1979–80 Edmonton Oilers season

The 1979–80 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' eighth season, their first season in the National Hockey League (NHL), as they were one of the teams that were part of the WHA-NHL merger that took place on June 22, 1979.
==Regular Season==
The Oilers were led offensively by rookie superstar Wayne Gretzky, as he tied for the lead league in points at 137, however lost the Art Ross Trophy due to scoring fewer goals than winner Marcel Dionne. Gretzky, however, won the Hart Trophy as MVP of the NHL, but was declared ineligible for the Calder Trophy due to his playing days in the WHA.
Edmonton played 6 goaltenders during the season, and was led by Eddie Mio's 9 wins, while Ron Low, who came over in a trade with the Quebec Nordiques, would go 8–2–1 in 11 games with the Oilers.
They made the playoffs, however were quickly swept out by the powerful Philadelphia Flyers in 3 games, but Oilers fans were very excited about being part of the NHL, and of the future of the team.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	0–1–0 	0
2 	October 13 	Detroit Red Wings 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1–1 	1
3 	October 14 	Vancouver Canucks 	4–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1–2 	2
4 	October 19 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1–2 	4
5 	October 21 	Minnesota North Stars	5–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1–3 	5
6 	October 23 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	New York Islanders 	1–1–4 	6
7 	October 24 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–10 	New York Rangers 	1–2–4 	6
8 	October 26 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–7 	Atlanta Flames 	1–3–4 	6
9 	October 28 	Washington Capitals 	6–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4–4 	6
10	October 30 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–2 	St. Louis Blues 	1–5–4 	6
11	November 2 	New York Islanders 	5–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–5–4 	8
12	November 4 	Boston Bruins 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–6–4 	8
13	November 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5 	Detroit Red Wings 	2–7–4 	8
14	November 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–4 	Boston Bruins 	2–8–4 	8
15	November 11	Toronto Maple Leafs 	6–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–9–4 	8
16	November 13	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	Washington Capitals 	3–9–4 	10
17	November 15	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	3–10–4 	10
18	November 17	Edmonton Oilers 	0–4 	Hartford Whalers 	3–11–4 	10
19	November 18	Edmonton Oilers 	7–9 	Buffalo Sabres 	3–12–4 	10
20	November 21	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	3–12–5 	11
21	November 24	Philadelphia Flyers 	2–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–12–6 	12
22	November 28	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–12–6 	14
23	November 30	New York Islanders 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–12–6 	16
24	December 5 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–6 	Minnesota North Stars	5–13–6 	16
25	December 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–8 	Winnipeg Jets 	5–14–6 	16
26	December 9 	Hartford Whalers 	0–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–14–6 	18
27	December 12	Atlanta Flames 	5–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–14–7 	19
28	December 14	Montreal Canadiens 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–14–7 	21
29	December 16	Winnipeg Jets 	4–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–15–7 	21
30	December 19	Detroit Red Wings 	6–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–16–7 	21
31	December 21	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Colorado Rockies 	7–17–7 	21
32	December 22	Edmonton Oilers 	3–9 	Los Angeles Kings 	7–18–7 	21
33	December 26	Colorado Rockies 	3–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–18–7 	23
34	December 28	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	Vancouver Canucks 	9–18–7 	25
35	December 30	Quebec Nordiques 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–19–7 	25
36	January 2 	Hartford Whalers 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–19–8 	26
37	January 5 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–19–9 	27
