1975-76 WHA season

The 1975–76 WHA season was the 4th season of the World Hockey Association. After the Baltimore Blades and Chicago Cougars folded, the league stayed at 14 teams by adding the Cincinnati Stingers and Denver Spurs. In addition, Vancouver moved to Calgary and became the Cowboys. Midway through the season, the Spurs moved to Ottawa and became the Civics. The fourteen teams were scheduled to play 80 games each, but four of five Canadian Division teams played 81, due to the WHA's tiebreaker rule, while two teams, Minnesota and Denver/Ottawa, folded mid-season.
The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Houston Aeros 4 games to 0 in the Finals to win their 1st Avco World Trophy.
==Pre-season==
The Winnipeg Jets held their training camp in Europe and played two games against the Czechoslovakian National team, losing both by 6-1 and 3-1 scores on September 25 and 26, 1975. Anders Hedberg scored both Jets goals.
==Regular Season==
After poor attendance, the Denver Spurs moved to Ottawa and became the Ottawa Civics. The Civics lasted only seven games and played in the Spurs' uniform. Reports that the jerseys had been stripped bare of its logo are untrue. All Civics players were declared free agents by the league and a dispersal draft was held. Several players found a new address, including leading scorer Ralph Backstrom, who at 37, moved to the New England Whalers. Many of the other players, however, would sit the remainder of the season out before coming back in another league the next season. Others like Brian Lavender retired.
===Final Standings===
===Scoring Leaders===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts
Marc Tardif 	Quebec 	81	71	77	148
Bobby Hull 	Winnipeg 	80	53	70	123
Real Cloutier 	Quebec 	80	60	54	114
Ulf Nilsson 	Winnipeg 	78	38	76	114
Robbie Ftorek 	Phoenix 	80	41	72	113
Chris Bordeleau	Quebec 	74	37	72	109
Anders Hedberg 	Winnipeg 	76	50	55	105
Rejean Houle 	Quebec 	81	51	52	103
Serge Bernier 	Quebec 	70	34	68	102
Gordie Howe 	Houston 	78	32	70	102
Andre Lacroix 	San Diego	80	29	72	101
===Leading Goaltenders===
Bolded numbers indicate season leaders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties, GA = Goals against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	Team 	GP	Min 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	SV% 	GAA
Michel Dion 	Indianapolis Racers	31	1860	14	15	1	85 	0 	91.0	2.74
Joe Daley 	Winnipeg Jets 	62	3612	41	17	1	171	5 	90.3	2.84
Wayne Rutledge	Houston Aeros 	25	1456	14	10	0	77 	1 	90.1	3.17
Jack Norris 	Phoenix Roadrunners	41	2412	21	14	4	128	1 	89.1	3.18
Ernie Wakely 	San Diego Mariners 	67	3824	35	27	4	208	3 	89.5	3.25
===All-Star Game===
On January 13, 1976, the All-Stars from the Canadian-based teams beat the All-Stars from the American-based teams 6-1 at the Coliseum at Richfield in Cleveland, Ohio before 15,491 spectators. Real Cloutier, who had a Hat trick, was the Canadian All-Stars MVP while Paul Shmyr was the American All-Stars MVP.
==Avco World Trophy Playoffs==
The New England Whalers, Cleveland Crusaders, the Phoenix Roadrunners and the San Diego Mariners participated in Preliminary Round, with two teams advancing to the main bracket. The Whalers beat the Crusaders in 3 games, while the Mariners beat the Roadrunners in 5 games.
===Preliminary Round===
;San Diego Mariners 3, Phoenix Roadrunners 2
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	Record
1	April 9 	San Diego Mariners 	2–3 OT	Phoenix Roadrunners	0-1
2	April 10	Phoenix Roadrunners	2–4 	San Diego Mariners 	1-1
3	April 13	San Diego Mariners 	4–6 	Phoenix Roadrunners	1-2
4	April 15	Phoenix Roadrunners	1–5 	San Diego Mariners 	2-2
5	April 17	San Diego Mariners 	2–1 	Phoenix Roadrunners	3-2
;New England Whalers 3, Cleveland Crusaders 0
Game	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Series
1 	April 9 	Cleveland Crusaders	3–5 	New England Whalers	0–1
2 	April 10	New England Whalers	6–1 	Cleveland Crusaders	2–0
3 	April 11	New England Whalers	3–2 	Cleveland Crusaders	3–0
===Playoff Bracket===
===Avco World Trophy Finals===
The line of Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg dominated the Finals, scoring 12 goals. Nilsson was voted the WHA Playoff MVP.
