# 1977–78 Los Angeles Kings season

The 1977–78 Los Angeles Kings season was the Kings' 11th season in the National Hockey League.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Norris Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 59 | 10 | 11 | 359 | 183 | 129 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 32 | 34 | 14 | 252 | 266 | 78 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 31 | 34 | 15 | 243 | 245 | 77 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 25 | 37 | 18 | 254 | 321 | 68 |
| Washington Capitals | 80 | 17 | 49 | 14 | 195 | 321 | 48 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Norris Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Detroit
—3–2–11–4–13–2–14–1–111–9–4
Los Angeles
2–3–1—1–4–13–0–34–210–9–5
Montreal
4–1–14–1–1—5–15–0–118–3–3
Pittsburgh
2–3–10–3–31–5—1–4–14–15–5
Washington
1–4–12–40–5–14–1–1—7–12–5
Vs. Adams Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
CLE
TOR
Total
Detroit
0–4–12–2–12–2–11–2–25–10–5
Los Angeles
0–50–3–23–1–13–26–11–3
Montreal
4–0–12–34–14–0–114–4–2
Pittsburgh
0–50–0–55–03–28–7–5
Washington
0–4–11–3–13–20–4–14–13–3
Vs. Patrick Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Detroit
2–1–10–41–2–11–2–14–9–3
Los Angeles
2–1–10–2–23–10–3–15–7–4
Montreal
2–0–24–03–12–0–211–1–4
Pittsburgh
1–31–2–12–0–20–3–14–8–4
Washington
2–1–10–40–2–20–42–11–3
Vs. Smythe Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
MIN
STL
VAN
Total
Detroit
1–32–1–14–03–12–1–112–6–2
Los Angeles
2–22–1–12–1–12–22–1–110–7–3
Montreal
3–0–14–02–24–03–0–116–2–2
Pittsburgh
2–1–12–1–12–22–1–11–2–19–7–4
Washington
0–3–12–1–11–2–11–1–20–44–11–5 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 12, 1977 | 2–0 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | W | October 15, 1977 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | T | October 18, 1977 | 0–0 | @ New York Islanders (1977–78) | 2–0–1 |
| 4 | L | October 19, 1977 | 1–3 | @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 2–1–1 |
| 5 | L | October 22, 1977 | 3–4 | Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 2–2–1 |
| 6 | L | October 25, 1977 | 1–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | T | October 26, 1977 | 2–2 | New York Islanders (1977–78) | 2–3–2 |
| 8 | W | October 29, 1977 | 5–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 3–3–2 |
| 9 | W | October 30, 1977 | 5–3 | @ New York Rangers (1977–78) | 4–3–2 |
| 10 | L | November 1, 1977 | 2–7 | @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 4–4–2 |
| 11 | W | November 3, 1977 | 4–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 5–4–2 |
| 12 | W | November 5, 1977 | 3–1 | New York Rangers (1977–78) | 6–4–2 |
| 13 | W | November 8, 1977 | 5–1 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 7–4–2 |
| 14 | L | November 10, 1977 | 2–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 7–5–2 |
| 15 | T | November 12, 1977 | 2–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 7–5–3 |
| 16 | T | November 16, 1977 | 1–1 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 7–5–4 |
| 17 | L | November 19, 1977 | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 7–6–4 |
| 18 | W | November 23, 1977 | 8–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 8–6–4 |
| 19 | W | November 24, 1977 | 5–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 9–6–4 |
| 20 | T | November 26, 1977 | 4–4 | @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 9–6–5 |
| 21 | L | November 27, 1977 | 0–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 9–7–5 |
| 22 | W | November 29, 1977 | 4–2 | Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 10–7–5 |
| 23 | L | December 1, 1977 | 2–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 10–8–5 |
| 24 | W | December 3, 1977 | 4–1 | Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 11–8–5 |
| 25 | W | December 6, 1977 | 6–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 12–8–5 |
| 26 | W | December 8, 1977 | 5–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 13–8–5 |
| 27 | L | December 10, 1977 | 0–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 13–9–5 |
| 28 | L | December 15, 1977 | 3–7 | Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) | 13–10–5 |
| 29 | L | December 17, 1977 | 1–2 | Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 13–11–5 |
| 30 | W | December 19, 1977 | 3–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 14–11–5 |
| 31 | W | December 21, 1977 | 8–1 | Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 15–11–5 |
| 32 | W | December 22, 1977 | 4–0 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 16–11–5 |
| 33 | L | December 28, 1977 | 3–4 | New York Islanders (1977–78) | 16–12–5 |
| 34 | T | December 29, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 16–12–6 |
| 35 | W | January 1, 1978 | 5–1 | Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 17–12–6 |
| 36 | L | January 4, 1978 | 0–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 17–13–6 |
| 37 | T | January 5, 1978 | 4–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 17–13–7 |
| 38 | T | January 7, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 17–13–8 |
| 39 | L | January 8, 1978 | 3–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 17–14–8 |
| 40 | T | January 11, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) | 17–14–9 |
| 41 | L | January 12, 1978 | 1–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 17–15–9 |
| 42 | W | January 14, 1978 | 8–4 | @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 18–15–9 |
| 43 | L | January 18, 1978 | 0–3 | New York Rangers (1977–78) | 18–16–9 |
| 44 | L | January 20, 1978 | 2–5 | @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 18–17–9 |
| 45 | W | January 21, 1978 | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 19–17–9 |
| 46 | W | January 26, 1978 | 5–1 | St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 20–17–9 |
| 47 | L | January 28, 1978 | 3–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 20–18–9 |
| 48 | W | January 29, 1978 | 4–1 | @ New York Rangers (1977–78) | 21–18–9 |
| 49 | W | February 1, 1978 | 8–3 | Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 22–18–9 |
| 50 | T | February 4, 1978 | 5–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 22–18–10 |
| 51 | L | February 7, 1978 | 1–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 22–19–10 |
| 52 | L | February 9, 1978 | 2–4 | Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 22–20–10 |
| 53 | T | February 11, 1978 | 3–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 22–20–11 |
| 54 | L | February 14, 1978 | 2–3 | @ New York Islanders (1977–78) | 22–21–11 |
| 55 | L | February 16, 1978 | 0–5 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) | 22–22–11 |
| 56 | T | February 18, 1978 | 1–1 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 22–22–12 |
| 57 | L | February 19, 1978 | 1–5 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 22–23–12 |
| 58 | W | February 21, 1978 | 4–1 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 23–23–12 |
| 59 | L | February 22, 1978 | 1–4 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 23–24–12 |
| 60 | L | February 25, 1978 | 2–4 | Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 23–25–12 |
| 61 | W | February 28, 1978 | 4–2 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 24–25–12 |
| 62 | W | March 2, 1978 | 5–2 | Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 25–25–12 |
| 63 | L | March 4, 1978 | 3–6 | Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 25–26–12 |
| 64 | W | March 8, 1978 | 5–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 26–26–12 |
| 65 | T | March 9, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) | 26–26–13 |
| 66 | L | March 11, 1978 | 3–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 26–27–13 |
| 67 | L | March 12, 1978 | 3–9 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 26–28–13 |
| 68 | W | March 14, 1978 | 4–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 27–28–13 |
| 69 | T | March 16, 1978 | 3–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 27–28–14 |
| 70 | L | March 18, 1978 | 3–6 | Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 27–29–14 |
| 71 | L | March 21, 1978 | 2–6 | Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) | 27–30–14 |
| 72 | W | March 23, 1978 | 3–1 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 28–30–14 |
| 73 | W | March 24, 1978 | 4–3 | @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 29–30–14 |
| 74 | L | March 27, 1978 | 0–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 29–31–14 |
| 75 | L | March 29, 1978 | 1–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 29–32–14 |
| 76 | W | March 30, 1978 | 4–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 30–32–14 |
| 77 | L | April 1, 1978 | 2–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 30–33–14 |
| 78 | L | April 5, 1978 | 2–3 | St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 30–34–14 |
| 79 | T | April 7, 1978 | 5–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 30–34–15 |
| 80 | W | April 8, 1978 | 5–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 31–34–15 |

