National Hockey League NHL 1978-1979
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Anaheim Ducks- Boston Bruins
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- Winnipeg Jets
1978-1979
1978-1979 Season
New York Islanders finished first in the 1978-79 NHL standings with 116 points. Montréal Canadiens (115 points) and Boston Bruins (100 points) followed.
1978-1979 NHL Standings
| # | Team | GP | W | T | L | TP | GF | GA | +/- | P/GP | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | New York Islanders | 80 | 51 | 14 | 15 | 116 | 358 | 214 | 144 | 1.45 | Semifinal loss |
| 2. | Montréal Canadiens | 80 | 52 | 11 | 17 | 115 | 337 | 204 | 133 | 1.44 | Champion |
| 3. | Boston Bruins | 80 | 43 | 14 | 23 | 100 | 316 | 270 | 46 | 1.25 | Semifinal loss |
| 4. | Philadelphia Flyers | 80 | 40 | 15 | 25 | 95 | 281 | 248 | 33 | 1.19 | Quarterfinal loss |
| 5. | New York Rangers | 80 | 40 | 11 | 29 | 91 | 316 | 292 | 24 | 1.14 | Final loss |
| 6. | Atlanta Flames | 80 | 41 | 8 | 31 | 90 | 327 | 280 | 47 | 1.13 | Playoffs Qualifier loss |
| 7. | Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 36 | 16 | 28 | 88 | 280 | 263 | 17 | 1.10 | Playoffs Qualifier loss |
| 8. | Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 36 | 13 | 31 | 85 | 281 | 279 | 2 | 1.06 | Quarterfinal loss |
| 9. | Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 34 | 13 | 33 | 81 | 267 | 252 | 15 | 1.01 | Quarterfinal loss |
| 10. | Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 34 | 12 | 34 | 80 | 292 | 286 | 6 | 1.00 | Playoffs Qualifier loss |
| 11. | Chicago Black Hawks | 80 | 29 | 15 | 36 | 73 | 244 | 277 | -33 | 0.91 | Quarterfinal loss |
| 12. | Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 28 | 12 | 40 | 68 | 257 | 289 | -32 | 0.85 | Did not make playoffs |
| 13. | Washington Capitals | 80 | 24 | 15 | 41 | 63 | 273 | 338 | -65 | 0.79 | Did not make playoffs |
| 14. | Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 25 | 13 | 42 | 63 | 217 | 291 | -74 | 0.79 | Playoffs Qualifier loss |
| 15. | Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 23 | 16 | 41 | 62 | 252 | 295 | -43 | 0.78 | Did not make playoffs |
| 16. | St. Louis Blues | 80 | 18 | 12 | 50 | 48 | 249 | 348 | -99 | 0.60 | Did not make playoffs |
| 17. | Colorado Rockies | 80 | 15 | 12 | 53 | 42 | 210 | 331 | -121 | 0.53 | Did not make playoffs |
1978-1979 NHL Player Stats
| # | Player | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bryan Trottier (F) | 76 | 47 | 87 | 134 | 50 |
| 2. | Marcel Dionne (F) | 80 | 59 | 71 | 130 | 30 |
| 3. | Guy Lafleur (F) | 80 | 52 | 77 | 129 | 28 |
| 4. | Mike Bossy (F) | 80 | 69 | 57 | 126 | 25 |
| 5. | Robert MacMillan (F) | 79 | 37 | 71 | 108 | 14 |
1978-1979 NHL Goalie Stats
| # | Player | GP | GAA | SVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chico Resch (G) | 43 | 2.50 | .914 |
| 2. | Mike Palmateer (G) | 58 | 2.96 | .909 |
| 3. | Ken Dryden (G) | 47 | 2.30 | .909 |
| 4. | Mike Veisor (G) | 17 | 3.54 | .904 |
| 5. | Tony Esposito (G) | 63 | 3.28 | .902 |
NHL Stories
Insights and analysis from EP Editorial team
1978-1979 NHL Demographics
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NHL Games
| date | home | visiting | score |
|---|---|---|---|
 Vancouver Canucks |  New York Rangers | - | |
 Los Angeles Kings |  New York Islanders | 2 - 5 | |
