1977–78 New England Whalers season

The 1977–78 New England Whalers season was the Whalers' sixth season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA). This season saw the debut of Gordie Howe and his sons with the Whalers' franchise. The trio helped the Whalers advance to the Avco Cup final, where they were defeated by the Winnipeg Jets.

1977–78 New England Whalers
Division2nd WHA
1977–78 record44–31–5
Goals for335
Goals against269
Team information
General managerJack Kelley
CoachHarry Neale
CaptainRick Ley

Regular season

Final standings

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points

WHA Team W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Winnipeg Jets50282102381270988
New England Whalers44315933352691255
Houston Aeros42344882963021543
Quebec Nordiques40373833493471185
Edmonton Oilers38393793093071296
Birmingham Bulls36413752873142177
Cincinnati Stingers35423732983321701
Indianapolis Racers24515532673531189
Soviet All-Stars34172736120
Czechoslovakia All-Stars1613214087

Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 12, 19773–0@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)1–0–0
2WOctober 15, 19775–2Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)2–0–0
3LOctober 16, 19772–6@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)2–1–0
4TOctober 18, 19772–2@ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)2–1–1
5WOctober 19, 19776–3@ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)3–1–1
6WOctober 21, 19775–2@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)4–1–1
7WOctober 26, 19777–1Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)5–1–1
8WOctober 29, 19777–2Houston Aeros (1977–78)6–1–1
9WNovember 1, 19776–3@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)7–1–1
10WNovember 4, 19774–3Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)8–1–1
11WNovember 6, 19775–2@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)9–1–1
12WNovember 8, 19774–3@ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)10–1–1
13WNovember 10, 19775–3Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)11–1–1
14WNovember 12, 19775–3Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)12–1–1
15WNovember 15, 19776–4@ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)13–1–1
16WNovember 18, 19773–2Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)14–1–1
17WNovember 20, 19775–4 OT@ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)15–1–1
18LNovember 22, 19774–5@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)15–2–1
19TNovember 23, 19773–3Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)15–2–2
20LNovember 25, 19772–6Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)15–3–2
21LNovember 26, 19771–3Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)15–4–2
22TNovember 30, 19773–3@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)15–4–3
23WDecember 2, 19774–1Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)16–4–3
24LDecember 3, 19772–5Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)16–5–3
25LDecember 6, 19772–5@ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)16–6–3
26WDecember 7, 19776–3@ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)17–6–3
27WDecember 9, 19772–1 OT@ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)18–6–3
28WDecember 14, 19777–2Soviet All-Stars (1977–78)19–6–3
29WDecember 16, 19775–3Czechoslovakia (1977–78)20–6–3
30LDecember 17, 19773–6Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)20–7–3
31LDecember 18, 19773–7@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)20–8–3
32WDecember 23, 19775–3Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)21–8–3
33WDecember 27, 19778–1Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)22–8–3
34WDecember 30, 19776–2Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)23–8–3
35WJanuary 1, 19784–3 OT@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)24–8–3
36LJanuary 4, 19784–6Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)24–9–3
37LJanuary 6, 19783–4@ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)24–10–3
38WJanuary 7, 19785–3Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)25–10–3
39LJanuary 8, 19784–5Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)25–11–3
40WJanuary 13, 19782–0Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)26–11–3
41LJanuary 14, 19784–5 OTHouston Aeros (1977–78)26–12–3
42LJanuary 18, 19780–1@ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)26–13–3
43TJanuary 20, 19784–4@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)26–13–4
44LJanuary 21, 19782–3@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)26–14–4
45WJanuary 22, 19786–3Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)27–14–4
46LJanuary 25, 19787–8 OT@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)27–15–4
47WJanuary 27, 19786–2@ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)28–15–4
48WJanuary 28, 19783–0@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)29–15–4
49LJanuary 29, 19784–6@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)29–16–4
50WFebruary 1, 19784–3Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)30–16–4
51LFebruary 3, 19783–6Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)30–17–4
52LFebruary 4, 19784–5@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)30–18–4
53WFebruary 11, 19788–7@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)31–18–4
54WFebruary 14, 19785–1Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)32–18–4
55LFebruary 16, 19781–2 OTWinnipeg Jets (1977–78)32–19–4
56WFebruary 18, 19784–1@ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)33–19–4
57LFebruary 21, 19785–6 OT@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)33–20–4
58LFebruary 22, 19782–4@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)33–21–4
59LFebruary 24, 19782–7@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)33–22–4
60WFebruary 26, 19786–5@ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)34–22–4
61LMarch 1, 19783–4 OTQuebec Nordiques (1977–78)34–23–4
62LMarch 3, 19782–3 OTHouston Aeros (1977–78)34–24–4
63LMarch 4, 19782–5Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)34–25–4
64LMarch 5, 19781–2@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)34–26–4
65LMarch 9, 19784–6@ Houston Aeros (1977–78)34–27–4
66WMarch 10, 19785–4 OT@ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)35–27–4
67WMarch 14, 19786–0Birmingham Bulls (1977–78)36–27–4
68WMarch 15, 19787–0Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)37–27–4
69WMarch 17, 19786–2@ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)38–27–4
70LMarch 18, 19783–5@ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78)38–28–4
71WMarch 21, 19786–3Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)39–28–4
72LMarch 22, 19783–5Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)39–29–4
73LMarch 24, 19780–1Houston Aeros (1977–78)39–30–4
74WMarch 26, 19785–3Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)40–30–4
75WMarch 29, 19786–1Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)41–30–4
76WApril 3, 19788–6Houston Aeros (1977–78)42–30–4
77TApril 5, 19784–4@ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78)42–30–5
78LApril 6, 19784–7@ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78)42–31–5
79WApril 10, 19786–1Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78)43–31–5
80WApril 11, 19786–3Indianapolis Racers (1977–78)44–31–5

