB Canada
Ralph HopiavouriDJuly 15, 19516'1"185RKirkland Lake, ON Canada
Bill HortonDSeptember 5, 19466'0"180LLindsay, ON Canada
Gary JarrettLSeptember 3, 19425'8"170LToronto, ON Canada
Skip KrakeCOctober 14, 19435'11"170RNorth Battleford, SK Canada
Jim McMastersDSeptember 20, 19525'10"195LHigh River, AB Canada
Wayne MuloinDDecember 24, 19415'8"175LDryden, ON Canada
Gerry PinderRSeptember 15, 19485'8"165RSaskatoon, SK Canada
Rich PumpleLFebruary 11, 19486'3"200LKirkland Lake, ON Canada
Al RycroftRJanuary 9, 19505'9"170RBeaver Lodge, AB Canada
Paul ShmyrDJanuary 28, 19465'11"170LCudworth, SK Canada
Bob WhiddenGJuly 27, 19465'10"165RSudbury, ON Canada
Jim WisteCFebruary 18, 19465'10"185LMoose Jaw, SK Canada