1979β80 Hartford Whalers | |
---|---|
Division | 4th Norris |
Conference | 8th Wales |
1979β80 record | 27β34β19 |
Home record | 22β12β6 |
Road record | 5β22β13 |
Goals for | 303 |
Goals against | 312 |
Team information | |
General manager | Jack Kelley |
Coach | Don Blackburn |
Captain | Rick Ley |
Arena |
Springfield Civic Center (first 22 home games) Hartford Civic Center |
Average attendance | 9,833 (91.9%) [1] |
Minor league affiliate(s) |
Springfield Indians (
AHL) Cincinnati Stingers ( CHL) Utica Mohawks ( EHL) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Blaine Stoughton (56) |
Assists | Mike Rogers (61) |
Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
Penalty minutes | Nick Fotiu (107) |
Plus/minus | Mike Rogers (+29) |
Wins | John Garrett (16) |
Goals against average | Al Smith (3.67) |
The 1979β80 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' first season in the National Hockey League (NHL), first as the "Hartford Whalers", and eighth overall.
The Whalers were one of four World Hockey Association (WHA) franchises (with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets) that joined the league for the 1979β80 season. Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and AndrΓ© Lacroix all played the final NHL games of their illustrious careers with Hartford this season.
Hartford's draft picks from the 1979 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, on August 9, 1979.
Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/junior/club team (league) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | Ray Allison | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
2 | 39 | Stuart Smith | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) |
3 | 60 | Don Nachbaur | Canada | Billings Bighorns (WHL) |
4 | 81 | Ray Neufeld | Canada | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) |
5 | 102 | Mark Renaud | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
6 | 123 | Dave McDonald | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
Reclaiming of players: The 17 existing NHL teams were allowed to reclaim any rights to former WHA players they held. The four incoming franchises, however, were allowed to protect up to two goaltenders and two skaters, voiding their NHL rights. These players were considered "priority selections" in the expansion draft. Gordie Howe was one of two special cases (the other being Wayne Gretzky, for the Edmonton Oilers), as a gentlemen's agreement between the Hartford Whalers and the Detroit Red Wings, which held his rights, led to the Wings declining to reclaim Howe.
These are Hartford players whose NHL rights were reclaimed when the WHA merged with the NHL. This list is incomplete.
# | Player | Reclaimed From | Reclaimed By |
---|---|---|---|
2. | Alan Hangsleben ( D) | Hartford Whalers | Montreal Canadiens |
7. | Rick Ley (D) | Hartford Whalers | Toronto Maple Leafs |
9. | George Lyle (LW) | Hartford Whalers | Detroit Red Wings |
10. | Warren Miller ( RW) | Hartford Whalers | New York Rangers |
# | Player | Drafted From | Drafted By |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Rick Ley ( D) | Toronto Maple Leafs | Hartford Whalers |
2. | Nick Fotiu ( LW) | New York Rangers | Hartford Whalers |
3. | Al Sims (D) | Boston Bruins | Hartford Whalers |
4. | Bernie Johnston ( C/LW) | Philadelphia Flyers | Hartford Whalers |
5. | Brian Hill ( RW) | Atlanta Flames | Hartford Whalers |
6. | M. F. Schurman (LW) | Philadelphia Flyers | Hartford Whalers |
7. | Rick Hodgson (D) | Atlanta Flames | Hartford Whalers |
8. | Kevin Kemp (D) | Toronto Maple Leafs | Hartford Whalers |
9. | Jean Savard (C) | Chicago Black Hawks | Hartford Whalers |
10. | Alan Hangsleben (D) | Montreal Canadiens | Hartford Whalers |
11. | Ralph Klassen ( F) | Colorado Rockies | Hartford Whalers |
12. | Bill Bennett (LW) | Boston Bruins | Hartford Whalers |
13. | Dave Given (F) | Buffalo Sabres | Hartford Whalers |
14. | Nick Beverley (D) | Colorado Rockies | Hartford Whalers |
15. | Norm Lapointe G | Vancouver Canucks | Hartford Whalers |
16. | Don Kozak (F) | Vancouver Canucks | Hartford Whalers |
The Whalers played their first ever National Hockey League game on October 11, 1979, against the Minnesota North Stars at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Gordie Roberts scored the Whalers first goal in franchise history, as the Whalers lost to the North Stars 4β1. Two nights later, on October 13, the Whalers earned their first point, as they tied the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-3. The Whalers would end their season starting four game road trip with a 0-2-2 record.
