1977–78 AHL season

The 1977–78 AHL season was the 42nd season of the American Hockey League. The season was in jeopardy when the last of the original eight franchises of the "International-American Hockey League", the Rhode Island Reds (previously Providence Reds) folded in the offseason, and the AHL was left with five teams. The league increased its member teams by four, when the North American Hockey League and Southern Hockey Leagues both folded before the 1977–78 season. Two teams joined from the NAHL, and another from the SHL, along with one expansion team.
North and south divisions were resumed. The F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy resumes as the regular season championship trophy for the north division, and the John D. Chick Trophy resumes as the regular season championship trophy for the south division. The Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award is first awarded to the player best exemplifying sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey.
Nine teams were scheduled to play 80 games each, however the Hampton Gulls folded on February 10, 1978, playing 46 games. The Maine Mariners finished first overall in the regular season, and won the Calder Cup championship as a first year expansion team.
==Team changes==
* The Maine Mariners join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Portland, Maine, playing in the North Division.
* The Broome Dusters, of the defunct North American Hockey League, acquire and merge with the Rhode Island Reds. The Reds are relocated to Binghamton, New York, and play as the Binghamton Dusters in the North Division.
* The Philadelphia Firebirds, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, transfer to the AHL as an expansion team, from the defunct North American Hockey League, and play in the South Division.
* The Hampton Gulls, based in Hampton, Virginia, transfer to the AHL as an expansion team, from the defunct Southern Hockey League, and play in the South Division.
==Final standings==
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; 
North 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Maine Mariners 	80	43	28	9 	95 	305	256
Nova Scotia Voyageurs	81	37	28	16	90 	304	250
Springfield Indians 	81	39	33	9 	87 	348	350
Binghamton Dusters 	81	27	46	8 	62 	287	377
South 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Rochester Americans 	81	43	31	7 	93 	332	296
New Haven Nighthawks 	80	38	31	11	87 	313	292
Philadelphia Firebirds	81	35	35	11	81 	294	290
Hershey Bears 	81	27	44	10	64 	281	324
Hampton Gulls† 	46	15	28	3 	33 	142	171
†Suspended operations.
==Scoring leaders==
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Gord Brooks 	Philadelphia Firebirds	81	42	56	98 	40
Rick Adduono 	Rochester Americans 	76	38	60	98 	34
Al Hill 	Maine Mariners 	80	32	59	91 	118
Bob Collyard 	Philadelphia Firebirds	79	28	62	90 	42
Andre Peloffy 	Springfield Indians 	67	33	55	88 	73
Gordie Clark 	Rochester Americans 	75	37	51	88 	18
Joe Hardy 	Binghamton Dusters 	73	24	63	87 	56
Tom Colley 	New Haven Nighthawks 	80	32	54	86 	17
Charlie Simmer	Springfield Indians 	75	42	41	83 	100
* complete list
==Calder Cup playoffs==
See 1978 Calder Cup Playoffs
==Trophy and award winners==
;Team awards
Calder CupPlayoff champions: 	Maine Mariners
F. G. "Teddy" Oke TrophyRegular Season champions, North Division:	Maine Mariners
John D. Chick TrophyRegular Season champions, South Division: 	Rochester Americans
;Individual awards
Les Cunningham AwardMost valuable player: 	Blake Dunlop - Maine Mariners
John B. Sollenberger TrophyTop point scorer: 	Rick Adduono - Rochester Americans & Gord Brooks - Philadelphia Firebirds
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial AwardRookie of the year: 	Norm Dupont - Nova Scotia Voyageurs
Eddie Shore AwardDefenceman of the year: 	Terry Murray - Maine Mariners
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial AwardLowest goals against average:	Bob Holland & Maurice Barrett - Nova Scotia Voyageurs
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial AwardCoach of the year: 	Bob McCammon - Maine Mariners
Fred T. Hunt Memorial AwardSportsmanship / Perseverance: 	Blake Dunlop - Maine Mariners
;Other awards
James C. Hendy Memorial AwardMost outstanding executive: 	Sam Pollock
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage:	Brian Thayer, Maine, (newspaper)Al Kalter, Binghamton, (radio)Tim Melton, Hershey & Frank Fixaris, Maine, (television)
==Regular Season Attendance==
*Rochester - 186,100
*Binghamton - 185,400
*Maine - 185,268
*Hershey - 160,000
==Team Photos==
77-78MaiMar.jpg|Maine Mariners
77-78NSVoy.jpg|Nova Scotia Voyageurs
77-78BroDus.jpg|Binghamton Dusters
==See also==
*List of AHL seasons
==References==
*AHL official site
*AHL Hall of Fame
*HockeyDB
Category:American Hockey League seasons
Category:1978 in hockey