# 1977 WHA playoffs

The 1977 WHA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the World Hockey Association's 1976-1977 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Quebec Nordiques defeating the Western Division champion Winnipeg Jets in seven games for their first and only Avco Cup championship. Serge Bernier was named the WHA Playoff MVP.

## Bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| E1 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 | | | | | | |
| E4 | New England Whalers | 1 | | | | | | |
| E4 | New England Whalers | 1 | E1 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 | | | |
| Eastern Division | Eastern Division | Eastern Division | E1 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 | | | |
| Eastern Division | Eastern Division | Eastern Division | E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 1 | | | |
| E2 | Cincinnati Stingers | 0 | E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 1 | | | |
| E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 4 | | | | | | |
| E3 | Indianapolis Racers | 4 | | | | E1 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 |
| | | | | | | W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 3 |
| W1 | Houston Aeros | 4 | | | | | | | W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 3 |
| W4 | Edmonton Oilers | 1 | | | | | | |
| W4 | Edmonton Oilers | 1 | W1 | Houston Aeros | 2 | | | |
| Western Division | Western Division | Western Division | W1 | Houston Aeros | 2 | | | |
| Western Division | Western Division | Western Division | W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | | | |
| W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | W2 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | | | |
| W3 | San Diego Mariners | 3 | | | | | | |

## Division Semifinals
### Eastern Division Semifinals
#### (E3) Indianapolis Racers vs. (E2) Cincinnati Stingers

Game 1 went to three overtimes before Gene Peacosh won it with his goal, concluding a total game length of 108:40, shattering the previous longest overtime game in WHA history (69:44, 1973).

### Western Division Semifinals
#### (W2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (W3) San Diego Mariners
## Division Finals
### Western Division Finals
#### (W1) Houston Aeros vs. (W2) Winnipeg Jets

This was the fourth and final time these two teams met in the playoffs (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977), for which Winnipeg ended Houston's chance to return for another Avco Cup appearance.

## Avco Cup

11,161 saw the Quebec Nordiques trounce the Winnipeg Jets for six goals in the second period of Game 7 on their way to an 8-2 victory to win their Avco Cup championship. Serge Bernier, who had 14 goals (tied with teammate Réal Cloutier) and a league-leading 22 assists (a postseason record; in contrast, the NHL record was 19 at the time), was named WHA Playoffs MVP.
* Quebec won series 4–3

## Statistical leaders
### Skaters

These were the top ten skaters based on points.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +- | PIM |
| Serge Bernier | Quebec Nordiques | 17 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 16 | 10 |
| Anders Hedberg | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 6 | 13 |
| Réal Cloutier | Quebec Nordiques | 17 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 11 | 10 |
| Ulf Nilsson | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 5 | 33 |
| Dan Labraaten | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 8 | 15 |
| Bobby Hull | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 6 | 2 |
| Paulin Bordeleau | Quebec Nordiques | 16 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 12 | 12 |
| Peter Sullivan | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 5 | 2 |
| Terry Ruskowski | Houston Aeros | 11 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 67 |
| Mike Ford | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 12 |
| Reg Thomas | Indianapolis Racers | 9 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 4 |

### Goaltending

| Player | Team | GP | GA | SA | SV | SV% | SO | MIN |
| Joe Daley | Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 71 | 569 | 498 | .875 | 1 | 1,186 |
| Richard Brodeur | Quebec Nordiques | 17 | 55 | 465 | 410 | .882 | 1 | 1,007 |
| Ron Grahame | Houston Aeros | 9 | 36 | 265 | 229 | .864 | 0 | 561 |
| Paul Hoganson | Indianapolis Racers | 5 | 17 | 179 | 162 | .905 | 1 | 348 |
| Norm LaPointe | Cincinnati Stingers | 4 | 16 | 124 | 108 | .871 | 0 | 273 |
| Ken Lockett | San Diego Mariners | 5 | 19 | 146 | 127 | .870 | 0 | 260 |