On October 19, the Whalers played their first ever home game at the Springfield Civic Center, and were led by Mark Howe, as he scored two goals, including the Whalers first ever home goal, as the Whalers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6β3 in front of 7,626 fans. Goaltender John Garrett made 18 saves for the victory. [2]
Hartford earned their first road win on October 31, as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4β2 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Overall, the Whalers had a 2-4-4 record for eight points in October, sitting in fourth place in the Norris Division.
After winning their final game of October, the Whalers extended their winning streak to three games, as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second time in a row, this time by a 5β3 score at home with Gordie Howe leading the way with two goals, followed by a big 7β2 victory on the road against the Colorado Rockies to even their overall record to 4β4β4. The Black Hawks stopped the Whalers winning streak on November 9 as Chicago won the game 4β2 at the Civic Center.
On November 19, goaltender Al Smith stopped all 23 shots against the Edmonton Oilers to earn the first shutout in Whalers history, as Hartford won the game 4β0 at home.
The Whalers continued to hover around the .500 mark throughout the month, and by the end of November, they had an 8-8-6 record, earning 22 points and remained in fourth place in the Norris Division, just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third.
The Whalers opened the month with two ties on the road, as they skated to a 4β4 tie against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on December 1, followed by a 3β3 draw against the Washington Capitals at the Capital Centre to improve their record to 8β8β8 for the season.
Hartford then lost their next five games, including being shut out for the first time in team history, as on December 9 they lost 3β0 to the Edmonton Oilers at Northlands Coliseum. The Whalers snapped their five-game losing streak on December 19, with a 5β4 win over the Washington Capitals; however, the club ended December on a four-game winless streak (0β3β1).
For the month, the Whalers had a record of 1β8β3 in 12 games, and an overall record of 9β16β9, getting 27 points, as the team slipped into the Norris Division cellar, two points behind the Detroit Red Wings.
After the Whalers went 0β3β1 to finish December, the club opened January with a 0β4β1 record, extending their winless streak to nine games. Since December 1, the Whalers had a 1β12β4 record.
The team snapped out of their slump on January 12, as both Jordy Douglas and Blaine Stoughton scored twice, leading the Whalers to a 6β4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. This began a four-game winning streak for Hartford, as the team then defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 7β1, Chicago Black Hawks 5-3 and Winnipeg Jets 7β2.
The Montreal Canadiens ended the Whalers' winning streak on January 24, as they defeated Hartford 7β2, followed by a 3β2 loss to the New York Islanders two nights later; however, the Whalers won their final two games of the month, including a 6β1 victory over the Atlanta Flames, and an 8β2 win over their rivals, the Boston Bruins, to close the month.
The Whalers put together a record of 6-6-1 in January, improving to 15β22β10 for the season; however, the club remained in last place in the Norris Division, five points behind the Detroit Red Wings.
After dropping their first game of the month against the Atlanta Flames, the Whalers would then go on a six-game homestand, putting together a 3-1-2 record, highlighted by a 5β3 victory over the New York Islanders, led by Jordy Douglas and his four goals in their final game at the Springfield Civic Center on February 3. In their first game at the Hartford Civic Center on February 6, Mark Howe had two goals and two assists, leading the Whalers to a 7β3 win over the Los Angeles Kings in front of 14,448 fans.
