| League: | NHL |
| Season: | 1976–77 |
| Year: | 1976 |
| Team: | Minnesota North Stars |
| Record: | 23–39–18 |
| Divisionrank: | 2nd |
| Altcaptain: | None |
| Goalsfor: | 240 |
| Goalsagainst: | 310 |
| Goalsleader: | Ernie Hicke (30) |
| Assistsleader: | Tim Young (66) |
| Pointsleader: | Tim Young (95) |
| Pimleader: | Dennis O'Brien (114) |
| Winsleader: | Pete LoPresti (13) |
| Gaaleader: | Pete LoPresti (3.61) |
The 1976–77 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' tenth season.
Coached by Ted Harris, the team compiled a record of 23–39–18 for 64 points, to finish the regular season 2nd in the Smythe Division. In the playoffs they lost the preliminary round 2–0 to the Buffalo Sabres.
| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L | October 6, 1976 | 5–6 | @ New York Rangers (1976–77) | 0–1–0 | |
| 2 | L | October 7, 1976 | 2–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 0–2–0 | |
| 3 | W | October 9, 1976 | 4–1 | Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 1–2–0 | |
| 4 | L | October 12, 1976 | 4–10 | New York Rangers (1976–77) | 1–3–0 | |
| 5 | L | October 16, 1976 | 1–2 | Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) | 1–4–0 | |
| 6 | L | October 17, 1976 | 0–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 1–5–0 | |
| 7 | W | October 20, 1976 | 4–3 | Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 2–5–0 | |
| 8 | T | October 22, 1976 | 3–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 2–5–1 | |
| 9 | W | October 23, 1976 | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 3–5–1 | |
| 10 | W | October 27, 1976 | 5–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 4–5–1 | |
| 11 | L | October 30, 1976 | 1–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 4–6–1 | |
| 12 | L | October 31, 1976 | 1–9 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 4–7–1 | |
| 13 | L | November 3, 1976 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 4–8–1 | |
| 14 | L | November 6, 1976 | 2–5 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 4–9–1 | |
| 15 | L | November 7, 1976 | 1–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 4–10–1 | |
| 16 | W | November 10, 1976 | 3–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 5–10–1 | |
| 17 | L | November 13, 1976 | 2–3 | New York Islanders (1976–77) | 5–11–1 | |
| 18 | T | November 14, 1976 | 4–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) | 5–11–2 | |
| 19 | T | November 17, 1976 | 3–3 | Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 5–11–3 | |
| 20 | L | November 19, 1976 | 3–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 5–12–3 | |
| 21 | L | November 20, 1976 | 3–8 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 5–13–3 | |
| 22 | L | November 24, 1976 | 2–4 | St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 5–14–3 | |
| 23 | W | November 27, 1976 | 6–1 | Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 6–14–3 | |
| 24 | L | November 28, 1976 | 1–4 | @ New York Rangers (1976–77) | 6–15–3 | |
| 25 | T | December 1, 1976 | 2–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 6–15–4 | |
| 26 | L | December 4, 1976 | 4–11 | New York Rangers (1976–77) | 6–16–4 | |
| 27 | L | December 7, 1976 | 2–6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 6–17–4 | |
| 28 | L | December 8, 1976 | 0–5 | Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 6–18–4 | |
| 29 | T | December 10, 1976 | 3–3 | @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 6–18–5 | |
| 30 | T | December 11, 1976 | 1–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 6–18–6 | |
| 31 | T | December 14, 1976 | 3–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 6–18–7 | |
| 32 | L | December 18, 1976 | 1–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 6–19–7 | |
| 33 | T | December 21, 1976 | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 6–19–8 | |
| 34 | L | December 22, 1976 | 3–4 | @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 6–20–8 | |
| 35 | W | December 28, 1976 | 8–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 7–20–8 | |
| 36 | T | December 30, 1976 | 5–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 7–20–9 | |
| 37 | L | January 1, 1977 | 1–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 7–21–9 | |
| 38 | W | January 5, 1977 | 5–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 8–21–9 | |
| 39 | W | January 6, 1977 | 7–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 9–21–9 | |
| 40 | W | January 8, 1977 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 10–21–9 | |
