1975–76 Los Angeles Kings
Division2nd Norris
ConferenceWales
1975–76 record38–33–9
Goals for263
Goals against265
Team information
General managerJake Milford
CoachBob Pulford
CaptainMike Murphy
Alternate captainsNone
Team leaders
GoalsMarcel Dionne (40)
AssistsMarcel Dionne (54)
PointsMarcel Dionne (94)
Penalty minutesDave Hutchison (181)
WinsRogie Vachon (26)
Goals against averageRogie Vachon (3.14)

The 1975–76 Los Angeles Kings season was the Kings' ninth season in the National Hockey League.

Offseason

The Kings were coming off their most successful season ever, built largely on the strength of their defense and goaltending. They ranked second in fewest goals allowed in the 1974–75 season, but tied for ninth in goals scored. In addition, while their penalty killing was excellent, their power play ranked in the lower third of the league.

Their early round playoff upset by Toronto (where the Kings scored only six goals in three games) prompted them to make one of the biggest trades in club history. High scoring superstar Marcel Dionne was in a contract dispute with the Detroit Red Wings and was available to a team that would meet his salary demands. So to bolster the offense, the Kings traded veteran defenseman and team captain Terry Harper and tough guy forward Dan Maloney along with draft picks to the Detroit Red Wings for future hall of famer Dionne and defenseman Bart Crashley. They then gave Dionne one of the richest contracts in NHL history up to that point at $300,000 per year.

Regular season

Unlike the prior season when the Kings started fast, after the first two games in 1975–76, they were 0–2–0 and had been outscored 16–0. It was later revealed that goaltender Rogie Vachon was playing with a flu-like virus related to typhus. Vachon recovered and the Kings won 10 of their next 12 games to right the ship. However, they played .500 hockey the rest of the way and finished 27 points behind the Montreal Canadiens in the Norris Division. While Dionne delivered a club record 40 goals and 94 points, the team missed Harper's leadership and defense, and Maloney's tough guy presence. A number of players missed significant time with injuries, and the club actually scored six fewer goals that the year before despite the addition of Dionne. The Kings ended up with a record of 38–33–9, second in the Norris Division and sixth overall in the league.

Post Season

The Kings mini series opponent was the Atlanta Flames. The Kings scored in the 1st minute of game one and went on to win 2–1 behind Vachon's brilliant goaltending. In game two, Atlanta tried to physically overwhelm the Kings but Vachon was even better than in game one; Bob Berry's third-period goal won the game 1–0 and the series; it was the Kings first playoff series win since 1969.

Boston Series

What followed the Atlanta series was one of the most memorable playoff series in Kings history. The Kings were big underdogs against the big, powerful, tradition rich Boston Bruins. Game one went according to form as the Bruins used their size advantage on the smaller rink at the Boston Garden and smothered the Kings, 4–0. Boston continued to dominate play in game two, but Rogie Vachon was brilliant and kept the Kings tied at two going into overtime. Butch Goring then stunned the Boston crowd with an overtime winner, and the teams flew to L.A. tied at a game apiece. One the larger ice surface at the Forum, the Kings' offense got going and, led by Marcel Dionne's hat trick, won game three by a score of 6–4. Suddenly the Kings led a series in which many thought they would get swept. Boston appeared to wake up and won games four and five, outscoring the Kings 10–1, and again seemed in control of the series. When the Kings skated onto the ice in game six back in L.A., the sellout crowd greeted them with a five-minute standing ovation that delayed the national anthem and the start of the game. Players on both sides said they had never seen anything like it. The game that followed was even more amazing. After a scoreless first period in which Vachon made numerous outstanding saves, the Kings' Tom Williams beat Gerry Cheevers over the glove hand on a wicked 55 foot slap shot to send the crowd into a frenzy. Boston came right back to tie the game, and then Vachon stopped Terry O'Reilly on a breakaway to keep the score 1–1. As the game wore on, the Bruins appeared to wear down the Kings and they took a 3–1 lead into the final five minutes. Mike Corrigan scored to make it 3–2, and with the crowd going crazy, Corrigan had another chance as he went for a rebound. Cheevers tripped him, but Corrigan swiped at the puck while lying on his stomach and put it in the net to tie the game. After Vachon made numerous great saves, the first overtime was winding down to its final minute when Butch Goring took a pass in the top of the slot and beat Cheevers, sending the crowd into a frenzy and the series back to Boston for the seventh game. Goring's game winner prompted Kings' hall of fame announcer Bob Miller's famous call "We're going back to Boston! We're going back to Boston! We're going back to Boston!" Goring was carried off the ice on his teammates' shoulders while the crowd continued to go crazy. In the seventh game, after a scoreless first period, Boston eventually wore down the Kings and won 3–0.