After a loss on February 16 by a 5β3 score at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Whalers put together a three-game winning streak, scoring six goals in each of their wins. The Quebec Nordiques snapped the Whalers winning streak on February 26 by defeating Hartford 9β5. Hartford lost again the next night against the Boston Bruins by a 6β3 score, however, the team ended the month with a 3β0 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The Whalers put together their first winning month in team history, as the team went 7-5-2 in 14 games, and improved to 22-27-12 on the season, earning 56 points, and back into fourth place in the Norris Division, three points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, and only one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third.
Hartford won their first game of March by a score of 6β3 against the St. Louis Blues, however, the team would then go winless in their next four games (0β2β2). The Whalers snapped out of their slump with two straight wins, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3β1 on March 13, followed by a 4β1 victory over the Colorado Rockies two nights later on March 15.
After losing to the Minnesota North Stars 6β1 on March 16, the team would then tie their next three games, each by a 5β5 score, twice against the Montreal Canadiens and once against the Philadelphia Flyers to extend their winless skid to four games. Hartford then lost two more games in a row, which included a 7β0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, making it a six-game winless streak.
Hartford's winless streak would extend to eight games, as they tied the Vancouver Canucks 4-4, followed by a 2β2 tie against the Los Angeles Kings. The streak would continue, as Hartford then lost 5β4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 1, followed by a 6β4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins the following day, extending the Whalers streak to 10 games.
Hartford ended their winless streak on April 4 in convincing fashion, as the Whalers routed the Quebec Nordiques by a 9β2 score. Two nights later, in their last game of the season, the Whalers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5β3, highlighted by a Gordie Howe goal in his last ever regular season game in front of 10,687 fans at the Civic Center.
Overall, the Whalers finished their inaugural season with a 27-34-19 record, earning 73 points, and finished in fourth place in the Norris Division, earning a playoff berth. Their 73 points tied the Pittsburgh Penguins, however, the Penguins held the tie breaker, as Pittsburgh had 30 wins, and only one point behind the second place Los Angeles Kings. The Whalers finished 10 points ahead of the last place Detroit Red Wings.
When the WHA folded in 1979, the Hartford Whalers joined the NHL and the 51-year-old Howe signed on for one final season playing in all 80 games of the schedule, helping his team to make the playoffs with fifteen goals. One particular honor was when Howe, Phil Esposito, and Jean Ratelle were selected to the mid-season all-star game by coach Scotty Bowman, as a nod to their storied careers before they retired. Howe had played in five decades of all-star games and he would skate alongside the second-youngest to ever play in the game, 19-year-old Wayne Gretzky. The Joe Louis Arena crowd gave him a standing ovation twice, lasting so long, he had to skate to the bench to stop people from cheering. He had one assist in his side's 6β3 win.
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 47 | 20 | 13 | 328 | 240 | 107 |
Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 30 | 36 | 14 | 290 | 313 | 74 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 30 | 37 | 13 | 251 | 303 | 73 |
Hartford Whalers | 80 | 27 | 34 | 19 | 303 | 312 | 73 |
Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 26 | 43 | 11 | 268 | 306 | 63 |
[3]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
Norris Division record vs. opponents
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Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Campbell Conference
|
No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L | October 11, 1979 | 1β4 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 0β1β0 | 11,214 |
2 | T | October 13, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 0β1β1 | 8,623 |
3 | T | October 14, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 0β1β2 | 10,827 |
4 | L | October 17, 1979 | 1β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 0β2β2 | 16,433 |
5 | W | October 19, 1979 | 6β3 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 1β2β2 | 7,626 |
6 | L | October 20, 1979 | 1β6 | @ New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 1β3β2 | 14,556 |
