1876-77
When the Montreal Canadians beat the Flyers, the league rejoiced as it was a win of style over substance. To many the forces of good had defeated the forces of evil and chaos. But soon the feelings would turn to despare as the Canadians became the great un beatable dynasty.
In 1976-77 the Canadians were a record breaking powerhouse. Led by LaFleur, Shutt and Ken Dryden and coached by the massively disliked genius behind the bench in Scotty Bowman, the Canadians had no peers.
Bowman played favourites, pitted player against player, but it worked. Though the Canadian players hated him, not too many coaches could get a team to play to his capabilities. Bowman won, and that would settle many arguments.
Al Strachan remembered "The players hated him 364 days a year, and on the other day, they cashed their Stanley Cup cheques".
On the ice Guy Lafleur became the leagues greatest attraction. He lead the league in scoring with 56 goals and 136 points and won his first Hart Trophy. He featured on a line with Steve Shutt who set a record for Left Wingers with 60 goals and Jacques Lemaire. But the Canadians weren't just scoring. They had pure checkers in Doug Jarvis, Bob Gainey and Jim Roberts. They weren't an old club as they had a kid line with Doug Riseborough, Mario Tremblay and Yvon Lambert.
But it wasn't just the awesome depth of the Canadians up front that you had to deal with, if you managed to deal with the forwards, you had to deal with their big three on defence in Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson, and if you managed to get past them you still had to deal with Ken Dryden in net who won his second straight Vezina.
With all these pieces in place its no surprise that the Canadians dominated. They outscored their opponents 387-171. They set a record with 132 points based on a record of 60-8-12. They had 27 road wins and went 38 games including playoffs where they didn't lose at the Forum.
They had chemistry, they put their team above spending time with their families, and despite Bowman they had fun.
So its no surprise that they Canadians had no trouble defending their Championship, They went into the playoffs and trashed St. Louis in the first round. Beat the rising Islanders in the second round in 6 games, and swept the Bruins in the finals outscoring them 16-6.
The Canadians were more then just a team, they were a remorseless eating machine devouring the league. It could be argued that the 76-77 Canadians were the greatest team that the NHL has ever seen.
Trivia
- The NHL adopts a rule calling for a extra five minute penalty and a game misconduct for instigating a fight.
- The California Seals pack their bags and head to Cleveland to become the Barons. The Kansas City Scouts move to Colorado and become the Rockies.
- The Hall of Fame inducts 5 new members including Johnny Bower and Bill Quackenbush.
- The Washington Capitals use the first overall pick to draft defenseman Rick Green from London of the OHL.
- NHL Amateur Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_NHL_amateur_draft
- WHA Amateur Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_WHA_amateur_draft
- The Canada Cup is played before the start of the NHL season as Canada, the Soviet Union, Sweden and Finland face off for hockey supremacy.
- Canada tops the Canada Cup standings with a 4-1-1 record and then beat the Czechs in a best of three championship round 2-0.
- Rather then returning to the Bruins, Bobby Orr signs with the Black Hawks. He plays just 20 games scoring 4 goals and and 23 points before calling it quits.
- On October 12th the Rangers Don Murdoch breaks Howie Meekers rookier record when he scores 5 goals against the North Stars.
- On Feb 2nd Leaf's defenseman Ian Turnbull becomes the first defenseman to score 5 goals in a game against the Red Wings.
- On Feb 14th, Flyer's rookie Al Hill sets an NHL record with 5 points in his debut against St. Louis.
- On Feb 19th, Rod Gilbert of the Rangers becomes the 11th players to joint the 1,000 point club.
- On Feb 17th Stan Mikita becomes the 8th player to joint the 500 goal club.
- On April 3rd Boston's Jean Ratelle joints the 1,000 point club.
- Montreal finishes first with 132 points and a 60-8-12 record.
- Guy Lafleur leads the league with 136 points. Steve Shutt leads the league in goals with 60.
- Ken Dryden's 2.14 gaa is only topped by his part time backup Bunny Laroque's 2.09.
- L.A adds league terror Dave "The Hammer" Schultz
- The Flyers finish on top of the Patrick Division as Bernie Parent returns from his eye injury to win 35 games, while Bobby Clarke puts up 90 points.
- Atlanta features 3 30 goal scorers in Willi Plett, Eric Vail and Tom Lysiak as they finish 3rd in the Patrick.
- St. Louis brings in Emile Francis as coach and debut rookies Bernie Federko and Brian Sutter and finish first in the Smythe Division.
- Boston's Gerry Cheevers wins 30 games as the bruins take the Adam's Division with a 49-23-8 record.
- Lanny McDonald scores 46 goals and Dave "Tiger" Williams racks up 338 PIM as the Leafs finish 3rd in the Adams Division.
- The WHA plays its first series of exhibition games against teams from the NHL going 13-6-2.
- The Toronto Toros move to Birmingham, Alabama.
- Gordie Howe and his sons threaten to leave Houston.
- The WHA shifts to two divisions. Quebec wins the East and Houston wins the West.
- Real Cloutier leads the WHA in scoring with 141 points.
- Quebec makes it to the Avco Cup finals beating New England 4-1 and Indianapolis 4-1.
- The Winnipeg Jets led by Anders Hedberg's 70 goals make it to the finals by defeating San Diego in 7 and Houston in 6.
- Quebe beats Winnipeg in the finals in 7 games.
- In the opening round of the NHL Playoffs, The Islanders sweep Chicago, Buffalo beats Minnesota in 2, Toronto beats Pittsburgh 2-1 and the Kings beat Atlanta in 3.
- In the Quarterfinals The Flyers beat Toronton in 6, the Bruins erase the Kings in 6, Montreal sweeps St. Louis and the Islanders sweep Buffalo.
- In the semi finals the Bruins sweep the Flyers, Montreal takes 6 games to beat the Islanders.
- The Habs destroy the Bruins in a 4 game sweep that ends in overtime when Jaque Lemaire beats Gerry Cheevers at the 4.32 mark of the first overtime. The Habs win their 19th Stanley Cup.
- Guy LaFleur wins the Conn Smythe Trophy on the back of a 26 point performance.
- LaFleur adds the Hart Trophy to his Art Ross Trophy.
- Marcel Dionne wins his second straight Lady Byng Trophy.
- Ken Dryden shares the Vezina Trophy with his team mate Bunny Laroque.
- Atlanta rookie Willi Plett wins the Calder Trophy.
- Guy LaFleur wins the Lester B. Pearson Award.
- Canadians Coach Scotty Bowman wins the Jack Adams award.
- Montreal's Larry Robinson wins the Norris Trophy.
- Islanders Winger Ed Westfall wins the Masteron Trophy.
- Dale McCourt of St Catherine's wins the Major Junior Player of the Year Award. The New Westminster Bruins take the Memorial Cup.
Wisconsin edges Michigan to win the NCAA Title.
Debuts
Last Games