WHA 1976/77
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The 1976/77 season was the fifth season of the World Hockey Association (WHA).
In the preseason, two teams had already stopped playing during the season. After the Cleveland Crusaders had got competition from the National Hockey League in their city , they left the city and started the second attempt to be successful as Minnesota Fighting Saints . The attempt failed and halfway through the season gave up a team called Minnesota Fighting Saints for the second time in two years during one season.
As last year's champions, the Winnipeg Jets toured Europe for two weeks in December. After their return, still plagued by jetlag, they were defeated by the Quebec Nordiques 12: 3 on Boxing Day . The two following games before the turn of the year were also lost.
In the final games of the Avco World Trophy , it was again the Québec Nordiques who could trip up the Winnipeg Jets. In a hard-fought and very scoring final series, they just prevailed with 4–3.
3,590,511 spectators saw the 465 games of the fifth season. On average, that was 7,722 per game, which was only a very small decrease compared to the previous season. In the NHL at that time, the average attendance had fallen to just under 11,900.
Regular season
mode
As in the first few years, they played in two divisions again. 80 games were planned for each team, 40 of which were to be played on their own and 40 on opposing ice. Six games were scheduled against the teams in the other division. In your own division you should play eight games each against three teams, the other two teams, the local rivals, should each meet ten times. However, the abandonment of the Minnesota Fighting Saints after 42 games forced the league to reschedule again. Since Minnesota had played eight more games at home than away, the schedule was adjusted so that each team came to 40 home games. As a result, eight of the eleven remaining teams played 81 games.
At the end of the regular season, the four best-placed teams from each division qualified for the playoffs , which took place after the regular season and were played in the knockout system .
Closing tables
Eastern Division
Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, GF = goals scored, GA = goals conceded, Pts = points
Explanations: The position within the conference is in brackets; = Playoff qualification, = division winner, = abandonment during the season
Eastern Division | GP | W. | L. | T | GF | GA | Pts | Zø |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Québec Nordiques | 81 | 47 | 31 | 3 | 353 | 295 | 97 | 8,598 |
Cincinnati stingers | 81 | 39 | 37 | 5 | 354 | 303 | 83 | 7,647 |
Indianapolis Racers | 81 | 36 | 37 | 8th | 276 | 305 | 80 | 9,295 |
New England Whalers | 81 | 35 | 40 | 6th | 275 | 290 | 76 | 8,918 |
Birmingham Bulls | 81 | 31 | 46 | 4th | 289 | 309 | 66 | 8,468 |
Minnesota Fighting Saints ( retired Jan 17, 1977) | 42 | 19th | 18th | 5 | 136 | 129 | 43 | 6.211 |
Western Division
Western Division | GP | W. | L. | T | GF | GA | Pts | Zø |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Houston Eros | 80 | 50 | 24 | 6th | 320 | 241 | 106 | 8,830 |
Winnipeg Jets | 80 | 46 | 32 | 2 | 366 | 291 | 94 | 8,447 |
San Diego Mariners | 81 | 40 | 37 | 4th | 284 | 283 | 84 | 6.013 |
Edmonton Oilers | 81 | 34 | 43 | 4th | 243 | 304 | 72 | 8,370 |
Calgary cowboys | 81 | 31 | 43 | 7th | 252 | 296 | 69 | 4,313 |
Phoenix Roadrunners | 80 | 28 | 48 | 4th | 281 | 383 | 60 | 6,985 |
Best scorer
Two players from the Cincinnati Stingers made a name for themselves this season. Neither Rich LeDuc nor Blaine Stoughton had even managed to come to the fore in the previous years. After a strong rookie season, 20-year-old Mark Napier was able to confirm his strong performance in his second year and made it into the list of top scorers.