7 | T | October 24, 1979 | 2β2 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 1β3β3 | 10,445 |
8 | L | October 26, 1979 | 1β2 | New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 1β4β3 | 7,267 |
9 | T | October 28, 1979 | 2β2 | @ New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 1β4β4 | 17,407 |
10 | W | October 31, 1979 | 4β2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 2β4β4 | 16,485 |
11 | W | November 2, 1979 | 5β3 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 3β4β4 | 7,643 |
12 | W | November 6, 1979 | 7β2 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 4β4β4 | 7,814 |
13 | L | November 9, 1979 | 2β4 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 4β5β4 | 7,618 |
14 | T | November 11, 1979 | 5β5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 4β5β5 | 9,634 |
15 | L | November 14, 1979 | 2β3 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 4β6β5 | 12,736 |
16 | W | November 17, 1979 | 4β0 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 5β6β5 | 7,627 |
17 | L | November 18, 1979 | 4β5 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 5β7β5 | 11,834 |
18 | W | November 21, 1979 | 5β3 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 6β7β5 | 7,627 |
19 | T | November 24, 1979 | 4β4 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 6β7β6 | 7,627 |
20 | W | November 25, 1979 | 4β2 | Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 7β7β6 | 7,627 |
21 | L | November 27, 1979 | 2β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 7β8β6 | 17,077 |
22 | W | November 30, 1979 | 7β5 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 8β8β6 | 7,627 |
23 | T | December 1, 1979 | 4β4 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 8β8β7 | 16,879 |
24 | T | December 4, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 8β8β8 | 6,946 |
25 | L | December 7, 1979 | 4β7 | New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 8β9β8 | 7,627 |
26 | L | December 9, 1979 | 0β3 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 8β10β8 | 15,423 |
27 | L | December 11, 1979 | 3β5 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 8β11β8 | 16,165 |
28 | L | December 12, 1979 | 4β7 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 8β12β8 | 8,732 |
29 | L | December 15, 1979 | 5β6 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 8β13β8 | 9,438 |
30 | W | December 19, 1979 | 5β4 | Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 9β13β8 | 7,100 |
31 | L | December 22, 1979 | 2β4 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 9β14β8 | 7,627 |
32 | L | December 23, 1979 | 2β4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 9β15β8 | 17,077 |
33 | T | December 26, 1979 | 4β4 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 9β15β9 | 7,627 |
34 | L | December 29, 1979 | 0β3 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 9β16β9 | 12,175 |
35 | T | January 2, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 9β16β10 | 15,423 |
36 | L | January 4, 1980 | 3β6 | Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 9β17β10 | 7,623 |
37 | L | January 6, 1980 | 1β2 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 9β18β10 | 7,627 |
38 | L | January 7, 1980 | 2β5 | @ New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 9β19β10 | 17,417 |
39 | L | January 9, 1980 | 2β6 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 9β20β10 | 9,346 |
40 | W | January 12, 1980 | 6β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 10β20β10 | 19,905 |
41 | W | January 17, 1980 | 7β1 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 11β20β10 | 7,627 |
42 | W | January 19, 1980 | 5β3 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 12β20β10 | 7,627 |
43 | W | January 21, 1980 | 7β2 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 13β20β10 | 7,627 |
44 | L | January 24, 1980 | 2β7 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 13β21β10 | 7,627 |
45 | L | January 26, 1980 | 2β3 | @ New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 13β22β10 | 14,995 |
46 | W | January 28, 1980 | 6β1 | Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 14β22β10 | 7,627 |
47 | W | January 30, 1980 | 8β2 | Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 15β22β10 | 7,627 |
48 | L | February 2, 1980 | 3β5 | @ Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 15β23β10 | 11,040 |
49 | W | February 3, 1980 | 5β3 | New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 16β23β10 | 7,627 |
50 | W | February 6, 1980 | 7β3 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 17β23β10 | 14,448 |
51 | T | February 8, 1980 | 4β4 | Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 17β23β11 | 10,726 |
52 | L | February 10, 1980 | 2β6 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 17β24β11 | 10,886 |
