“Unlikely Duo Giving Seals Biggest Lift” (by Ken Miller) – Nov. 13, 1975 – download here

The 1975-76 season was of course highlighted by the exceptional play of the Seals many rookies and sophomores. It was be easy to believe that everyone on the team was under the age of 23, but that wasn’t the case, as veterans such as Jim Neilson, Gary Simmons, and Jim Pappin were all playing key roles. The future of the club was with players such as Gilles Meloche, Larry Patey, and eventually Wayne Merrick, not to mention a line of hot shots: Bob Murdoch, Al MacAdam, and Dennis Maruk. The latter two M’s are the focus of this article (Murdoch hadn’t made much of an impact yet, but his time would come soon enough) from Ken Miller of the San Francisco Examiner.

 

“California Golden Seals 1975-76 Team Preview” – download here

The 1974-75 Seals finished the season at 19-48-13, which at first glance seems like enough of a reason to never want to wear the Pacific Blue and California Gold ever again, but this team also finished 15 points better than the previous season. The Seals also went winless in their last eight games of the season, so had they picked up a few points during the final stretch, this could have been one of the best Seals’ teams ever. Entering 1975-76, there was reason for optimism: Gilles Meloche and Gary Simmons gave the Seals excellent goaltending, the defense was improving thanks to the additions of Mike Christie, Len Frig, Rick Hampton, and Jim Neilson, and the offense was loaded with young talent like Al MacAdam, Dave Hrechkosy, Charlie Simmer, and Larry Patey, not to mention recent draftees Dennis Maruk and Bob Murdoch. They also had a new owner, Mel Swig, who promised to inject money into the team, and planned on securing a deal to build a brand new arena in San Francisco, so things were definitely looking up. In this 1975-76 season preview from Argosy, we clearly see that optimism. Also, there is a great action photo of Gilles Meloche for anyone interested in seeing the Seals legend in his element.

“Seals Look to Pappin as Leader” (by Ken Miller) – download here

When the Seals acquired Jim Pappin in a trade for captain Joey Johnston, it was expected Pappin would be good for 25 or 30 goals, but the trade turned sour for both teams as Johnston was injured in an off-season car crash, and Pappin was unable to score with regularity, although he did register five points in his first six games, as well as a few two-point games here and there, and a three-point game against Washington in January. This article talks about the expectations the young Seals had for their veteran acquisition.

“No Blushing by Seals in Tie With Caps” (by Ken Miller) – Oct. 18, 1975 – download here

The Washington Capitals, whose one and only road win up to that point in their history, came at the Oakland Coliseum the last time they had played there in late March 1975. Here they were October 17, 1975 looking to make it two in a row, but the Seals were much improved from the previous season, and made sure that the Caps would not skate away with another two points without giving it all they had. Michel Belhumeur, Washington’s unlucky goalie, had yet to win a game in 37 career games with the Capitals. With the Caps up 3-2 and with time winding down, did Belhumeur finally put a one in the win column? You will have to read this San Francisco Examiner article from Ken Miller to find out whether or not the Seals obliged Belhumeur and the Caps or salvaged some of their pride.

“MacAdam: Seals’ Almost Invisible Man” – Oct. 28, 1975 – download here

It was no secret then nor is it a secret now that Al MacAdam was one of Seals’ best and most consistent players. He could score, he could set people up for goals, and he could fight. He might not have been as flashy as the player he was traded for, NHL legend Reggie Leach, but when you compare their careers, MacAdam can certainly hold his head high. A two-time all-star with California and Cleveland, he is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (217 points), as well as its last-ever captain. This article comes from the early weeks of 1975-76 when the Seals were still finding themselves, but MacAdam was already well on his way to his first all-star season.

“Sabourin Major New Addition for Seals” (by Hank Masler) – Vol. III, Issue 3 of Goal magazine, Nov. 1975 – download here

This article, which was part of the Seals insert in Goal magazine, was published in the early part of the 1975-76 season, just as the boys in Pacific Blue were gearing up to take on the Boston Bruins November 9, 1975. Gary Sabourin had already notched 4 goals and 3 assists in 14 games for the Seals and was going to become a major player in the Seals’ turnaround that season. You can read all about him in this rare article.

