The 1977–78 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' sixth season of operation. The Oilers placed fifth to qualify for the playoffs, losing in the first round.
Regular season
Final standings
Schedule and results
|1||L||October 12, 1977||3–7 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||0–1–0
|2||W||October 14, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||1–1–0
|3||L||October 15, 1977||2–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||1–2–0
|4||L||October 19, 1977||3–6 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||1–3–0
|5||L||October 26, 1977||7–8 OT|| align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||1–4–0
|6||W||October 28, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||2–4–0
|7||L||October 30, 1977||2–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||2–5–0
|8||L||November 2, 1977||3–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||2–6–0
|9||W||November 4, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||3–6–0
|10||W||November 6, 1977||7–1 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||4–6–0
|11||L||November 8, 1977||3–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||4–7–0
|12||L||November 10, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||4–8–0
|13||W||November 11, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||5–8–0
|14||T||November 12, 1977||1–1 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||5–8–1
|15||W||November 16, 1977||6–4 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||6–8–1
|16||W||November 18, 1977||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||7–8–1
|17||L||November 20, 1977||4–5 OT|| align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||7–9–1
|18||W||November 22, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||8–9–1
|19||L||November 24, 1977||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||8–10–1
|20||W||November 26, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||9–10–1
|21||W||November 30, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||10–10–1
|22||L||December 2, 1977||5–7 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||10–11–1
|23||W||December 4, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||11–11–1
|24||W||December 7, 1977||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||12–11–1
|25||L||December 9, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||12–12–1
|26||L||December 11, 1977||2–4 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||12–13–1
|27||W||December 14, 1977||6–1 || align="left"| Czechoslovakia (1977–78) ||13–13–1
|28||L||December 18, 1977||2–3 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||13–14–1
|29||L||December 20, 1977||4–6 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||13–15–1
|30||W||December 21, 1977||5–2 || align="left"| Soviet All-Stars (1977–78) ||14–15–1
|31||W||December 27, 1977||9–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||15–15–1
|32||W||December 30, 1977||8–5 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||16–15–1
|33||L||January 1, 1978||1–2 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||16–16–1
|34||L||January 6, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||16–17–1
|35||W||January 8, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||17–17–1
|36||W||January 11, 1978||2–0 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||18–17–1
|37||L||January 13, 1978||0–2 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||18–18–1
|38||L||January 14, 1978||4–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||18–19–1
|39||W||January 15, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||19–19–1
|40||W||January 18, 1978||1–0 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||20–19–1
|41||L||January 20, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||20–20–1
|42||W||January 21, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||21–20–1
|43||L||January 22, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||21–21–1
|44||W||January 25, 1978||6–2 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||22–21–1
|45||W||January 27, 1978||9–6 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||23–21–1
|46||L||January 29, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||23–22–1
|47||W||January 31, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||24–22–1
|48||L||February 1, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||24–23–1
|49||W||February 3, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||25–23–1
|50||W||February 4, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||26–23–1
|51||L||February 5, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||26–24–1
|52||T||February 8, 1978||6–6 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||26–24–2
|53||W||February 12, 1978||7–0 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||27–24–2
|54||W||February 14, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||28–24–2
|55||L||February 15, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||28–25–2
|56||W||February 17, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||29–25–2
|57||W||February 19, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||30–25–2
|58||L||February 22, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||30–26–2
|59||W||February 24, 1978||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||31–26–2
|60||L||February 26, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||31–27–2
|61||L||March 1, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||31–28–2
|62||L||March 3, 1978||6–8 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||31–29–2
|63||W||March 5, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||32–29–2
|64||L||March 7, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||32–30–2