Abbreviations: GP = games, G = goals, A = assists , Pts = points, PIM = penalty minutes; Bold: Season best
player | team | GP | G | A. | Pts | +/- | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Real Cloutier | Quebec | 76 | 66 | 75 | 141 | +47 | 39 |
Hedberg is different | Winnipeg | 68 | 70 | 61 | 131 | +48 | 48 |
Ulf Nilsson | Winnipeg | 71 | 39 | 85 | 124 | +57 | 89 |
Robbie Ftorek | Phoenix | 80 | 46 | 71 | 117 | +26 | 86 |
André Lacroix | San Diego | 81 | 32 | 81 | 114 | +2 | 79 |
Marc Tardif | Quebec | 62 | 49 | 60 | 109 | +29 | 65 |
Christian Bordeleau | Quebec | 72 | 32 | 75 | 107 | +28 | 34 |
Rich LeDuc | Cincinnati | 81 | 52 | 55 | 107 | +28 | 75 |
Blaine Stoughton | Cincinnati | 81 | 52 | 52 | 104 | +24 | 39 |
Serge Bernier | Quebec | 74 | 43 | 53 | 96 | +1 | 94 |
Mark Napier | Birmingham | 80 | 60 | 36 | 96 | +16 | 24 |
Dennis Sobchuk | Cincinnati | 81 | 44 | 52 | 96 | +14 | 38 |
Best goalkeeper
Cincinnati's Jacques Caron (2.84) and Edmonton's Dave Dryden (3.26) both conceded a good goal against goals, but since they only played 24 games each, they are not included in the list below.
Abbreviations: GP = games, TOI = ice age (in minutes), W = wins, L = defeats, OTL = overtime / shootout defeats , GA = goals conceded, SO = shutouts , Sv% = shots saved (in%), GAA = Conceded goal; Bold: Season best
player | team | GP | TOI | W. | L. | T | GA | SO | ATM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ron Grahame | Houston | 39 | 2345 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 107 | 4th | 2.74 |
Ernie Wakely | San Diego | 46 | 2506 | 22nd | 18th | 3 | 129 | 3 | 3.09 |
Cap Raeder | New England | 26th | 1328 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 69 | 2 | 3.12 |
Wayne Rutledge | Houston | 42 | 2512 | 23 | 14th | 4th | 132 | 3 | 3.15 |
Michel Dion | Indianapolis | 42 | 2286 | 17th | 19th | 3 | 128 | 1 | 3.36 |
Playoff
mode
After the first four teams had qualified from each division, start the knock-out system discharged play-offs . The division winners met fourth in the division semifinals, while the teams in second and third played the other semifinals.
The winning teams met in the division finals. The two divisional playoff winners then met in the finals for the Avco World Trophy .
All series in each round were played in best-of-seven mode, which means that a team needed four wins to reach the next round. The higher ranked team had the first two games at home, the next two the opposing team. If no winner emerged from the round up to then, the home law changed from game to game. The higher-ranked team had a home advantage in games 1, 2, 5 and 7, i.e. four of the maximum seven games.
In the final, the team started with more points in the regular season with two home games. Two away games followed.
For games that were tied after the regular playing time of 60 minutes, overtime followed . The thirds lasted 20 minutes and the game was played until one team scored the first goal.