“Seals Fans Will Like Whirlwind Maruk” (by John Porter) – Vol. III, Issue 3 of Goal magazine, Nov. 1975 – download here

This is the second of two articles from Volume 3, Issue 3 of Goal, which in my copy, contained an insert for the November 9, 1975 contest between California and Boston. In this article, John Porter of the Oakland Tribune interviews the Seals’ second-round pick Dennis Maruk, who, even just a few weeks into his NHL career, was making quite the impact in the Bay Area. Of course, Maruk would continue his strong play straight through to game 80, finishing third in the race for the Calder Trophy, given to the league’s rookie-of-the-year.

“Len Frig Matures As Seals’ Defenseman” (by Fran Tuckwiler) – 1975-76 season – download here

Len Frig was in his second season in Oakland when the San Jose Mercury-News‘s Fran Tuckwiler wrote this piece, which appeared in a game program during the 1975-76 season. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sending me this article!

“Seal Scores 4 Goals” (by John Porter) – Nov. 8, 1975 – download here

Most people don’t realize that the night Gary Sabourin scored 4 goals in a 7-5 win over the Rangers November 7, 1975 was the exact same day Phil Esposito was traded from Boston to New York. His first game in a Rangers uniform was in Oakland. For the first time ever, Oakland became the center of the hockey universe, and even though Espo scored twice, it was Sabourin who stole the spotlight.

“Seals Fool New York” (by Herb Michelson) – Nov. 13, 1975 – download here

The Seals managed to surprise a few contending teams in what would be their last season in Oakland. One of the Seals’ best performances of the season was November 12 when they thrashed the up-and-coming New York Islanders 5-1. This article from the Sacramento Bee details quite nicely how the Seals dominated the Isles, a team they traditionally had trouble beating.

“Meet Mar-u-u-uk, Seals’ Instant Hero” (by Wells Twombly) – Nov. 27, 1975 – download here

I’ve always loved articles that focused almost exclusively on a Seals player. I found this interesting piece on Dennis Maruk in the November 27, 1975 edition of the San Francisco Examiner. It was written just shy of two months into Maruk’s NHL career, and already he had developed the cocky attitude that would serve him so well. He was only 5’8″ after all, so he needed to do something to let all those 6-foot-plus behemoths know that he wasn’t going to get pushed around. Fans certainly noticed too as the “Maruuuuuuuk! Maruuuuuuuk!” chants had already become a regular background noise at the Coliseum.

‘System’ Gives Seals New Look” (by Ken Miller) – Nov. 27, 1975 – download here

The early weeks of the 1975-76 season were a good time to be a member of the Seals. Things were really clicking for the first time in years and you could feel the team gaining some serious steam as they talked about making the playoffs. New coach Jack Evans was working wonders behind the bench and he got the players to buy into the idea of committing to keeping the puck out of the net as much as putting it past opposing goalies. As the Seals embarked upon a ridiculous 12-game home stand, it only seemed as though the team could continue to climb the standings.

“Blues Fans Glum After Seals ‘Steal’ (by John Porter) – Dec. 12, 1975 – download here

Wayne Merrick began his Seals career with a bang: 52 points in 56 games, one of the best seasons ever by a member of the club. He had been a 65-point player the previous year with St. Louis, so his success was no surprise, and Blues fans were mighty upset when he was dealt away in exchange for Larry Patey. Patey was coming off a 25-goal year for California, and was a good all-around player. It took Patey a year or so to settle in to his role in St. Louis, but he ended up playing there for nine years, so in the end, it was a good trade for both teams.

“Seals Hit New Low in 9-2 Loss to Pittsburgh” (by Ken Miller) – Dec. 18, 1975 – download here

In what was arguably the Seals’ worst game of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins slayed the Golden Ones, 9-2. Both Syl Apps and Bob Kelly scored hat tricks, something that only happens when a team is so completely off the mark. Before the game Gilles Meloche’s 2.61 goals-against average was the fifth-best mark in the league, but by the final buzzer, his average went up a third of a goal. This article comes from Ken Miller of the San Francisco Examiner.

