1975–76 OMJHL season

The 1975–76 OMJHL season was the second season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). The Windsor Spitfires were added as an expansion team, becoming the twelfth team in the league. The OMJHL splits into two divisions of six teams each. The southern and western teams joined the Emms division, named for Hap Emms. The northern and eastern teams joined the Leyden division, named for Matt Leyden. The OMJHL created three new trophies for the season. The Emms Trophy and the Leyden Trophy are awarded to the regular season champion of their respective divisions. The F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy (named for Francis Moore) is inaugurated for the first-year goaltender with the best goals-against-average. Twelve teams each played 66 games. The Hamilton Fincups won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Sudbury Wolves. League business On May 9, 1975, officials from the OMJHL, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Canada Hockey League, announced a constitution to establish the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL) composed of the three league under one umbrella. The new organization wanted standard contracts for all players, consistent dollar amounts for development fees paid by the professional leagues, and for the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association to work together on a common drafting program to eliminate bidding wars. The CMJHL sought to represent players directly instead of agents, and proposed an escalating development fee schedule if professional teams wanted to sign a player while he was still eligible for junior hockey. The league also proposed to allow some players under professional contracts to continue playing in junior hockey.Junior leagues are together Passa Dennis May 9, 1975 Brandon Sun Brandon, Manitoba 21 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-09-1975-1598271/CMJHL becomes legal entity May 9, 1975 Medicine Hat News Medicine Hat, Alberta 11 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-09-1975-1598272/ OMJHL commissioner Tubby Schmalz defended the validity of the constitution, despite a challenge from Alan Eagleson that it violated antitrust laws in Canada and the United States.Junior game will disappear May 10, 1975 Brandon Sun Brandon, Manitoba 6 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-10-1975-1598273/ In November 1975, Schmalz decreed that future OMJHL games were to be attended by least two off-duty police officers as a deterrent to violence on ice or among the spectators.Policemen required at games November 21, 1975 Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg, Manitoba 54 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-nov-21-1975-1598275/ The statement was in response to incidents from a game involving the London Knights and the St. Catharines Black Hawks. Problems in getting development payments from professional leagues continued, and Schmalz announced the possibility of legal action to recover delinquent fees for drafting junior-aged players.Ontario teams await payment December 12, 1975 Victoria Daily Colonist Victoria, British Columbia 44 https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-dec-12-1975-1598277/ Regular season Standings Leyden Division GP W L T Pts GF GA y-Sudbury Wolves 66 47 11 8 102 384 224 x-Ottawa 67's 66 34 23 9 77 331 291 x-Kingston Canadians 66 33 24 9 75 357 316 x-Oshawa Generals 66 31 27 8 70 312 299 x-Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 66 27 26 13 67 341 319 Peterborough Petes 66 18 37 11 47 204 284 Emms Division GP W L T Pts GF GA y-Hamilton Fincups66 43 15 8 94 379 232 x-London Knights66 31 26 9 71 317 256 x-Toronto Marlboros66 26 30 10 62 278 294 x-Kitchener Rangers66 26 35 5 57 298 384 x-St. Catharines Black Hawks66 16 40 10 42 283 366 Windsor Spitfires66 12 50 4 28 251 470 Scoring leaders Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Mike Kaszycki Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 66 51 119 170 38 Peter Lee Ottawa 67's 66 81 80 161 59 Paul Gardner Oshawa Generals 65 69 75 144 75 Dale McCourt Hamilton Fincups 66 55 84 139 19 John Tavella Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 64 67 70 137 58 Rod Schutt Sudbury Wolves 63 72 63 135 42 Ron Duguay Sudbury Wolves 61 42 92 134 101 Vern Stenlund London Knights 64 44 75 119 24 Larry Skinner Ottawa 67's 59 37 78 115 8 Ken Linseman Kingston Canadians 65 61 51 112 92 Playoffs First round Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defeat Oshawa Generals 3–2 Kitchener Rangers defeat St. Catharines Black Hawks 3–1 Quarterfinals Sudbury Wolves defeat Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4–2, 1 tie Ottawa 67's defeat Kingston Canadians 4–2, 1 tie Hamilton Fincups defeat Kitchener Rangers 4–0 Toronto Marlboros defeat London Knights 4–1 Semifinals Sudbury Wolves defeat Ottawa 67's 4–1 Hamilton Fincups defeat Toronto Marlboros 4–0, 1 tie J. Ross Robertson Cup Hamilton Fincups defeat Sudbury Wolves 4–2 Awards J. Ross Robertson Cup: Hamilton FincupsHamilton Spectator Trophy: Sudbury WolvesLeyden Trophy: Sudbury WolvesEmms Trophy: Hamilton FincupsRed Tilson Trophy: Peter Lee, Ottawa 67'sEddie Powers Memorial Trophy: Mike Kaszycki, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Matt Leyden Trophy: Jerry Toppazzini, Sudbury WolvesJim Mahon Memorial Trophy: Peter Lee, Ottawa 67'sMax Kaminsky Trophy: Rick Green, London KnightsDave Pinkney Trophy: Jim Bedard, Sudbury WolvesEmms Family Award: John Tavella, Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsF.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy: Mark Locken, Hamilton FincupsWilliam Hanley Trophy: Dale McCourt, Hamilton Fincups See also List of OHA Junior A standings List of OHL seasons 1976 Memorial Cup 1976 NHL entry draft 1975 in sports 1976 in sports References External links HockeyDB 1974–75 OMJHL season 1976–77 OMJHL season OHL seasons Category:Ontario Hockey League seasons OMJHL