1978–79 NHL season

The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. The 17 teams of the league played an 80-game season.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals four games to one for their fourth Cup in a row.

Regular season

Final standings
GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties In Minutes

Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold
Prince of Wales Conference
 Adams Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Boston Bruins  80 43 23 14  100 316 270 1222 Buffalo Sabres 80  36 28 16  88 280 263 1026 Toronto Maple Leafs 8034 33 13  81 267 252 1440 Minnesota North Stars 8028 40 12  68 257 289 1102

 Norris Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Montreal Canadiens 80 52 17 11  115 337 204 803 Pittsburgh Penguins 8036 31 13  85 281 279 1039 Los Angeles Kings 80 34 34 12  80 292 286 1134 Washington Capitals 80 24 41 15 63 273 338 1312 Detroit Red Wings  80 23 41 16  62 252 295 1359

Clarence Campbell Conference
 Patrick Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM New York Islanders 8051 15 14  116 358 214 1077 Philadelphia Flyers 80 40 25 15  95 281 248 1548 New York Rangers  80 40 29 11  91 316 292 1214 Atlanta Flames 8041 31 8  90 327 280 1158

 Smythe Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Chicago Black Hawks 8029 36 15  73 244 277 1254 Vancouver Canucks 80 25 42 13  63 217 291 1134 St. Louis Blues 80 18 50 12  48 249 348 1055 Colorado Rockies  80 15 53 12  42 210 331 838

Scoring leaders
GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
 Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Bryan Trottier New York Islanders  76  47  87  134  50 Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings  80  59  71  130  30 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens  80  52  77  129  28 Mike Bossy New York Islanders  80  69  57  126  25 Bob MacMillan Atlanta Flames  79  37  71  108  14 Guy Chouinard Atlanta Flames  80  50  57  107  14 Denis Potvin New York Islanders  73  31  70  101  58 Bernie Federko St. Louis Blues  74  31  64  95  14 Dave Taylor Los Angeles Kings  78  43  48  91  124 Clark Gillies New York Islanders  75  35  56  91  68

Stanley Cup playoffs
All dates in 1979

Playoff bracket

Preliminary round
Vancouver Canucks vs. Philadelphia Flyers
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 10  Vancouver   3 Philadelphia 2 April 12  Philadelphia  6 Vancouver 4  April 14  Vancouver 2 Philadelphia   7 
Philadelphia wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1

Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 10  Los Angeles  1  New York   7  April 12  New York   2  Los Angeles 1 (OT)
NY Rangers win best-of-three series 2 games to 0

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Atlanta Flames
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 10  Toronto   2  Atlanta  1  April 12  Atlanta  4  Toronto   7
Toronto wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 10  Pittsburgh   4  Buffalo 3 April 12  Buffalo  3 Pittsburgh 1April 14  Pittsburgh   4  Buffalo 3 (OT)
Pittsburgh wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1

Quarterfinals
Chicago Black Hawks vs. New York Islanders
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 16  Chicago   2 New York   6  April 18  Chicago   0 New York   1 (OT) April 20  New York   4  Chicago   0  April 22  New York   3 Chicago  1 
NY Islanders win best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 16  Toronto   2 Montreal   5 April 18  Toronto   1  Montreal   5  April 21  Montreal   4 Toronto  3  April 22  Montreal   5  Toronto   4 (OT)
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 16  Pittsburgh 2 Boston   6  April 18  Pittsburgh  3 Boston  4  April 21  Boston   2 Pittsburgh  1  April 22  Boston   4 Pittsburgh  1
Boston wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 16  New York  2 Philadelphia   3 (OT) April 18  New York  7 Philadelphia  1 April 20  Philadelphia  1 New York   5 April 22  Philadelphia  0 New York   6 April 24  New York   8 Philadelphia  3 
NY Rangers win best-of-seven series 4 games to 1

Semi-finals
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 26  Rangers  4  Islanders  1  April 28  Rangers  3  Islanders  4 (OT) May 1  Islanders  1  Rangers  3 May 3  Islanders  3  Rangers  2 (OT) May 5  Rangers  4 Islanders 3  May 8  Islanders  1  Rangers  2 
NY Rangers win best-of-seven series 4 games to 2

Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens

 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 26  Boston  2  Montreal   4 April 28  Boston  2  Montreal   5  May 1  Montreal  1  Boston   2  May 3  Montreal  3  Boston   4 (OT) May 5  Boston  1  Montreal   5  May 8  Montreal  2  Boston   5  May 10  Boston  4  Montreal   5 (OT)
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3

Finals
New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens

As of 2008, it is the last time two Pre-war clubs met in the Finals.
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes May 13  New York   4  Montreal  1 May 15  New York  2  Montreal   6  May 17  Montreal   4 New York 1  May 19  Montreal   4  New York  3 (OT) May 21  New York  1 Montreal   4 
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1

NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy:  Montreal CanadiensClarence S. Campbell Bowl:  New York IslandersArt Ross Memorial Trophy:  Bryan Trottier, New York IslandersBill Masterton Memorial Trophy:  Serge Savard, Montreal CanadiensCalder Memorial Trophy:  Bobby Smith, Minnesota North StarsConn Smythe Trophy:  Bob Gainey, Montreal CanadiensFrank J. Selke Trophy:  Bob Gainey, Montreal CanadiensHart Memorial Trophy:  Bryan Trottier, New York IslandersJack Adams Award:  Al Arbour, New York IslandersJames Norris Memorial Trophy:  Denis Potvin, New York IslandersLady Byng Memorial Trophy:  Bob MacMillan, Atlanta FlamesLester B. Pearson Award:  Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles KingsNHL Plus/Minus Award:  Bryan Trottier, New York IslandersVezina Trophy:  Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque, Montreal CanadiensLester Patrick Trophy:  Bobby Orr

All-Star teams
 First Team    Position    Second TeamKen Dryden, Montreal Canadiens GGlenn Resch, New York IslandersDenis Potvin, New York Islanders DBorje Salming, Toronto Maple LeafsLarry Robinson, Montreal Canadiens DSerge Savard, Montreal CanadiensBryan Trottier, New York Islanders CMarcel Dionne, Los Angeles KingsGuy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens RWMike Bossy, New York IslandersClark Gillies, New York Islanders LWBill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers

References
Hockey Database
NHL.com

Category:1979 in North America
Category:National Hockey League seasons