Final standings

Norris Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Montreal Canadiens80581111337174127
Los Angeles Kings803833926326585
Pittsburgh Penguins8035331233930382
Detroit Red Wings8026441022630062
Washington Capitals8011591022439432

[1]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

Norris Division record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1LOctober 8, 19750–9@ Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)0–1–0
2LOctober 11, 19750–7@ New York Islanders (1975–76)0–2–0
3WOctober 12, 19756–4@ New York Rangers (1975–76)1–2–0
4WOctober 15, 19754–3Washington Capitals (1975–76)2–2–0
5WOctober 17, 19755–3@ Vancouver Canucks (1975–76)3–2–0
6WOctober 18, 19755–3California Golden Seals (1975–76)4–2–0
7LOctober 21, 19751–6@ St. Louis Blues (1975–76)4–3–0
8WOctober 22, 19755–3@ Chicago Black Hawks (1975–76)5–3–0
9LOctober 24, 19751–7@ Atlanta Flames (1975–76)5–4–0
10WOctober 26, 19754–2Minnesota North Stars (1975–76)6–4–0
11WOctober 28, 19756–0Washington Capitals (1975–76)7–4–0
12WOctober 30, 19754–0Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)8–4–0
13WNovember 1, 19753–1Atlanta Flames (1975–76)9–4–0
14WNovember 5, 19753–1@ Washington Capitals (1975–76)10–4–0
15TNovember 6, 19751–1@ Philadelphia Flyers (1975–76)10–4–1
16WNovember 8, 19753–1New York Rangers (1975–76)11–4–1
17LNovember 11, 19752–3California Golden Seals (1975–76)11–5–1
18WNovember 13, 19754–3New York Islanders (1975–76)12–5–1
19TNovember 15, 19751–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1975–76)12–5–2
20LNovember 19, 19752–4Chicago Black Hawks (1975–76)12–6–2
21LNovember 22, 19753–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)12–7–2
22LNovember 23, 19751–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)12–8–2
23LNovember 25, 19752–4@ Boston Bruins (1975–76)12–9–2
24LNovember 26, 19752–7@ Washington Capitals (1975–76)12–10–2
25WNovember 29, 19758–3Buffalo Sabres (1975–76)13–10–2
26WDecember 2, 19755–3Atlanta Flames (1975–76)14–10–2
27WDecember 3, 19753–2@ California Golden Seals (1975–76)15–10–2
28WDecember 6, 19753–2Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)16–10–2
29WDecember 10, 19755–0St. Louis Blues (1975–76)17–10–2
30LDecember 13, 19754–6Philadelphia Flyers (1975–76)17–11–2
31LDecember 17, 19751–2Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)17–12–2
32LDecember 20, 19751–5Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)17–13–2
33LDecember 22, 19753–4@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1975–76)17–14–2
34WDecember 23, 19754–3@ Boston Bruins (1975–76)18–14–2
35WDecember 26, 19754–2@ California Golden Seals (1975–76)19–14–2
36WDecember 27, 19759–4Kansas City Scouts (1975–76)20–14–2
37LDecember 29, 19751–2@ Minnesota North Stars (1975–76)20–15–2
38LDecember 31, 19751–5@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)20–16–2
39WJanuary 1, 19769–6@ Buffalo Sabres (1975–76)21–16–2
40LJanuary 3, 19760–3Boston Bruins (1975–76)21–17–2
41WJanuary 7, 19765–2@ Kansas City Scouts (1975–76)22–17–2
42LJanuary 8, 19764–6@ Philadelphia Flyers (1975–76)22–18–2
43LJanuary 10, 19763–4@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1975–76)22–19–2
44WJanuary 13, 19763–0@ Atlanta Flames (1975–76)23–19–2
45LJanuary 15, 19760–4@ Boston Bruins (1975–76)23–20–2
46LJanuary 17, 19762–4@ Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)23–21–2
47WJanuary 18, 19768–3@ Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)24–21–2
48WJanuary 22, 19766–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1975–76)25–21–2
49LJanuary 24, 19760–5@ New York Islanders (1975–76)25–22–2
50WJanuary 25, 19764–1@ New York Rangers (1975–76)26–22–2
51WJanuary 27, 19762–0Washington Capitals (1975–76)27–22–2
52TJanuary 29, 19763–3Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)27–22–3
53WJanuary 31, 19767–3Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)28–22–3
54LFebruary 4, 19763–4Buffalo Sabres (1975–76)28–23–3
55LFebruary 7, 19763–7Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)28–24–3
56TFebruary 10, 19762–2@ Washington Capitals (1975–76)28–24–4
57WFebruary 11, 19767–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1975–76)29–24–4
58TFebruary 14, 19762–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)29–24–5
59LFebruary 15, 19764–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1975–76)29–25–5
60WFebruary 17, 19762–1Minnesota North Stars (1975–76)30–25–5
61TFebruary 18, 19762–2St. Louis Blues (1975–76)30–25–6
62TFebruary 21, 19763–3Philadelphia Flyers (1975–76)30–25–7
63LFebruary 26, 19762–6Chicago Black Hawks (1975–76)30–26–7
64WFebruary 28, 19763–1@ Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)31–26–7
65LFebruary 29, 19761–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1975–76)31–27–7
66LMarch 3, 19763–5Boston Bruins (1975–76)31–28–7
67LMarch 6, 19761–4Toronto Maple Leafs (1975–76)31–29–7
68WMarch 9, 19766–1Vancouver Canucks (1975–76)32–29–7
69WMarch 11, 19764–3New York Rangers (1975–76)33–29–7
70LMarch 13, 19761–4Detroit Red Wings (1975–76)33–30–7
71LMarch 16, 19762–4Buffalo Sabres (1975–76)33–31–7
72WMarch 20, 19764–3Montreal Canadiens (1975–76)34–31–7
73TMarch 21, 19764–4@ Minnesota North Stars (1975–76)34–31–8
74TMarch 24, 19761–1New York Islanders (1975–76)34–31–9
75LMarch 26, 19763–4@ Vancouver Canucks (1975–76)34–32–9
76WMarch 27, 19767–3Vancouver Canucks (1975–76)35–32–9
77WMarch 30, 19768–6@ Kansas City Scouts (1975–76)36–32–9
78WMarch 31, 19762–1@ St. Louis Blues (1975–76)37–32–9
79WApril 3, 19765–1Kansas City Scouts (1975–76)38–32–9
80LApril 4, 19762–5@ California Golden Seals (1975–76)38–33–9

