1975–76 NHL season

The 1975–76 NHL season was the 59th season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, defeating the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers in the final.
This season also marked the final time that Hockey Night in Canada on CBC in Canada would air both radio and television broadcasts of games; the show would become exclusive to television the next season.
==Regular season==
The Montreal Canadiens set records in wins with 58 and points with 127, beginning a four-year stretch where they would dominate the league in the regular season and win four straight Stanley Cup titles. The Philadelphia Flyers tied the record set by the 1929–30 Boston Bruins for most consecutive home ice wins, with 20.
During the regular season, between December 28 and January 10, "Super Series '76" took place as two teams from the Soviet Championship League played eight exhibitions against NHL teams. HC CSKA Moscow (the "Red Army Club"), defending Soviet champion, played against the New York Rangers, Montreal, Boston and, on January 11, the defending NHL champion, the Philadelphia Flyers, while Krylya Sovetov Moscow ("the Soviet Wings") played against Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Chicago and the New York Islanders.Super Series site
The New York Rangers got off to their worst start since 1965–66. Under
pressure, Emile Francis traded Derek Sanderson to St. Louis and put goaltender Eddie Giacomin on waivers. Detroit claimed him, and then the blockbuster trade of the year saw the Boston Bruins send superstar center Phil Esposito and star defenceman Carol Vadnais to the New York Rangers for star center Jean Ratelle and 
superstar defenceman Brad Park. Both Ratelle and Park would excel for the Bruins for years to come, while Esposito's days as the preeminent scorer in the NHL were behind him. Trades did not help the Rangers, as they gave up 333 goals against and finished last in the
Patrick Division, which cost Emile Francis his job as general
manager, and coach Ron Stewart was fired as well. John Ferguson Sr.
took over both jobs.
The Kansas City Scouts established a dubious distinction, winning only
one of their final 44 games.
On February 7, 1976, Darryl Sittler set an NHL record that still stands for most points scored in one game. He recorded ten points (six goals, four assists) against the Boston Bruins.
===Final standings===
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold
====Prince of Wales Conference====
====Clarence Campbell Conference====
==Playoffs==
===Playoff seeds===
The twelve teams that qualified for the playoffs are ranked 1–12 based on regular season points.
Note: Only teams that qualified for the playoffs are listed here.
# Montreal Canadiens, Norris Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 127 points
# Philadelphia Flyers, Patrick Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions – 118 points
# Boston Bruins, Adams Division champions – 113 points
# Buffalo Sabres – 105 points
# New York Islanders – 101 points
# Los Angeles Kings – 85 points
# Toronto Maple Leafs – 83 points
# Pittsburgh Penguins – 82 points (35 wins, 5 points head-to-head vs. Atlanta)
# Atlanta Flames – 82 points (35 wins, 3 points head-to-head vs. Pittsburgh)
# Chicago Black Hawks, Smythe Division champions – 82 points (32 wins)
# Vancouver Canucks – 81 points
# St. Louis Blues – 72 points
===Playoff bracket===
* Division winners earned a bye to the quarterfinals
* Teams were re-seeded based on regular season record after the Preliminary and Quarterfinal rounds
===Preliminary round===
====(1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (8) St. Louis Blues====
The Buffalo Sabres were the first seed of the preliminary round and fourth overall with 105 points. The St. Louis Blues were the eighth seed of the preliminary round and twelfth overall with 72 points. This was the first playoff series between these two teams. The Buffalo Sabres won this year's regular season series earning 5 of 8 points.
====(2) New York Islanders vs. (7) Vancouver Canucks====
The New York Islanders were the second seed in the preliminary round and fifth overall with 101 points. The Vancouver Canucks were the seventh seed in the preliminary round and eleventh overall with 81 points. This was the first playoff series between these two teams. Vancouver won this year's regular season series earning 8 of 10 points.
