A Season to Remember
1976/77 Montreal Canadiens
The 1976/77 season was historic for the Montreal Canadiens, who dominated the National Hockey League like no other team before or since. The Canadiens won their 20th Stanley Cup, setting new records for wins, points, goals for and against, and margin of victory. They are regarded as the greatest NHL team ever assembled, with a roster full of Hall of Famers, All-Stars, and award winners.
The Canadiens finished the regular season with a remarkable record of 60-8-12, earning 132 points out of a possible 160. They scored 387 goals, an average of 4.84 per game while allowing only 171, an average of 2.14 per game. Their goal differential of +216 was a staggering 2.7 goals per game, far ahead of any other team in history. They also had the league’s best home record (33-1-6) and road record (27-7-6).
The Canadiens were led by their superstar right-winger Guy Lafleur, who won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer with 136 points (56 goals and 80 assists). Lafleur also won the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player, as voted by his peers. He was joined on the first All-Star team by his linemate Steve Shutt, who scored a career-high 60 goals, and defenseman Larry Robinson, who won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman and finished second in Hart Trophy voting. Robinson had 85 points (19 goals and 66 assists) and a league-best +120 plus/minus rating.
The Canadiens also had two other members of the second All-Star team: center Jacques Lemaire, who had 80 points (34 goals and 46 assists), and defenseman Guy Lapointe, who had 76 points (25 goals and 51 assists). Other key contributors included captain Yvan Cournoyer, who had 58 points (24 goals and 34 assists) despite missing 18 games due to injury; center Peter Mahovlich, who had 56 points (19 goals and 37 assists); left winger Bob Gainey, who won the first-ever Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward, and goaltenders Ken Dryden and Michel Larocque, who shared the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltending duo. Dryden had a record of 41-6-8 with a 2.14 goals against average and eight shutouts, while Larocque had a record of 19-2-4 with a 2.09 goals against average and four shutouts.
The Canadiens’ dominance continued in the playoffs, where they swept the St. Louis Blues in four games in the quarterfinals, outscoring them 19-4. In the semifinals, they faced the New York Islanders, who had upset the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers in seven games. The Islanders proved to be a tough opponent, winning two games in overtime and forcing a sixth game in Montreal. However, the Canadiens prevailed with a 2-1 victory in Game 6, thanks to a goal by Lemaire and a stellar performance by Dryden.
In the Stanley Cup Final, the Canadiens met their arch-rivals, the Boston Bruins, who had finished second in the league with 113 points. The Bruins had a potent offense led by Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Jean Ratelle, Rick Middleton, and Wayne Cashman, but they were no match for the Canadiens’ defense and goaltending. The Canadiens swept the Bruins in four games, outscoring them 16-8. Lafleur scored two goals in the first three games and added an assist in Game 4 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. He finished with 26 points (nine goals and 17 assists) in 14 playoff games.
The 76/77 Montreal Canadiens were a team for the ages, combining skill, speed, toughness, depth, and chemistry. They played with flair and finesse but also with discipline and determination. They were admired by fans and respected by opponents. They were champions in every sense of the word.
Keep Your Stick on the Ice.
The best team ever assembled.