Playoff tree
Semifinals division | Division Finals | final | |||||||||||
E1 | Québec Nordiques | 4th | |||||||||||
E4 | New England Whalers | 1 | |||||||||||
E1 | Québec Nordiques | 4th | |||||||||||
E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 1 | |||||||||||
E2 | Cincinnati stingers | 0 | |||||||||||
E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 4th | |||||||||||
E1 | Québec Nordiques | 4th | |||||||||||
W1 | Winnipeg Jets | 3 | |||||||||||
W1 | Houston Eros | 4th | |||||||||||
W4 | Edmonton Oilers | 1 | |||||||||||
W1 | Winnipeg Jets | 4th | |||||||||||
W2 | Houston Eros | 2 | |||||||||||
W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 4th | |||||||||||
W3 | San Diego Mariners | 3 |
Division Semifinals (Round 1)
Eastern Division
Québec went into the series as favorites and when the Nordiques won their third game after two home wins with a goal from Paul Baxter after 1:50 minutes in overtime, the Whalers' victory in game four was all cosmetic. In the fifth game, Richard Brodeur kept his goal clean and the Nordiques advanced to the next round. |
The longest overtime in WHA history brought the first game in the series. Only after 48:40 minutes, Gene Peacosh decided the game for the Racers, who were motivated to win the second game in Cincinnati. In the two home games they could not take the advantage and won the series with 4–0. |
Western Division
The Oilers were able to open the first game, but Morris Lukowich brought the favored Eros onto the winning road after 13:11 minutes. The Oilers won one of their two home games, but after five games the series was over for them. |
Already in the regular season, both teams were characterized by their home strength and the away team also had no chance in the playoffs. Winnipeg's Joe Daley managed a shutout in the fifth game of the series and thanks to the better placement in the preliminary round, the Jets, who were allowed to play the seventh and decisive game at home, moved into the next round. |
Division Finals (Round 2)
Eastern Division
Québec Nordiques (1) vs. Indianapolis Racers (3) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | Away team | Home team | Note | |||
April 23 | Indianapolis | 1 | 3 | Quebec | ||
April 25 | Indianapolis | 3 | 8th | Quebec | ||
April 28 | Quebec | 6th | 5 | Indianapolis | 1OT | |
April, 30th | Quebec | 0 | 2 | Indianapolis | ||
2.May | Indianapolis | 3 | 8th | Quebec | ||
Québec wins the series 4-1. |
After two home wins, the Nordiques were also able to win their first game in Indianapolis in extra time. Paulin Bordeleau secured victory for Quebec after 5:29 minutes. Thanks to an excellent performance by Paul Hoganson , who did not concede a goal, the Racers got their only win in the series, because back in Québec they had no chance against the Nordiques.
Western Division
Houston Eros (1) vs. Winnipeg Jets (2) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | Away team | Home team | Note | |||
26th of April | Winnipeg | 4th | 3 | Houston | 1OT | |
April 28 | Winnipeg | 2 | 7th | Houston | ||
April, 30th | Houston | 3 | 4th | Winnipeg | ||
1st of May | Houston | 4th | 6th | Winnipeg | ||
May 3rd | Winnipeg | 2 | 3 | Houston | ||
5th of May | Houston | 3 | 6th | Winnipeg | ||
Winnipeg wins the series 4-2. |
In the first game, Peter Sullivan brought the favorites from Houston to victory after 8:05 minutes in extra time. After the Jets also managed to win their first two home games, they drove to the Eros with a 3–1 lead. Houston won its home game, but in Game 6 in Winnipeg the Jets decided the series and advanced to the final.
