1976–77 Toronto Maple Leafs season

1976–77 Toronto Maple Leafs
Division	3rd Adams
Conference	5th Wales
1976–77 record	33–32–15
Home record	18–13–9
Road record	15–19–6
Goals for	301
Goals against	285
Team information
General manager	Jim Gregory
Coach	Red Kelly
Captain	Darryl Sittler
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Maple Leaf Gardens
Team leaders
Goals	Lanny McDonald (46)
Assists	Borje Salming (66)
Points	Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald (90)
Penalty minutes	Tiger Williams (338)
Wins	Mike Palmateer (23)
Goals against average	Mike Palmateer (3.21)

The 1976–77 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the franchise's 60th season, 50th as the Maple Leafs. The Leafs finished in third place in the Adams Division with a record of 33 wins, 32 losses and 15 ties for 81 points. In the playoffs, they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the preliminary round 2–1 before falling to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the Quarter-finals.

Regular season

On February 2, 1977, Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Ian Turnbull would be the first player in NHL history to score five goals on five shots.^[1]

Season standings

Adams Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Boston Bruins	80	49	23	8	312	240	106
Buffalo Sabres	80	48	24	8	301	220	104
Toronto Maple Leafs	80	33	32	15	301	285	81
Cleveland Barons	80	25	42	13	240	292	63

^[2]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.

Record vs. opponents

Adams Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Adams Division 1976–77 NHL records[3] Team BOS BUF CLE TOR Total Boston — 3–3 5–1 3–2–1 11–6–1 Buffalo 3–3 — 5–1 5–0–1 13–4–1 Cleveland 1–5 1–5 — 2–4 4–14–0 Toronto 2–3–1 0–5–1 4–2 — 6–10–1 Vs. Norris Division 1976–77 NHL records Team DET LAK MTL PIT WSH Total Boston 4–1 2–2–1 3–2 3–1–1 4–0–1 16–6–3 Buffalo 4–1 3–2 2–2–1 0–4–1 4–1 13–10–2 Cleveland 2–3 1–2–2 0–5 0–3–2 5–0 8–13–4 Toronto 3–1–1 2–1–2 1–2–2 1–2–2 2–3 9–9–7 Vs. Patrick Division 1976–77 NHL records Team ATL NYI NYR PHI Total Boston 2–2 1–2–1 4–0–1 1–3 8–7–2 Buffalo 2–1–1 1–3–1 4–0 2–2 9–6–2 Cleveland 2–1–1 0–3–1 0–3–1 1–3–1 3–10–4 Toronto 4–1 2–1–1 1–2–1 1–2–1 8–6–3 Vs. Smythe Division 1976–77 NHL records Team CHI COL MIN STL VAN Total Boston 4–0 3–1 1–2–1 2–1–1 4–0 14–4–2 Buffalo 3–1 3–0–1 2–1–1 2–2 3–0–1 13–4–3 Cleveland 3–1 2–1–1 1–1–2 2–1–1 2–1–1 10–5–5 Toronto 1–2–1 2–1–1 3–1 2–2 2–1–1 10–7–3

