1975-1976  Coach: Clare Drake (18-28-2), Bill Hunter (9-21-3) EDMONTON  Record: 27-49-5, 59 points OILERS  Finish: 4th, Canadian Division  Playoffs: Lost in First Round to Winnipeg

1975-76 would be the end of an era in Oiler hockey: the last year of the Bill Hunter regime. The Oilers had been an average club in its first three seasons, wearing out two coaches, Ray Kinasewich in 1973 and Brian Shaw in 1975, each time Bill Hunter replacing them in the season’s final weeks. This time, former University of Alberta coach Clare Drake would be given the reins, but he could only make it into February before Hunter once again stepped in, replacing Drake as the team’s coach. The Oilers were thin, with a solid first line and no depth, and a porous defense. Rusty Patenaude was always good for a couple dozen goals, and this year was his best, with a team-leading 42. Ex-Whaler Tim Sheehy scored 34, and former Maple Leaf Norm Ullman scored 31, with a team- leading 82 points. Al Hamilton was lost for 28 games and scored just twice. The sieve-like defense allowed 345 goals against, and the Oilers finished a poor 27-49-5, with Hunter’s record 9-21-3. Despite their poor record, the Oilers did make the playoffs, but were soundly clobbered in the opening round by eventual champs Winnipeg. At season’s end, the team was struggling financially, and Hunter’s heavy-handed tactics had worn thin. The team was purchased by Nelson Skalbania and Mitch Klimove, and would teeter financially for another season before getting its act together in 1977 under Peter Pocklington and Glen Sather.

Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime)

