1976–77 Winnipeg Jets season



The 1976–77 Winnipeg Jets season was the Jets' 5th season in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets finished 2nd in the Western Division and lost in the Avco World Trophy Final to the Quebec Nordiques 4 games to 3.

Off-season
The Jets jerseys were the same design as in the 1973-74 season except for the dark blue becoming darker.

Pre-season
The Jets had two exhibition games against teams from the NHL, winning both:

September 24, 1976: Winnipeg Jets 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 3 September 26, 1976: Winnipeg Jets 6, St. Louis Blues 2

The game against St. Louis proved costly for the Jets as Bobby Hull fractured his wrist and missed 46 games of the regular season.

Regular Season
Anders Hedberg started the February 6, 1977 game versus the Calgary Cowboys with 48 goals in 48 games, having scored 4 goals and 2 assists in the February 4, 1977 match against the San Diego Mariners. After the Jets were held scoreless in the first period, Hedberg scored in the second period on a 5 on 3 power play. He missed the rest of the period with strained knee ligaments after being checked by Paul Terbenche. He returned for the third period and became the first player in a major professional league to score 50 goals in less than 50 games when he fired a short side past Cowboys goalie Gary Bromley. He then added an empty net goal in the Jets 6-4 triumph. Wayne Gretzky broke Hedberg's record on December 30, 1981 with his 50th goal in 39 games.

Quebec Nordiques 4, Winnipeg Jets 3
The Finals pitted the 1976 AVCO World Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets against the Quebec Nordiques. The series was characterized by wild swings in scoring with each team winning games by lopsided margins.

The deciding Game 7 was initially a tight, close-checking game with no scoring in the first period. The Nordiques scored two quick goals to start the second period and then added a third at 6:29. The Jets Dan Labraaten cut into the Nordiques lead at 8:39 to make it 3-1. Less than a minute later, J.C. Tremblay fired a shot from center ice that beat Jets goalie Joe Daley. Totally deflated, the Jets surrendered four more goals before scoring a consolation marker, losing 8-2. Serge Bernier won the WHA Playoff MVP trophy, as he scored 36 points for the Nordiques in 17 post season games.

Regular Season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Playoffs

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Note: 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

Awards and Records

 * Anders Hedberg, Right Wing, WHA First Team All-Star
 * Ulf Nilsson, Center, WHA Second Team All-Star
 * Joe Daley, Goalie, WHA Second Team All-Star

Video
Game 7 of the 1977 Avco World Trophy Finals, May 26, 1977