1976–77 Pittsburgh Penguins season

1976–77 Pittsburgh Penguins
Division	3rd Norris
Conference	5th Wales
1976–77 record	34–33–13
Goals for	240
Goals against	252
Team information
General manager	Wren Blair (Oct–Dec) Baz Bastien (Dec–Apr)
Coach	Ken Schinkel
Captain	Ron Schock
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Team leaders
Goals	Jean Pronovost (33)
Assists	Syl Apps, Jr. (43)
Points	Jean Pronovost (64)
Penalty minutes	Bob Kelly (115)
Wins	Dunc Wilson (18)
Goals against average	Denis Herron (2.94)

The 1976–77 Pittsburgh Penguins season was their tenth in the National Hockey League. They finished third in the Norris Division for the third season in a row. In the playoffs, the Penguins were eliminated in the first round. Changes occurred in management and ownership. In December 1976, Baz Bastien replaced Wren Blair as the club's general manager. The club was sold to shopping mall magnate Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. in February 1977.

Regular season

Despite the fact that Pierre Larouche, Jean Pronovost and Syl Apps were unable to reproduce their franchise record-setting offensive output of the previous season the team finished with a similar regular season record on the strength of improved defensive prowess and the goaltending of Dunc Wilson and Denis Herron, who was re-acquired from the Kansas City Scouts in the off-season.

General Manager Wren Blair, who had been part of the ownership group which bought the club from the NHL in July 1975 until February 1976, was removed from his position December 3, 1976. Aldege 'Baz' Bastien, the man who had coached the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets to a Calder Cup championship in 1967, was named Blair's replacement.

Co-owners Al Savill and Otto Frenzel sold the club to shopping mall magnate Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. in February 1977, less than two years after having bought the team from the NHL.

Final standings

Norris Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Montreal Canadiens	80	60	8	12	387	171	132
Los Angeles Kings	80	34	31	15	271	241	83
Pittsburgh Penguins	80	34	33	13	240	252	81
Washington Capitals	80	24	42	14	221	307	62
Detroit Red Wings	80	16	55	9	183	309	41

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Playoffs

The Penguins' opponent in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs was once again the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the Penguins' offensive output greatly improved to ten goals scored (compared to 1976's three goals), the Maple Leafs once again dispatched the Penguins in three games.

April 5

Toronto Maple Leafs

4–2

Pittsburgh Penguins

Civic Arena

April 7

Pittsburgh Penguins

6–4

Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leaf Gardens

April 9

Toronto Maple Leafs

5–2

Pittsburgh Penguins

Civic Arena

Toronto won series 2–1

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Joseph Pronovost	79	33	31	64	8	24
Pierre Larouche	65	29	34	63	−10	14
Syl Apps Jr.	72	18	43	61	2	20
Rick Kehoe	80	30	27	57	−5	10
Ron Schock	80	17	32	49	−6	10
Ronald Stackhouse	80	7	34	41	11	72
Mike Corrigan	73	14	27	41	−13	36
Blair Chapman	80	14	23	37	−12	16
William Malone	66	18	19	37	3	43
Wayne Bianchin	79	28	6	34	−1	28
John Kelly	74	10	21	31	13	115
Dennis Owchar	46	5	18	23	−7	37
Stan Gilbertson	67	6	9	15	−9	13
Don Awrey	79	1	12	13	−2	40
Russell Anderson	66	2	11	13	5	81
Mario Faubert	47	2	11	13	−4	32
David Burrows	69	3	6	9	−15	29
Lew Morrison	76	2	1	3	−6	0
Ed Van Impe	10	0	3	3	−2	6
Vic Hadfield	9	0	2	2	1	0
Thomas Price†	7	0	2	2	0	4
Lowell MacDonald	3	1	1	2	−1	0
Ed Gilbert	7	0	0	0	−3	0
Steve Lyon	3	0	0	0	0	2
Yves Bergeron	1	0	0	0	0	0

Playoffs

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Joseph Pronovost	3	2	1	3	0	2
Pierre Larouche	3	0	3	3	0	0
Ronald Stackhouse	3	2	1	3	0	0
Lowell MacDonald	3	1	2	3	0	4
Rick Kehoe	3	0	2	2	0	0
William Malone	3	1	1	2	0	2
Blair Chapman	3	1	1	2	0	7
David Burrows	3	0	2	2	0	0
Syl Apps Jr.	3	1	0	1	0	12
Ron Schock	3	0	1	1	0	0
Wayne Bianchin	3	0	1	1	0	6
John Kelly	3	1	0	1	0	4
Mario Faubert	3	1	0	1	0	2
Russell Anderson	3	0	1	1	0	14
Don Awrey	3	0	1	1	0	0
Mike Corrigan	2	0	0	0	0	0
Lew Morrison	1	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	W	L	T	GA	SO
Dunc Wilson	45	18	19	8	129	5
Denis Herron	34	15	11	5	94	1
Gordon Laxton	6	1	3	0	26	0

