The 1976–77 WCHL season was the 11th season of the Western Canada Hockey League. It featured twelve teams and a 72-game regular season. The Brandon Wheat Kings won their first regular season title, posting 54 wins on the season. However, in the playoffs the New Westminster Bruins continued their run of dominance and won their third consecutive President's Cup, defeating the Wheat Kings in the championship series. The Bruins advanced to the 1977 Memorial Cup tournament, and there they secured their first Memorial Cup title.
The season was the first for the Portland Winter Hawks, who became the league's first American-based club when the charter Edmonton Oil Kings relocated to Portland, Oregon prior to the season. The Winnipeg Clubs also changed their name to the Monarchs.
League notes The league adopted a new divisional format, dividing into three divisions of four teams each.
Team changes The Edmonton Oil Kings relocated to Portland, Oregon, becoming the Portland Winterhawks. The Winnipeg Clubs are renamed the Winnipeg Monarchs.
Regular season
Final standings
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Bernie Federko Saskatoon Blades 72 72 115 187 108 Greg Carroll Medicine Hat Tigers 71 60 109 169 118 Don Murdoch Medicine Hat Tigers 70 88 77 165 202 Blair Chapman Saskatoon Blades 69 71 86 157 67 Fred Berry New Westminster Bruins 72 59 87 146 164 Rick Shinske New Westminster Bruins 70 52 91 143 86 Jim Gustafson Victoria Cougars 69 46 95 141 72 Morris Lukowich Medicine Hat Tigers 72 65 75 140 195 Rich Gosselin Flin Flon Bombers 69 67 66 133 192 Dale McMullin Brandon Wheat Kings 72 56 74 130 28
Regular season
Final standings
East Division GP W L T Pts GF GA x Brandon Wheat Kings72 54 10 8 116 447 242 x Saskatoon Blades 72 30 30 12 72 317 290 Flin Flon Bombers 72 16 42 14 46 294 411 Regina Pats 72 8 53 11 27 218 464
Central Division GP W L T Pts GF GA x Medicine Hat Tigers72 32 28 12 76 330 304 x Winnipeg Monarchs 72 31 34 7 69 341 384 x Lethbridge Broncos 72 28 32 12 68 324 335 x Calgary Centennials 72 22 34 15 59 329 397
West Division GP W L T Pts GF GA x New Westminster Bruins 72 47 14 11 105 363 216 x Kamloops Chiefs 72 34 26 12 80 308 291 x Portland Winter Hawks 72 36 29 7 79 359 294 x Victoria Cougars 72 27 32 13 67 299 301
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Bill Derlago Brandon Wheat Kings 72 96 82 178 63 Ray Allison Brandon Wheat Kings 71 45 92 137 198 Brian Propp Brandon Wheat Kings 72 55 80 135 47 Kevin McCarthy Winnipeg Monarchs 72 22 105 127 110 Dan Bonar Brandon Wheat Kings 72 75 50 125 70 Tony Currie Portland Winter Hawks 72 73 52 125 50 Mark Lofthouse New Westminster Bruins 70 54 58 112 59 Wayne Babych Portland Winter Hawks 72 50 62 112 76 Brent Peterson Portland Winter Hawks 69 34 78 112 98 Kim Davis Flin Flon Bombers 69 56 55 111 250
1977 WCHL Playoffs Preliminary round Calgary defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 0 Lethbridge defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 2
League quarter-finals Brandon defeated Winnipeg 5 games to 2 Lethbridge defeated Calgary 3 games to 2 New Westminster defeated Victoria 4 games to 0 Portland defeated Kamloops 4 games to 1
League semi-finals Brandon defeated Lethbridge 4 games to 0 New Westminster defeated Portland 4 games to 1
WHL Championship New Westminster defeated Brandon 4 games to 1
All-Star game
On January 19, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 3–2 at Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 4,120.
WHL awards Most Valuable Player: Barry Beck, New Westminster BruinsTop Scorer: Bill Derlago, Brandon Wheat KingsMost Sportsmanlike Player: Steve Tambellini, Lethbridge BroncosTop Defenseman: Barry Beck, New Westminster BruinsRookie of the Year: Brian Propp, Brandon Wheat KingsTop Goaltender: Glen Hanlon, Brandon Wheat KingsCoach of the Year: Dunc McCallum, Brandon Wheat KingsRegular season champions: Brandon Wheat Kings
All-Star teams First Team Second Team Goal Glen Hanlon Brandon Wheat Kings Dave Parro Saskatoon BladesDefense Barry Beck New Westminster Bruins Brad Maxwell New Westminster Bruins Kevin McCarthy Winnipeg Monarchs Brad McCrimmon Brandon Wheat Kings Center Bill Derlago Brandon Wheat Kings Ron Areshenkoff Medicine Hat Tigers Left Wing Reg Kerr Kamloops Chiefs Brian Propp Brandon Wheat Kings Right Wing Wayne Babych Portland Winter Hawks Mark Lofthouse New Westminster Bruins
See also 1977 NHL entry draft 1976 in sports 1977 in sports
References 2005–06 WHL Guide