The 1977 NHL amateur draft was the 15th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal. It was notable for the inclusion of players being drafted at 20 years of age.
This was the only draft in which the Cleveland Barons as a distinctive franchise drafted, as they would fold prior to the 1978 draft.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Gordie Roberts, who played his last NHL game in the 1993–94 season.
Selections by round Below are listed the selections in the 1977 NHL amateur draft.
Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Dale McCourt (C) Detroit Red Wings St. Catharines Fincups (OHA) 2 Barry Beck (D) Colorado Rockies New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 3 Robert Picard (D) Washington Capitals Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) 4 Jere Gillis (LW) Vancouver Canucks Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 5 Mike Crombeen (RW) Cleveland Barons Kingston Canadians (OHA) 6 Doug Wilson (D) Chicago Black Hawks Ottawa 67's (OHA) 7 Brad Maxwell (D) Minnesota North Stars New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 8 Lucien DeBlois (RW) New York Rangers (from NY Rangers via St. Louis)1 Sorel Éperviers (QMJHL) 9 Scott Campbell (D) St. Louis Blues London Knights (OHA) 10 Mark Napier (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from Atlanta)2 Birmingham Bulls (WHA) 11 John Anderson (RW) Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Marlboros (OHA) 12 Trevor Johansen (D) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh)3 Toronto Marlboros (OHA) 13 Ron Duguay (C) New York Rangers (from Los Angeles)4 Sudbury Wolves (OHA) 14 Ric Seiling (RW) Buffalo Sabres St. Catharines Fincups (OHA) 15 Mike Bossy (RW) New York Islanders Laval National (QMJHL) 16 Dwight Foster (RW) Boston Bruins Kitchener Rangers (OHA) 17 Kevin McCarthy (D) Philadelphia Flyers Winnipeg Monarchs (WCHL) 18 Norm Dupont (LW) Montreal Canadiens Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) The New York Rangers' first-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on October 30, 1975 that sent Derek Sanderson to St. Louis in exchange for this pick. St. Louis previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 29, 1974 that sent Greg Polis to the Rangers in exchange for Larry Sacharuk and this pick. The Atlanta Flames' first-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on May 15, 1973 that sent California's and Montreal's first-round picks both in 1973 and Atlanta's second-round pick in 1973 to Atlanta in exchange for a first-round pick in the 1973, second-round pick in 1978 and this pick. The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on September 13, 1974 that sent Rick Kehoe to Pittsburgh in exchange for Blaine Stoughton and this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' first-round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on February 14, 1974 that sent Gene Carr to Los Angeles in exchange for this pick.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 19 Jean Savard (C) Chicago Black Hawks (from Detroit)1 Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 20 Miles Zaharko (D) Atlanta Flames (from Kansas City)2 New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 21 Mark Lofthouse (RW) Washington Capitals New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 22 Jeff Bandura (D) Vancouver Canucks Portland Winter Hawks (WCHL) 23 Dan Chicoine (RW) Cleveland Barons Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 24 Bob Gladney (D) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Chicago)3 Oshawa Generals (OHA) 25 Dave Semenko (LW) Minnesota North Stars Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) 26 Mike Keating (LW) New York Rangers St. Catharines Fincups (OMJHL) 27 Neil Labatte (D) St. Louis Blues Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 28 Don Laurence (C) Atlanta Flames Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) 29 Rocky Saganiuk (RW) Toronto Maple Leafs Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL) 30 Jim Hamilton (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins London Knights (OMJHL) 31 Brian Hill (RW) Atlanta Flames (from Los Angeles via Vancouver)4 Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 32 Ron Areshenkoff (C) Buffalo Sabres Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 33 John Tonelli (C) New York Islanders Houston Aeros (WHA) 34 Dave Parro (G) Boston Bruins Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 35 Tom Gorence (RW) Philadelphia Flyers University of Minnesota (WCHA) 36 Rod Langway (D) Montreal Canadiens University of New Hampshire (ECAC) The Detroit Red Wings' second-round pick went to the Chicago Black Hawks as the result of a trade on November 20, 1975 that sent the rights to Jean-Paul LeBlanc to Detroit in exchange for this pick. The Kansas City Scouts' second-round pick went to the Atlanta Flames as the result of a trade on October 13, 1975 that sent Buster Harvey to Kansas City in exchange for Richard Lemieux and this pick. The Chicago Black Hawks' second-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on September 28, 1976 that sent the rights to Jim Harrison to Chicago in exchange for this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' second-round pick went to the Atlanta Flames as the result of a trade on December 2, 1976 that sent Larry Carriere and Hilliard Graves to Vancouver in exchange for John Gould and this pick. Vancouver previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on January 14, 1976 that sent Ab DeMarco Jr. to Los Angeles in exchange for this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 37 Rick Vasko (D) Detroit Red Wings Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 38 Doug Berry (C) Colorado Rockies University of Denver (WCHA) 39 Eddy Godin (RW) Washington Capitals Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 40 Glen Hanlon (G) Vancouver Canucks Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) 41 Reg Kerr (LW) Cleveland Barons (from California via St. Louis)1 Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) 42 Guy Lash (RW) Cleveland Barons (from Chicago)2 Winnipeg Monarchs (WCHL) 43 Alain Cote (LW) Montreal Canadiens (from Minnesota)3 Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) 44 Steve Baker (G) New York Rangers Union College (ECAC) 45 Tom Roulston (C) St. Louis Blues Winnipeg Monarchs (WCHL) 46 Pierre Lagace (LW) Montreal Canadiens (from Atlanta)4 Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 