Playoffs

Mini Series

  • Kings 2 Flames 1
  • Kings 1 at Flames 0

Quarter Finals

  • Kings 0 at Bruins 4
  • Kings 3 at Bruins 2 (OT)
  • Kings 6 Bruins 4
  • Kings 0 Bruins 3
  • Kings 1 at Bruins 7
  • Kings 4 Bruins 3 (OT)
  • Kings 0 at Bruins 4

Player statistics

Awards and records

Transactions

The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1975–76 season.[3]

Trades

August 15, 1975 To Los Angeles Kings
2nd round pick in 1976 - Steve Clippingdale		 To Minnesota North Stars
Tim Young
September 1, 1975 To Los Angeles Kings
Cash		 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Tom Cassidy
January 14, 1976 To Los Angeles Kings
Ab DeMarco Jr.		 To Vancouver Canucks
2nd round pick in 1977 - Brian Hill
March 6, 1976 To Los Angeles Kings
Bert Wilson
Curt Brackenbury		 To St. Louis Blues
Cash

Free agent signings

June 17, 1975 From Detroit Red Wings
Marcel Dionne (5 years, $1.5 million)

Free agent compensation

June 23, 1975 To Los Angeles Kings
Marcel Dionne
Bart Crashley		 To Detroit Red Wings
Terry Harper
Dan Maloney
2nd round pick in 1976 - Jim Roberts

Intra-league draft

June 17, 1975 To New York Rangers
Dale Lewis

Draft picks

Los Angeles's draft picks at the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft held in Montreal, Quebec.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
116Tim Young CanadaOttawa 67's (OMJHL)
233Terry Bucyk CanadaLethbridge Broncos (WCHL)
469Andre Leduc CanadaSherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
587Dave Miglia CanadaTrois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL)
6105Bob Russell CanadaSudbury Wolves (OMJHL)
7123Dave Faulkner CanadaRegina Pats (WCHL)
8141Bill Reber United StatesUniversity of Vermont (ECAC)
9157Sean Sullivan CanadaHamilton Fincups (OMJHL)
10172Brian Petrovek United StatesHarvard University (ECAC)
11186Tom Goddard United StatesUniversity of North Dakota (WCHA)
12197Mario Viens CanadaCornwall Royals (QMJHL)
13203Chuck Carpenter United StatesYale University (ECAC)
14207Bob Fish United StatesFargo Sugar Kings (MWJHL)
15210Dave Taylor CanadaClarkson University (ECAC)
16213Bob Shaw CanadaClarkson University (ECAC)

Farm teams

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 151. ISBN 9781894801225.
  2. ↑ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Hockey Transactions Search Results".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.