38	January 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	Montreal Canadiens 	9–20–9 	27
39	January 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	9–21–9 	27
40	January 11 	New York Rangers 	6–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–22–9 	27
41	January 13 	Buffalo Sabres 	5–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	10–22–9 	29
42	January 16 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Washington Capitals 	11–22–9 	31
43	January 17 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–7 	Boston Bruins 	11–23–9 	31
44	January 19 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	12–23–9 	33
45	January 20 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Buffalo Sabres 	12–23–10	34
46	January 23 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	3–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–23–10	36
47	January 26 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	3–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–23–10	38
48	January 27 	Philadelphia Flyers 	5–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–24–10	38
49	January 29 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	St. Louis Blues 	14–25–10	38
50	January 30 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–1 	Los Angeles Kings 	15–25–10	40
51	February 1 	Winnipeg Jets 	2–9 	Edmonton Oilers 	16–25–10	42
52	February 3 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–25–10	44
53	February 6 	St. Louis Blues 	6–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–26–10	44
54	February 8 	Atlanta Flames 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–27–10	44
55	February 10	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Winnipeg Jets 	17–27–11	45
56	February 13	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	Minnesota North Stars	18–27–11	47
57	February 15	Washington Capitals 	2–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	19–27–11	49
58	February 17	St. Louis Blues 	5–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	19–27–12	50
59	February 19	Edmonton Oilers 	2–6 	Hartford Whalers 	19–28–12	50
60	February 20	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4 	New York Rangers 	19–29–12	50
61	February 22	Edmonton Oilers 	1–3 	Colorado Rockies 	19–30–12	50
62	February 24	Boston Bruins 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	19–31–12	50
63	February 27	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–31–12	52
64	February 29	Buffalo Sabres 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	20–32–12	52
65	March 1 	Vancouver Canucks 	5–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	20–33–12	52
66	March 4 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–6 	New York Islanders 	20–34–12	52
67	March 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	20–35–12	52
68	March 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	20–36–12	52
69	March 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	20–37–12	52
70	March 12 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	21–37–12	54
71	March 14 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–37–12	56
72	March 15 	Montreal Canadiens 	7–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–38–12	56
73	March 19 	New York Rangers 	2–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–38–12	58
74	March 21 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	2–9 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–38–12	60
75	March 25 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–4 	Atlanta Flames 	25–38–12	62
76	March 26 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Detroit Red Wings 	26–38–12	64
77	March 29 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–5 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	27–38–12	66
78	April 1 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–5 	Vancouver Canucks 	27–39–12	66
79	April 2 	Minnesota North Stars	1–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	27–39–13	67
80	April 4 	Colorado Rockies 	2–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	28–39–13	69
==Playoffs==
===Philadelphia Flyers 3, Edmonton Oilers 0===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	April 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	Philadelphia Flyers	0–1
2	April 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–5 	Philadelphia Flyers	0–2