53 | T | February 12, 1980 | 5β5 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 17β24β12 | 10,043 |
54 | W | February 15, 1980 | 5β4 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 18β24β12 | 10,136 |
55 | L | February 16, 1980 | 3β5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 18β25β12 | 16,485 |
56 | W | February 18, 1980 | 6β4 | New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 19β25β12 | 14,318 |
57 | W | February 19, 1980 | 6β2 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 20β25β12 | 9,955 |
58 | W | February 23, 1980 | 6β5 | @ Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 21β25β12 | 9,868 |
59 | L | February 26, 1980 | 5β9 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 21β26β12 | 10,099 |
60 | L | February 27, 1980 | 3β6 | Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 21β27β12 | 14,460 |
61 | W | February 29, 1980 | 3β0 | St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 22β27β12 | 13,622 |
62 | W | March 1, 1980 | 6β3 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 23β27β12 | 14,192 |
63 | L | March 6, 1980 | 3β4 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 23β28β12 | 16,431 |
64 | L | March 8, 1980 | 5β9 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 23β29β12 | 10,521 |
65 | T | March 9, 1980 | 1β1 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 23β29β13 | 13,606 |
66 | T | March 12, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 23β29β14 | 19,041 |
67 | W | March 13, 1980 | 3β1 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 24β29β14 | 10,879 |
68 | W | March 15, 1980 | 4β1 | Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 25β29β14 | 14,460 |
69 | L | March 16, 1980 | 1β6 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 25β30β14 | 13,754 |
70 | T | March 19, 1980 | 5β5 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 25β30β15 | 14,366 |
71 | T | March 21, 1980 | 5β5 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 25β30β16 | 14,460 |
72 | T | March 22, 1980 | 5β5 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 25β30β17 | 17,893 |
73 | L | March 24, 1980 | 5β7 | St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 25β31β17 | 12,033 |
74 | L | March 26, 1980 | 0β7 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 25β32β17 | 13,151 |
75 | T | March 28, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 25β32β18 | 16,362 |
76 | T | March 29, 1980 | 2β2 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 25β32β19 | 12,848 |
77 | L | April 1, 1980 | 4β5 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 25β33β19 | 12,845 |
78 | L | April 2, 1980 | 4β6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 25β34β19 | 11,491 |
79 | W | April 4, 1980 | 9β2 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 26β34β19 | 14,356 |
80 | W | April 6, 1980 | 5β3 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 27β34β19 | 10,867 |
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Rogers | 80 | 44 | 61 | 105 | 10 | |
Blaine Stoughton | 80 | 56 | 44 | 100 | 16 | |
Mark Howe | 74 | 24 | 56 | 80 | 20 | |
Dave Keon | 76 | 10 | 52 | 62 | 10 | |
Jordy Douglas | 77 | 33 | 24 | 57 | 39 | |
Pat Boutette | 47 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 75 | |
Gordie Howe | 80 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 42 | |
Al Sims | 76 | 10 | 31 | 41 | 30 | |
Gordie Roberts | 80 | 8 | 28 | 36 | 89 |
Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al Smith | 30 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3.66 |
John Garrett | 52 | 16 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 3.98 |
The Whalers opened the 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal had finished the regular season with a 47-20-13 record, earning 107 points and had the best record in the Norris Division. The Canadiens had also won the last four Stanley Cup championships.
The series opened on April 8 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, and the Canadiens opened the scoring 5:50 into the game, when Yvon Lambert beat Whalers goaltender Al Smith to take a 1β0 lead. The Canadiens extended the lead to 2-0 when Brian Engblom beat Smith before the end of the first period. In the second period, Montreal continued to score, as Rick Chartraw made in 3-0 for the Canadiens, followed by a goal by Guy Lafleur to make it 4β0 after two periods. Yvon Lambert scored his second goal of the game midway through the third period, making it 5-0 Montreal, then the Canadiens Steve Shutt scored a powerplay goal at 13:15 of the third, making it 6-0 for the Canadiens. Hartford finally managed a goal late in the game, as Mark Howe scored with 4:59 remaining in the game, spoiling the shutout, as the final score was 6-1 for Montreal, and the Canadiens took a 1β0 series lead.
