The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

. The

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

beat the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

in the

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

finals four games to one for their fourth consecutive Cup. The

Cleveland Barons The name Cleveland Barons has been used by three professional hockey teams and one junior team. *Cleveland Barons (NHL), the National Hockey League team that played between 1976 and 1978 *Cleveland Barons (1937–1973), the original American Hockey ...

merged with the

Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...

(continuing as the North Stars), reducing the NHL membership to 17 teams, the last time that the NHL contracted. In the 1978–79 season, two of the "

Original Six The Original Six () are the teams that comprised the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1942 and 1967. The six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leaf ...

" teams met in the Finals, which would not occur again until

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

. The

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

joined the Canadiens and Rangers in the 1979 semifinals and marked the last appearance by three Original Six teams in the final four until 2014.

League business

This season saw the first reduction in the total number of teams since the

Brooklyn Americans The New York Americans, colloquially known as the Amerks, were a professional ice hockey team based in New York City from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the second to play i ...

folded following the 1941–42 season. Fearing that two teams were on the verge of folding, the league approved the merger of the financially unstable

and

franchises, reducing the number of teams to 17. The merged team continued as the Minnesota North Stars but assumed the Barons' place in the Adams Division. This reduction would only be temporary, however, as negotiations continued toward an agreement with the

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...

that would see it fold following this season, with four of its teams joining the NHL as expansion franchises for 1979–80. For the first time since the

NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...

became an annual tradition, it was not played. In its stead was the 1979 Challenge Cup, which saw

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

players come over to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

to play against NHL players. The Soviets won the series two games to one.

Regular season

For the past three seasons, the Montreal Canadiens had dominated the regular season, but times were changing. The

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

had been steadily improving over the past few seasons and this season saw them beat out the Canadiens by one point for the best record in the league. This was the last season until the 2005–06 season that the St. Louis Blues missed the playoffs.

Final standings

''GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties In Minutes''
''Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold''

Prince of Wales Conference

Clarence Campbell Conference

Playoffs

Playoff seeds

The twelve teams that qualified for the playoffs are ranked 1–12 based on regular season points. ''Note: Only teams that qualified for the playoffs are listed here.'' #

, Patrick Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions – 116 points #

, Norris Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 115 points #

, Adams Division champions – 100 points #

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

– 95 points #

– 91 points #

Atlanta Flames The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta from 1972 until 1980. They played home games in the Omni Coliseum and were members of the West and later Patrick divisions of the National Hockey League (NHL). Along with t ...

– 90 points #

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...

– 88 points #

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

– 85 points #

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

– 81 points #

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...

– 80 points #

Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Smythe Division champions – 73 points #

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

– 63 points

Playoff bracket

* Division winners earned a bye to the Quarterfinals * Teams were re-seeded based on regular season record after the Preliminary and Quarterfinal rounds

Stanley Cup Finals

Prior to 2013, this was the last time two

clubs met in the finals. Both teams would next appear in the Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens winning in and , Rangers winning in .

Awards

All-Star teams

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

''GP = Games Played, G =

Goals A goal is an objective that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve. Goal may also refer to: Sport * Goal (sports), a method of scoring in many sports, or the physical structure or area where scoring occurs ** Goals, the goal frame in ...

, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes'' Source: NHL.

Leading goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts''

Other statistics

; Plus-minus * Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders

Coaches

Patrick Division

*Atlanta Flames:

Fred Creighton Fred Creighton (June 24, 1930 in Port Arthur, Ontario – September 28, 2011) was a Canadian ice hockey centre and coach. Creighton is best known for his time as an NHL head coach. Creighton grew up in rural Manitoba. After completing his journ ...

*New York Islanders:

Al Arbour Alger Joseph Arbour (November 1, 1932 – August 28, 2015) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He is third to Joel Quenneville for games coached in National Hockey League history and fifth all-time in wins, behind Scotty Bo ...

*New York Rangers:

Fred Shero Frederick Alexander Shero, nicknamed The Fog (October 23, 1925November 24, 1990) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. He played for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). However, he spen ...

*Philadelphia Flyers:

Bob McCammon Robert McCammon (April 14, 1941 – December 23, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and a National Hockey League (NHL) and American Hockey League (AHL) head coach and general manager. He was a pro scout with the Detroit Red Wing ...

and Pat Quinn

Adams Division

*Boston Bruins:

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

*Buffalo Sabres:

Billy Inglis William John Inglis (born May 11, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played 36 games in the National Hockey League: 22 games with the Los Angeles Kings and 14 with the Buffalo Sabres between 1967 and 1970. The rest of hi ...

*Minnesota North Stars: Harry Howell and

Glen Sonmor Glen Robert Sonmor (April 22, 1929 – December 14, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, scout and coach. He played 28 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers from 1953 to 1955, though most of his career was ...

*Toronto Maple Leafs:

Roger Neilson Roger Paul Neilson, (June 16, 1934 – June 21, 2003) was a Canadian professional ice hockey coach, most notably in the NHL, where he served with eight teams in a checkered career. Known as Captain Video because of his technological contributi ...

Norris Division

*Detroit Red Wings: Bobby Kromm *Los Angeles Kings: Bob Berry *Montreal Canadiens:

Scotty Bowman William Scott Bowman, OC (born September 18, 1933) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs and ...

*Pittsburgh Penguins: Johnny Wilson *Washington Capitals:

Danny Belisle Daniel George Belisle (May 9, 1937 – November 28, 2022) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. Belisle played junior hockey for the Guelph Biltmores and the Trois-Rivières Lions. He then signed with the New York Ranger ...

