1976-77 WHA Season

By Patrick Mondout

The 1976-77 season was the fifth regular season of the now defunct World Hockey Association (WHA). While the league was once again at 12 teams, there were changes. The Toronto Toros moved to Alabama to become the Birmingham Bulls, attempts to move the Cleveland franchise to South Florida are scuttled and the team becomes the second version of the Minnesota Fighting Saints instead. The "New" Fighting Saints become the only in-season casualty folding after just 42 games and with a winning record. The Quebec Nordiques won their only AVCO World Trophy in 1976-77.

See also: Statistical Leaders for 1976-77, Complete League Attendance, 1976 WHA Draft

Key: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties in Minutes
* Indicates teams that qualifies for the playoffs

AVCO World Trophy Playoffs

Serge Bernier led the Quebec Nordiques to their only AVCO championship and was named Playoffs MVP.

WHA All Star Game

The fifth World Hockey Association All-Star game was played January 18, 1973 in Hartford, Connecticut. After last year's game featured Canadians verses the U.S., the game returned to its previous East verses West format. The East beat the West 4-2 in front of 10,337 fans while Louis Levasseur and Willy Lindstrom were named Co-MVPs. Bobby Kromm coached the East while Jacques Demers coached the West. These were the lineups for the game:

WHA Bibliography
The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association by Ed Willes
The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference to the World Hockey Association by Scott Adam Surgent
WHA Pro Hockey '75 - '76 by Dan Proudfoot
WHA Media Guides (each team published one each year)

These and many other WHA items can be found at eBay - check our links on the far right of this page!