1976–77 Minnesota Fighting Saints season

The 1976–77 Minnesota Fighting Saints season was the last season of WHA hockey in Minnesota. The original Fighting Saints disbanded and the Cleveland Crusaders relocated to become the new Minnesota Fighting Saints. The season came to an early end on January 14, 1977, when the Saints played their last game without finishing the season.

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 7, 1976||2–7 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||0–1–0

|2||L||October 8, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||0–2–0

|3||W||October 10, 1976||4–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||1–2–0

|4||L||October 14, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||1–3–0

|5||L||October 15, 1976||4–7 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||1–4–0

|6||W||October 17, 1976||6–1 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||2–4–0

|7||L||October 19, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||2–5–0

|8||T||October 22, 1976||2–2 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||2–5–1

|9||W||October 26, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||3–5–1

|10||T||October 28, 1976||1–1 || align="left"| @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||3–5–2

|11||L||October 30, 1976||1–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||3–6–2

|12||L||November 2, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||3–7–2

|13||L||November 3, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||3–8–2

|14||L||November 5, 1976||2–9 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||3–9–2

|15||L||November 7, 1976||1–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||3–10–2

|16||T||November 11, 1976||3–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||3–10–3

|17||W||November 13, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||4–10–3

|18||L||November 18, 1976||5–9 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||4–11–3

|19||T||November 20, 1976||3–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||4–11–4

|20||W||November 21, 1976||5–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||5–11–4

|21||W||November 23, 1976||4–0 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||6–11–4

|22||W||November 26, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||7–11–4

|23||W||November 27, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||8–11–4

|24||W||November 28, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||9–11–4

|25||L||December 3, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||9–12–4

|26||W||December 5, 1976||5–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||10–12–4

|27||W||December 7, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||11–12–4

|28||W||December 10, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||12–12–4

|29||L||December 12, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||12–13–4

|30||L||December 15, 1976||0–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||12–14–4

|31||W||December 16, 1976||5–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||13–14–4

|32||W||December 18, 1976||4–3 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||14–14–4

|33||L||December 22, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||14–15–4

|34||L||December 23, 1976||1–2 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||14–16–4

|35||L||December 26, 1976||2–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||14–17–4

|36||W||December 28, 1976||5–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||15–17–4

|37||W||December 30, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||16–17–4

|38||W||January 2, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||17–17–4

|39||T||January 7, 1977||1–1 || align="left"| Houston Aeros (1976–77) ||17–17–5

|40||W||January 8, 1977||5–0 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||18–17–5

|41||L||January 12, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||18–18–5

|42||W||January 14, 1977||9–5 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||19–18–5

Legend:

Player statistics + Players Player Position C 42 13 38 51 225110 C 42 27 21 48 2820600 C 41 15 21 36 69410 RW 40 17 13 30 5214300 RW 42 9 21 30 613000 C 40 4 19 23 17−14300 D 33 3 19 22 2214000 LW 34 10 9 19 197200 RW 30 6 11 17 64000 LW 35 9 4 13 51−5200 C 21 5 8 13 83000 D 40 2 10 12 147000 D 42 2 9 11 2819000 D 40 1 9 10 4215000 LW 37 6 3 9 64−1000 LW 36 4 3 7 55−1000 D 42 0 7 7 1335000 LW 15 3 3 6 2−6000 D 7 0 2 2 35−9000 G 30 0 1 1 20000 D 2 0 0 0 2−3000 G 16 0 0 0 60000 D 2 0 0 0 0−1000 RW 2 0 0 0 0−2000

+GoaltendingPlayer 1715 30 15 11 2 78 2.73 2 848 16 4 7 3 50 3.54 0 Team: 2563 42 19 18 5 128 3.00 2

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 Minnesota's draft picks (selected while still known as the Cleveland Crusaders) at the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)13Glen Sharpley (C)Hull Festivals (QMJHL)214Rod Schutt (LW)Sudbury Wolves (OHA)327Jeff McDill (RW)Victoria Cougars (WCHL)439Rocky Maze (LW)Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)547Vern Stenlund (C)London Knights (OHA)551Bob Miller (W)U.S. National Team663Rob Flockhart (LW)Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)775Mark Earp (G)Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)887Ron Zanussi (F)London Knights (OHA)998Charlie Skjodt (C)Windsor Spitfires (OHA)10109Larry McRae (G)Windsor Spitfires (OHA)

See also 1976–77 WHA season

References