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The 1977–78 AHL season was the 42nd season of the American Hockey League. The season was in jeopardy when the last of the original eight franchises of the "International-American Hockey League", the Rhode Island Reds (previously Providence Reds) folded in the offseason, and the AHL was left with five teams. The league increased its member teams by four, when the North American Hockey League and Southern Hockey Leagues both folded before the 1977–78 season. Two teams joined from the NAHL, and another from the SHL, along with one expansion team.
| 1977–78 AHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | American Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Regular season | |
| F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy | Maine Mariners |
| Season MVP | Blake Dunlop |
| Top scorer | Rick Adduono Gord Brooks |
| Playoffs | |
| Champions | Maine Mariners |
| Runners-up | New Haven Nighthawks |
North and south divisions were resumed. The F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy resumes as the regular season championship trophy for the north division, and the John D. Chick Trophy resumes as the regular season championship trophy for the south division. The Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award is first awarded to the player best exemplifying sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey.
Nine teams were scheduled to play 80 games each, however the Hampton Gulls folded on February 10, 1978, playing 46 games. The Maine Mariners finished first overall in the regular season, and won the Calder Cup championship as a first year expansion team.
Team changes
edit- The Maine Mariners join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Portland, Maine, playing in the North Division.
- The Broome Dusters, of the defunct North American Hockey League, acquire and merge with the Rhode Island Reds. The Reds are relocated to Binghamton, New York, and play as the Binghamton Dusters in the North Division.
- The Philadelphia Firebirds, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, transfer to the AHL as an expansion team, from the defunct North American Hockey League, and play in the South Division.
- The Hampton Gulls, based in Hampton, Virginia, transfer to the AHL as an expansion team, from the defunct Southern Hockey League, and play in the South Division.
Final standings
editNote: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;
| North | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Mariners (PHI) | 80 | 43 | 28 | 9 | 95 | 305 | 256 |
| Nova Scotia Voyageurs (MTL) | 81 | 37 | 28 | 16 | 90 | 304 | 250 |
| Springfield Indians (LAK) | 81 | 39 | 33 | 9 | 87 | 348 | 350 |
| Binghamton Dusters (PIT) | 81 | 27 | 46 | 8 | 62 | 287 | 377 |
| South | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Americans (BOS) | 81 | 43 | 31 | 7 | 93 | 332 | 296 |
| New Haven Nighthawks (NYR) | 80 | 38 | 31 | 11 | 87 | 313 | 292 |
| Philadelphia Firebirds | 81 | 35 | 35 | 11 | 81 | 294 | 290 |
| Hershey Bears (BUF/WSH) | 81 | 27 | 44 | 10 | 64 | 281 | 324 |
| Hampton Gulls† | 46 | 15 | 28 | 3 | 33 | 142 | 171 |
†Suspended operations.
Scoring leaders
editNote: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gord Brooks | Philadelphia Firebirds | 81 | 42 | 56 | 98 | 40 |
| Rick Adduono | Rochester Americans | 76 | 38 | 60 | 98 | 34 |
| Al Hill | Maine Mariners | 80 | 32 | 59 | 91 | 118 |
| Bob Collyard | Philadelphia Firebirds | 79 | 28 | 62 | 90 | 42 |
| Andre Peloffy | Springfield Indians | 67 | 33 | 55 | 88 | 73 |
| Gordie Clark | Rochester Americans | 75 | 37 | 51 | 88 | 18 |
| Joe Hardy | Binghamton Dusters | 73 | 24 | 63 | 87 | 56 |
| Tom Colley | New Haven Nighthawks | 80 | 32 | 54 | 86 | 17 |
| Charlie Simmer | Springfield Indians | 75 | 42 | 41 | 83 | 100 |
Calder Cup playoffs
edit| Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Calder Cup Final | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Maine | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Nova Scotia | 3 | 2 | Nova Scotia | 3 | |||||||||
| 3 | Springfield | 1 | N1 | Maine | 4 | |||||||||
| S2 | New Haven | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Rochester | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New Haven | 3 | 2 | New Haven | 4 | |||||||||
| 3 | Philadelphia | 1 | ||||||||||||
Trophy and award winners
edit- Team awards
| Calder Cup Playoff champions: |
Maine Mariners |
| F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, North Division: |
Maine Mariners |
| John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, South Division: |
Rochester Americans |
- Individual awards
| Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player: |
Blake Dunlop - Maine Mariners |
| John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer: |
Rick Adduono - Rochester Americans & Gord Brooks - Philadelphia Firebirds |
| Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year: |
Norm Dupont - Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
| Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year: |
Terry Murray - Maine Mariners |
| Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average: |
Bob Holland & Maurice Barrette - Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
| Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year: |
Bob McCammon - Maine Mariners |
| Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance: |
Blake Dunlop - Maine Mariners |
- Other awards
| James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive: |
Sam Pollock |
| James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: |
Brian Thayer, Maine, (newspaper) Al Kalter, Binghamton, (radio) Tim Melton, Hershey & Frank Fixaris, Maine, (television) |