date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 10 Minnesota 1-4 L 0-1-0 0 1-4 41. Jan 1 @ Calgary 1-5 L 15-24-2 32 141-173 2. Oct 12 Indianapolis 6-5 W 1-1-0 2 7-9 42. Jan 2 Calgary 1-3 L 15-25-2 32 142-176 3. Oct 14 @ Québec 5-8 L 1-2-0 2 12-17 43. Jan 4 Winnipeg 1-8 L 15-26-2 32 143-184 4. Oct 15 @ New England *4-5 L 1-3-0 2 16-22 44. Jan 6 Indianapolis 3-0 W 16-26-2 34 146-184 5. Oct 17 @ Toronto 4-4 T 1-3-1 3 20-26 45. Jan 9 Toronto 5-3 W 17-26-2 36 151-187 6. Oct 18 @ Minnesota 3-1 W 2-3-1 5 23-27 46. Jan 11 Houston 3-5 L 17-27-2 36 154-192 7. Oct 19 Cincinnati 4-2 W 3-3-1 7 27-29 47. Jan 16 @ Winnipeg 5-1 W 18-27-2 38 159-193 8. Oct 23 @ Cincinnati 4-6 L 3-4-1 7 31-35 48. Jan 20 Calgary 3-10 L 18-28-2 38 162-203 9. Oct 25 @ Cleveland 2-5 L 3-5-1 7 33-40 49. Jan 23 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 18-29-2 38 164-207 10. Oct 26 @ Indianapolis 3-4 L 3-6-1 7 36-44 50. Jan 25 @ Québec 6-7 L 18-30-2 38 170-214 11. Oct 28 Phoenix 7-3 W 4-6-1 9 43-47 51. Jan 27 @ Toronto 4-4 T 18-30-3 39 174-218 12. Oct 31 New England 2-2 T 4-6-2 10 45-49 52. Jan 28 Houston 5-6 L 18-31-3 39 179-224 13. Nov 2 San Diego 5-3 W 5-6-2 12 50-52 53. Feb 1 Cincinnati 5-2 W 19-31-3 41 184-226 14. Nov 4 Québec 3-4 L 5-7-2 12 53-56 54. Feb 3 New England 4-0 W 20-31-3 43 188-226 15. Nov 7 Toronto 5-4 W 6-7-2 14 58-60 55. Feb 5 @ Phoenix 1-5 L 20-32-3 43 189-231 16. Nov 9 Cleveland 4-1 W 7-7-2 16 62-61 56. Feb 6 @ Cincinnati 0-7 L 20-33-3 43 189-238 17. Nov 11 @ Calgary 3-6 L 7-8-2 16 65-67 57. Feb 8 Québec 4-5 L 20-34-3 43 193-243 18. Nov 14 @ Winnipeg 1-6 L 7-9-2 16 66-73 58. Feb 13 Toronto 5-3 W 21-34-3 45 198-246 19. Nov 17 San Diego 6-3 W 8-9-2 18 72-76 59. Feb 15 Phoenix 2-4 L 21-35-3 45 200-250 20. Nov 18 @ Denver 3-6 L 8-10-2 18 75-82 60. Feb 17 Winnipeg 4-4 T 21-35-4 46 204-254 21. Nov 20 @ Phoenix 1-3 L 8-11-2 18 76-85 61. Feb 20 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 21-36-4 46 206-258 22. Nov 21 @ Houston 2-4 L 8-12-2 18 78-89 62. Feb 22 Minnesota 4-3 W 22-36-4 48 210-261 23. Nov 22 @ San Diego *3-2 W 9-12-2 20 81-91 63. Feb 24 Calgary 3-3 T 22-36-5 49 213-264 24. Nov 25 @ San Diego 2-7 L 9-13-2 20 83-98 64. Feb 25 @ Calgary 2-5 L 22-37-5 49 215-269 25. Nov 28 @ Houston 4-7 L 9-14-2 20 87-105 65. Feb 27 @ Winnipeg 3-4 L 22-38-5 49 218-273 26. Nov 30 Calgary 4-2 W 10-14-2 22 91-107 66. Feb 29 Cleveland 2-5 L 22-39-5 49 220-278 27. Dec 2 Toronto 7-2 W 11-14-2 24 98-109 67. Mar 2 @ Calgary 3-6 L 22-40-5 49 223-284 28. Dec 5 @ Calgary 3-8 L 11-15-2 24 101-117 68. Mar 3 Calgary 6-4 W 23-40-5 51 229-288 29. Dec 7 Calgary 4-5 L 11-16-2 24 105-122 69. Mar 5 Québec *4-5 L 23-41-5 51 233-293 30. Dec 10 Québec 7-4 W 12-16-2 26 112-126 70. Mar 7 Québec 4-2 W 24-41-5 53 237-295 31. Dec 11 @ Calgary 3-2 W 13-16-2 28 115-128 71. Mar 11 @ Calgary 0-2 L 24-42-5 53 237-297 32. Dec 14 Winnipeg 1-3 L 13-17-2 28 116-131 72. Mar 14 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 24-43-5 53 239-301 33. Dec 16 @ Indianapolis 3-1 W 14-17-2 30 119-132 73. Mar 16 Calgary *3-4 L 24-44-5 53 242-305 34. Dec 17 @ Cleveland 3-2 W 15-17-2 32 122-134 74. Mar 19 Winnipeg 2-1 W 25-44-5 55 244-306 35. Dec 19 @ New England 2-4 L 15-18-2 32 124-138 75. Mar 21 Québec 3-6 L 25-45-5 55 247-312 36. Dec 21 Toronto 2-4 L 15-19-2 32 126-142 76. Mar 24 @ Winnipeg 3-2 W 26-45-5 57 250-314 37. Dec 23 Winnipeg 2-6 L 15-20-2 32 128-148 77. Mar 25 @ Québec 5-7 L 26-46-5 57 255-321 38. Dec 26 @ Toronto 5-8 L 15-21-2 32 133-156 78. Mar 26 @ Toronto 3-7 L 26-47-5 57 258-328 39. Dec 27 @ Québec 3-6 L 15-22-2 32 136-162 79. Mar 30 @ Québec 3-8 L 26-48-5 57 261-336 40. Dec 30 @ Toronto 4-6 L 15-23-2 32 140-168 80. Apr 1 @ Québec 2-7 L 26-49-5 57 263-343 81. Apr 4 Winnipeg 5-2 W 27-49-5 59 268-345

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