1976-1977  Coach: Gilles Leger (7-16-1), Pat Kelly (24-30-2) BIRMINGHAM  Record: 31-46-4, 66 points BULLS  Finish: 5th, Eastern Division  Playoffs: Did Not Qualify

John Bassett moved his Toronto Toros to Birmingham, Alabama, for the 1976-77 season, renaming the team the “Bulls”, conveniently keeping the same uniforms as the old Toros. Birmingham was the WHA’s first foray into the Deep South, and would promise to be an interesting challenge to sell hockey in Alabama. The actual team wasn’t the best, but they were improved over the previous season’s squad, winning 31 and tying 4, a thirteen-point improvement. Notably, the defense “only” gave up 309 goals, an 89-goal improvement, thanks to solid goaltending by John Garrett, and the addition of Dale Hoganson to the blue line. Up front, Mark Napier scored 60 goals and 96 points, with Vaclav Nedomansky trailing him with 36 goals. Five other Bulls scored 20 or more goals. The fans seemed to pick up on the Bulls, averaging over 8,000 per game at the Jefferson County Civic Center. Although the Bulls did not make the playoffs, the team was much improved and year one of the Alabama hockey experiment had gone very well.

Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime)

date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 8 Houston 4-2 W 1-0-0 2 4-2 41. Jan 2 @ Minnesota 1-3 L 13-27-1 27 135-160 2. Oct 10 @ Québec *3-4 L 1-1-0 2 7-6 42. Jan 4 Phoenix 8-5 W 14-27-1 29 143-165 3. Oct 12 Calgary 6-2 W 2-1-0 4 13-8 43. Jan 7 @ Cincinnati 1-7 L 14-28-1 29 144-172 4. Oct 14 Cincinnati 7-7 T 2-1-1 5 20-15 44. Jan 9 @ Winnipeg 1-4 L 14-29-1 29 145-176 5. Oct 16 @ Houston 0-3 L 2-2-1 5 20-18 45. Jan 12 @ Minnesota 4-3 W 15-29-1 31 149-179 6. Oct 17 @ Minnesota 1-6 L 2-3-1 5 21-24 46. Jan 14 @ Houston 3-5 L 15-30-1 31 152-184 7. Oct 19 Québec *5-6 L 2-4-1 5 26-30 47. Jan 16 @ San Diego 2-5 L 15-31-1 31 154-189 8. Oct 21 Houston 8-5 W 3-4-1 7 34-35 48. Jan 21 @ Houston 1-6 L 15-32-1 31 155-195 9. Oct 23 @ Indianapolis 3-1 W 4-4-1 9 37-36 49. Jan 23 Indianapolis 6-2 W 16-32-1 33 161-197 10. Oct 24 @ Winnipeg 1-7 L 4-5-1 9 38-43 50. Jan 27 Winnipeg 3-0 W 17-32-1 35 164-197 11. Oct 26 @ Calgary 3-9 L 4-6-1 9 41-52 51. Jan 30 Cincinnati 7-1 W 18-32-1 37 171-198 12. Oct 28 Edmonton *3-4 L 4-7-1 9 44-56 52. Feb 1 New England 4-3 W 19-32-1 39 175-201 13. Oct 30 @ New England 4-5 L 4-8-1 9 48-61 53. Feb 2 @ Cincinnati 3-2 W 20-32-1 41 178-203 14. Nov 2 San Diego *3-4 L 4-9-1 9 51-65 54. Feb 4 Québec 7-0 W 21-32-1 43 