The 1976 Memorial Cup occurred from May 9 to 16 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the 58th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Hamilton Fincups, Quebec Remparts and New Westminster Bruins. Hamilton won their second Memorial Cup, and first since changing their name to Fincups, defeating New Westminster in the final game.
Teams
Hamilton Fincups
The Hamilton Fincups represented the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League at the 1976 Memorial Cup. The Fincups finished the 1975-76 season as the top team in the West Division, as they had a record of 43-15-8, earning 94 points. The Fincups had a high-scoring offense, scoring 378 goals, which ranked second in the league. Hamilton's 232 goals against ranked as the second fewest in the OMJHL. In the West Division semi-finals, the Fincups swept the Kitchener Rangers in four games. In the West Division finals, Hamilton defeated the defending OMJHL champions, the Toronto Marlboros four games to zero, as well as the teams playing to a tie. The Fincups faced the top team in the league, the Sudbury Wolves, in the final round. Hamilton defeated the Wolves four games to two to capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth into the 1976 Memorial Cup.
The Fincups offense was led by Dale McCourt, who became a top prospect for the 1977 NHL Entry Draft during this season. McCourt scored 55 goals and 139 points in 66 games to lead the Fincups in scoring, and finished in fourth place in the league scoring race. McCourt followed up by scoring 20 goals and 28 points in 14 post-season games. McCourt was awarded the William Hanley Trophy, given to the Most Sportsmanlike Player in the league. Overager Ted Long scored 27 goals and 91 points in 62 games, while Ric Seiling was another emerging top prospect for the 1977 NHL Entry Draft, scoring 35 goals and 86 points in 59 games. Joe Contini scored 28 goals and 80 points in 54 games, and then led the Fincups in post-season scoring with nine goals and 29 points in 14 games. Goaltender Mark Locken was the Fincups starter, as he earned a 3.14 GAA in 44 games during the regular season. Locken was awarded the F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy for having the lowest goals against average by a first year goaltender in the OMJHL.
The 1976 Memorial Cup was the first since the franchise was renamed the Fincups in 1974. The Hamilton Red Wings won the 1962 Memorial Cup when they defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings in their only Memorial Cup appearance.
New Westminster Bruins
The New Westminster Bruins coached by Punch McLean, represented the Western Canada Hockey League at the 1976 Memorial Cup. This was the Bruins second consecutive appearance at the tournament. New Westminster was the best regular season team in the WCHL during the 1975-76 season, earning a record of 54-14-4, registering 112 points. The Bruins were the highest scoring team in the league, recording 463 goals, while they allowed the fewest goals in the WCHL, allowing 247 goals. In the WCHL quarter-finals, the Bruins swept the Brandon Wheat Kings five games to zero. In the WCHL semi-finals, the Bruins remained undefeated, as they beat the Victoria Cougars with four wins and a tie in their five game series. New Westminster defeated the Saskatoon Blades four games to two, with a tie, to capture the President's Cup for the second straight season, earning a berth in the 1976 Memorial Cup.