# 1978–79 Vancouver Canucks season

The 1978–79 Vancouver Canucks season was the team's ninth in the National Hockey League.

## Offseason

The Canucks radically changed their appearance by changing the team's colors, logo and jersey. The blue and green scheme was replaced with gold, red and black. The logo of a stylized 'C' was replaced by a stylized ice skate in the new colors with the blade over top the name 'Canucks'. For the jersey, the logo was displayed on shoulder patches while the main body had the team's new colors arranged in a 'V' pattern, for Vancouver. The home jerseys were primarily yellow, a rarity at the time as most teams used white as the primary color for their home uniforms.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Smythe Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 80 | 29 | 36 | 15 | 244 | 277 | 73 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 25 | 42 | 13 | 217 | 291 | 63 |
| St. Louis Blues | 80 | 18 | 50 | 12 | 249 | 348 | 48 |
| Colorado Rockies | 80 | 15 | 53 | 12 | 210 | 331 | 42 |

### Record vs. opponents

Smythe Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Smythe Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
STL
VAN
Total
Chicago
—5–2–15–2–11–3–411–7–6
Colorado
2–5–1—4–2–21–6–17–13–4
St. Louis
2–5–12–4–2—1–4–35–13–6
Vancouver
3–1–46–1–14–1–3—13–3–8
Vs. Patrick Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Chicago
1–2–22–30–43–16–10–2
Colorado
0–40–4–11–40–3–11–15–2
St. Louis
1–40–3–22–31–44–14–2
Vancouver
2–20–40–41–2–13–12–1
Vs. Adams Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
MIN
TOR
Total
Chicago
1–3–12–2–12–22–1–17–8–3
Colorado
1–30–3–13–2–11–2–15–10–3
St. Louis
1–30–3–11–2–10–42–12–2
Vancouver
0–41–3–11–4–11–3–13–14–3
Vs. Norris Division
1978–79 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Chicago
0–3–11–32–20–2–22–1–15–11–4
Colorado
0–3–10–2–20–41–31–32–15–3
St. Louis
3–11–2–10–41–2–12–27–12–1
Vancouver
3–11–30–3–11–31–36–12–2 :

## Schedule and results

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

## Draft picks

Vancouver'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 | 4 | Bill Derlago | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) |
| 2 | 22 | Curt Fraser | United States | Victoria Cougars (WCHL) |
| 3 | 40 | Stan Smyl | Canada | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |
| 4 | 56 | Harald Luckner | Sweden | Färjestad BK Karlstad (SEL) |
| 4 | 57 | Brad Smith | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) |
| 6 | 90 | Gerry Minor | Canada | Regina Pats (WCHL) |
| 7 | 107 | Dave Ross | Canada | Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) |
| 8 | 124 | Steve O'Neill | United States | Providence College (ECAC) |
| 9 | 141 | Charlie Antetomaso | United States | Boston College (ECAC) |
| 10 | 158 | Richard Martens | Canada | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |