Location: NHL Offices (Montreal, QC) Dates: June 1, 1976 First Overall Pick: Rick Green (Washington Capitals)Players with NHL Experience: 73
The 1976 NHL amateur draft was the 14th NHL entry draft. It was held at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec, on June 1, 1976. It is notable as featuring one of the weakest first rounds in draft history, as only two players (Rick Green and Bernie Federko ) played more than 450 career NHL games. In 2002, Federko was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame after playing fourteen seasons (1976–1990), with 13 of those with the St. Louis Blues. The Cleveland Barons drafted as the California Golden Seals and the Colorado Rockies took part as the Kansas City Scouts. The two franchises would relocate to their new cities on July 15 of that year.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Kent Nilsson , who played his last NHL game in the 1994–95 season.
Biggest Steals of the 1976 NHL Draft
Ron Wilson (Montreal Canadiens – 133rd Overall)
326 points in 831 career games
Mike Eaves (St. Louis Blues – 113th Overall)
225 points in 324 career games
Biggest Busts of the 1976 NHL Draft
Fred Williams (Detroit Red Wings – 4th Overall)
7 points in 44 career games
Bjorn Johansson (California Golden Seals – 5th Overall)
2 points in 15 career games
Alex McKendry (New York Islanders – 14th Overall)
9 points in 46 career games
1980 Stanley Cup winner
Clayton Pachal (Boston Bruins – 16th Overall)
5 points in 35 career games
Bruce Baker (Montreal Canadiens – 18th Overall)
1976 NHL Draft Selections by Round
Round 1
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 1 D Rick Green London Knights (OMJHL) 2 RW Blair Chapman Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 3 C Glen Sharpley Hull Festivals (QMJHL) 4 C Fred Williams Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 5 D Bjorn Johansson Orebro IK (Sweden-2) 6 RW Don Murdoch Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 7 C Bernie Federko Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 8 D Dave Shand Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 9 RW Real Cloutier Quebec Nordiques (WHA) 10 LW Harold Phillipoff New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 11 C Paul Gardner Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 12 RW Peter Lee Ottawa 67’s (OMJHL) 13 LW Rod Schutt Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 14 W Alex McKendry Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 15 C Greg Carroll Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 16 C/LW Clayton Pachal New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 17 D Mark Suzor Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 18 RW Bruce Baker Ottawa 67’s (OMJHL)
2000 Season: Bernie Federko, St. Louis Blues. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Round 2
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 19 C Greg Malone Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 20 LW Brian Sutter Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL) 21 LW Steve Clippingdale New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 22 D Reed Larson Minnesota (WCHA) 23 C Vern Stenlund London Knights (OMJHL) 24 D Dave Farrish Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 25 LW John Smrke Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 26 D Bob Manno St. Catharines Black Hawks (OMJHL) 27 RW Jeff McDill Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 28 LW Bobby Simpson Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 29 RW Peter Marsh Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 30 D Randy Carlyle Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 31 LW Jim Roberts Ottawa 67’s (OMJHL) 32 C Mike Kaszycki Soo Greyhounds (OMJHL) 33 LW Joe Kowal Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 34 D Lorry Gloeckner Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 35 C/RW Drew Callander Regina Pats (WCHL) 36 D Barry Melrose Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)
Randy Carlyle, Winnipeg Jets, Feb. 15, 1992 (Photo by Graig Abel Collection/Getty Images)
Round 3
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 37 RW Tom Rowe London Knights (OMJHL) 38 D Mike Kitchen Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 39 D Don Jackson Notre Dame (WCHA) 40 C Fred Berry New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 41 LW Mike Fidler Boston University (ECAC) 42 D Mike McEwen Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 43 D Jim Kirkpatrick Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 44 LW Rob Flockhart Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) 45 C Thomas Gradin Modo AIK (Sweden) 46 D Rick Hodgson Calgary Centennials (WCHL) 47 LW Morris Lukowich Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 48 RW Alain Belanger Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 49 C Don Moores Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) 50 C Garth MacGuigan Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) 51 RW Ron Zanussi London Knights (OMJHL) 52 RW Gary McFayden Hull Festivals (QMJHL) 53 D Craig Hanmer Mohawk Valley Comets (NAHL-Sr.) 54 D Bill Baker Minnesota (WCHA)
Round 4