 Utah Mammoth |  St. Louis Blues | 0 - 1 (SO) | |
 Dallas Stars |  Winnipeg Jets | 3 - 8 | |
 Chicago Blackhawks |  Buffalo Sabres | 3 - 2 (OT 63:12) |
NHL Transactions
| Date | Status | Player | From | To | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed |  Ilya Safonov (F) | Vancouver Canucks | Unknown | ||
| Confirmed | Cameron Crotty (D) | Minnesota Wild | Vancouver Canucks | ||
| Confirmed | Evander Kane (F) | Vancouver Canucks | Sibir Novosibirsk | ||
| Confirmed | Rémi Poirier (G) | Washington Capitals | Dallas Stars | ||
| Confirmed | James Reimer (G) | New York Rangers | Unknown |
NHL Team Comparison (Averages)
| # | Team | Players | Experience | Height | Weight | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Atlanta Flames | 28 | 9 948 | 6'0" | 190 lbs | 26.82 |
| 2. | Boston Bruins | 27 | 10 528 | 6'0" | 187 lbs | 28.59 |
| 3. | Buffalo Sabres | 29 | 8 406 | 6'0" | 185 lbs | 25.62 |
| 4. | Chicago Blackhawks | 34 | 11 055 | 6'0" | 185 lbs | 26.79 |
| 5. | Colorado Rockies | 35 | 8 662 | 6'0" | 183 lbs | 25.66 |
| 6. | Detroit Red Wings | 36 | 7 779 | 5'11" | 185 lbs | 26.36 |
| 7. | Los Angeles Kings | 27 | 9 352 | 6'0" | 185 lbs | 27.89 |
| 8. | Minnesota North Stars | 34 | 7 539 | 5'11" | 185 lbs | 25.74 |
| 9. | Montréal Canadiens | 27 | 8 938 | 6'0" | 190 lbs | 26.59 |
| 10. | New York Islanders | 26 | 8 326 | 6'0" | 192 lbs | 26.08 |
| 11. | New York Rangers | 32 | 7 982 | 6'0" | 192 lbs | 25.72 |
| 12. | Philadelphia Flyers | 34 | 8 217 | 6'0" | 187 lbs | 25.47 |
| 13. | Pittsburgh Penguins | 30 | 9 028 | 5'11" | 185 lbs | 26.13 |
| 14. | St. Louis Blues | 37 | 9 530 | 6'0" | 187 lbs | 26.57 |
| 15. | Toronto Maple Leafs | 26 | 8 089 | 5'11" | 187 lbs | 26.35 |
| 16. | Vancouver Canucks | 33 | 7 335 | 6'0" | 185 lbs | 25.33 |
| 17. | Washington Capitals | 41 | 9 897 | 5'11" | 185 lbs | 26.37 |
Where Are They Now?
Played in the league during season
| # | player | season | team | league | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Petr Straka (F) | 2026-2027 | VHK Vsetín | 1. liga | 20 | 17 | 13 | 30 | 15 |
| 2. |  Roby Järventie (F) | 2026-2027 | HC Ambrì-Piotta | NL | 19 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 8 |
| 3. | Colin Smith (F) | 2026-2027 | Hannover Scorpions | Oberliga | 14 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 10 |
| 4. | Michael Keränen (F) | 2026-2027 | Tölzer Löwen | Oberliga | 15 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 6 |
| 5. |  Denis Malgin (F) | 2026-2027 | ZSC Lions | NL | 19 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 10 |
| 6. | Justin Bailey (F) | 2026-2027 | Barys Astana | KHL | 25 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 24 |
| 7. | Danick Martel (F) | 2026-2027 | HK Spisska Nova Ves | Extraliga | 16 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 11 |
| 8. | Jayden Halbgewachs (F) | 2026-2027 | HC Sierre | SL | 14 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 0 |
| 9. | Sheldon Rempal (F) | 2026-2027 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | KHL | 26 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 24 |
| 10. | David Tomasek (F) | 2026-2027 | HC Dynamo Pardubice | Extraliga | 17 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 16 |
Regular Season
NHL All-Time Points