Avco World Trophy Championship
Winnipeg Jets (1) vs. Québec Nordiques (1) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | Away team | Home team | Note | |||
May 11th | Winnipeg |
2 D. Labraaten ( D. Dunn ) 22:22 W. Lindström (D. Labraaten, P. Sullivan ) 33:30 |
1 P. Bordeleau 47:00 |
Quebec | ||
May 15 | Winnipeg | 1 D. Labraaten ( W. Lindström ) 42:47 |
6 P. Guité ( A. Boudrias , F. Lacombe ) 4:32 P. Bordeleau ( S. Bernier , N. Dubé ) 13:25 S. Sutherland 15:17 S. Bernier (N. Dubé, C. Brackenbury ) 18 : 23 C. Brackenbury (S. Bernier, W. Weir ) 37:02 S. Sutherland ( B. Fitchner , C. Brackenbury) 53:00 |
Quebec | ||
May 18 | Quebec | 1 C. Brackenbury ( B. Fitchner ) 2:08 |
6 W. Lindström ( D. Labraaten ) 24:42 D. Labraaten (W. Lindström) 33:16 A. Hedberg ( M. Ford , J. Daley ) 40:31 U. Nilsson 46:16 B. Lesuk ( M. Lindh , B. Long ) 49:30 W. Lindström ( P. Sullivan , D. Labraaten) 56:33 |
Winnipeg | ||
May 20th | Quebec |
4 S. Bernier ( P. Bordeleau , J. Bernier ) 7:33 F. Lacombe ( R. Cloutier , JC Tremblay ) 21:50 M. Tardif (S. Bernier, C. Bordeleau ) 34:53 S. Bernier (P. Bordeleau) 44:32 |
2 P. Miller ( P. Sullivan , D. Labraaten ) 11:38 U. Nilsson ( B. Hull , A. Hedberg ) 17:17 |
Winnipeg | ||
May 22 | Winnipeg | 3 U. Nilsson ( P. Miller , B. Hull ) 17:04 M. Ford ( P. Sullivan , D. Labraaten ) 26:39 B. Hull 33:43 |
8 P. Guité ( A. Boudrias , J. Bernier ) 4:32 R. Cloutier ( M. Tardif , JC Tremblay ) 8:49 C. Bordeleau (R. Cloutier) 12:10 P. Bordeleau ( N. Dubé , p . Bernier ) 14:20 R. Cloutier (C. Bordeleau) 24:14 P. Bordeleau (S. Bernier, JC Tremblay) 26:01 C. Bordeleau (R. Cloutier, S. Bernier) 31:37 S. Bernier ( P. Bordeleau) 48:49 |
Quebec | ||
May 24th | Quebec | 3 R. Cloutier 3:02 R. Cloutier ( M. Tardif , C. Bordeleau ) 4:28 C. Bordeleau (M. Tardif, R. Cloutier) 16:35 |
12 B. Hull ( U. Nilsson , M. Ford ) 1:26 D. Labraaten ( P. Sullivan , W. Lindström ) 9:17 A. Hedberg (U. Nilsson) 12:09 B. Guindon ( F. Huck , P. Miller ) 13:47 B. Hull (B. Guindon, D. Dunn ) 26:28 P. Sullivan (D. Labraaten) 28:04 M. Ford ( L.-E. Sjöberg , A. Hedberg) 36: 57 B. Guindon ( B. Long , F. Huck) 37:30 P. Sullivan (D. Labraaten) 42:21 A. Hedberg (U. Nilsson, P. Miller) 43:37 W. Lindström (P. Sullivan) 45:20 B. Hull (U. Nilsson, A. Hedberg) 52:36 |
Winnipeg | ||
May 26 | Winnipeg | 2 D. Labraaten ( M. Ford , P. Sullivan ) 28:39 P. Miller ( U. Nilsson , A. Hedberg ) 54:09 |
8 B. Fitchner 20:11 M. Tardif ( R. Cloutier , C. Bordeleau ) 21:10 R. Cloutier (M. Tardif, G. Lariviere ) 26:27 J. C. Tremblay (R. Cloutier, M. Tardif) 29: 24 N. Dubé (G. Lariviere, S. Bernier ) 35:23 P. Bordeleau (S. Bernier, F. Lacombe ) 38:41 C. Bordeleau (R. Cloutier, F. Lacombe) 41:39 S. Bernier ( N. Dubé, G. Lariviere) 43:39 |
Quebec | ||
Québec wins the series 4-3 and the Avco World Trophy . |
After both teams had only managed to win one home game in the first four games, Québec set an example in their fifth game with a clear 8-3 victory. The Winnipeg Jets were not intimidated by this and were able to underline their title ambitions with an impressive 12: 3 success. In the decisive game in Québec, however, it was again the home side who, after a goalless first third, won the middle section 6-1 and thus laid the foundation for the final success.
Avco World Trophy Winner
The 22 Nordiques players are made up of three goalkeepers, seven defenders and twelve attackers.
