1976–77 Edmonton Oilers season

The 1976–77 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' fifth season of operation. The Oilers placed fourth to qualify for the playoffs, losing in the first round.

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||W||October 8, 1976||2–0 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||1–0–0

|2||L||October 15, 1976||1–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||1–1–0

|3||W||October 17, 1976||7–2 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||2–1–0

|4||W||October 19, 1976||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||3–1–0

|5||L||October 24, 1976||3–5 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||3–2–0

|6||L||October 26, 1976||1–3 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||3–3–0

|7||W||October 28, 1976||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||4–3–0

|8||L||October 29, 1976||3–11 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||4–4–0

|9||L||October 31, 1976||0–4 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||4–5–0

|10||W||November 3, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) ||5–5–0

|11||L||November 4, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||5–6–0

|12||L||November 5, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||5–7–0

|13||L||November 7, 1976||2–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||5–8–0

|14||L||November 10, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||5–9–0

|15||W||November 13, 1976||3–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||6–9–0

|16||L||November 16, 1976||2–5 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||6–10–0

|17||L||November 17, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||6–11–0

|18||W||November 19, 1976||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||7–11–0

|19||W||November 21, 1976||6–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||8–11–0

|20||L||November 23, 1976||3–5 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||8–12–0

|21||L||November 24, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||8–13–0

|22||L||November 26, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||8–14–0

|23||W||November 28, 1976||4–0 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||9–14–0

|24||W||November 30, 1976||3–2 OT|| align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||10–14–0

|25||W||December 2, 1976||4–3 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||11–14–0

|26||T||December 3, 1976||0–0 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||11–14–1

|27||L||December 4, 1976||3–5 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||11–15–1

|28||L||December 5, 1976||1–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) ||11–16–1

|29||W||December 7, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||12–16–1

|30||L||December 11, 1976||0–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||12–17–1

|31||W||December 12, 1976||5–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||13–17–1

|32||L||December 14, 1976||1–6 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||13–18–1

|33||L||December 16, 1976||0–3 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||13–19–1

|34||W||December 17, 1976||1–0 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||14–19–1

|35||W||December 19, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||15–19–1

|36||W||December 21, 1976||4–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||16–19–1

|37||L||December 28, 1976||2–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||16–20–1

|38||L||January 1, 1977||1–5 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||16–21–1

|39||L||January 4, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||16–22–1

|40||W||January 7, 1977||4–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||17–22–1

|41||L||January 8, 1977||0–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) ||17–23–1

|42||W||January 9, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||18–23–1

|43||W||January 14, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||19–23–1

|44||L||January 15, 1977||3–6 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||19–24–1

|45||L||January 16, 1977||1–3 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||19–25–1

|46||L||January 20, 1977||1–5 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||19–26–1

|47||L||January 22, 1977||1–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||19–27–1

|48||W||January 23, 1977||9–2 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||20–27–1

|49||W||January 26, 1977||5–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||21–27–1

|50||L||January 28, 1977||1–4 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||21–28–1

|51||T||January 30, 1977||1–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||21–28–2

|52||L||February 1, 1977||1–11 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||21–29–2

|53||W||February 6, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||22–29–2

|54||L||February 8, 1977||5–6 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||22–30–2

|55||L||February 11, 1977||1–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||22–31–2

|56||W||February 13, 1977||5–2 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||23–31–2

|57||L||February 15, 1977||4–7 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||23–32–2

|58||W||February 18, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||24–32–2

|59||L||February 20, 1977||2–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||24–33–2

|60||W||February 22, 1977||4–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||25–33–2

|61||L||February 25, 1977||2–3 OT|| align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||25–34–2

|62||L||February 27, 1977||0–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||25–35–2

|63||L||March 1, 1977||4–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||25–36–2

|64||W||March 3, 1977||5–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||26–36–2

|65||W||March 6, 1977||5–2 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||27–36–2

|66||L||March 8, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||27–37–2

|67||L||March 9, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||27–38–2

|68||W||March 10, 1977||4–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||28–38–2

|69||T||March 12, 1977||3–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||28–38–3

|70||L||March 13, 1977||3–9 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||28–39–3

|71||L||March 15, 1977||0–7 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||28–40–3

|72||W||March 17, 1977||4–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||29–40–3

|73||L||March 22, 1977||3–8 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||29–41–3

|74||W||March 24, 1977||5–4 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||30–41–3

|75||W||March 25, 1977||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||31–41–3

|76||L||March 27, 1977||2–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||31–42–3

|77||W||March 30, 1977||8–0 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||32–42–3

|78||L||April 1, 1977||1–3 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||32–43–3

|79||T||April 2, 1977||4–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||32–43–4

|80||W||April 4, 1977||6–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||33–43–4

|81||W||April 6, 1977||6–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||34–43–4

Legend:

Playoffs

| 1 || April 13 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–4 OT || Houston Aeros || 0–1

| 2 || April 15 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–6 || Houston Aeros || 0–2

| 3 || April 17 || Houston Aeros || 2–7 || Edmonton Oilers || 1–2

| 4 || April 20 || Houston Aeros || 4–1 || Edmonton Oilers || 1–3

| 5 || April 22 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–4 || Houston Aeros || 1–4

Legend:

Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG RW 48 34 20 54 207700 C 66 12 42 54 18−10010 LW 81 19 34 53 77−17200 D 81 8 37 45 60−19300 C 67 16 27 43 28−23400 RW 73 25 16 41 57−23800 C 52 8 28 36 16−4300 LW 79 18 17 35 76−1100 C 38 13 15 28 180400 D 51 4 24 28 75−7000 D 70 8 19 27 92−4200 C 29 9 16 25 486200 RW 28 15 8 23 4−7400 D 77 7 16 23 94−16200 D 46 1 17 18 41−1100 C/LW 40 9 6 15 8−10100 C 57 7 6 13 41−10000 LW 68 4 9 13 274−12000 RW 29 3 10 13 16−9100 C 15 5 7 12 2−1000 LW 11 5 4 9 142200 RW 13 3 2 5 0−8100 RW 15 3 2 5 162000 LW/C 17 0 5 5 12−6000 RW 29 2 2 4 830000 C 10 1 3 4 0−2000 D 23 0 4 4 62−10000 D 21 2 1 3 0−6000 D 2 1 2 3 02000 G 40 0 3 3 20000 C 7 1 1 2 0−3000 D 7 0 2 2 17−2000 G 24 0 2 2 00000 D 23 0 2 2 2−18000 RW 5 0 2 2 14−1000 D 2 0 1 1 2−4000 LW 1 0 0 0 0−2000 LW 1 0 0 0 00000 G 21 0 0 0 20000 LW 3 0 0 0 2−2000 D 3 0 0 0 22000 LW/D 2 0 0 0 20000Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO 2301 40 18 18 1 134 3.49 4 1416 24 10 13 0 77 3.26 1 1213 21 6 12 3 88 4.35 0 Team: 4930 81 34 43 4 299 3.64 5 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG C 5 4 1 5 7001 C/LW 5 3 2 5 0000 C 5 3 1 4 0000 D 5 0 4 4 4000 D 5 2 1 3 9000 D 4 1 2 3 14000 C 5 0 3 3 0000 LW 5 1 1 2 2000 LW 5 0 2 2 21000 RW 5 0 2 2 37000 RW 5 0 2 2 2000 C 5 1 0 1 4000 C 5 1 0 1 0000 C 5 0 1 1 0000 LW 5 0 1 1 4000 D 4 0 1 1 2000 D 4 0 0 0 0000 G 3 0 0 0 0000 G 2 0 0 0 2000 RW 2 0 0 0 8000 D 2 0 0 0 0000 C 1 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LGAGAA SO 179 3 1 2 10 3.35 0 133 2 0 2 10 4.51 0 Team: 312 5 1 4 20 3.85 0

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals       MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Transactions Trades Date To Edmonton Oilers Traded to Traded for July 1976 Cash Cincinnati Stingers Gilles Marotte September 1976 Cal Sandbeck Calgary Cowboys Dave Kryskow Barry Wilkins Minnesota Fighting Saints Bob Paradise Future considerations Winnipeg Jets Barry Long Frank Beaton Cincinnati Stingers Cash Bryan Campbell Indianapolis Racers Gene Peacosh Randy Rota Colorado Rockies (NHL) Cash Gregg Boddy San Diego Mariners Larry Hornung Gavin KirkTom Simpson Birmingham Bulls Tim Sheehy Bill Flett Atlanta Flames (NHL) Cash Bill Prentice Quebec Nordiques 2nd-round pick in 1977 - John Anderson Dave KeonJohn McKenzieMike AntonovichBill ButtersJack CarlsonJean-Louis LevasseurSteve Carlson Minnesota Fighting Saints ($140,000) Cash Danny ArndtDave Debol1st-round pick in 1977 - Mike CrombeenCash New England Whalers Dave KeonJohn McKenzieDave DrydenJack CarlsonSteve Carlson Ron BusniukBrett Callighen New England Whalers Mike AntonovichBill Butters

Players acquired Date Player Former team Term Dave Langevin Minnesota Fighting Saints Bob Paradise John Rothstein Craig Sarner Larry Hornung Winnipeg Jets Barry Merrell Rochester Americans (AHL) September 1976 Butch Williams California Golden Seals (NHL) Ken Broderick San Diego Mariners 2-year Tony Featherstone Toronto Toros Don Borgeson Calgary Cowboys Pete Laframboise Los Angeles Sharks Dennis Patterson Kansas City Scouts (NHL) 1-year Gene Peacosh San Diego Mariners 1-year Bob Nevin Birmingham Bulls 1-year Ted Scharf Indianapolis Racers Paul Stewart Broome Dusters (NAHL) Glenn Patrick Cleveland Crusaders

Players lost Date Player New team1976 Eddie Joyal Retired Doug Kerslake Skip Krake Bill Laing Dwayne Pentland Houston Aeros Jack Carlson Calgary Cowboys Jeff Carlson Minnesota Fighting Saints September 1976 Paul Hurley Calgary Cowboys Wayne Muloin Hershey Bears (AHL) Tom Gilmore Released Murray Kennett Bruce MacGregor Bob McAneeley Ted McAneeley Ray Reeson Dan Spring Tony Featherstone Retired Ken Baird Released November 1976 Ken Baird Calgary Cowboys Ted McAneeley Spokane Flyers (WIHL) January 1977 Wayne Carleton Birmingham Bulls Glen Sather Retired

Waivers Date Player Team Wayne Connelly from Calgary Cowboys Claude St. Sauveur

Signings Date Player Term Norm Ullman 1-year Barry Wilkins 1-year Don Borgeson Barry Merrell Rick Morris 1-year Larry Hornung Dave Langevin Glen Sather Jean-Louis Levasseur 3-year Gord Blumenschein

Draft picks Edmonton's draft picks at the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.