1976-77: Guy Lafleur Leads Habs To 60 Wins And Stanley Cup

The Three Stars:

Flower Power In Montreal - Guy Lafleur captures his second straight Art Ross Trophy win 56 goals and 136 points. He also wins the Hart Trophy and Pearson Trophy, then adds 26 points in the playoffs, leading Montreal to a repeat Stanley Cup championship. He added the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP.

Canada Cup Debuts - The world's first ever best-on-best tournament debuts as the top six hockey nations compete in the Canada Cup. Canada sweeps the final vs. Czechoslovakia, the only team to beat Canada in the round robin. The powerful Soviet Union left several stars at home and finished third. Darryl Sittler scores the dramatic overtime winning goal. Bobby Orr, playing almost literally on one good leg, is named tournament MVP in his moment of greatness.

Orr Leaves Boston For Chicago - The previous season saw Phil Esposito booted from Boston to New York. Even more unthinkably Bobby Orr and his badly injured knee sign a $3 million free agent deal with Chicago. His knee only allows him to play 20 games before he is forced to retire.

Season Highlights:

• The California Seals transfer to Cleveland and become the Barons. The Kansas City Scouts move to Colorado to become the Rockies.
• Rookie Don Murdoch scores 5 goals in one game for the New York Rangers. 
• Al Hill, a Philadelphia rookie, sets a NHL record with 5 points (including a hat trick) in his first NHL game.
• Toronto defenseman Ian Turnbull becomes the first NHL defenseman to score 5 goals in one game.
• Montreal's Steve Shutt leads the league in goals with 60. Defenseman Larry Robinson wins the Norris Trophy. 
• Quebec Nordiques dethrone the Winnipeg Jets as champions in the WHA, thanks to the high scoring line of Buddy Cloutier, Marc Tardif and Serge Bernier.