Schedule and results

1976–77 regular season[4]
October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 1 L October 5, 1976 2–4 @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) 0–1–0 2 W October 9, 1976 7–5 Boston Bruins (1976–77) 1–1–0 3 T October 13, 1976 4–4 Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) 1–1–1 4 L October 15, 1976 3–5 @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) 1–2–1 5 T October 16, 1976 5–5 Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) 1–2–2 6 T October 20, 1976 4–4 Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) 1–2–3 7 L October 21, 1976 3–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) 1–3–3 8 L October 23, 1976 2–5 New York Islanders (1976–77) 1–4–3 9 L October 27, 1976 3–5 Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) 1–5–3 10 W October 28, 1976 3–1 @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) 2–5–3 11 W October 30, 1976 5–1 @ Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) 3–5–3
November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 12 W November 1, 1976 6–3 @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 4–5–3 13 L November 3, 1976 2–6 St. Louis Blues (1976–77) 4–6–3 14 W November 5, 1976 4–2 @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) 5–6–3 15 L November 6, 1976 2–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) 5–7–3 16 T November 10, 1976 2–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) 5–7–4 17 W November 13, 1976 3–0 @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) 6–7–4 18 W November 17, 1976 1–0 Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) 7–7–4 19 W November 20, 1976 8–3 Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) 8–7–4 20 L November 21, 1976 5–9 @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) 8–8–4 21 L November 24, 1976 3–4 @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) 8–9–4 22 W November 27, 1976 4–2 Boston Bruins (1976–77) 9–9–4 23 W November 28, 1976 5–1 Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 10–9–4 24 W November 30, 1976 4–2 @ New York Islanders (1976–77) 11–9–4
December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 25 W December 1, 1976 6–3 Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) 12–9–4 26 T December 4, 1976 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) 12–9–5 27 T December 5, 1976 5–5 @ New York Rangers (1976–77) 12–9–6 28 L December 8, 1976 3–4 Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) 12–10–6 29 W December 11, 1976 4–1 New York Rangers (1976–77) 13–10–6 30 L December 12, 1976 4–7 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) 13–11–6 31 W December 15, 1976 4–1 St. Louis Blues (1976–77) 14–11–6 32 L December 17, 1976 2–3 @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) 14–12–6 33 W December 18, 1976 4–2 Colorado Rockies (1976–77) 15–12–6 34 W December 20, 1976 6–2 Atlanta Flames (1976–77) 16–12–6 35 L December 22, 1976 2–5 Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) 16–13–6 36 L December 23, 1976 2–4 @ Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 16–14–6 37 L December 26, 1976 2–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) 16–15–6 38 W December 29, 1976 6–2 @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 17–15–6
January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 39 W January 1, 1977 3–1 Washington Capitals (1976–77) 18–15–6 40 L January 2, 1977 4–6 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) 18–16–6 41 W January 5, 1977 6–4 Colorado Rockies (1976–77) 19–16–6 42 L January 8, 1977 2–4 Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 19–17–6 43 W January 11, 1977 2–0 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) 20–17–6 44 W January 12, 1977 3–2 Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) 21–17–6 45 L January 15, 1977 1–4 Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) 21–18–6 46 L January 18, 1977 3–6 @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) 21–19–6 47 W January 21, 1977 3–1 @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) 22–19–6 48 W January 23, 1977 5–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) 23–19–6 49 W January 27, 1977 2–1 @ New York Islanders (1976–77) 24–19–6 50 T January 29, 1977 3–3 @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) 24–19–7 51 L January 31, 1977 3–7 @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) 24–20–7
February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 52 W February 2, 1977 9–1 Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) 25–20–7 53 L February 5, 1977 5–7 Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) 25–21–7 54 W February 9, 1977 5–1 Atlanta Flames (1976–77) 26–21–7 55 W February 12, 1977 10–0 Washington Capitals (1976–77) 27–21–7 56 L February 13, 1977 3–8 @ New York Rangers (1976–77) 27–22–7 57 L February 14, 1977 2–7 @ Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 27–23–7 58 W February 16, 1977 5–3 @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 28–23–7 59 T February 17, 1977 2–2 @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) 28–23–8 60 T February 19, 1977 6–6 Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) 28–23–9 61 W February 20, 1977 10–8 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) 29–23–9 62 L February 23, 1977 4–5 New York Rangers (1976–77) 29–24–9 63 L February 25, 1977 2–4 @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) 29–25–9 64 L February 26, 1977 5–6 Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 29–26–9
March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 65 L March 2, 1977 1–4 Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 29–27–9 66 T March 5, 1977 4–4 Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) 29–27–10 67 W March 7, 1977 4–2 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) 30–27–10 68 T March 9, 1977 2–2 Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) 30–27–11 69 W March 12, 1977 6–0 Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) 31–27–11 70 L March 13, 1977 1–6 @ Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 31–28–11 71 W March 15, 1977 4–1 @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) 32–28–11 72 T March 16, 1977 4–4 @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) 32–28–12 73 W March 19, 1977 5–4 Atlanta Flames (1976–77) 33–28–12 74 L March 21, 1977 2–7 Cleveland Barons (1976–77) 33–29–12 75 T March 23, 1977 1–1 New York Islanders (1976–77) 33–29–13 76 L March 26, 1977 5–7 Boston Bruins (1976–77) 33–30–13 77 L March 27, 1977 4–7 @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) 33–31–13 78 T March 30, 1977 3–3 @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) 33–31–14
April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 79 T April 2, 1977 1–1 Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) 33–31–15 80 L April 3, 1977 4–7 @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) 33–32–15
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
Lanny McDonald	RW	80	46	44	90	77	12	16	4	5
Darryl Sittler	C	73	38	52	90	89	8	12	1	5
Ian Turnbull	D	80	22	57	79	84	47	4	2	0
Borje Salming	D	76	12	66	78	46	45	1	0	0
Jack Valiquette	C	66	15	30	45	7	5	0	3	1
Jim McKenny	D	76	14	31	45	36	−26	3	0	3
Tiger Williams	LW	77	18	25	43	338	11	1	0	0
Don Ashby	C	76	19	23	42	24	−14	3	0	4
Inge Hammarstrom	LW	78	24	17	41	16	8	5	0	3
Errol Thompson	LW	41	21	16	37	8	−10	8	1	2
Pat Boutette	C/RW	80	18	18	36	107	13	3	0	1
Bob Neely	LW	70	17	16	33	16	−17	3	0	5
Stan Weir	C	65	11	19	30	14	2	1	0	2
Scott Garland	C	69	9	20	29	83	−18	3	0	1
George Ferguson	C	50	9	15	24	24	0	0	2	0
Claire Alexander	D	48	1	12	13	12	−4	0	0	0
Brian Glennie	D	69	1	10	11	73	−1	0	0	0
Bruce Boudreau	C	15	2	5	7	4	2	0	0	1
Kurt Walker	D	26	2	3	5	24	5	0	0	0
Randy Carlyle	D	45	0	5	5	51	−19	0	0	0
Paul Evans	C/LW	7	1	1	2	19	3	0	0	0
Bob Warner	D	10	1	1	2	4	4	0	0	0
Mike Palmateer	G	50	0	2	2	8	0	0	0	0
Mike Pelyk	D	13	0	2	2	4	−4	0	0	0
Tracy Pratt	D	11	0	1	1	8	−7	0	0	0
Wayne Thomas	G	33	0	1	1	4	0	0	0	0
Blair MacKasey	D	1	0	0	0	2
Gord McRae	G	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Mike Palmateer	2877	50	23	18	8	154	3.21	4
Wayne Thomas	1803	33	10	13	6	116	3.86	1
Gord McRae	120	2	0	1	1	9	4.50	0
Team:	4800	80	33	32	15	279	3.49	5