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	May 20	Winnipeg Jets	4–3 	Houston Aeros	1–0
2	May 23	Winnipeg Jets	5–4 	Houston Aeros	2–0
3	May 25	Houston Aeros	3–6 	Winnipeg Jets	0–3
4	May 27	Houston Aeros	1–9 	Winnipeg Jets	0–4
==WHA Awards==
Avco World Trophy: 	Winnipeg Jets
Gordie Howe Trophy (MVP): 	Marc Tardif, Quebec Nordiques
Bill Hunter Trophy (Scoring Leader): 	Marc Tardif, Quebec Nordiques
Lou Kaplan Trophy (Rookie of the Year): 	Mark Napier, Toronto Toros
Ben Hatskin Trophy (Best Goaltender): 	Michel Dion, Indianapolis Racers
Dennis A. Murphy Trophy (Best Defenseman): 	Paul Shmyr, Cleveland Crusaders
Paul Deneau Trophy (Most Gentlemenly): 	Vaclav Nedomansky, Toronto Toros
Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year):	Bobby Kromm, Winnipeg Jets
WHA Playoff MVP: 	Ulf Nilsson, Winnipeg Jets
==All-Star Teams==
Position 	First Team 	Second Team
Centre 	Ulf Nilsson, Winnipeg 	Robbie Ftorek, Phoenix
Right Wing	Anders Hedberg, Winnipeg	Real Cloutier, Quebec
Left Wing 	Marc Tardif, Quebec 	Bobby Hull, Winnipeg
Defence 	Paul Shmyr, Cleveland 	Kevin Morrison, San Diego
Defence 	J. C. Tremblay, Quebec 	Pat Stapleton, Indianapolis
Goaltender	Joe Daley, Winnipeg 	Ron Grahame, Houston
==Gallery==
1975-Oct17-Long-Jacques-Kennett-Dryden.jpg|Barry Long, Jeff Jacques, Murray Kennett, Dave Dryden, October 17, 1975.
1975-Oct21-Ketola-Aubry.jpg|Veli-Pekka Ketola scores on Serge Aubry, October 21, 1975.
1975-Oct25-Goldthorpe-Curran.gif|Bill Goldthorpe shoots on Mike Curran, October 25, 1975.
1975-Nov7-Backstrom-Dion.jpg|Ralph Backstrom scores on Michel DeGuise, November 6, 1975.
1975-Nov13-Shaw-Borgeson.jpg|Don Borgeson scores on Jim Shaw, November 13, 1975.
1975-Nov30-Hargreaves-Howe-Wakely.jpg|Jim Hargreaves, Gordie Howe, Ernie Wakely, November 30, 1975.
1975-Dec9-Tataryn-Holmgren.jpg|Paul Holmgren and Dave Tataryn, December 9, 1975.
1975-Dec9-Bowles-Liddington-Whidden.jpg|Brian Bowles, Bob Liddington, Bob Whidden, December 9, 1975.
1975-Dec14-Morrison-Vien.jpg|George Morrison and Mario Viens, December 14, 1975.
1975-Dec16-Kiely-Borgeson.jpg|John Kiely makes a save on Don Borgeson, December 16, 1975.
1975-Dec24-Lariviere-Backstrom-Norris.jpg|Garry Lariviere, Ralph Backstrom, Jack Norris, December 24, 1975.
1975-Jan15-Civics-Aeros lineups-last game.jpg|Line-up from the Civics last game, January 15, 1975.
1976-Mar6-Howe-Newton-Ruskowski.jpg|Gordie Howe, Jim Harrison, Cam Newton, Terry Ruskowski, March 6, 1976.
1976-Mar21-Howe-Kurt-Beaudoin.jpg|Gordie Howe, Gary Kurt, Serge Beaudoin, March 21, 1976.
1976-Apr2-Harbaruk-Garrett.jpg|Nick Harbaruk, John Garrett, April 2, 1976.
1975-76-BobJohnson-Boudreau.jpg|Bruce Boudreau shoots on Bob Johnson, 1975-76 season action.
1976-May16-Grahame-Webster-Game7.jpg|Ron Grahame stops Tom Webster, Game 7 of the 1976 Semi-finals, May 16, 1976.
75-76WHAAllStars.jpg|All-Star Teams.
==References==
*WHA Database
*HockeyDB
Category:1976 in hockey
Category:List of WHA Seasons