====(3) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) Atlanta Flames====
The Los Angeles Kings were the third seed of the preliminary round and sixth overall 85 points. The Atlanta Flames were the sixth seed of the preliminary round and ninth overall with 82 points, losing the tie-breaker to Pittsburgh in head-to-head points (5 to 3). This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Los Angeles won this year's regular season series earning 6 of 8 points.
====(4) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins====
The Toronto Maple Leafs were the fourth seed in the preliminary round and seventh overall with 83 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the fifth seed in the preliminary round and eighth overall with 82 points, winning the tiebreaker over Atlanta in head-to-head points (5 to 3). This was the first playoff series between these two teams. Pittsburgh won this year's regular season series earning 8 of 10 points.
===Quarterfinals===
====(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (8) Chicago Black Hawks====
The Montreal Canadiens finished first in the league with 127 points. The Chicago Black Hawks finished as the Smythe Division Champions and the eighth and lowest seed of the quarterfinals with 82 points. This was the 17th playoff series between these two teams. Montreal leads 11–5 in previous meetings. Their most recent meeting came in the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals, which Montreal won in six games. Montreal won this year's regular season series earning 5 of 8 points.
====(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Toronto Maple Leafs====
The Philadelphia Flyers finished as Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions and second seed overall with 118 points. This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. This was a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, which Philadelphia won in a four-game sweep. Philadelphia won this year's regular season series earning 7 of 8 points.
====(3) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings====
The Boston Bruins finished as the Adams Division regular season champions and third seed overall with 113 points. This was the first playoff series between these two teams. Boston won this year's regular season series earning 8 of 10 points.
====(4) Buffalo Sabres vs. (5) New York Islanders====
This was the first playoff series between these two teams. The teams split this year's four-game regular season series.
===Semifinals===
====(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) New York Islanders====
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.
====(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (3) Boston Bruins====
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. Philadelphia won the only previous meeting in a major upset in the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals in six games.
===Stanley Cup Finals===
This was the second playoff series (and only Finals) meeting between these two teams. Montreal won the only previous meeting in the 1973 Stanley Cup Semifinals in five games.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Philadelphia Flyers, once again made it to the finals, but were swept in four games by the Montreal Canadiens.
==Awards==
1976 NHL awards 	1976 NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy:(Wales Conference regular season champion) 	Montreal Canadiens
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:(Campbell Conference regular season champion) 	Philadelphia Flyers
Art Ross Trophy:(Top scorer, regular season) 	Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication)	Rod Gilbert, New York Rangers
Calder Memorial Trophy:(Top first-year player) 	Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
Conn Smythe Trophy:(Most valuable player, playoffs) 	Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers
Hart Memorial Trophy:(Most valuable player, regular season) 	Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
Jack Adams Award:(Best coach) 	Don Cherry, Boston Bruins
James Norris Memorial Trophy:(Best defenceman) 	Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:(Excellence and sportsmanship) 	Jean Ratelle, New York Rangers/Boston Bruins
Lester B. Pearson Award:(Outstanding player, regular season) 	Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
Vezina Trophy:(Goaltender(s) of team(s) with best goaltending record) 	Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens
Lester Patrick Trophy:(Service to hockey in the U.S.) 	Stan Mikita, George A. Leader, Bruce A. Norris
===All-Star teams===
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens 	G 	Glenn Resch, New York Islanders
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders 	D 	Borje Salming, Toronto Maple Leafs
Brad Park, Boston Bruins/New York Rangers	D 	Guy Lapointe, Montreal Canadiens
Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers 	C 	Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo Sabres
Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens 	RW 	Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers
Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers 	LW 	Rick Martin, Buffalo Sabres
==Player statistics==
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Guy Lafleur 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	56	69	125	36
Bobby Clarke 	Philadelphia Flyers 	76	30	89	119	136
Gilbert Perreault	Buffalo Sabres 	80	44	69	113	36
Bill Barber 	Philadelphia Flyers 	80	50	62	112	104
Pierre Larouche 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	76	53	58	111	33
Jean Ratelle 	New York Rangers/Boston Bruins	80	36	69	105	18
Pete Mahovlich 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	34	71	105	76
Jean Pronovost 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	80	52	52	104	24
Darryl Sittler 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	79	41	59	100	90
Syl Apps, Jr. 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	80	32	67	99 	24
Source: NHL.