“Seals play at Toronto” / “In Toronto, fans don’t miss a thing” – Jan. 1, 1976 – download here

The second, shorter piece from the Boston Globe, is the true highlight here as it explains why the December 31, 1975 game between Toronto and California was postponed to the next afternoon, and it had everything to do with the classic Montreal Canadiens-Soviet Red Army game that was scheduled to be played at the exact same time. Apparently, more people in the area wanted to see the Habs and the Russians on TV than the Leafs and Seals battle it out live for third place in the Adams Division. The teams  may have enjoyed a little extra rest, but only the Leafs really took advantage smoking the Seals 5-1.

“Seals’ Offense Demolishes Washington” – Jan. 3, 1976 – download here

January 2, 1976 was a very special night for the California Golden Seals and their highly-skilled newcomer Wayne Merrick. Not only did the Seals score a season-high eight goals, but Merrick played a direct role in six of them, setting a new club record for points by a player in a game. The Seals had the Capitals’ number this season, racking up a 3-1-1 record and averaging four goals a game.

“Christie, Seals Get Revenge” – Jan. 17, 1976 – download here

On November 11, 1974, the Seals got creamed by the New York Rangers, 10-0. A little over one year later, the Seals got a measure of revenge with a shutout of their own during the hottest stretch of games in franchise history. This article from the San Mateo Times is a pleasant reminder of one of those few, short moments in time when the Seals were on top of the world.

“Seals Force Open the Cellar Door” (by Dick Draper) – Jan. 26, 1976 – download here

January 1976 was one of the very few times it felt good to be a Seals fan. The team was surprisingly the hottest property in the NHL, and was seriously gunning for a playoff spot in the tough Adams Division. On the night of January 25, 1976, the Seals put division rivals from Toronto on notice by smacking them around and handing them a 5-3 loss at the Coliseum.

“Caps Destroy Seals’ Setup” (by John Porter) – Jan. 29, 1976 – download here

The Seals and Barons didn’t often make the playoffs in their 11-year history, but it wasn’t like they didn’t have opportunities to reach the post-season. For instance, in January 1976, the Seals were closing in on Toronto for the Adams Division’s final playoff spot, but when the Leafs lost, the Seals followed suit. When their opponents were weak, the Seals somehow came up short. Case in point, January 28, when they travelled to Washington to take on the second-year Caps, who, at 4-41-5 were actually on pace to finish with a worse record than the 8-67-5 disaster they had cobbled together a year earlier. New coach Tom McVie managed to light a bit of a fire beneath his troops and the Caps won seven more games to finish the year a horrible 11-59-10, which was actually eleven points better than the team’s first year.

“Merrick Predicts Cup Berth” – Feb. 3, 1976 – download here

Take a warm stroll down memory lane and look back at one of those rare moments when the Seals were the talk of the hockey world. Things were going so well at one time that the players were openly talking about making the playoffs and people were taking their words seriously.

“Pens Will Take a Tie” (by Dan Donovan) – Feb. 12, 1976 – download here

After going seven straight games without a win, the then-19-29-6 Seals really needed two points against Pittsburgh February 11, 1976, or else they risked falling even further out of the playoff race, but because of a bad bounce in the dying seconds, a tie was all they got.

“Wayne Merrick: Seals Shooting Star” (by Joe DeLoach) – 1975-76 – download here      

This article comes from a Goal magazine from 1975-76. Unfortunately, I can’t pinpoint exactly when this article was published, but it was likely early February based on the stats presented in the piece. Merrick talks about how the trade from St. Louis to California was a shock, but that he held out hope for a Seals playoff spot in April. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sending this article my way!

“Seals Try to Keep Road Streak Alive” – Feb. 26, 1976 – download here

As the 1975-76 season wound down, the Seals still refused to give up hope that a playoff spot was within reach. When the equally desperate New York Rangers, perhaps angry about the 7-0 pasting the Seals handed them a few weeks earlier, tried to bully their way to a win, but the Seals fought back and put up six goals in the process to keep their playoff hopes flickering.

