1979–80 Quebec Nordiques season

The 1979–80 Quebec Nordiques season was the team's 8th season overall and 1st in the National Hockey League. Quebec had played their previous seven seasons in the defunct World Hockey Association. The Nordiques finished 5th in the Adams Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.
==Off-season==
In 1978–79, their last season in the WHA, Quebec finished the year with the second best record, as they had a 41-34-5 record, earning 87 points. The Nordiques were then swept by the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA semi-finals. In the NHL, the team finished out of the playoffs.
During the off-season, the Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers, and Winnipeg Jets were admitted into the NHL as expansion teams. Quebec would be placed in the Adams Division in the Wales Conference. The other teams in the Nordiques division was the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota North Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs. Quebec held on to head coach Jacques Demers.
As many of the WHA players had their rights held by NHL teams, those NHL teams were allowed to reclaim their players. In order to keep the NHL from taking all the talent from the WHA-turned-NHL teams, each incoming franchise was allowed to protect up to two goaltenders and two skaters. These were designated as "priority selections" in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft. The Nordiques made a deal with the Chicago Black Hawks, in which Quebec would keep Real Cloutier in exchange for the Nordiques first round draft pick in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
==Regular Season==
Quebec played in their first ever NHL game on October 10, 1979, at Le Colisee in Quebec City, as the Nordiques lost 5-3 to the Atlanta Flames. The Nords won their first ever NHL game in their third game, defeating the Colorado Rockies 5-2 in Denver, Colorado. During the first half of the season, the Nordiques were very competitive, earning a 17-17-6 record as they held on to a playoff position, however, wins were far and few between in the second half of the year, as Quebec fell into last place, and finished the year 25-44-11, earning 61 points, and missing the post-season.
Offensively, the Nordiques were led by Real Cloutier, who in his first NHL season, had a team best 42 goals and 47 assists for 89 points. Real Cloutier scored three goals in his National League Debut.Sports Illustrated, Oct. 27, 2008, p.24, Vol. 109, No. 16. Marc Tardif had a solid season, scoring 33 goals and 68 points, while the Nordiques first round draft pick, Michel Goulet, had 22 goals and 54 points to finish in third in team scoring. On the blue line, Dale Hoganson led the way, earning 40 points, while Pierre Lacroix scored 9 goals and 30 points. Paul Baxter led the club with 145 penalty minutes.
In goal, Michel Dion saw most of the action, appearing in 50 games, earning a team high 15 victories and a 3.70 GAA, as well as two shutouts.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 10 	Atlanta Flames 	5–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	0–1–0 	0
2 	October 13 	Quebec Nordiques 	1–3 	Montreal Canadiens 	0–2–0 	0
3 	October 18 	Quebec Nordiques 	5–2 	Colorado Rockies 	1–2–0 	2
4 	October 19 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–3–0 	2
5 	October 21 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–0 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3–0 	4
6 	October 24 	Hartford Whalers 	2–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–3–1 	5
7 	October 27 	Buffalo Sabres 	3–0 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–4–1 	5
8 	October 28 	Montreal Canadiens 	4–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–4–1 	7
9 	October 31 	Winnipeg Jets 	5–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–5–1 	7
10	November 2 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–4 	Atlanta Flames 	3–5–2 	8
11	November 4 	Detroit Red Wings 	1–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–5–2 	10
12	November 7 	Philadelphia Flyers 	4–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–6–2 	10
13	November 10	Quebec Nordiques 	4–5 	New York Rangers 	4–7–2 	10
14	November 11	St. Louis Blues 	1–4 	Quebec Nordiques 	5–7–2 	12
15	November 14	Quebec Nordiques 	2–7 	Minnesota North Stars	5–8–2 	12
16	November 16	Quebec Nordiques 	3–2 	Winnipeg Jets 	6–8–2 	14
17	November 18	Toronto Maple Leafs 	2–4 	Quebec Nordiques 	7–8–2 	16
18	November 20	Boston Bruins 	5–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	7–9–2 	16
19	November 22	Quebec Nordiques 	4–7 	Boston Bruins 	7–10–2 	16
20	November 24	Quebec Nordiques 	4–4 	Hartford Whalers 	7–10–3 	17
21	November 25	Washington Capitals 	2–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	7–10–4 	18