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 55 D Al Glendinning Calgary Centennials (WCHL) 56 G Mike Liut Bowling Green (CCHA) 57 D Mike Fedorko Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 58 RW Kevin Schamehorn New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 59 C Warren Young Michigan Tech (WCHA) 60 LW Claude Periard Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 61 G Paul Skidmore Boston College (ECAC) 62 LW Elmer Ray Calgary Centennials (WCHL) 63 C Dave Debol Michigan (WCHA) 64 C Kent Nilsson Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 65 G Greg Redquest Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 66 D Tim Williams Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 67 G Bob Mears Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 68 D Ken Morrow Bowling Green (CCHA) 69 LW Henry Maze Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL) 70 C Bob Miller Ottawa 67’s (OMJHL) 71 LW Dave Hynek Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 72 RW Ed Clarey Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)
Kent Nilsson, Calgary Flames, Nov. 1983 (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
Round 5
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 73 RW Doug Patey Soo Greyhounds (OMJHL) 74 LW Rick McIntyre Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 75 C Phil Verchota Minnesota (WCHA) 76 D Dwight Schofield London Knights (OMJHL) 77 D Darcy Regier Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL) 78 C Doug Gaines St. Catharines Black Hawks (OMJHL) 79 D Cal Sandbeck Denver (WCHA) 80 LW Rick Durston Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 81 C Terry McDonald Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL) 82 G Mark Earp Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) 83 D Brendan Lowe Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 84 D Greg Hotham Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 85 D Robert Palmer Denver (WCHA) 86 D Mike Hordy Soo Greyhounds (OMJHL) 87 D Ron Roscoe Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 88 LW Peter Vandemark Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 89 D Robin Lang Cornell (ECAC) 90 G Maurice Barrette Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Round 6
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 91 G Jim Bedard Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 92 C Larry Skinner Ottawa 67’s (OMJHL) 93 C Dave Delich Colorado College (WCHA) 94 D Tony Horvath Soo Greyhounds (OMJHL) 95 RW Jouni Rinne Lukko (Finland) 96 RW Barry Scully Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 97 D Nels Goddard Michigan Tech (WCHA) 98 RW/C Rob Tudor Regina Pats (WCHL) 99 G John Peterson Notre Dame (WCHA) 100 D Don Wilson St. Catharines Black Hawks (OMJHL) 101 D Vic Sirko Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 102 C Dan Djakalovic Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) 103 G Larry McRae Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 104 RW Yvon Vautour Laval National (QMJHL) 105 D Don Lemieux Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 106 LW Ted Olson Calgary Centennials (WCHL) 107 LW Paul Klasinski St. Paul Vulcans (MidJHL) 108 LW Pierre Brassard Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)
Round 7
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 109 G Dale Rideout Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) 110 D Jeff Barr Michigan State (WCHA) 111 C Fern LeBlanc Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 112 C Remi Levesque Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 113 C Mike Eaves Wisconsin (WCHA) 114 C Brad Rhiness Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 115 RW John Rothstein Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 116 C Chuck Skjodt Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 117 RW Ray Kurpis Austin Mavericks (MidJHL) 118 C Rick Gosselin Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
Round 8
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 119 RW Allan Dumba Regina Pats (WCHL) 120 G Claude Legris Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL) 121 C Jacques Soguel HC Davos (Swiss-2) 122 C Stu Ostlund Michigan Tech (WCHA) 123 D John Gregory Wisconsin (WCHA)
Round 9
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 124 D David Dornself Providence (ECAC) 125 G Bruce Horsch Michigan Tech (WCHA)
Round 10
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 126 C Brad Wilson Providence (ECAC) 127 LW John Tavella Soo Greyhounds (OMJHL)
Round 11
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 128 RW Don Hoene Michigan (WCHA) 129 RW Mark Davidson Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
Round 12
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 130 D Goran Lindblom Skelleftea AIK (Sweden) 131 LW Bill Wells Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)
Round 13
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 132 G Jim Bales Denver (WCHA) 133 C Ron Wilson St. Catharines Black Hawks (OMJHL)
Round 14
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 134 LW Anders Hakansson AIK (Sweden)
Round 15
Pick Team Pos. Player Junior Team 135 C Juhani Wallenius Lukko (Finland)