| # | Player | GP | G | A | TP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1487 | 894 | 1963 | 2857 |
| 2. | Jaromír Jágr (F) | 1733 | 766 | 1155 | 1921 |
| 3. | Mark Messier (F) | 1756 | 694 | 1193 | 1887 |
| 4. | Gordie Howe (F) | 1767 | 801 | 1049 | 1850 |
| 5. | Ron Francis (F) | 1731 | 549 | 1249 | 1798 |
NHL All-Time Goals
| # | Player | GP | G | A | TP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alexander Ovechkin (F) | 1590 | 930 | 762 | 1692 |
| 2. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1487 | 894 | 1963 | 2857 |
| 3. | Gordie Howe (F) | 1767 | 801 | 1049 | 1850 |
| 4. | Jaromír Jágr (F) | 1733 | 766 | 1155 | 1921 |
| 5. | Brett Hull (F) | 1269 | 741 | 650 | 1391 |
NHL All-Time Assists
| # | Player | GP | G | A | TP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1487 | 894 | 1963 | 2857 |
| 2. | Ron Francis (F) | 1731 | 549 | 1249 | 1798 |
| 3. | Mark Messier (F) | 1756 | 694 | 1193 | 1887 |
| 4. | Raymond Bourque (D) | 1612 | 410 | 1169 | 1579 |
| 5. | Jaromír Jágr (F) | 1733 | 766 | 1155 | 1921 |
NHL All-Time Penalty Min.
| # | Player | GP | G | TP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Tiger Williams (F) | 962 | 241 | 513 | 3966 |
| 2. | Dale Hunter (F) | 1409 | 323 | 1020 | 3565 |
| 3. | Tie Domi (F) | 1020 | 104 | 245 | 3515 |
| 4. | Marty McSorley (D) | 961 | 108 | 359 | 3381 |
| 5. | Bob Probert (F) | 935 | 163 | 384 | 3300 |
NHL All-Time Games Played
| # | Player | GP | G | A | TP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Patrick Marleau (F) | 1779 | 566 | 631 | 1197 |
| 2. | Gordie Howe (F) | 1767 | 801 | 1049 | 1850 |
| 3. | Mark Messier (F) | 1756 | 694 | 1193 | 1887 |
| 4. | Jaromír Jágr (F) | 1733 | 766 | 1155 | 1921 |
| 5. | Ron Francis (F) | 1731 | 549 | 1249 | 1798 |
NHL All-Time Points Per Game
| # | Player | GP | G | TP | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1487 | 894 | 2857 | 1.92 |
| 2. | Mario Lemieux (F) | 915 | 690 | 1723 | 1.88 |
| 3. | Newsy Lalonde (F) | 99 | 124 | 166 | 1.68 |
| 4. | Connor McDavid (F) | 814 | 420 | 1269 | 1.56 |
| 5. | Mike Bossy (F) | 752 | 573 | 1126 | 1.50 |
NHL All-Time Points Per Season
| # | Player | Season | League | GP | G | A | TP | P/GP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1985-1986 | NHL | 80 | 52 | 163 | 215 | 2.69 | 46 |
| 2. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1981-1982 | NHL | 80 | 92 | 120 | 212 | 2.65 | 26 |
| 3. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1984-1985 | NHL | 80 | 73 | 135 | 208 | 2.60 | 52 |
| 4. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1983-1984 | NHL | 74 | 87 | 118 | 205 | 2.77 | 39 |
| 5. | Mario Lemieux (F) | 1988-1989 | NHL | 76 | 85 | 114 | 199 | 2.62 | 100 |
NHL All-Time Goals Per Season
| # | Player | Season | League | GP | G | A | TP | P/GP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1981-1982 | NHL | 80 | 92 | 120 | 212 | 2.65 | 26 |
| 2. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1983-1984 | NHL | 74 | 87 | 118 | 205 | 2.77 | 39 |
| 3. | Brett Hull (F) | 1990-1991 | NHL | 78 | 86 | 45 | 131 | 1.68 | 22 |
| 4. | Mario Lemieux (F) | 1988-1989 | NHL | 76 | 85 | 114 | 199 | 2.62 | 100 |
| 5. | Phil Esposito (F) | 1970-1971 | NHL | 78 | 76 | 76 | 152 | 1.95 | 71 |
NHL All-Time Assists Per Season