22	November 27	Quebec Nordiques 	2–4 	St. Louis Blues 	7–11–4 	18
23	November 28	Quebec Nordiques 	2–7 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	7–12–4 	18
24	December 1 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–7 	Washington Capitals 	7–13–4 	18
25	December 2 	Vancouver Canucks 	1–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	8–13-4 	20
26	December 4 	Colorado Rockies 	3–1 	Quebec Nordiques 	8–14–4 	20
27	December 6 	St. Louis Blues 	2–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	9–14–4 	22
28	December 9 	Los Angeles Kings 	2–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	10–14–4 	24
29	December 12	Winnipeg Jets 	0–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	11–14–4 	26
30	December 13	Quebec Nordiques 	4–6 	Philadelphia Flyers 	11–15–4 	26
31	December 15	Quebec Nordiques 	4–4 	Detroit Red Wings 	11–15–5 	27
32	December 16	Pittsburgh Penguins 	1–4 	Quebec Nordiques 	12–15–5 	29
33	December 19	Colorado Rockies 	3–6 	Quebec Nordiques 	13–15–5 	31
34	December 23	Quebec Nordiques 	3–1 	Buffalo Sabres 	14–15–5 	33
35	December 27	Quebec Nordiques 	0–3 	Los Angeles Kings 	14–16–5 	33
36	December 29	Quebec Nordiques 	2–6 	Vancouver Canucks 	14–17–5 	33
37	December 30	Quebec Nordiques 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	15–17–5 	35
38	January 2 	New York Rangers 	3–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	15–17–6 	36
39	January 5 	Quebec Nordiques 	7–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	16–17–6 	38
40	January 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	17–17–6 	40
41	January 11 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–4 	Atlanta Flames 	17–18–6 	40
42	January 12 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–8 	St. Louis Blues 	17–19–6 	40
43	January 16 	Boston Bruins 	3–1 	Quebec Nordiques 	17–20–6 	40
44	January 19 	Quebec Nordiques 	1–3 	New York Islanders 	17–21–6 	40
45	January 20 	Washington Capitals 	2–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	18–21–6 	42
46	January 23 	Minnesota North Stars	4–6 	Quebec Nordiques 	19-21–6 	44
47	January 26 	Quebec Nordiques 	1–1 	Washington Capitals 	19–21–7 	45
48	January 27 	Detroit Red Wings 	7–6 	Quebec Nordiques 	19–22–7 	45
49	January 30 	Atlanta Flames 	4–1 	Quebec Nordiques 	19–23–7 	45
50	February 2 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–7 	Boston Bruins 	19–24–7 	45
51	February 3 	New York Rangers 	4–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	20–24–7 	47
52	February 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	20–24–8 	48
53	February 9 	Quebec Nordiques 	0–5 	New York Islanders 	20–25–8 	48
54	February 10	Quebec Nordiques 	1–3 	New York Rangers 	20–26–8 	48
55	February 14	Quebec Nordiques 	1–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	20–27–8 	48
56	February 17	Quebec Nordiques 	5–6 	Winnipeg Jets 	20–28–8 	48
57	February 18	Quebec Nordiques 	2–6 	Minnesota North Stars	20–29–8 	48
58	February 19	Buffalo Sabres 	3–1 	Quebec Nordiques 	20–30–8 	48
59	February 23	Quebec Nordiques 	1–2 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	20–31–8 	48
60	February 24	Pittsburgh Penguins 	0–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	21–31–8 	50
61	February 26	Hartford Whalers 	5–9 	Quebec Nordiques 	22–31–8 	52
62	February 27	New York Islanders 	5–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	22–32–8 	52
63	March 2 	Los Angeles Kings 	4–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	22–33–8 	52
64	March 5 	Minnesota North Stars	3-3 	Quebec Nordiques 	22–33–9 	53
65	March 8 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	22–34–9 	53
66	March 9 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–5 	Quebec Nordiques 	23–34-9 	55
67	March 12 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	23–35–9 	55
68	March 16 	Vancouver Canucks 	3–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	23–36–9 	55
69	March 19 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–37–9 	55
70	March 20 	Quebec Nordiques 	6–2 	Colorado Rockies 	24–37–9 	57
71	March 22 	Quebec Nordiques 	1-4 	Los Angeles Kings 	24–38-9 	57
72	March 23 	Quebec Nordiques 	6–2 	Vancouver Canucks 	25–38–9 	59
73	March 26 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–2 	Quebec Nordiques 	25–39–9 	59
74	March 27 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	25–40–9 	59
75	March 29 	Quebec Nordiques 	7–9 	Detroit Red Wings 	25–41–9 	59
76	March 30 	New York Islanders 	9–6 	Quebec Nordiques 	25–42–9 	59
77	April 1 	Philadelphia Flyers 	3–3 	Quebec Nordiques 	25–42–10	60
78	April 3 	Quebec Nordiques 	3–8 	Buffalo Sabres 	25–43–10	60
79	April 4 	Quebec Nordiques 	2–9 	Hartford Whalers 	25–44–10	60
80	April 6 	Montreal Canadiens 	4–4 	Quebec Nordiques 	25–44–11	61
==Playoffs==
*The Nordiques did not qualify for the post season.
