# 1979–80 AHL season

The 1979–80 AHL season was the 44th season of the American Hockey League. Ten teams were scheduled to play 80 games each. The New Haven Nighthawks finished first overall in the regular season. The Hershey Bears won their sixth Calder Cup championship.

## Team changes

* The Adirondack Red Wings join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Glens Falls, New York, playing in the North Division.
* The Philadelphia Firebirds move to Syracuse, New York becoming the Syracuse Firebirds.

## Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;
| North | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| New Brunswick Hawks (CHI/TOR) | 79 | 44 | 27 | 8 | 96 | 325 | 271 |
| Nova Scotia Voyageurs (MTL) | 79 | 43 | 29 | 7 | 93 | 331 | 271 |
| Maine Mariners (PHI) | 80 | 41 | 28 | 11 | 93 | 307 | 266 |
| Adirondack Red Wings (DET) | 80 | 32 | 37 | 11 | 75 | 297 | 309 |
| Springfield Indians (HFD/LAK) | 80 | 31 | 37 | 12 | 74 | 292 | 302 |
| South | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| New Haven Nighthawks (CLR/NYR) | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | 101 | 350 | 305 |
| Hershey Bears (WSH) | 80 | 35 | 39 | 6 | 76 | 289 | 273 |
| Syracuse Firebirds (PIT/QUE) | 80 | 31 | 42 | 7 | 69 | 303 | 364 |
| Rochester Americans (BUF) | 80 | 28 | 42 | 10 | 66 | 260 | 327 |
| Binghamton Dusters (BOS/LAK) | 80 | 24 | 49 | 7 | 55 | 268 | 334 |

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Norm Dube | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | 79 | 40 | 61 | 101 | 49 |
| Keith Acton | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | 75 | 45 | 53 | 98 | 38 |
| Gordie Clark | Maine Mariners | 79 | 47 | 43 | 90 | 64 |
| Bruce Boudreau | New Brunswick | 75 | 36 | 54 | 90 | 47 |
| Bill Lochead | New Haven Nighthawks | 68 | 46 | 43 | 89 | 90 |
| Rick Shinske | Adirondack Red Wings | 78 | 22 | 58 | 80 | 20 |
| Paul Evans | Maine Mariners | 80 | 21 | 56 | 77 | 66 |
| Rick Meagher | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | 64 | 32 | 44 | 76 | 53 |
| Dan Metivier | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | 76 | 35 | 40 | 75 | 29 |
| Gord Brooks | Syracuse Firebirds | 77 | 34 | 41 | 75 | 38 |
* complete list

## Calder Cup playoffs

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final |
| 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Adirondack | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Adirondack | 1 | 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | 3 | Maine | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Nova Scotia | 2 | 3 | Maine | 2 | | | |
| 3 | Maine | 4 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Maine | 4 | | | | N1 | New Brunswick | 2 |
| | | | | | | S2 | Hershey | 4 |
| 1 | New Haven | 4 | | | | | | | S2 | Hershey | 4 |
| 4 | Rochester | 0 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Rochester | 0 | 1 | New Haven | 2 | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | 1 | New Haven | 2 | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | 2 | Hershey | 4 | | | |
| 2 | Hershey | 4 | 2 | Hershey | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Syracuse | 0 | | | | | | |

## Trophy and award winners
### Team awards

| Calder Cup Playoff champions: | Hershey Bears |
| F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, North Division: | New Brunswick Hawks |
| John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, South Division: | New Haven Nighthawks |

### Individual awards

| Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player: | Norm Dube - Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
| John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer: | Norm Dube - Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
| Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year: | Darryl Sutter - New Brunswick Hawks |
| Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year: | Rick Vasko - Adirondack Red Wings |
| Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average: | Rick St. Croix & Robbie Moore - Maine Mariners |
| Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year: | Doug Gibson - Hershey Bears |
| Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance: | Norm Dube - Nova Scotia Voyageurs |

### Other awards

| James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive: | Ned Harkness |
| James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: | Paul Marslano, New Haven, (newspaper) Bill Brady, Springfield, (radio) Dale Darling, Maine, (television) |
| Ken McKenzie Award Outstanding marketing executive: | Bruce Landon, Springfield Indians |