1975-76 NHL season facts for kids
The 1975–76 NHL season was the 59th year for the National Hockey League. Eighteen teams played 80 games each. The Montreal Canadiens were amazing this season. They set new records with 58 wins and 127 points. This was the start of their incredible run. They would go on to win the Stanley Cup four years in a row!
Contents
Regular Season Highlights
The regular season is where all the teams play against each other. They try to win as many games as possible. This helps them get a good spot for the playoffs.
How Teams Ranked (Final Standings)
Here's how the teams finished in their divisions. The teams in bold made it to the playoffs.
- GP means Games Played.
- W means Wins.
- L means Losses.
- T means Ties.
- Pts means Points (2 for a win, 1 for a tie).
- GF means Goals For (how many goals they scored).
- GA means Goals Against (how many goals were scored on them).
- PIM means Penalties in Minutes.
Prince of Wales Conference Teams
| Adams Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 48 | 15 | 17 | 113 | 313 | 237 | 1195 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 46 | 21 | 13 | 105 | 339 | 240 | 943 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 34 | 31 | 15 | 83 | 294 | 276 | 1368 |
| California Golden Seals | 80 | 27 | 42 | 11 | 65 | 250 | 278 | 1058 |
| Norris Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 58 | 11 | 11 | 127 | 337 | 174 | 977 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 38 | 33 | 9 | 85 | 263 | 265 | 1022 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 35 | 33 | 12 | 82 | 339 | 303 | 1004 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 26 | 44 | 10 | 62 | 226 | 300 | 1922 |
| Washington Capitals | 80 | 11 | 59 | 10 | 32 | 224 | 394 | 951 |
Clarence Campbell Conference Teams
| Patrick Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Flyers | 80 | 51 | 13 | 16 | 118 | 348 | 209 | 1980 |
| New York Islanders | 80 | 42 | 21 | 17 | 101 | 297 | 190 | 1277 |
| Atlanta Flames | 80 | 35 | 33 | 12 | 82 | 262 | 237 | 928 |
| New York Rangers | 80 | 29 | 42 | 9 | 67 | 262 | 333 | 911 |
| Smythe Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Black Hawks | 80 | 32 | 30 | 18 | 82 | 254 | 261 | 944 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 33 | 32 | 15 | 81 | 271 | 272 | 1122 |
| St. Louis Blues | 80 | 29 | 37 | 14 | 72 | 249 | 290 | 1274 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 20 | 53 | 7 | 47 | 195 | 303 | 1191 |
| Kansas City Scouts | 80 | 12 | 56 | 12 | 36 | 190 | 351 | 984 |
Top Scorers
These players scored the most points during the season. Points are from goals and assists.
- G means Goals (when a player shoots the puck into the net).
- A means Assists (when a player helps another player score a goal).
- Pts means Points (Goals + Assists).
| 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 | Boston Bruins / New York Rangers | 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 |
Stanley Cup Playoffs
After the regular season, the best teams play in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This is a big tournament. Teams play a series of games. The team that wins the most games in a series moves on. The last team standing wins the Stanley Cup!
Playoff Path
This chart shows how teams battled it out in the playoffs.
| Preliminary Round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Islanders | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 12 | St. Louis Blues | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Islanders | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Islanders | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Vancouver Canucks | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Los Angeles Kings | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Atlanta Flames | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
The Finals
The Philadelphia Flyers had won the Stanley Cup for the past two years. They made it to the finals again! But this time, they played against the amazing Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens won the series in just four games. They took home the Stanley Cup!
Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
| Date | Visitors | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9 | Philadelphia | 3 | Montreal | 4 | |
| May 11 | Philadelphia | 1 | Montreal | 2 | |
| May 13 | Montreal | 3 | Philadelphia | 2 | |
| May 16 | Montreal | 5 | Philadelphia | 3 |
NHL Awards
At the end of the season, the NHL gives out special awards. These awards celebrate the best players, coaches, and teams.
| Prince of Wales Trophy: | Awarded to the champion of the Prince of Wales Conference. Won by Montreal Canadiens. |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: | Awarded to the champion of the Clarence Campbell Conference. Won by Philadelphia Flyers. |
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | Given to the player who scores the most points. Won by Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens. |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: | For the player who shows great sportsmanship and dedication. Won by Rod Gilbert, New York Rangers. |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | For the best rookie (first-year player). Won by Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders. |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: | For the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Won by Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers. |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | For the most valuable player to his team. Won by Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers. |
| Jack Adams Award: | For the best coach. Won by Don Cherry, Boston Bruins. |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: | For the best defense player. Won by Denis Potvin, New York Islanders. |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | For the player who shows the best sportsmanship and skill. Won by Jean Ratelle, New York Rangers/Boston Bruins. |
| Lester B. Pearson Award: | Voted by the players as the most outstanding player. Won by Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens. |
| Vezina Trophy: | For the best goalie. Won by Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens. |
All-Star Teams
These teams are made up of the best players at each position. They are chosen for their amazing skills during the season.
| 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 | 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 |