3	April 11	Philadelphia Flyers	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–3
==Season Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky 	79	51	86	137	21
Blair MacDonald	80	46	48	94 	6
Stan Weir 	79	33	33	66 	40
Brett Callighen	59	23	35	58 	72
Dave Lumley 	80	20	38	58 	138
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA
Ron Low 	11	650 	8	2 	1	37 	0 	3.42
Don Cutts 	6 	269 	1	2 	1	16 	0 	3.57
Jim Corsi 	26	1366	8	14	3	83 	0 	3.65
Bob Dupuis 	1 	60 	1	0 	0	4 	0 	4.00
Eddie Mio 	34	1711	9	13	5	120	1 	4.21
Dave Dryden	14	744 	2	7 	3	53 	0 	4.27
==Playoff Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky 	3 	2	1	3 	0
Mark Messier 	3 	1	2	3 	2
Blair MacDonald	3 	0	3	3 	0
Don Murdoch 	3 	2	0	2 	0
Brett Callighen	3 	0	2	2 	0
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA
Ron Low	3 	212	0	3	12	0 	3.40
 
 
==Awards and Records==
*Hart Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
*Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
*Wayne Gretzky, Center, NHL Second Team All-Star
==Transactions==
===Trades===
June 9, 1979 	To Minnesota North Stars*Paul Shmyr 	To Edmonton Oilers4th round pick in 1979 - Glenn Anderson
June 13, 1979 	To Montreal Canadiens2nd round pick in 1980 - Ric Nattress 	To Edmonton OilersDave LumleyDan Newman
August 7, 1979 	To St. Louis BluesJoe Micheletti 	To Edmonton OilersTom RoulstonRisto Siltanen
August 9, 1979 	To Minnesota North Stars2nd round pick in 1979 - Neal Broten3rd round pick in 1979 - Kevin Maxwell	To Edmonton OilersDave Semenko3rd round pick in 1979 - Mark Messier
August 22, 1979 	To Toronto Maple LeafsReg Thomas 	To Edmonton Oilers6th round pick in 1981 - Steve Smith
September 24, 1979	To Chicago Black HawksFuture considerations 	To Edmonton OilersJim Harrison
November 13, 1979 	To Buffalo SabresJohn Gould 	To Edmonton OilersAlex Tidey
December 10, 1979 	To Boston BruinsDan Newman 	To Edmonton OilersBobby Schmautz
February 25, 1980 	To Colorado RockiesBobby Schmautz 	To Edmonton OilersDon Ashby
March 11, 1980 	To Minnesota North StarsJim Corsi 	To Edmonton OilersFuture considerations
March 11, 1980 	To New York RangersCam Connor3rd round pick in 1981 - Peter Sundstrom 	To Edmonton OilersDon Murdoch
March 11, 1980 	To Quebec NordiquesRon Chipperfield 	To Edmonton OilersRon Low
*Oilers promised to not make Paul Shmyr one of its priority selections in the 1979 NHL expansion draft 
===Free Agents===
{| class="wikitable"	
Player 	Former Team
F Clayton Pachal	Colorado Rockies
D John Bednarski	New York Rangers
F Kari Makkonen 	New York Islanders
G Jim Corsi 	Quebec Nordiques
F Roy Sommer 	Toronto Maple Leafs
G Don Cutts 	New York Islanders
==Draft Picks==
Edmonton's draft picks at the 1979 NHL Entry Draft:
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	21 	Kevin Lowe 	 	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
3 	48 	Mark Messier 	 	Cincinnati Stingers (WHA)
4 	69 	Glenn Anderson	 	University of Denver (NCAA)
4 	84 	Max Kostovich 	 	Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
5 	105	Mike Toal 	 	Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
6 	126	Blair Barnes 	 	Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL)
===Expansion Draft Picks===
Edmonton's expansion draft picks at the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft
# 	Player 	Drafted From
1. 	Pete LoPresti (G) 	Minnesota North Stars
2. 	Doug Favell (G) 	Colorado Rockies
3. 	Cam Connor (RW) 	Montreal Canadiens
4. 	Lee Fogolin (D) 	Buffalo Sabres
5. 	Pat Price (D) 	New York Islanders
6. 	Colin Campbell (D) 	Pittsburgh Penguins
7. 	Larry Brown (D) 	Los Angeles Kings
8. 	Ron Areshenkoff (C) 	Buffalo Sabres
9. 	Inge Hammarstrom (LW)	St. Louis Blues
10.	John Gould (RW) 	Atlanta Flames
11.	Doug Hicks (D) 	Chicago Black Hawks
12.	Tom Edur (D) 	Pittsburgh Penguins
13.	Wayne Bianchin (LW) 	Pittsburgh Penguins
14.	Mike Forbes (D) 	Boston Bruins
15.	Doug Patey (RW) 	Washington Capitals
16.	Bob Kelly (LW) 	Chicago Black Hawks
17.	Reg Thomas (C) 	Chicago Black Hawks
18.	Dave Hunter (LW) 	Montreal Canadiens
==Farm Teams==
==See Also==
* 1979–80 NHL season
==Game Ads==
79-80NHLExhDynamosEdmontonGameAd.jpg|Exhibition vs Moscow Dynamo
79-80NHLExhEdmontonGameAd.jpg|Pre-season
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
 
Edmonton Oilers season, 1979–80
Edmonton Oilers season, 1979–80
Category:Edmonton Oilers seasons