John Garrett got the start in goal for the Whalers in the second game, however, it was the Canadiens who scored early, as Doug Jarvis scored 30 seconds into the game, making it 1β0. Less than a minute later, RΓ©jean Houle scored another for Montreal, as the Canadiens had a 2β0 lead 1:20 into the game. Before the period was over, the Canadiens added another, as Yvon Lambert had his third goal of the series, making the score 3β0. The Canadiens Gaston Gingras opened the scoring 1:33 into the second period, giving the Habs a 4β0 lead. Ray Neufeld finally got the Whalers on the board, as Marty Howe and Gordie Howe set him up with a goal, as the Whalers cut into the lead, making 4β1. The Canadiens responded quickly though, as Bob Gainey scored 24 seconds later, making it 5-1 for the Canadiens. The Whalers Gordie Roberts made it 5-2 midway through the period, however, the Canadiens continued the route, as they scored three more goals in the period, making it 8β2 after two periods. Hartford's Marty Howe and Gordie Howe each scored goals in the third period, making the final score 8-4 for Montreal, and a 2β0 series lead for the Canadiens.
The series moved the Hartford Civic Center for the third game, making it the first home playoff game in team history in front of 14,460 fans. Goaltender Al Smith returned to the Whalers net, and Hartford opened the scoring when Pat Boutette scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at the 7:03 mark of the first period, giving the Whalers their first lead of the series. The Canadiens responded five minutes later on a goal by Guy Lafleur, as the score was 1β1 after a period of play. The Whalers Tom Rowe broke the tie 1:27 into the second period, making it 2-1 for the Whalers, but once again, the Canadiens tied it 2-2, after a goal by Yvon Lambert, his fifth of the series, less than five minutes later. The two teams remained tied heading into the third period. Montreal's RΓ©jean Houle scored early in the third, giving the Habs their first lead of the game; however, Tom Rowe of the Whalers tied the score midway through the period with his second goal of the game. Neither team could score again, sending the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Canadiens Yvon Lambert scored his second goal of the game, and sixth of the series, only 29 seconds into overtime, as Montreal won the game 4β3, and swept the series 3β0. This game marked the final game of Gordie Howe's career, as the 52-year-old retired after the season. The Whalers wouldn't return to the playoffs again until 1986.
April 8 | Hartford Whalers | 1 β 6 | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 5:50 β
Lambert (1) β (
Tremblay,
Robinson) 15:52 β Engblom (1) β ( Mondou, Lafleur) | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 11:59 β
Chartraw (1) β (
Jarvis) 13:59 β Lafleur (1) β ( Shutt, Larouche) | ||||||
Mark Howe (1) β ( Rogers) β 15:01 | Third period | 10:27 β
Lambert (2) β (
Mondou,
Langway) 13:15 β pp β Shutt (1) β ( Larouche, Robinson) | ||||||
Smith (0-1) (31 saves / 37 shots) | Goalie stats | Herron (1-0) (20 saves / 21 shots) |
April 9 | Hartford Whalers | 4 β 8 | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 0:30 β
Jarvis (1) β (
Engblom) 1:20 β Houle (1) β ( Lambert, Tremblay) 16:32 β Lambert (3) β ( Tremblay) | ||||||
Neufeld (1) β (
Marty Howe,
G. Howe) β 6:22 Roberts (1) β ( Allison, Rogers) β 11:26 |
Second period | 1:33 β
Gingras (1) β (
Jarvis,
Chartraw) 6:46 β Gainey (1) β ( Langway, Jarvis) 12:45 β Lambert (4) β ( Gingras, Tremblay) 13:53 β Shutt (2) β (Unassisted) 19:49 β Lafleur (2) β ( Houle, Robinson) | ||||||
Marty Howe (1) β (
Mark Howe,
Rogers) β 5:55 G. Howe (1) β ( Mark Howe) β 13:59 |
Third period | No scoring | ||||||
John Garrett (0-1) (32 saves / 40 shots) | Goalie stats | Denis Herron (2-0) (23 saves / 27 shots) |
April 11 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 β 3 | OT | Hartford Whalers | Hartford Civic Center | Recap | ||
Lafleur (3) β ( Shutt, Engblom) β 12:17 | First period | 7:03 β sh β Pat Boutette (1) β (Unassisted) | ||||||
Lambert (5) β pp β ( Larouche, Napier) β 5:03 | Second period | 1:27 β Rowe (1) β ( Keon, Alley) | ||||||
Houle (2) β ( Lambert, Tremblay) β 2:58 | Third period | 8:04 β Rowe (2) β ( Roberts, Johnston) | ||||||
Lambert (6) β ( Tremblay, Houle) β 0:29 | First overtime period | No scoring | ||||||
Michel Larocque (1-0) (25 saves / 28 shots) | Goalie stats | Al Smith (0-2) (23 saves / 27 shots) |
Montreal wins series 3 β 0 | |
1980 NHL All-Star Game
The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1979β80 season.
