1976–77 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1976–77 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 51st season in the NHL. The Hawks finished 3rd in the Smythe Division and lost in the Preliminary round to the New York Islanders 2 games to 0.
==Off-season==
During the off-season, the Hawks made a big free agent acquisition, as the club signed eight time Norris Trophy winner Bobby Orr. Orr missed the majority of the 1975-76 due to a knee injury, as he was limited to ten games in his final season with the Boston Bruins. The team also named Keith Magnuson to become a co-captain, joining Stan Mikita and Pit Martin in that role. The NHL also made a few changes, as the Kansas City Scouts were relocated to Denver, Colorado, and renamed the Colorado Rockies, while the California Seals moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and were renamed the Cleveland Barons.
==Regular Season==
The Black Hawks got off to a solid start to the season, as in the month of October, they had a 7-5-1 record, however, injuries took a toll on the team, and the Hawks fell into a slump. The Hawks went 3-14-4 in their next 21 games which cost long time head coach Billy Reay his job. Reay had been with Chicago since 1963, and left the team with a record of 516-335-161 in his fourteen seasons with the club. He was replaced by recently retired Black Hawks defenseman Bill White, who played with the team from 1969-1975. Under White, the Hawks played better hockey, as they went 13-12-5 in his first 30 games, however, the team would go on an eight game losing streak, and find themselves battling the Vancouver Canucks for the final playoff spot in the Smythe Division. The Hawks eventually finished the season with a 26-43-11 record, earning 63 points, and squeaked into the post-season. The 26 victories and 63 points was their fewest total since the team won 24 games and earned 55 points in 1957-58, while their 43 losses was their highest since losing 51 games in 1953-54.1975-76 Chicago Black Hawks Games - Hockey-Reference.com
Offensively, the Black Hawks were led by Ivan Boldirev, who had a team high 24 goals, 38 assists and 62 points. Darcy Rota tied Boldirev for the team lead in goals, as he also scored 24 times, while earning 46 points. Pit Martin had 17 goals and 53 points, while Stan Mikita had 19 goals and 49 points while appearing in only 57 games. On defense, Dick Redmond led the way, scoring 22 goals and 47 points, while Phil Russell had 9 goals and 45 points from the blueline, along with a team high 233 penalty minutes. Bobby Orr, limited to only 20 games, earned 23 points, while posting a team best +6 rating.
In goal, Tony Esposito played the majority of the games, winning 25 games, while registering a GAA of 3.45, and earning two shutouts.Chicago Blackhawks goaltending history : Tony Esposito
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–4 	St. Louis Blues 	1–0–0 	2
2 	October 9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–2 	New York Islanders 	1–1–0 	2
3 	October 10 	Vancouver Canucks 	1-5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–1-0 	4
4 	October 13 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	1–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–1–0 	6
5 	October 15 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–5 	Colorado Rockies 	3–2-0 	6
6 	October 17 	Minnesota North Stars	0–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–2–0 	8
7 	October 19 	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–3 	Cleveland Barons 	4–3–0 	8
8 	October 21 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	4–4–0 	8
9 	October 23 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–4 	Minnesota North Stars	4–5–0 	8
10	October 24 	St. Louis Blues 	2–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–5–0 	10
11	October 27 	Montreal Canadiens 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–5–1 	11
12	October 30 	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–5 	Detroit Red Wings 	6–5–1 	13
13	October 31 	Washington Capitals 	4–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–5–1 	15
14	November 4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5-7 	Boston Bruins 	7–6–1 	15
15	November 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–11 	Montreal Canadiens 	7-7–1 	15
16	November 7 	Colorado Rockies 	3–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–8–1 	15
17	November 10	Philadelphia Flyers 	2–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7-8–2 	16
18	November 12	Chicago Black Hawks 	5-4 	Washington Capitals 	8–8–2 	18
19	November 14	Los Angeles Kings 	4-5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	9–8–2 	20
20	November 17	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3 	New York Rangers 	9–9–2 	20
21	November 19	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–5 	Atlanta Flames 	9–10–2 	20
22	November 21	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–5 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	9–11–2 	20
23	November 24	Chicago Black Hawks 	5-4 	Los Angeles Kings 	10–11–2 	22
24	November 27	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–4 	Vancouver Canucks 	10–12–2 	22
25	December 1 	Boston Bruins 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–13–2 	22
26	December 4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2-2 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	10–13–3 	23
27	December 5 	Vancouver Canucks 	4-2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–14–3 	23
28	December 8 	Montreal Canadiens 	4-3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–15–3 	23
29	December 11	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–3 	Atlanta Flames 	10–16–3 	23
30	December 12	New York Islanders 	6–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–17–3 	23
31	December 16	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–4 	Philadelphia Flyers 	10–18–3 	23
32	December 18	New York Rangers 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–18–4 	24
33	December 19	St. Louis Blues 	6–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–19–4 	24
34	December 21	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3 	Minnesota North Stars	10–19–5 	25
35	December 22	Buffalo Sabres 	4-2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–20–5 	25
36	December 26	Colorado Rockies 	3-5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	11–20–5 	27
37	December 29	Detroit Red Wings 	3–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	12–20–5 	29
38	December 31	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–2 	Colorado Rockies 	12–20–6 	30