| # | Player | Season | League | GP | G | A | TP | P/GP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1985-1986 | NHL | 80 | 52 | 163 | 215 | 2.69 | 46 |
| 2. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1984-1985 | NHL | 80 | 73 | 135 | 208 | 2.60 | 52 |
| 3. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1982-1983 | NHL | 80 | 71 | 125 | 196 | 2.45 | 59 |
| 4. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1990-1991 | NHL | 78 | 41 | 122 | 163 | 2.09 | 16 |
| 5. | Wayne Gretzky (F) | 1986-1987 | NHL | 79 | 62 | 121 | 183 | 2.32 | 28 |
NHL All-Time Penalty Min. Per Season
| # | Player | Season | League | GP | G | A | TP | P/GP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dave Schultz (F) | 1974-1975 | NHL | 76 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 0.34 | 472 |
| 2. | Paul Baxter (D) | 1981-1982 | NHL | 76 | 9 | 34 | 43 | 0.57 | 409 |
| 3. | Mike Peluso (F) | 1991-1992 | NHL | 63 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 0.14 | 408 |
| 4. | Dave Schultz (F) | 1977-1978 | NHL | 74 | 11 | 25 | 36 | 0.49 | 405 |
| 5. | Marty McSorley (D) | 1992-1993 | NHL | 81 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 0.51 | 399 |
Player Nationalities Throughout History
- 5821 players
- 1560 players
458 players- 336 players
- 281 players
- 274 players
101 players- 46 players
41 players
31 players
20 players
17 players
11 players
10 players
9 players
9 players
6 players
6 players
5 players
3 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
2 players
1 player
1 player
1 player
1 player
List of NHL Champions
NHL Awards
- NHA Stanley Cup Champion
- NHL All-Rookie Team
- NHL All-Star Game
- NHL Best Defenseman (Norris Trophy)
- NHL Best Defenseman (Norris Trophy) Finalist
- NHL Best GAA
- NHL Best Goalie (Vezina Trophy)
- NHL Best Goalie (Vezina Trophy) Finalist
- NHL Best Plus/Minus
- NHL Best SVS%
- NHL Coach of the Year (Jack Adams Award)
- NHL Contribution to U.S. Hockey (Lester Patrick Trophy)
- NHL First All-Star Team
- NHL Foundation Player Award
- NHL General Manager of the Year
- NHL Gentleman Conduct (Lady Byng Trophy)
- NHL Gentleman Conduct (Lady Byng Trophy) Finalist
- NHL Leadership-Humanitarian Award (King Clancy Trophy)
- NHL Lowest GA (Jennings Trophy)
- NHL Mark Messier Leadership Award
- NHL Most Assists
- NHL Most Assists by Defenseman
- NHL Most Assists by Rookie
- NHL Most Goals (Maurice Richard Trophy)
- NHL Most Goals by Defenseman
- NHL Most Goals by Rookie
- NHL Most Penalized Player
- NHL Most Points (Art Ross Trophy)
- NHL Most Points by Defenseman
- NHL Most Points by Rookie
- NHL Most Valuable Player (Hart Trophy)
- NHL Most Valuable Player (Hart Trophy) Finalist
- NHL MVP Selected by NHLPA (Ted Lindsay Award)
- NHL Playoffs Most Assists
- NHL Playoffs Most Goals
- NHL Playoffs Most Points
- NHL Playoffs Most Points by Defenseman
- NHL Rookie of the Month
- NHL Rookie of the Year (Calder Trophy)
- NHL Rookie of the Year (Calder Trophy) Finalist
- NHL Second All-Star Team
- NHL Sportsmanship Award (Bill Masterton Trophy)
- NHL Sportsmanship Award (Bill Masterton Trophy) Finalist
- NHL Stanley Cup Champion
- NHL Stanley Cup Clinching Goal
- NHL Stanley Cup MVP (Conn Smythe Trophy)
- NHL Top Defensive Forward (Frank J. Selke Trophy)
- NHL Top Defensive Forward (Selke Trophy) Finalist
- NHL YoungStars Roster