The 1976-77 NHL season was the 60th season of the National Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 80 games. Not since the Ottawa Senators had relocated in 1934, becoming the St. Louis Eagles, had an NHL team moved. This year saw not one, but two teams relocate. The Kansas City Scouts moved to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies and the California Golden Seals moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became the Cleveland Barons. The instability along with the poor performances of the Washington Capitals and the Scouts since the 1974 expansion caused the league to shelve an expansion to Denver and Seattle proposed for this season.