# 1978–79 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1978–79 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' ninth season of operation for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Adams Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 43 | 23 | 14 | 316 | 270 | 100 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 36 | 28 | 16 | 280 | 263 | 88 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 34 | 33 | 13 | 267 | 252 | 81 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 28 | 40 | 12 | 257 | 289 | 68 |
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
 Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Adams Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
MIN
TOR
Total
Boston
—4−3−15−0−35−1−214−4−6
Buffalo
3−4−1—5−2−14−3−112−9−3
Minnesota
0−5−32−5−1—2−4−24−14−6
Toronto
1−5−23−4−14−2−2—8−11−5
Vs. Norris Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
3−11−30−2−21−2−13−0−18−8−4
Buffalo
3−12−1−10−40−2−23−0−18−8−4
Minnesota
2−1−11−31−31−32−27−12−1
Toronto
2−24−00−3−13−11−1−210−7−3
Vs. Patrick Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Boston
3−11−2−23−21−3−18−8−3
Buffalo
2−2−12−1−11−2−10−3−25−8−5
Minnesota
2−1−11−32−1−12−27−7−2
Toronto
1−41−32−2−12−2−16−11−2
Vs. Smythe Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
STL
VAN
Total
Boston
3−1−13−13−14−013−3−1
Buffalo
2−2−13−0−13−0−13−1−111−3−4
Minnesota
2−22−3−12−1−14−1−110−7−3
Toronto
1−2−12−1−14−03−1−110−4−3 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | T | October 12, 1978 | 2–2 | New York Islanders (1978–79) | 0–0–1 |
| 2 | W | October 14, 1978 | 5–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 1–0–1 |
| 3 | L | October 15, 1978 | 2–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | L | October 18, 1978 | 0–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | W | October 19, 1978 | 1–0 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 2–2–1 |
| 6 | L | October 22, 1978 | 2–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | L | October 26, 1978 | 0–6 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) | 2–4–1 |
| 8 | T | October 28, 1978 | 7–7 | @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) | 2–4–2 |
| 9 | T | November 2, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) | 2–4–3 |
| 10 | L | November 4, 1978 | 1–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 2–5–3 |
| 11 | W | November 5, 1978 | 2–1 | Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 3–5–3 |
| 12 | T | November 9, 1978 | 4–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) | 3–5–4 |
| 13 | W | November 11, 1978 | 2–0 | @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) | 4–5–4 |
| 14 | T | November 12, 1978 | 4–4 | Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 4–5–5 |
| 15 | T | November 15, 1978 | 2–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 4–5–6 |
| 16 | W | November 16, 1978 | 6–2 | St. Louis Blues (1978–79) | 5–5–6 |
| 17 | W | November 18, 1978 | 3–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) | 6–5–6 |
| 18 | W | November 19, 1978 | 9–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 7–5–6 |
| 19 | L | November 22, 1978 | 2–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) | 7–6–6 |
| 20 | L | November 23, 1978 | 2–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 7–7–6 |
| 21 | W | November 26, 1978 | 4–1 | Colorado Rockies (1978–79) | 8–7–6 |
| 22 | L | November 30, 1978 | 3–4 | Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 8–8–6 |
| 23 | L | December 2, 1978 | 1–8 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) | 8–9–6 |
| 24 | L | December 3, 1978 | 1–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) | 8–10–6 |
| 25 | T | December 7, 1978 | 3–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) | 8–10–7 |
| 26 | T | December 9, 1978 | 4–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) | 8–10–8 |
| 27 | W | December 10, 1978 | 5–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 9–10–8 |
| 28 | W | December 13, 1978 | 6–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) | 10–10–8 |
| 29 | W | December 14, 1978 | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) | 11–10–8 |
| 30 | W | December 16, 1978 | 5–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 12–10–8 |
| 31 | W | December 17, 1978 | 6–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) | 13–10–8 |
| 32 | L | December 20, 1978 | 3–6 | @ New York Rangers (1978–79) | 13–11–8 |
| 33 | W | December 21, 1978 | 5–4 | Atlanta Flames (1978–79) | 14–11–8 |
| 34 | L | December 23, 1978 | 4–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 14–12–8 |
| 35 | W | December 27, 1978 | 5–2 | @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) | 15–12–8 |
| 36 | T | December 28, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) | 15–12–9 |
