The California Golden Seals, also known as the California Seals, Oakland Seals and the Bay Area Seals were a franchise that joined the NHL in 1967, the same expansion as the Philadelphia Flyers, and stayed in poor financial condition through most of their existence. From weak attendance figures to ownership refusing to pay talent that subsequently left for the World Hockey Association, they were relocated to Cleveland in 1976 before folding altogether two years later, being absorbed by the also-struggling Minnesota North Stars.
5/24/74 – Reggie Leach for Larry Wright, Al MacAdam and 1974 first round pick (Ron Chipperfield)
Reggie Leach was acquired by the Golden Seals in 1972 from the Bruins, who selected him second overall in 1970. He became a regular NHLer with the Seals and found immediate success after this trade with the Flyers. He helped Philadelphia secure a second Stanley Cup in 1975 and would be one of only five players to win a Conn Smythe Trophy as a losing member of a playoff team in 1976. He ended up playing eight seasons in Philadelphia and to this day, he still sits seventh all-time in Flyers history in goals with 306.
Larry Wright was the Flyers’ eighth overall pick in 1971. He spent most of his three seasons with the Flyers’ organization in the AHL. Wright spent one season with the Golden Seals, only playing in two NHL games, before re-signing with the Flyers’ organization during the summer of 1975.
Al MacAdam was the Flyers 55th overall pick in 1972. He played one game in the 1974 Stanley Cup Final after a strong regular season in the AHL, earning a ring for his efforts but his name wasn’t included on the Cup. He spent two seasons with the Golden Seals after the trade, posting the second best season of his career in 1975-76 with a 32-goal, 63-point effort. He moved with the organization to Cleveland for two more seasons and would join the Minnesota North Stars in 1978, where he’d have the most continued success of his career.
The Seals drafted forward Ron Chipperfield 17th overall in 1974. He was also drafted 20th overall by the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association. He chose to join the WHA and played there until the league folded into the NHL in 1979.
12/11/74 – Ron Chipperfield for George Pesut
Ron Chipperfield was drafted by the Seals with the Flyers’ pick they sent half a year earlier. Since he opted to join the WHA, his NHL rights were traded from the Seals to the Flyers in this deal. He eventually made his NHL debut when the Edmonton Oilers joined in 1979, but he’d never play for the Flyers. He left for Series A, an Italian league, in 1981.
George Pseut was the 24th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in 1973, and acquired by the Flyers that November, but ultimately never played an NHL game for them during his two seasons with the organization. He played two seasons with the Golden Seals in the NHL, but left for the World Hockey Association in 1976. He would eventually leave for Germany, where his career lasted until 1994.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
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