June 14, 1979 | To
New York Islanders Ralph Klassen |
To
Hartford Whalers Terry Richardson |
December 24, 1979 | To
Toronto Maple Leafs Bob Stephenson |
To
Hartford Whalers Pat Boutette |
January 17, 1980 | To
Washington Capitals Alan Hangsleben |
To
Hartford Whalers Tom Rowe |
February 27, 1980 | To
Winnipeg Jets Future Considerations |
To
Hartford Whalers Bobby Hull |
Player | Former Team |
Chuck Luksa | Cincinnati Stingers, WHA |
Greg Carroll | Detroit Red Wings |
Larry Giroux | St. Louis Blues |
1979β80 Hartford Whalers | |
---|---|
Division | 4th Norris |
Conference | 8th Wales |
1979β80 record | 27β34β19 |
Home record | 22β12β6 |
Road record | 5β22β13 |
Goals for | 303 |
Goals against | 312 |
Team information | |
General manager | Jack Kelley |
Coach | Don Blackburn |
Captain | Rick Ley |
Arena |
Springfield Civic Center (first 22 home games) Hartford Civic Center |
Average attendance | 9,833 (91.9%) [1] |
Minor league affiliate(s) |
Springfield Indians (
AHL) Cincinnati Stingers ( CHL) Utica Mohawks ( EHL) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Blaine Stoughton (56) |
Assists | Mike Rogers (61) |
Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
Penalty minutes | Nick Fotiu (107) |
Plus/minus | Mike Rogers (+29) |
Wins | John Garrett (16) |
Goals against average | Al Smith (3.67) |
The 1979β80 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' first season in the National Hockey League (NHL), first as the "Hartford Whalers", and eighth overall.
The Whalers were one of four World Hockey Association (WHA) franchises (with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets) that joined the league for the 1979β80 season. Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and AndrΓ© Lacroix all played the final NHL games of their illustrious careers with Hartford this season.
Hartford's draft picks from the 1979 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, on August 9, 1979.
Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/junior/club team (league) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | Ray Allison | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
2 | 39 | Stuart Smith | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) |
3 | 60 | Don Nachbaur | Canada | Billings Bighorns (WHL) |
4 | 81 | Ray Neufeld | Canada | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) |
5 | 102 | Mark Renaud | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
6 | 123 | Dave McDonald | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
Reclaiming of players: The 17 existing NHL teams were allowed to reclaim any rights to former WHA players they held. The four incoming franchises, however, were allowed to protect up to two goaltenders and two skaters, voiding their NHL rights. These players were considered "priority selections" in the expansion draft. Gordie Howe was one of two special cases (the other being Wayne Gretzky, for the Edmonton Oilers), as a gentlemen's agreement between the Hartford Whalers and the Detroit Red Wings, which held his rights, led to the Wings declining to reclaim Howe.