|65||L||March 9, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||32–31–2
|66||L||March 11, 1978||0–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||32–32–2
|67||L||March 14, 1978||3–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||32–33–2
|68||L||March 15, 1978||4–8 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||32–34–2
|69||W||March 17, 1978||6–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||33–34–2
|70||W||March 19, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||34–34–2
|71||L||March 22, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||34–35–2
|72||W||March 24, 1978||4–0 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||35–35–2
|73||L||March 26, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||35–36–2
|74||W||March 28, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||36–36–2
|75||L||March 30, 1978||1–5 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1977–78) ||36–37–2
|76||L||March 31, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||36–38–2
|77||W||April 1, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||37–38–2
|78||L||April 4, 1978||1–9 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||37–39–2
|79||T||April 5, 1978||4–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||37–39–3
|80||W||April 7, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||38–39–3
Legend:
Playoffs
| 1 || April 14 || Edmonton || 4–6 || New England ||0–1
| 2 || April 16 || Edmonton || 1–4 || New England || 0–2
| 3 || April 19 || New England || 0–2 || Edmonton || 1–2
| 4 || April 21 || New England || 9–1 || Edmonton || 1–3
| 5 || April 23 || Edmonton || 1–4 || New England || 1–4
Legend:
Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG C 80 33 52 85 4811110 RW 74 41 28 69 349810 RW 80 34 34 68 11−12740 C 71 23 34 57 471230 D 59 11 43 54 4624600 C 80 20 30 50 1125100 D 80 9 40 49 100−9300 D 56 14 34 48 568300 RW 71 26 21 47 214800 C 71 18 24 42 810010 LW 60 12 21 33 71−7200 C/LW 53 8 22 30 1211000 D 62 6 22 28 9011100 C 53 7 13 20 12−17200 RW 59 2 18 20 157−8000 D 47 6 8 14 20−7300 LW 18 4 10 14 4−1000 C 37 11 2 13 29−2200 LW 65 6 6 12 140−4000 C 13 6 3 9 4−4100 G 33 0 8 8 20000 D 6 2 4 6 20000 RW 18 2 4 6 181000 D 14 1 4 5 43000 LW 20 1 3 4 32−1000 LW 22 2 1 3 14−1100 D 11 1 2 3 391100 RW 47 2 0 2 124−11000 LW 5 1 1 2 7−7010 D 10 0 2 2 4−1000 G 48 0 1 1 00000 D 19 0 1 1 16−6000 D 3 0 1 1 4−1000 LW 5 0 1 1 0−1000 RW 7 0 1 1 2−1000 D 4 0 0 0 15−5000 G 9 0 0 0 00000 LW 2 0 0 0 0−3000 D 2 0 0 0 0−1000 C 1 0 0 0 00000 LW 1 0 0 0 00000 G 1 0 0 0 00000Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO 2578 48 21 23 2 150 3.49 2 1723 33 15 10 1 102 3.55 2 497 9 2 5 0 42 5.07 0 60 1 0 1 0 6 6.00 0 Team: 4858 80 38 39 3 300 3.71 4 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG C 5 2 3 5 0000 D 5 1 3 4 11000 C 5 1 1 2 0000 LW 5 1 1 2 20001 RW 5 1 1 2 0000 C/LW 5 1 1 2 4000 C 5 0 2 2 16000 D 5 0 2 2 10000 D 5 0 2 2 4000 LW 5 1 0 1 4000 C 5 1 0 1 4000 D 4 0 1 1 4000 C 5 0 1 1 0000 RW 5 0 0 0 18000 D 1 0 0 0 0000 G 2 0 0 0 0000 RW 5 0 0 0 0000 G 4 0 0 0 0000 RW 2 0 0 0 2000 D 5 0 0 0 10000 LW 5 0 0 0 8000 RW 2 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LGAGAA SO 207 4 1 3 16 4.64 1 91 2 0 1 6 3.96 0 Team: 298 5 1 4 22 4.43 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;
Transactions Trades Date To Edmonton Oilers Traded to Traded for June 1977 Jim Troy New England Whalers Brett Callighen Dave DrydenBrett Callighen1st-round pick in 1977 - Ron Areshenkoff4th-round pick in 1977 - Dan Clark New England Whalers Jean-Louis Levasseur Blair MacDonaldDave InkpenMike Zuke Indianapolis Racers Barry WilkinsEd PatenaudeClaude St. SauveurKevin Devine Jeff JacquesLou Nistico Birmingham Bulls Chris EvansPete LaframboiseDanny Arndt Future considerations Indianapolis Racers Kevin MorrisonBill PrenticeBob Russell Don TannahillPeter Donnelly Quebec Nordiques Future considerations Dave Semenko Houston Aeros Future considerations Pierre GuitéDon McLeod Quebec Nordiques Dave InkpenRick MorrisWarren MillerKen Broderick Dennis SobchukDel Hall Cincinnati Stingers Butch DeadmarshDave DebolFuture considerationsCash Pierre JarryChris Ahrens Minnesota North Stars (NHL) Future considerations
Players acquired Date Player Former team Term Doug Berry Calgary Cowboys Ron Chipperfield Chris Evans Don Micheletti Joe Micheletti Warren Miller Perry Schnarr Steve Stoyanovich Kevin Devine San Diego Mariners Norm Ferguson Randy Legge Kevin Morrison Paul Shmyr Butch Deadmarsh Calgary Cowboys Jerry Holland New York Rangers (NHL) Gary MacGregor Indianapolis Racers Juha Widing Cleveland Crusaders 2-year October 1977 Bob Falkenberg San Diego Mariners Ken Baird Calgary Cowboys Frank Turnbull Spokane Flyers (WIHL) Gerry Pinder San Diego Mariners Dale McMullin Spokane Flyers (WIHL) Craig Topolnisky Kevin Primeau Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA) Jim Cross St. Albert Saints (AJHL) Ray McKay Birmingham Bulls
Players lost Date Player New team Doug Barrie Retired Randy Legge Bill Prentice Indianapolis Racers Tom Simpson Broome Dusters (AHL) July 1977 Bobby Sheehan Indianapolis Racers November 1977 Frank Beaton Birmingham Bulls Ken Baird Released Lou Nistico Colorado Rockies (NHL) Gavin Kirk Birmingham BullsDecember 1977 Ken Baird Winnipeg Jets Del Hall Retired Paul Stewart Cincinnati Stingers Robin Sadler Nova Scotia Voyageurs (AHL)
Signings Date Player Term Robin Sadler 2-year Norm Ferguson Paul Shmyr Dave Dryden Ron Busniuk 1-year Al Hamilton 1-year Warren Miller 1-year Ken Baird Dave Semenko 2-year Ab DeMarco 1-year Jim Troy Cal Sandbeck 2-year Owen Lloyd
Draft picks Edmonton's draft picks at the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.