Playoffs

New England Whalers 4, Edmonton Oilers 1 – Division Quarterfinals

GameDateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1April 14Edmonton Oilers4–6New England Whalers1–0
2April 16Edmonton Oilers1–4New England Whalers2–0
3April 19New England Whalers0–2Edmonton Oilers2–1
4April 21New England9–1Edmonton Oilers3–1
5April 23Edmonton Oilers1–4New England Whalers4–1

New England Whalers 4, Quebec Nordiques 1 – Division Semifinals

GameDateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1April 28Quebec Nordiques1–5New England Whalers1–0
2April 30Quebec Nordiques3–2New England Whalers1–1
3May 3New England Whalers5–4Quebec Nordiques2–1
4May 5New England Whalers7–3Quebec Nordiques3–1
5May 7Quebec Nordiques3–6New England Whalers4–1

Winnipeg Jets 4, New England Whalers 1 – Avco Cup Finals

GameDateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1May 12Winnipeg Jets4–1New England Whalers0–1
2May 14Winnipeg Jets2–5New England Whalers0–2
3May 19New England Whalers2–10Winnipeg Jets0–3
4May 22New England Whalers3–5Winnipeg Jets0–4

Player statistics

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Gordie HoweRW7634629685461600
Mark HoweD703061913230400
Mike RogersC802843714622410
Mike AntonovichC753235673217500
Dave KeonC772438622−4150
Gordie RobertsD7815466111817500
John McKenzieRW792729566115900
George LyleLW683024547412300
Rick LeyD73341449536000
Larry PleauC54161834412200
Brad SelwoodD80625318811200
Al HangslebenD7911182914017000
Jack CarlsonLW67920291929000
Greg CarrollC4891423273020
Tom WebsterRW201552058500
Jim MayerRW5111920211100
Marty HoweD751010206610100
Tim SheehyRW258111914−2300
Bill ButtersD45113146921000
Steve CarlsonC386713117110
Danny BolducLW415510226000
Ron PlumbD271910186000
Bryan MaxwellD17213119000
Al SmithG5503340000
Andre PeloffyC102022−2000
Jean-Louis LevasseurG2700020000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Al Smith324655302031743.222
Jean-Louis Levasseur16552714112913.303
Team:490180443152653.245
Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Mike AntonovichC14107174001
Dave KeonC14511164001
Mark HoweD14871518000
John McKenzieRW14661216001
Mike RogersC1456118000
Gordie HoweRW14551015002
Larry PleauC145498001
Steve CarlsonC132792000
Rick LeyD141894000
Danny BolducLW142464000
Ron PlumbD1415616001
Al HangslebenD1414537000
Gordie RobertsD1405529000
Tim SheehyRW131349000
George LyleLW1221313000
Brad SelwoodD140338000
Jack CarlsonLW911214000
Marty HoweD1411213001
Jean-Louis LevasseurG120112000
Andre PeloffyC20000000
Al SmithG30000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Jean-Louis Levasseur7191284312.590
Al Smith120302147.000
Team:8391486453.220

[1]

Note: Pos = Position; 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;

Draft picks

New England's draft picks at the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.[2]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
111Ron Areshenkoff (C) CanadaMedicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
215Moe Robinson (D) CanadaKingston Canadians (OHA)
219Randy Pierce (RW) CanadaSudbury Wolves (OHA)
323John Baby (D) CanadaSudbury Wolves (OHA)
543Brian Hill (RW) AustriaMedicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
652Jim Korn (D) United StatesProvidence College (ECAC)

See also

References

  1. "1977-78 New England Whalers Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  2. "1977 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
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