Playoffs

Player	GP	W	L	T	GA	SO
Denis Herron	3	1	2	0	11	0

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Penguins. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.
^‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1976–77 season:

Trades

August 11, 1976	To Montreal Canadiens 1978 3rd round pick future considerations	To Pittsburgh Penguins Don Awrey
October 8, 1976	To New York Rangers 1978 4th round pick	To Pittsburgh Penguins Dunc Wilson
October 18, 1976	To Los Angeles Kings 1977 5th round pick	To Pittsburgh Penguins Mike Corrigan

Additions and subtractions

Additions Player Former team Via Denis Herron Kansas City Scouts free agency (1976-08-07) Steve Lyon Minnesota North Stars free agency (1976–11) Tom Price Cleveland Barons free agency (1977-02-28)

Subtractions Player New team Via Barry Wilkins Edmonton Oilers (WHA) free agency Pete Laframboise Edmonton Oilers (WHA) free agency (1976-05) Simon Nolet Colorado Rockies compensation for signing of Denis Herron (1976-08-07) Michel Plasse Colorado Rockies compensation for signing of Denis Herron (1976-08-07) Colin Campbell† Colorado Rockies compensation for signing of Denis Herron (1976-09-01)

^†Colin Campbell was loaned to the Rockies for one season. He was returned to the Penguins in 1977.

Roster

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	NHL Draft	Birthplace
7		Russell Anderson	D	L	22	1975	Minneapolis, Minnesota
26		Syl Apps Jr.	C	R	29	1964	Toronto, Ontario
24		Don Awrey	D	L	33	Undrafted	Kitchener, Ontario
20		Yves Bergeron	RW	R	25	1972	Malartic, Quebec
14		Wayne Bianchin	RW	L	23	1973	Nanaimo, British Columbia
4		David Burrows	D	L	28	Undrafted	Toronto, Ontario
9		Blair Chapman	RW	R	20	1976	Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
27		Mike Corrigan	LW	L	31	Undrafted	Ottawa, Ontario
5		Mario Faubert	D	R	22	1974	Valleyfield, Quebec
23		Ed Gilbert	C	L	25	1972	Hamilton, Ontario
15		Stan Gilbertson	LW	L	32	Undrafted	Duluth, Minnesota
11		Vic Hadfield	LW	L	36	Undrafted	Oakville, Ontario
1		Denis Herron	G	L	24	1972	Chambly, Quebec
8		Rick Kehoe	RW	R	25	1971	Windsor, Ontario
22		John Kelly	RW	L	30	1967	Fort William, Ontario
10		Pierre Larouche	C	R	21	1974	Taschereau, Quebec
30		Gordon Laxton	G	L	22	1975	Montreal, Quebec
5		Steve Lyon	D	R	24	1972	Toronto, Ontario
18		Lowell MacDonald	LW	R	35	Undrafted	New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
12		William Malone	C	L	21	1976	Fredericton, New Brunswick
16		Lew Morrison	RW	R	29	1968	Gainsborough, Saskatchewan
25		Dennis Owchar	D	R	24	1973	Dryden, Ontario
6		Thomas Price	D	—	22	1974	Toronto, Ontario
19		Joseph Pronovost	RW	R	31	Undrafted	Shawinigan Falls, Quebec
17		Ron Schock	C	L	33	Undrafted	Chapleau, Ontario
3		Ronald Stackhouse	D	R	27	1969	Haliburton, Ontario
2		Ed Van Impe	D	L	36	Undrafted	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
29		Dunc Wilson	G	L	29	Undrafted	Toronto, Ontario

Draft picks

See also: List of Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks

The 1976 NHL Amateur Draft was held on June 1, 1976 in Montreal, Quebec.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1	2	Blair Chapman	Right Wing	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
2	19	William Malone	Center	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
2	29	Peter Marsh	Right Wing	Canada	Sherbrooke Beavers (QMJHL)
3	47	Morris Lukowich	Left Wing	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
4	65	Greg Redquest	Goaltender	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
5	83	Brendan Lowe	Defense		Sherbrooke Beavers (QMJHL)
6	101	Vic Sirko	Defense		Oshawa Generals (OHA)

References

• Penguins on Hockey Database