1977–78 OMJHL season

The 1977–78 OMJHL season was the fourth season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). The Fincups franchise moved back from St. Catharines to Hamilton after a temporary year away from the city due to lack of a suitable arena. The league featured a wealth of scoring talent during the season, with two players recording the league's highest single season point totals. Third season veteran Bobby Smith, edged 17-year-old rookie Wayne Gretzky for the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, scoring 192 points; as of 2023, Smith's and Gretzky's (182 points) performance this season still stand as the top two scoring totals in OHL history. Twelve teams each played 68 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Hamilton Fincups. League business thumb|Iona Campagnolo|alt=Iona Campagnolo Hosting duties for the Memorial Cup rotated among the three constituent leagues of the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League CMJHL), since its founding in 1975. OMJHL commissioner Tubby Schmalz announced that two Northern Ontario cities were chosen by the OMJHL to co-host the 1978 Memorial Cup in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie.Cup shifts back east June 4, 1977 Medicine Hat News Medicine Hat, Alberta 17 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jun-04-1977-1598284/ In February 1978, Iona Campagnolo, the Minister of State of Fitness and Amateur Sport released a report which claimed that junior hockey functioned in the best interests of professional hockey instead of the players. Schmalz said that the CMJHL would welcome a study into its player development programs, if given a say on selecting the inquiry members. He stated an inquiry would reveal that the CMJHL was doing its best for the welfare of the players. He highlighted its academic standards, and stated that the OMJHL fined players who missed classes, suspended players who did not keep up with the workload.Juniors welcome study February 28, 1978 Medicine Hat News Medicine Hat, Alberta 17 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-feb-28-1978-1598337/ The CMJHL expressed frustration with the 1978 WHA Amateur Draft being held during the junior season and four months earlier than the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. The league was concerned that its players would be pursued for professional contracts while playing junior hockey, despite the names of drafted players not being released. The league considered having the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association use its International Ice Hockey Federation membership as leverage to block World Hockey Association (WHA) exhibition games against international teams and force the WHA to negotiate.WHA-junior hassle revived February 2, 1978 Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg, Manitoba 140 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-feb-02-1978-1598293/ In May 1978, Schmalz stated that the continued signing of junior-aged players by the WHA would mean forfeiture of a $150,000 bond paid as a promise not to sign players before November.Junior leaders are concerned May 9, 1978 Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg, Manitoba 71 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-09-1978-1598298/ Regular season Standings Leyden Division GP W L T Pts GF GA y-Ottawa 67's 68 43 18 7 93 405 308 x-Peterborough Petes 68 37 18 13 87 327 273 x-Oshawa Generals 68 30 26 12 72 320 289 x-Kingston Canadians 68 27 32 9 63 288 323 x-Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 68 26 32 10 62 330 346 Sudbury Wolves 68 16 42 10 42 255 377 Emms Division GP W L T Pts GF GA y-London Knights68 35 22 11 81 333 251 x-Windsor Spitfires68 36 24 6 78 338 289 x-Hamilton Fincups68 31 23 14 76 273 223 x-Kitchener Rangers68 26 34 8 60 270 303 x-Toronto Marlboros68 24 36 8 56 263 341 Niagara Falls Flyers68 17 41 10 44 261 340 Scoring leaders Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Bobby Smith Ottawa 67's 61 69 123 192 44 Wayne Gretzky Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 64 70 112 182 14 Dino Ciccarelli London Knights 68 72 70 142 49 Keith Acton Peterborough Petes 68 42 86 128 52 Jim Fox Ottawa 67's 59 44 83 127 12 Gerry Leroux Windsor Spitfires 68 57 66 123 85 Steve Marengere Ottawa 67's 65 25 93 118 73 Dan Lucas Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 61 50 67 117 90 Jim MacRae London Knights 68 50 62 112 58 Don Maloney Kitchener Rangers 62 30 74 104 143 Playoffs 1/1/1/1 First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals J. Ross Robertson Cup Leyden Division Emms Division 200px E4 Kitchener 6 E5 Toronto 4 L4 Kingston 4 L5 S.S. Marie 6 L1 Ottawa 9 L5 S.S. Marie 7 L2 Peterborough 9 L3 Oshawa 3 L1 London 8 L4 Kitchener 0 L2 Windsor 3 L3 Hamilton 9 L1 Ottawa 7 L2 Peterborough 9 E1 London 5 E3 Hamilton 9 L2 Peterborough 9 E3 Hamilton 7 Awards J. Ross Robertson Cup: Peterborough PetesHamilton Spectator Trophy: Ottawa 67'sLeyden Trophy: Ottawa 67'sEmms Trophy: London KnightsRed Tilson Trophy: Bobby Smith, Ottawa 67'sEddie Powers Memorial Trophy: Bobby Smith, Ottawa 67's Matt Leyden Trophy: Bill White, Oshawa GeneralsJim Mahon Memorial Trophy: Dino Ciccarelli, London KnightsMax Kaminsky Trophy: Brad Marsh, London Knights and Rob Ramage, London KnightsDave Pinkney Trophy: Al Jensen, Hamilton FincupsEmms Family Award: Wayne Gretzky, Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsF.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy: Ken Ellacott, Peterborough PetesWilliam Hanley Trophy: Wayne Gretzky, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds See also List of OHA Junior A standings List of OHL seasons 1978 Memorial Cup 1978 NHL entry draft 1977 in sports 1978 in sports References External links HockeyDB 1976–77 OMJHL season 1978–79 OMJHL season OHL seasons Category:Ontario Hockey League seasons OMJHL