Smythe Division

*Chicago Black Hawks: Bill White *Colorado Rockies: Pat Kelly *St. Louis Blues:

Barclay Plager Barclay Graham Plager (March 26, 1941 – February 6, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach for the St. Louis Blues. Playing career The oldest of three hockey playing brothers (with Bill and Bob), Plager played junio ...

*Vancouver Canucks:

Harry Neale Harold Watson Neale (born March 9, 1937) is a Canadian retired NCAA, NHL and WHA coach and general manager, and ice hockey broadcaster. Coaching career Following his playing career, Neale got his head coaching start at Hill Park Secondary Schoo ...

Milestones

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1978–79 (listed with their first team, asterisk (*) marks debut in playoffs): *

Joel Quenneville Joel Norman Quenneville (born September 15, 1958) is a Canadian–American ice hockey coach and former player in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Coach Q", he is second in NHL coaching wins at 969 behind Scotty Bowman. Quenneville ac ...

, Toronto Maple Leafs *

Brad Marsh Charles Bradley Marsh (born March 31, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). Marsh played for the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Mapl ...

, Atlanta Flames * Reggie Lemelin, Atlanta Flames *

Al Secord Alan William Secord (born March 3, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing who played in the National Hockey League for twelve seasons from 1978–79 until 1989–90. He's now a captain for American Airlines, flying Boein ...

, Boston Bruins * Bobby Smith, Minnesota North Stars * Steve Payne, Minnesota North Stars *

Rod Langway Rodney Cory Langway (born May 3, 1957) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL) and Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Associati ...

§, Montreal Canadiens *

John Tonelli John Alexander Tonelli (born March 23, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward from Milton, Ontario. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, and also played with the Calgary Flames, Los Angele ...

§, New York Islanders * Anders Hedberg §, New York Rangers * Ulf Nilsson §, New York Rangers *

Ken Linseman Kenneth S. "The Rat" Linseman (born August 11, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He a ...

§, Philadelphia Flyers *

Pete Peeters Pete Peeters (born August 17, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the eighth round (135th overall) of the 1977 NHL amateur draft. and went on to play 13 seasons in the Nat ...

, Philadelphia Flyers *

Greg Millen Gregory H. Millen (born June 25, 1957) is a Canadian hockey commentator-analyst and a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons for six teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is currently a colour commentator on ''H ...

, Pittsburgh Penguins *

Wayne Babych Wayne Joseph Babych (born June 6, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers. He is the older ...

, St. Louis Blues *

Curt Fraser Curtis Martin Fraser (born January 12, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player Fraser was born in Cincinnati while his father played for the International Hockey League's Cincinnati Mohawks, and holds dual citizenship to Can ...

, Vancouver Canucks *

Thomas Gradin Thomas Kjell Gradin (born February 18, 1956) is a Swedish associate head scout for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) and a former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL and the Swedish Elite League (SEL) fro ...

, Vancouver Canucks *

Stan Smyl Stan or STAN may refer to: People * Stan (given name), a list of people with the given name ** Stan Laurel (1890–1965), English comic actor, part of duo Laurel and Hardy * Stan (surname), a Romanian surname * Stan! (born 1964), American author ...

, Vancouver Canucks *

Ryan Walter Ryan William Walter (born April 23, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He was also an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks, head coach of the Canadian National Wo ...

, Washington Capitals ''Players marked with § began their major professional career in the

.''

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1978–79 (listed with their last team): *

Bobby Orr Robert Gordon Orr (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the pos ...

, Chicago Black Hawks * Joe Watson, Colorado Rockies *

Danny Grant Daniel Frederick Grant (February 21, 1946 – October 14, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for parts of fourteen seasons from 1966 to 1979, most notably for the Minnesota Nor ...

, Los Angeles Kings * J. P. Parise, Minnesota North Stars *

Jacques Lemaire Jacques Gerard Lemaire (born September 7, 1945) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and head coach who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He spent his entire twelve-year National Hockey League (NHL) playing career with the Mo ...

, Montreal Canadiens *

Ken Dryden Kenneth Wayne Dryden (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liber ...

, Montreal Canadiens *

Yvan Cournoyer Yvan Serge Cournoyer (born November 22, 1943) is a Canadian former professional hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1979. In 1972, Cournoyer scored the tying goal in the deciding ...

, Montreal Canadiens *

Ed Westfall Edwin Vernon Westfall (born September 19, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders from 1961 until 1978–79. Notable as a ...

, New York Islanders *

Bernie Parent Bernard Marcel Parent (born April 3, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs, and also spent one seaso ...

, Philadelphia Flyers *

Garry Monahan Garry Michael Monahan (born October 20, 1946) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League. He was the first-ever draft pick in NHL history. Career Monahan was selected first overall by the ...

, Toronto Maple Leafs *

Pit Martin Hubert Jacques "Pit" Martin (December 9, 1943 – November 30, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who served as captain for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1975 to 1977. He was an NHL All-Star and ...

, Vancouver Canucks

References

* * * * ;Notes

External links

Hockey DatabaseNHL.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:1978-79 NHL season 1978–79 in Canadian ice hockey by league 1978–79 in American ice hockey by league

League business

Regular season

Final standings

Prince of Wales Conference

Clarence Campbell Conference

Playoffs

Playoff seeds

Playoff bracket

Stanley Cup Finals

Awards

All-Star teams

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Leading goaltenders

Other statistics

Coaches

Patrick Division

Adams Division

Norris Division

Smythe Division

Milestones

Debuts

Last games

See also

References

External links