==Player Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Real Cloutier	67	42	47	89 	12
Marc Tardif 	58	33	35	68 	30
Michel Goulet	77	22	32	54 	48
Robbie Ftorek	52	18	33	51 	28
Rich Leduc 	75	21	27	48 	49
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA
Michel Dion 	50	2773	15	25	6	171	2 	3.70
Ron Low 	15	828 	5 	7 	2	51 	0 	3.70
Goran Hogosta	21	1199	5 	12	3	83 	1 	4.15
==Awards and Records==
*The Nordiques did not win any awards this season.
==1979 NHL Expansion Draft==
The Nordiques participated in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft, which was held on June 13, 1979.
===Quebec Nordiques Selections===
# 	Player 	Drafted from 	Drafted by
1. 	Blair Stewart (F) 	Washington Capitals 	Quebec Nordiques
2. 	Terry Martin (F) 	Buffalo Sabres 	Quebec Nordiques
3. 	Ron Low (G) 	Detroit Red Wings 	Quebec Nordiques
4. 	John Smrke (LW) 	St. Louis Blues 	Quebec Nordiques
5. 	Jamie Masters (D) 	St. Louis Blues 	Quebec Nordiques
6. 	Dave Farrish (D) 	New York Rangers 	Quebec Nordiques
7. 	Gerry Hart (D) 	New York Islanders 	Quebec Nordiques
8. 	Pierre Plante (RW) 	New York Rangers 	Quebec Nordiques
9. 	John Baby (D) 	Minnesota North Stars	Quebec Nordiques
10.	Dave Parro (G) 	Boston Bruins 	Quebec Nordiques
11.	Ken Kuzyk (RW) 	Minnesota North Stars	Quebec Nordiques
12.	Roland Cloutier (C) 	Detroit Red Wings 	Quebec Nordiques
13.	Jamie Masters (D) 	St. Louis Blues 	Quebec Nordiques
14.	Hartland Monahan (F)	Los Angeles Kings 	Quebec Nordiques
15.	Ron Andruff (C) 	Colorado Rockies 	Quebec Nordiques
16.	Alain Cote (LW) 	Montreal Canadiens 	Quebec Nordiques
17.	Lars Zetterstrom (D)	Vancouver Canucks 	Quebec Nordiques
==Draft Picks==
Quebec's draft picks from the 1979 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, on August 9, 1979.
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/junior/club team (league)
1 	20 	Michel Goulet 	 	Birmingham Bulls (WHA)
2 	41 	Dale Hunter 	 	Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL)
3 	62 	Lee Norwood 	 	Oshawa Generals (OMJHL)
4 	83 	Anton Stastny 	 	Slovan Bratislava (Czech.)
5 	104	Pierre Lacroix	 	Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)
6 	125	Scott McGeown 	 	Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL)
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*Hockey Reference
*Goalies Archive
Quebec Nordiques season, 1979–80
Quebec Nordiques season, 1979–80
Category:Quebec Nordiques seasons