1975-76 was an end of an era in the National Hockey League.
Phil Esposito had dominated the goal scoring landscape since 1969-70, leading
the NHL for six consecutive seasons. Esposito scored 50 or more goals for five
consecutive seasons and set the mark for most goals in a single season with 76
in 1970-71. In 1975-76, the Boston Bruins traded him mid-season to the New York
Rangers and he totalled just 35 goals, not good enough to place in the top ten.
Reggie Leach – Philadelphia Flyers
Leading the NHL in 1975-76 with 61 goals was Reggie
Leach of the Philadelphia Flyers. It was a career year for Leach with his
next highest goal total coming in 1979-80 with 50. Reggie carried on into the
1975-76 playoffs with 19 goals in 16 games as the Flyers reached the finals
before losing out to the Montreal Canadiens. Leach was awarded the Conn Smythe
Trophy in the losing cause. To date, he is one of just five players to be
awarded the Conn Smythe when not winning the Stanley Cup.
Guy Lafleur – Montreal Canadiens
Guy Lafleur of the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens
came second with 56 goals. It was Guy’s second of six consecutive seasons with
50 or more goals and his first of three consecutive Art Ross Trophies. The 56
goals was a far cry from the 130 he scored in 62 games for the Quebec Remparts
of the QMJHL in 1970-71.
Despite finishing third in the Norris Division and making an
early opening round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins
provided the National Hockey League with two 50 goal scorers. Pierre Larouche
finished third with 53 and Jean Pronovost ended 1975-76 with one less than his
teammate.
Pierre Larouche – Pittsburgh Penguins
Pierre Larouche was another phenom in the QMJHL. With the Sorel
Black Hawks in 1973-74, he scored 94 goals and totalled 251 points in 67
regular season games. 1975-76 was just his second season in the NHL. He would
score 50 goals in a season one more time in his NHL career, exactly 50 as a
member of the 1979-80 Montreal Canadiens.
Jean Pronovost – Pittsburgh Penguins
Jean Pronovost had a career year with his 52 goals and 104
points. Pronovost played two games shy of 1,000 in an NHL career that spanned
from 1968-69 to 1981-82. He spent the bulk of his time with Pittsburgh but also
played for the Atlanta Flames and Washington Capitals.
Bill Barber – Philadelphia Flyers
Two players tied for fifth spot in 1975-76 with 50 goals
each. Bill Barber of the Philadelphia Flyers and Danny Gare each had 50. Barber
gets the tie breaker nod with 112 points to Gare’s 73.
Bill Barber is one of just two of these six players to have
a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Barber was inducted in 1990, two years after
Guy Lafleur. 1975-76 was the only time during his twelve year NHL career, all
with the Flyers, that Barber reached the 50 goal plateau.
Danny Gare would reach the 50 goal plateau one more time in
his career. In 1979-80, he scored 56 for the Buffalo Sabres, tying Blaine
Stoughton of the Hartford Whalers and Charlie Simmer of the Los Angeles Kings
for the NHL lead. Gare played in the NHL from 1974-75 to 1986-87 with the
Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.
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