Only three players who were used during the season were not part of the winning team. Defender Pierre Roy and center Richard Grenier were unattended in the finals, while Michel Dubois was not immortalized on the trophy, despite having played several play-offs. In addition to the outstanding attack by strikers Réal Cloutier , Marc Tardif and Christian Bordeleau , leading players such as defender JC Tremblay played a decisive role in the Québec Nordiques' championship win , while the defensive was reinforced by players such as Paul Baxter and Wally Weir , who had a physically dominated style of play shaped.
In addition to head coach Marc Boileau and General Manager Maurice Filion , the following players were engraved on the Avco World Trophy, the championship trophy of the WHA:
Avco World Trophy Winner Québec Nordiques![]() |
Goalkeepers: Serge Aubry , Richard Brodeur , Ed Humphreys Defenders: Paul Baxter , Jean Bernier , Jim Dorey , François Lacombe , Garry Lariviere , JC Tremblay , Wally Weir Attackers: Serge Bernier , Christian Bordeleau , Paulin Bordeleau , André Boudrias , Curt Brackenbury , Réal Cloutier , Charles Constantin , Norm Dubé , Bob Fitchner , Pierre Guité , Steve Sutherland , Marc Tardif ( C ) Head coach: Marc Boileau General Manager: Maurice Filion |
Best scorer
Abbreviations: GP = games, G = goals, A = assists , Pts = points, PIM = penalty minutes; Bold: Season best
player | team | GP | G | A. | Pts | +/- | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Serge Bernier | Quebec | 17th | 14th | 22nd | 36 | +16 | 10 |
Hedberg is different | Winnipeg | 20th | 13 | 16 | 29 | +6 | 13 |
Real Cloutier | Quebec | 16 | 14th | 13 | 27 | +11 | 10 |
Ulf Nilsson | Winnipeg | 20th | 6th | 21st | 27 | +5 | 33 |
Dan Labraaten | Winnipeg | 20th | 7th | 17th | 24 | +8 | 15th |
Bobby Hull | Winnipeg | 20th | 13 | 9 | 22nd | +6 | 2 |
WHA Awards and trophies awarded
WHA All-Star Teams
WHA First All-Star Team
Abbreviations: GP = games, G = goals, A = assists , Pts = points, W = wins, SO = shutouts , GAA = conceded goals
player | position | team | GP | G | A. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robbie Ftorek | center | Phoenix Roadrunners | 80 | 46 | 71 | 117 |
Hedberg is different | Winger | Winnipeg Jets | 68 | 70 | 61 | 131 |
Marc Tardif | Winger | Québec Nordiques | 62 | 49 | 60 | 109 |
Darryl Maggs | defender | Indianapolis Racers | 81 | 16 | 55 | 71 |
Ron Plumb | defender | Cincinnati stingers | 79 | 11 | 58 | 69 |
player | position | team | GP | W. | SO | ATM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Garrett | goalkeeper | Birmingham Bulls | 65 | 24 | 4th | 3.53 |
WHA Second All-Star Team
Abbreviations: GP = games, G = goals, A = assists , Pts = points, W = wins, SO = shutouts , GAA = conceded goals
player | position | team | GP | G | A. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ulf Nilsson | center | Winnipeg Jets | 71 | 39 | 85 | 124 |
Real Cloutier | Winger | Québec Nordiques | 76 | 66 | 75 | 141 |
Rick Dudley | Winger | Cincinnati stingers | 77 | 41 | 47 | 88 |
Poul Popiel | defender | Houston Eros | 80 | 12 | 56 | 68 |
Mark Howe | defender | Houston Eros | 57 | 23 | 52 | 75 |
player | position | team | GP | W. | SO | ATM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joe Daley | goalkeeper | Winnipeg Jets | 65 | 39 | 3 | 3.24 |
Web links
- The 1976/77 WHA season at hockeydb.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ Scott Surgent: The World Hockey Association Factbook. 2010, p. 238, ISBN 978-0-9644774-8-3