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Darryl Sittler	C	9	5	16	21	4	3	0	0
Lanny McDonald	RW	9	10	7	17	6	3	0	1
Borje Salming	D	9	3	6	9	6	2	0	0
Tiger Williams	LW	9	3	6	9	29	0	0	1
Ian Turnbull	D	9	4	4	8	10	4	0	0
Bob Neely	LW	9	1	3	4	6	1	0	0
Pat Boutette	C/RW	9	0	4	4	17	0	0	0
Stan Weir	C	7	2	1	3	0	1	0	1
George Ferguson	C	9	0	3	3	7	0	0	0
Errol Thompson	LW	9	2	0	2	0	0	0	1
Jim McKenny	D	9	0	2	2	2	0	0	0
Mike Pelyk	D	9	0	2	2	4	0	0	0
Don Ashby	C	9	1	0	1	4	0	0	0
Randy Carlyle	D	9	0	1	1	20	0	0	0
Bruce Boudreau	C	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Paul Evans	C/LW	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brian Glennie	D	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Inge Hammarstrom	LW	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mike Palmateer	G	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tracy Pratt	D	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wayne Thomas	G	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bob Warner	D	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
Mike Palmateer	360	6	3	3	16	2.67	0
Wayne Thomas	202	4	1	2	12	3.56	0
Team:	562	9	4	5	28	2.99	0

^[5]

Note:

Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

• Lanny McDonald, Right Wing, NHL Second All-Star Team
• Borje Salming, Defence, NHL First All-Star Team

Transactions

The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1976–77 season.

Trades

September 9, 1976	To St. Louis Blues FA Signing of Rod Seiling	To Toronto Maple Leafs 2nd round pick in 1978 – Joel Quenneville Cash
September 15, 1976	To Colorado Rockies Doug Favell	To Toronto Maple Leafs Cash
September 27, 1976	To Washington Capitals Cash	To Toronto Maple Leafs Blair MacKasey
September 28, 1976	To Chicago Black Hawks Jim Harrison	To Toronto Maple Leafs 2nd round pick in 1977 – Bob Gladney
March 8, 1977	To Colorado Rockies 3rd round pick in 1977 – Randy Pierce	To Toronto Maple Leafs Tracy Pratt

Free agents

Player New Team Rod Seiling St. Louis Blues Tom Cassidy Boston Bruins

Draft picks

Toronto's draft picks at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft held in Montreal.

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
2	30	Randy Carlyle	Canada	Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL)
3	48	Alain Belanger	Canada	Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
3	52	Gary McFayden	Canada	Hull Festivals (QMJHL)
4	66	Tim Williams	Canada	Victoria Cougars (WCHL)
5	84	Greg Hotham	Canada	Kingston Canadians (OMJHL)
6	102	Dan Djakalovic	Canada	Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
7	116	Charlie Skjodt	Canada	Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL)

References

1. Hockey's Book of Firsts, p. 27, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9.
2. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 151. ISBN 9781894801225.
3. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
4. "1976-77 Toronto Maple Leafs Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
5. "1976-77 Toronto Maple Leafs Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.