===Leading goaltenders===
Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
Player 	Team 	GP	MIN 	GA 	GAA 	W 	L 	T 	SO
Ken Dryden 	Montreal Canadiens 	62	3580	121	2.03	42	10	8 	8
Chico Resch 	N.Y. Islanders 	44	2546	88 	2.07	23	11	8 	7
Dan Bouchard 	Atlanta Flames 	47	2671	113	2.54	19	17	8 	2
Wayne Stephenson	Philadelphia Flyers 	66	3819	164	2.58	40	10	13	1
Billy Smith 	N.Y. Islanders 	39	2254	98 	2.61	19	10	9 	3
Gilles Gilbert 	Boston Bruins 	55	3123	151	2.90	33	8 	10	3
Tony Esposito 	Chicago Black Hawks 	68	4003	198	2.97	30	23	13	4
Rogatien Vachon 	L.A. Kings 	51	3060	160	3.14	26	20	5 	5
Wayne Thomas 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	64	3684	196	3.19	28	24	12	2
Gary Simmons 	California Golden Seals	40	2360	131	3.33	15	19	5 	2
===Other statistics===
* Plus-minus: Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
==Coaches==
===Patrick Division===
*Atlanta Flames: Fred Creighton
*New York Islanders: Al Arbour
*New York Rangers: Ron Stewart and John Ferguson Sr.
*Philadelphia Flyers: Fred Shero
===Adams Division===
*Boston Bruins: Don Cherry
*Buffalo Sabres: Floyd Smith
*California Golden Seals: Jack Evans
*Toronto Maple Leafs: Red Kelly
===Norris Division===
*Detroit Red Wings: Alex Delvecchio
*Los Angeles Kings: Bob Pulford
*Montreal Canadiens: Scotty Bowman
*Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc Boileau and Ken Schinkel
*Washington Capitals: Milt Schmidt and Tom McVie
===Smythe Division===
*Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay
*Kansas City Scouts: Bep Guidolin, Sid Abel and Eddie Bush
*Minnesota North Stars: Ted Harris
*St. Louis Blues: Garry Young, Lynn Patrick and Leo Boivin
*Vancouver Canucks: Phil Maloney
==Debuts==
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1975–76 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
*Willi Plett, Atlanta Flames
*Dennis Maruk, California Golden Seals
*Bob Murray, Chicago Blackhawks
*Gary Sargent, Los Angeles Kings
*Doug Jarvis, Montreal Canadiens
*Doug Risebrough, Montreal Canadiens
*Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
*Mel Bridgman, Philadelphia Flyers
==Last games==
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1975–76 (listed with their last team):
*Gary Bergman, Kansas City Scouts
*Bryan Hextall Jr., Minnesota North Stars
*Chico Maki, Chicago Black Hawks
*Bob Nevin, Los Angeles Kings
*Noel Price, Atlanta Flames
*Mickey Redmond, Detroit Red Wings
*Bill White, Chicago Black Hawks
*Terry Crisp, Philadelphia Flyers
*Andre Boudrias, Vancouver Canucks
*Tommy Williams, Washington Capitals
NOTE: Boudrias finished his major professional career in the World Hockey Association.
== See also ==
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* 1975 NHL Amateur Draft
* 1975–76 NHL transactions
* 29th National Hockey League All-Star Game
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
* List of WHA seasons
* Ice hockey at the 1976 Winter Olympics
* 1976 Kansas City Scouts–Washington Capitals Japanese tour
==References==
* 
* 
* 
* 
;Notes
==External links==
*Hockey Database
*NHL.com
 
1L
Category:1975–76 in American ice hockey by league