| 37 | L | December 31, 1978 | 3–7 | Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 15–13–9 |
| 38 | T | January 4, 1979 | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) | 15–13–10 |
| 39 | W | January 7, 1979 | 4–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) | 16–13–10 |
| 40 | L | January 9, 1979 | 3–5 | @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) | 16–14–10 |
| 41 | W | January 11, 1979 | 6–2 | Washington Capitals (1978–79) | 17–14–10 |
| 42 | L | January 13, 1979 | 2–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) | 17–15–10 |
| 43 | L | January 14, 1979 | 4–5 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) | 17–16–10 |
| 44 | T | January 18, 1979 | 4–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) | 17–16–11 |
| 45 | W | January 20, 1979 | 2–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 18–16–11 |
| 46 | L | January 25, 1979 | 4–5 | New York Rangers (1978–79) | 18–17–11 |
| 47 | W | January 27, 1979 | 6–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) | 19–17–11 |
| 48 | L | January 28, 1979 | 1–3 | Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 19–18–11 |
| 49 | L | January 31, 1979 | 2–5 | Atlanta Flames (1978–79) | 19–19–11 |
| 50 | W | February 3, 1979 | 2–1 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 20–19–11 |
| 51 | W | February 4, 1979 | 3–1 | St. Louis Blues (1978–79) | 21–19–11 |
| 52 | W | February 14, 1979 | 2–1 | New York Islanders (1978–79) | 22–19–11 |
| 53 | W | February 15, 1979 | 4–3 | New York Rangers (1978–79) | 23–19–11 |
| 54 | L | February 17, 1979 | 3–6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) | 23–20–11 |
| 55 | L | February 18, 1979 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) | 23–21–11 |
| 56 | L | February 21, 1979 | 2–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) | 23–22–11 |
| 57 | L | February 22, 1979 | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) | 23–23–11 |
| 58 | W | February 24, 1979 | 6–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) | 24–23–11 |
| 59 | W | February 26, 1979 | 3–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 25–23–11 |
| 60 | T | March 1, 1979 | 5–5 | Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) | 25–23–12 |
| 61 | T | March 3, 1979 | 2–2 | @ New York Rangers (1978–79) | 25–23–13 |
| 62 | L | March 4, 1979 | 1–6 | Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) | 25–24–13 |
| 63 | W | March 6, 1979 | 3–2 | @ New York Islanders (1978–79) | 26–24–13 |
| 64 | W | March 8, 1979 | 6–4 | Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) | 27–24–13 |
| 65 | T | March 10, 1979 | 5–5 | @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) | 27–24–14 |
| 66 | W | March 11, 1979 | 9–4 | Atlanta Flames (1978–79) | 28–24–14 |
| 67 | W | March 14, 1979 | 4–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 29–24–14 |
| 68 | W | March 15, 1979 | 4–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) | 30–24–14 |
| 69 | L | March 17, 1979 | 3–5 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) | 30–25–14 |
| 70 | T | March 18, 1979 | 3–3 | Washington Capitals (1978–79) | 30–25–15 |
| 71 | W | March 21, 1979 | 3–2 | @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) | 31–25–15 |
| 72 | W | March 23, 1979 | 4–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) | 32–25–15 |
| 73 | W | March 24, 1979 | 3–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) | 33–25–15 |
| 74 | W | March 26, 1979 | 4–2 | @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) | 34–25–15 |
| 75 | W | March 28, 1979 | 9–2 | Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 35–25–15 |
| 76 | L | March 31, 1979 | 0–2 | @ New York Islanders (1978–79) | 35–26–15 |
| 77 | L | April 1, 1979 | 3–6 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 35–27–15 |
| 78 | W | April 5, 1979 | 9–3 | @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) | 36–27–15 |
| 79 | L | April 7, 1979 | 2–6 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) | 36–28–15 |
| 80 | T | April 8, 1979 | 5–5 | Colorado Rockies (1978–79) | 36–28–16 |

## Draft picks

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 13 | Larry Playfair | Canada | Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) |
| 2 | 32 | Tony McKegney | Canada | Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) |
| 3 | 49 | Rob McClanahan | United States | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 4 | 66 | Mike Gazdic | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) |
| 5 | 82 | Randy Ireland | Canada | Flint Generals (IHL) |
| 6 | 99 | Cam MacGregor | Canada | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 7 | 116 | Dan Eastman | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) |
| 8 | 133 | Eric Strobel | United States | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 9 | 150 | Eugene O'Sullivan | Canada | Calgary Wranglers (WCHL) |