“Exhausting Standoff for the Seals” (by John Porter) – March 8, 1976 – download here

John Porter of the Oakland Tribune was one of the absolute best hockey writers in North America during the Seals’ NHL run. One of my favorite Porter lines comes from this article describing the Seals’ 7-7 tie with St. Louis. Yes, fourteen goals were scored yet no one won the game! As Porter said, “To the purist, the hockey game was like fumes that belch from a bus tailpipe.” And those were the very first words of the article. Gary Simmons didn’t even play in the game and he was quoted as saying the game “was one of the worst displays of hockey I’ve ever seen.” It really was quite an evening!

“Closed Out In Boston” (by John Porter) – March 15, 1976 – download here

Normally, come March, the Seals were miles out of the playoff picture, but March 1976 was different: even 70 games into the season, the Seals still had a chance at catching someone in their division. The team lost lots of close games that season, and there were a lot of empty-net goals against them because the Seals had become competitive and gritty, but reality eventually caught up to the little team that could as Don Cherry’s Lunchpail Gang mathematically eliminated the boys in Pacific Blue.

“Right Place For Hampton” (by John Porter) – Mar. 23, 1976 – download here

Rick Hampton was not the first nor was he the last defenseman drafted by a bad team and was expected to rescue it like Bobby Orr had once done in Boston. Of course, that rarely happens, which was indeed the case with Hampton. It really was an unfair position for him to be put in, but he did finish his career as the Seals/Barons’ all-time leader in points by a defenseman, and he scored a franchise record 51 points in 1975-76. This article is about the night Hampton played one of his best-ever games, scoring two highlight-reel goals and breaking the franchise record with his 46th point.

“Seals Host Canucks Friday” – Apr. 1, 1976 – download here

This article from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat has almost nothing to do with the Seals versus Vancouver, but a lot to do with the fact the 1975-76 Seals were breaking team records left right and center.  Unfortunately, as we all know, within a matter of weeks, the Seals would be no more.

“Seals’ Maruk Polishes Off Kings” (by Jeff Chapman) – Apr. 5, 1976 – download here

April 4, 1976 was both a sad and joyous time to be a Seals fan.  On one hand, the team finished off the 1975-76 season with a big win over their rivals from Los Angeles, and Dennis Maruk reached the 30-goal plateau, signalling the Seals’ future was going to be bright.  Throughout April and May, fans were enthused, and at the Booster Club barbecue that year, there were more fans on hand than ever before.  On the other hand, this was also the last game the Seals would ever play.  This article comes from the April 5 Fremont Argus.

“Cloudy Seals Future” (by John Porter) – Apr. 5, 1976 – download here

The California Golden Seals were once again the victims of more relocation rumours, a yearly tradition that had existed since their first NHL season. This time, however, the team had sold more tickets than ever before, the talent level was higher and deeper than it had ever been, and there was real enthusiasm in the Seals’ environment. If ever there was a time where it seemed the relocation rumours could be ignored it was this. After all, Mel Swig had secured a sweet arena deal in San Francisco thanks to his friendship with mayor Joe Alioto. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is “nothing”… at least on the night of April 4, 1976, as the Seals took on the L.A. Kings at the Coliseum. After that, however, well… not much went right.

“The Seals Expire” (by John Porter) – July 15, 1976 – download here

This is the Oakland Tribune (p. F37-8) article that announced the death of the California Golden Seals.

“NHL Approves Transfer Of Golden Seals To Cleveland” – July 15, 1976 – download here

This article from the Barstow (CA) Desert Dispatch is a very nice summary of the relocation agreement that was finalized in the very early hours of July 15 (or very late hours of July 14, depending on where you lived at the time). At first glance, Cleveland seemed like a great place to put a new NHL franchise, but there were indeed many red flags to which Mel Swig and the Gund Brothers should have paid attention. Playing in the East was tempting, for sure, and the 18,000-plus seat Richfield Coliseum was a great building, but its location in the middle of nowhere had proven to be a big problem for the WHA’s Cleveland Crusaders. The warm California winters would also be a thing of the past for the former Seals as Cleveland was about to endure two very turbulent and snow-filled winters that would play a major role in keeping fans away.