39	January 2 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	13–20–6 	32
40	January 5 	Buffalo Sabres 	1–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	14–20–6 	34
41	January 8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	14–21–6 	34
42	January 9 	Boston Bruins 	4-2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	14-22–6 	34
43	January 12 	New York Islanders 	1–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	15–22–6 	36
44	January 15 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	16-22–6 	38
45	January 16 	New York Rangers 	5–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	16–23–6 	38
46	January 18 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7-7 	Colorado Rockies 	16–23–7 	39
47	January 19 	St. Louis Blues 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	16–24–7 	39
48	January 22 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–0 	Detroit Red Wings 	17–24–7 	41
49	January 23 	Philadelphia Flyers 	2–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	17–24–8 	42
50	January 27 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1 	Vancouver Canucks 	17–24–9 	43
51	January 30 	Cleveland Barons 	3–9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	18–24–9 	45
52	February 2 	Atlanta Flames 	2–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	19–24–9 	47
53	February 3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–6 	Philadelphia Flyers 	19–25–9 	47
54	February 5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–5 	Cleveland Barons 	19–26–9 	47
55	February 6 	Minnesota North Stars	3-0 	Chicago Black Hawks 	19–27–9 	47
56	February 9 	Washington Capitals 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	19–27–10	48
57	February 12	Colorado Rockies 	2–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–27–10	50
58	February 13	Atlanta Flames 	2–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–27–10	52
59	February 15	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–5 	St. Louis Blues 	21–28–10	52
60	February 16	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–3 	Buffalo Sabres 	21–29–10	52
61	February 19	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–6 	Minnesota North Stars	21–30–10	52
62	February 20	Toronto Maple Leafs 	10–8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–31–10	52
63	February 23	Detroit Red Wings 	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	22–31–10	54
64	February 26	New York Rangers 	1–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–31–10	56
65	February 27	Vancouver Canucks 	4-3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–32–10	56
66	March 2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–6 	Buffalo Sabres 	23–33–10	56
67	March 3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–7 	Washington Capitals 	23-34–10	56
68	March 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–6 	Boston Bruins 	23–35–10	56
69	March 8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–7 	Los Angeles Kings 	23–36–10	56
70	March 10 	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–5 	Vancouver Canucks 	23–37–10	56
71	March 12 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	23–38–10	56
72	March 16 	New York Islanders 	5–0 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–39-10	56
73	March 19 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–2 	New York Islanders 	23–39–11	57
74	March 20 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	2–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	24–39–11	59
75	March 23 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	24–40–11	59
76	March 26 	Minnesota North Stars	2–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	25–40–11	61
77	March 27 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–3 	New York Rangers 	26–40–11	63
78	March 30 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–4 	St. Louis Blues 	26-41–11	63
79	April 1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–6 	Atlanta Flames 	26–42–11	63
80	April 3 	Cleveland Barons 	4–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	26-43–11	63
==Playoffs==
The Hawks opened the playoffs in a best of three preliminary series against the New York Islanders, who finished in second place in the Patrick Division with 106 points, which was 43 more than the Hawks. The series opened with two games at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New York, and the Islanders made quick work of the Hawks in the first game, easily winning 5-2 to take the series lead. New York would then complete the two game sweep, narrowly defeating the Hawks 2-1 in the second game, as Chicago was swept out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
===New York Islanders 2, Chicago Black Hawks 0===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	April 5	Chicago Black Hawks	2–5 	New York Islanders	0-1
2	April 7	Chicago Black Hawks	1–2 	New York Islanders	0-2
==Player Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Ivan Boldirev	80	24	38	62 	40
Pit Martin 	75	17	36	53 	22
Stan Mikita 	57	19	30	49 	20
Dick Redmond 	80	22	25	47 	30
Darcy Rota 	76	24	22	46 	82
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA
Tony Esposito 	69	4067	25	36	8	234	2 	3.45
Michel Dumas 	5 	241 	0 	1 	2	17 	0 	4.23
Mike Veisor 	3 	180 	1 	2 	0	13 	0 	4.33
Gilles Villemure	6 	312 	0 	4 	1	28 	0 	5.38
==Playoff Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Kirk Bowman 	2 	1	0	1 	0
Dennis Hull 	2 	1	0	1 	0
Grant Mulvey	2 	1	0	1 	2
Dale Tallon 	2 	0	1	1 	0
Bob Murray 	2 	0	1	1 	2
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA
Tony Esposito	2 	120	0	2	6 	0 	3.00
==Awards and Records==
*The Black Hawks did not win any awards this season.
==Draft Picks==
Chicago's draft picks at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft at the NHL Office in Montreal, Quebec.
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/junior/club team (league)
1 	9 	Real Cloutier 	 	Quebec Nordiques (WHA)
2 	27 	Jeff McDill 	 	Victoria Cougars (WCHL)
3 	45 	Thomas Gradin 	 	Modo Hockey (Sweden)
4 	63 	Dave Debol 	 	University of Michigan (NCAA)
5 	81 	Terry McDonald	 	Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)
6 	99 	John Peterson 	 	University of Notre Dame (NCAA)
7 	115	John Rothstein	 	University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)
==References==
==Sources==
*Hockey-Reference
*Rauzulu's Street
*Goalies Archive
*HockeyDB
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Chicago Blackhawks seasons
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1976–77
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1976–77