47 Randy Pierce (RW) Colorado Rockies (from Toronto)5 Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 48 Kim Davis (C) Pittsburgh Penguins Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) 49 Moe Robinson (D) Montreal Canadiens (from Los Angeles)6 Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 50 Hector Marini (RW) New York Islanders (from Buffalo)7 Sudbury Wolves(OMJHL) 51 Bruce Andres (RW) New York Islanders New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 52 Mike Forbes (D) Boston Bruins St. Catharines Fincups (OMJHL) 53 Dave Hoyda (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Portland Winter Hawks (WCHL) 54 Gordie Roberts (D) Montreal Canadiens New England Whalers (WHA) The Cleveland Barons' third-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on March 9, 1976 that sent Dave Hrechkosy to St. Louis in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 1976 and this pick. St. Louis previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 24, 1975 that sent Wayne Merrick to the California Golden Seals in exchange for Larry Patey and this pick. The Golden Seals relocated to become the Cleveland Barons for the 1976–77 NHL season. The Chicago Black Hawks' third-round pick went to the Cleveland Barons as the result of a trade on June 1, 1975 that sent Joey Johnston to California in exchange for Jim Pappin and this pick. The Minnesota North Stars' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on July 9, 1975 that sent Glen Sather to Minnesota in exchange for cash and this pick. The Atlanta Flames' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on May 29, 1973 that sent Bob Murray and a fourth-round pick in 1977 to Atlanta in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 1977 and this pick. The Toronto Maple Leafs' third-round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of a trade on March 8, 1977 that sent Tracy Pratt to Toronto in exchange for this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 12, 1976 that sent Glenn Goldup and a third-round pick in 1978 to Los Angeles in exchange for a first-round pick in 1978 and this pick. The Buffalo Sabres' third-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on February 19, 1975 that sent the rights to Gerry Desjardins to Buffalo in exchange for the rights to Garry Lariviere and this pick.
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 55 John Hilworth (D) Detroit Red Wings Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 56 Dave Morrow (D) Vancouver Canucks (from Colorado)1 Calgary Wranglers (WCHL) 57 Nelson Burton (LW) Washington Capitals Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 58 Murray Bannerman (G) Vancouver Canucks Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 59 John Baby (D) Cleveland Barons Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 60 Randy Ireland (G) Chicago Black Hawks Portland Winter Hawks (WCHL) 61 Kevin McCloskey (D) Minnesota North Stars Calgary Wranglers (WCHL) 62 Mario Marois (D) New York Rangers Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 63 Tony Currie (RW) St. Louis Blues Portland Winter Hawks (WCHL) 64 Robert Holland (G) Montreal Canadiens (from Atlanta)2 Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) 65 Dan Eastman (RW) Toronto Maple Leafs London Knights (OMJHL) 66 Mark Johnson (C) Pittsburgh Penguins University of Wisconsin (WCHA) 67 Yves Guillemette (G) Philadelphia Flyers (from Los Angeles)3 Shawinigan Dynamos (QMJHL) 68 Bill Stewart (D) Buffalo Sabres Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) 69 Steve Stoyanovich (C) New York Islanders Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC) 70 Brian McGregor (RW) Boston Bruins Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 71 Rene Hamelin (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Shawinigan Dynamos (QMJHL) 72 Jim Craig (G) Atlanta Flames (from Montreal)4 Boston University (ECAC) The Colorado Rockies' fourth-round pick went to the Vancouver Canucks as the result of a trade on September 12, 1976 that sent Vancouver's fifth-round pick in 1978 to Colorado in exchange for this pick. The Atlanta Flames' fourth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on May 29, 1973 that sent Bob Murray and a fourth-round pick in 1977 to Atlanta in exchange for a third-round pick in 1977 and this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' fourth-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on September 29, 1976 that sent Dave Schultz to Los Angeles in exchange for a second-round pick in 1978 and this pick. The Montreal Canadiens' fourth-round pick went to the Atlanta Flames as the result of a trade on May 29, 1973 that sent a third and fourth-round pick both in 1977 to Montreal in exchange for Bob Murray and this pick.
Round five # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 73 Jim Korn (D) Detroit Red Wings Providence College (ECAC) 74 Mike Dwyer (LW) Colorado Rockies Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) 75 Denis Turcotte (C) Washington Capitals Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 76 Steve Hazlett (C) Vancouver Canucks St. Catharines Fincups (OMJHL) 77 Owen Lloyd (D) Cleveland Barons Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 78 Gary Platt (D) Chicago Black Hawks Verdun Eperviers (QMJHL) 79 Bob Parent (D) Minnesota North Stars Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 80 Benoit Gosselin (LW) New York Rangers Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL) 81 Bruce Hamilton (LW) St. Louis Blues Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 82 Curt Christofferson (D) Atlanta Flames Colorado College (WCHA) 83 John Wilson (LW) Toronto Maple Leafs Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 84 Julian Baretta (G) Los Angeles Kings (from Pittsburgh)1 University of Wisconsin (WCHA) 85 Warren Holmes (C) Los Angeles Kings Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 86 Rich Sirois (G) Buffalo Sabres Laval National (QMJHL) 87 Markus Mattsson (G) New York Islanders Tampere Ilves (Finland) 88 Doug Butler (D) Boston Bruins Saint Louis University (CCHA) 89 Dan Clark (D) Philadelphia Flyers Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) 90 Gaetan Rochette (LW) Montreal Canadiens Shawinigan Dynamos (QMJHL) The Pittsburgh Penguins' fifth-round pick went to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on October 18, 1976 that sent Mike Corrigan to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick.
Round six