| 41 | L | January 12, 1977 | 3–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 10–22–9 | |
| 42 | T | January 15, 1977 | 3–3 | @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 10–22–10 | |
| 43 | L | January 16, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 10–23–10 | |
| 44 | L | January 18, 1977 | 2–7 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 10–24–10 | |
| 45 | T | January 20, 1977 | 4–4 | Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 10–24–11 | |
| 46 | W | January 22, 1977 | 4–3 | Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) | 11–24–11 | |
| 47 | L | January 23, 1977 | 2–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 11–25–11 | |
| 48 | W | January 26, 1977 | 3–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 12–25–11 | |
| 49 | L | January 29, 1977 | 3–4 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 12–26–11 | |
| 50 | L | January 30, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 12–27–11 | |
| 51 | L | February 2, 1977 | 2–5 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 12–28–11 | |
| 52 | T | February 5, 1977 | 5–5 | Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 12–28–12 | |
| 53 | W | February 6, 1977 | 3–0 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 13–28–12 | |
| 54 | L | February 9, 1977 | 6–8 | Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 13–29–12 | |
| 55 | T | February 12, 1977 | 2–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 13–29–13 | |
| 56 | L | February 13, 1977 | 2–6 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1976–77) | 13–30–13 | |
| 57 | T | February 15, 1977 | 3–3 | @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 13–30–14 | |
| 58 | T | February 17, 1977 | 4–4 | Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 13–30–15 | |
| 59 | W | February 19, 1977 | 6–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 14–30–15 | |
| 60 | L | February 20, 1977 | 2–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 14–31–15 | |
| 61 | W | February 23, 1977 | 2–1 | Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 15–31–15 | |
| 62 | L | February 25, 1977 | 2–6 | @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 15–32–15 | |
| 63 | W | February 26, 1977 | 3–0 | Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 16–32–15 | |
| 64 | L | March 1, 1977 | 2–5 | Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 16–33–15 | |
| 65 | W | March 5, 1977 | 6–3 | Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 17–33–15 | |
| 66 | W | March 6, 1977 | 3–2 | St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 18–33–15 | |
| 67 | W | March 8, 1977 | 3–1 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 19–33–15 | |
| 68 | L | March 9, 1977 | 4–6 | @ New York Rangers (1976–77) | 19–34–15 | |
| 69 | T | March 12, 1977 | 3–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 19–34–16 | |
| 70 | T | March 13, 1977 | 5–5 | New York Islanders (1976–77) | 19–34–17 | |
| 71 | L | March 16, 1977 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 19–35–17 | |
| 72 | T | March 18, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 19–35–18 | |
| 73 | W | March 20, 1977 | 2–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 20–35–18 | |
| 74 | L | March 22, 1977 | 2–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 20–36–18 | |
| 75 | L | March 26, 1977 | 2–7 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 20–37–18 | |
| 76 | W | March 28, 1977 | 5–4 | St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 21–37–18 | |
| 77 | W | March 29, 1977 | 4–2 | Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 22–37–18 | |
| 78 | W | March 31, 1977 | 3–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 23–37–18 | |
| 79 | L | April 2, 1977 | 2–7 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 23–38–18 | |
| 80 | L | April 3, 1977 | 3–6 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 23–39–18 |
Minnesota's draft picks at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft held in Montreal.
| Round | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Glen Sharpley | Hull Festivals (QMJHL) | ||
| 2 | 31 | Jim Roberts | Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) | ||
| 3 | 39 | Don Jackson | University of Notre Dame (WCHA) | ||
| 3 | 51 | Ron Zanussi | London Knights (OMJHL) | ||
| 4 | 57 | Mike Fedorko | Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) | ||
| 5 | 75 | Phil Verchota | University of Minnesota (WCHA) | ||
| 6 | 93 | Dave Delich | Colorado College (WCHA) | ||
| 7 | 110 | Jeff Barr | Michigan State University (WCHA) |