185-203 15. Nov 4 Phoenix 5-3 W 5-9-1 11 56-68 55. Feb 5 @ Indianapolis 2-5 L 21-33-1 43 187-208 16. Nov 6 @ Québec 5-6 L 5-10-1 11 61-74 56. Feb 9 @ Phoenix 3-4 L 21-34-1 43 190-212 17. Nov 9 @ Québec 3-4 L 5-11-1 11 64-78 57. Feb 12 @ San Diego *2-3 L 21-35-1 43 192-215 18. Nov 11 San Diego 2-3 L 5-12-1 11 66-81 58. Feb 16 Phoenix 7-2 W 22-35-1 45 199-217 19. Nov 13 Edmonton 2-3 L 5-13-1 11 68-84 59. Feb 18 @ New England 3-2 W 23-35-1 47 202-219 20. Nov 16 New England 4-5 L 5-14-1 11 72-89 60. Feb 20 Indianapolis 2-2 T 23-35-2 48 204-221 21. Nov 17 @ New England 4-6 L 5-15-1 11 76-95 61. Feb 22 Cincinnati 4-4 T 23-35-3 49 208-225 22. Nov 19 @ Indianapolis 0-4 L 5-16-1 11 76-99 62. Feb 24 Québec 10-6 W 24-35-3 51 218-231 23. Nov 21 San Diego 4-3 W 6-16-1 13 80-102 63. Feb 26 @ Québec 3-5 L 24-36-3 51 221-236 24. Nov 23 Calgary 3-1 W 7-16-1 15 83-103 64. Feb 27 @ Edmonton 4-0 W 25-36-3 53 225-236 25. Nov 25 New England 3-5 L 7-17-1 15 86-108 65. Mar 3 @ Calgary 2-4 L 25-37-3 53 227-240 26. Nov 27 @ Cincinnati 1-2 L 7-18-1 15 87-110 66. Mar 6 @ Edmonton 2-5 L 25-38-3 53 229-245 27. Nov 28 Minnesota 1-3 L 7-19-1 15 88-113 67. Mar 9 New England *4-3 W 26-38-3 55 233-248 28. Nov 30 Cincinnati 3-1 W 8-19-1 17 91-114 68. Mar 11 New England 6-3 W 27-38-3 57 239-251 29. Dec 2 Edmonton 3-4 L 8-20-1 17 94-118 69. Mar 12 @ Indianapolis 2-7 L 27-39-3 57 241-258 30. Dec 7 Indianapolis *2-3 L 8-21-1 17 96-121 70. Mar 13 @ Cincinnati 4-7 L 27-40-3 57 245-265 31. Dec 10 @ Winnipeg 5-3 W 9-21-1 19 101-124 71. Mar 15 Cincinnati 4-2 W 28-40-3 59 249-267 32. Dec 12 @ Edmonton 3-5 L 9-22-1 19 104-129 72. Mar 17 Indianapolis 2-5 L 28-41-3 59 251-272 33. Dec 15 @ Phoenix 5-6 L 9-23-1 19 109-135 73. Mar 20 Winnipeg 3-4 L 28-42-3 59 254-276 34. Dec 17 @ Houston 4-3 W 10-23-1 21 113-138 74. Mar 22 Calgary 7-4 W 29-42-3 61 261-280 35. Dec 18 @ New England 2-6 L 10-24-1 21 115-144 75. Mar 23 @ Phoenix 4-0 W 30-42-3 63 265-280 36. Dec 19 @ Indianapolis *2-3 L 10-25-1 21 117-147 76. Mar 24 @ San Diego 2-6 L 30-43-3 63 267-286 37. Dec 21 Québec 3-2 W 11-25-1 23 120-149 77. Mar 27 Indianapolis 7-3 W 31-43-3 65 274-289 38. Dec 22 @ Cincinnati 6-2 W 12-25-1 25 126-151 78. Mar 29 Cincinnati 2-4 L 31-44-3 65 276-293 39. Dec 26 Houston 6-2 W 13-25-1 27 132-153 79. Apr 2 Winnipeg 5-6 L 31-45-3 65 281-299 40. Dec 30 Minnesota 2-4 L 13-26-1 27 134-157 80. Apr 5 @ Calgary 4-4 T 31-45-4 66 285-303 81. Apr 6 @ Edmonton 4-6 L 31-46-4 66 289-309

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