The 1978-79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. This season saw the first reduction in the total number of teams since the Brooklyn Americans folded following the 1941-42 season. The financially unstable Cleveland Barons were merged with the also struggling Minnesota North Stars, reducing the number of teams to seventeen, with the North Stars assuming the Barons' place in the Adams Division. The remaining 17 teams played an 80 game season. This reduction would only be temporary, however, as the World Hockey Association would fold following this season and four of its teams would be admitted to the NHL as expansion franchises for the 1979-80 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.
For the first time since the NHL All-Star game became an annual tradition, it was not played. In its stead was the 1979 Challenge Cup which saw Soviet Union players come over to North America to play against NHL players. The Soviets won the series two games to one.
Regular season
For the past three seasons, the Montreal Canadiens had dominated the regular season, but times were changing. The
New York Islanders had been steadily improving over the past few seasons and this season saw them beat out the Canadiens by one point for the best record in the league.
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
Clarence Campbell Conference
Scoring leaders
GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
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 Canucks | 3 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
|
| April 12 | Philadelphia Flyers | 6 | Vancouver Canucks | 4 |
|
| April 14 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 7 |
|
Philadelphia wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1
Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers
| Date
| Away
| Score
| Home
| Score
| Notes
|
| April 10 | Los Angeles Kings | 1 | New York Rangers | 7 |
|
| April 12 | New York Rangers | 2 | Los Angeles Kings | 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 Maple Leafs | 2 | Atlanta Flames | 1 |
|
| April 12 | Atlanta Flames | 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 7 |
|
Toronto wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres
| Date
| Away
| Score
| Home
| Score
| Notes
|
| April 10 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 |
|
| April 12 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
|
| April 14 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 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 Black Hawks | 2 | New York Islanders | 6 |
|
| April 18 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0 | New York Islanders | 1 | (OT)
|
| April 20 | New York Islanders | 4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0 |
|
| April 22 | New York Islanders | 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 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 Maple Leafs | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
|
| April 18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
|
| April 21 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3 |
|
| April 22 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 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 Penguins | 2 | Boston Bruins | 6 |
|
| April 18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 | Boston Bruins | 4 |
|
| April 21 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
|
| April 22 | Boston Bruins | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 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 Rangers | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | (OT)
|
| April 18 | New York Rangers | 7 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 |
|
| April 20 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 | New York Rangers | 5 |
|
| April 22 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | New York Rangers | 6 |
|
| April 24 | New York Rangers | 8 | Philadelphia Flyers | 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 | New York Rangers | 4 | New York Islanders | 1 |
|
| April 28 | New York Rangers | 3 | New York Islanders | 4 | (OT)
|
| May 1 | New York Islanders | 1 | New York Rangers | 3 |
|
| May 3 | New York Islanders | 3 | New York Rangers | 2 | (OT)
|
| May 5 | New York Rangers | 4 | New York Islanders | 3 |
|
| May 8 | New York Islanders | 1 | New York Rangers | 2 |
|
NY Rangers win best-of-seven series 4 games to 2
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
Game seven of the Montreal-Boston Semifinal is perhaps one of the most memorable in the history of the NHL. About a minute and a half after Boston's Rick Middleton scored with four minutes remaining in the third period to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead, linesman John D'Amico called a bench minor for too many men on the ice against the Bruins. Montreal's Guy Lafleur scored on the ensuing power play, sending the game to overtime where Yvon Lambert gave the Canadiens the win and a trip to their fourth straight Stanley Cup final.
| Date
| Away
| Score
| Home
| Score
| Notes
|
| April 26 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 |
|
| April 28 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
|
| May 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 1 | Boston Bruins | 2 |
|
| May 3 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | Boston Bruins | 4 | (OT)
|
| May 5 | Boston Bruins | 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
|
| May 8 | Montreal Canadiens | 2 | Boston Bruins | 5 |
|
| May 10 | Boston Bruins | 4 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 | (OT)
|
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3
Stanley Cup Finals
New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens
| Date
| Away
| Score
| Home
| Score
| Notes
|
| May 13 | New York Rangers | 4 | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
|
| May 15 | New York Rangers | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 6 |
|
| May 17 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | New York Rangers | 1 |
|
| May 19 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | New York Rangers | 3 | (OT)
|
| May 21 | New York Rangers | 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 |
|
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
NHL awards
| Prince of Wales Trophy: | Montreal Canadiens
|
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: | New York Islanders
|
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
|
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: | Serge Savard, Montreal Canadiens
|
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | Bobby Smith, Minnesota North Stars
|
| Conn Smythe Trophy: | Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
|
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: | Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
|
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
|
| Jack Adams Award: | Al Arbour, New York Islanders
|
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: | Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
|
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | Bob MacMillan, Atlanta Flames
|
| Lester B. Pearson Award: | Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
|
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: | Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
|
| Vezina Trophy: | Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque, Montreal Canadiens
|
| Lester Patrick Trophy: | Bobby Orr
|
See also
References
NHL 1978/79 | Saison LNH 1978-79
"1978-79 NHL season"