## Transactions

The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1977–78 season.

### Trades

| May 23, 1977 | To Los Angeles KingsRandy Manery | To Atlanta FlamesAb DeMarco Jr. |
| June 17, 1977 | To Los Angeles KingsSteve Short | To Philadelphia FlyersFuture considerations |
| November 2, 1977 | To Los Angeles KingsSyl Apps Jr. Hartland Monahan | To Pittsburgh PenguinsDave Schultz Gene Carr 4th round pick in 1978 – Shane Pearsall |
| November 21, 1977 | To Los Angeles KingsLarry Carriere | To Vancouver CanucksSheldon Kannegiesser |
| January 9, 1978 | To Los Angeles KingsDanny Grant | To Detroit Red WingsBarry Long 3rd round pick in 1978 – Doug Derkson |
| January 14, 1978 | To Los Angeles Kings2nd round pick in 1980 – Greg Terrion | To St. Louis BluesNeil Komadoski |
| March 13, 1978 | To Los Angeles KingsDarryl Edestrand | To Boston BruinsCash |

### Free agent signings

| August 8, 1977 | From Cleveland BaronsCharlie Simmer |
| August 31, 1977 | From New York RangersPete Stemkowski |
| September 16, 1977 | From Minnesota North StarsErnie Hicke |

## Draft picks

Los Angeles's draft picks at the 1977 NHL amateur draft held at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 5 | 84 | Julian Baretta | Canada | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) |
| 5 | 85 | Warren Holmes | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) |
| 6 | 103 | Randy Rudnyk | Canada | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |
| 7 | 120 | Bob Suter | United States | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) |