These are Hartford players whose NHL rights were reclaimed when the WHA merged with the NHL. This list is incomplete.
# | Player | Reclaimed From | Reclaimed By |
---|---|---|---|
2. | Alan Hangsleben ( D) | Hartford Whalers | Montreal Canadiens |
7. | Rick Ley (D) | Hartford Whalers | Toronto Maple Leafs |
9. | George Lyle (LW) | Hartford Whalers | Detroit Red Wings |
10. | Warren Miller ( RW) | Hartford Whalers | New York Rangers |
# | Player | Drafted From | Drafted By |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Rick Ley ( D) | Toronto Maple Leafs | Hartford Whalers |
2. | Nick Fotiu ( LW) | New York Rangers | Hartford Whalers |
3. | Al Sims (D) | Boston Bruins | Hartford Whalers |
4. | Bernie Johnston ( C/LW) | Philadelphia Flyers | Hartford Whalers |
5. | Brian Hill ( RW) | Atlanta Flames | Hartford Whalers |
6. | M. F. Schurman (LW) | Philadelphia Flyers | Hartford Whalers |
7. | Rick Hodgson (D) | Atlanta Flames | Hartford Whalers |
8. | Kevin Kemp (D) | Toronto Maple Leafs | Hartford Whalers |
9. | Jean Savard (C) | Chicago Black Hawks | Hartford Whalers |
10. | Alan Hangsleben (D) | Montreal Canadiens | Hartford Whalers |
11. | Ralph Klassen ( F) | Colorado Rockies | Hartford Whalers |
12. | Bill Bennett (LW) | Boston Bruins | Hartford Whalers |
13. | Dave Given (F) | Buffalo Sabres | Hartford Whalers |
14. | Nick Beverley (D) | Colorado Rockies | Hartford Whalers |
15. | Norm Lapointe G | Vancouver Canucks | Hartford Whalers |
16. | Don Kozak (F) | Vancouver Canucks | Hartford Whalers |
The Whalers played their first ever National Hockey League game on October 11, 1979, against the Minnesota North Stars at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Gordie Roberts scored the Whalers first goal in franchise history, as the Whalers lost to the North Stars 4β1. Two nights later, on October 13, the Whalers earned their first point, as they tied the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-3. The Whalers would end their season starting four game road trip with a 0-2-2 record.
On October 19, the Whalers played their first ever home game at the Springfield Civic Center, and were led by Mark Howe, as he scored two goals, including the Whalers first ever home goal, as the Whalers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6β3 in front of 7,626 fans. Goaltender John Garrett made 18 saves for the victory. [2]
Hartford earned their first road win on October 31, as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4β2 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Overall, the Whalers had a 2-4-4 record for eight points in October, sitting in fourth place in the Norris Division.
After winning their final game of October, the Whalers extended their winning streak to three games, as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second time in a row, this time by a 5β3 score at home with Gordie Howe leading the way with two goals, followed by a big 7β2 victory on the road against the Colorado Rockies to even their overall record to 4β4β4. The Black Hawks stopped the Whalers winning streak on November 9 as Chicago won the game 4β2 at the Civic Center.
On November 19, goaltender Al Smith stopped all 23 shots against the Edmonton Oilers to earn the first shutout in Whalers history, as Hartford won the game 4β0 at home.
The Whalers continued to hover around the .500 mark throughout the month, and by the end of November, they had an 8-8-6 record, earning 22 points and remained in fourth place in the Norris Division, just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third.
The Whalers opened the month with two ties on the road, as they skated to a 4β4 tie against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on December 1, followed by a 3β3 draw against the Washington Capitals at the Capital Centre to improve their record to 8β8β8 for the season.
Hartford then lost their next five games, including being shut out for the first time in team history, as on December 9 they lost 3β0 to the Edmonton Oilers at Northlands Coliseum. The Whalers snapped their five-game losing streak on December 19, with a 5β4 win over the Washington Capitals; however, the club ended December on a four-game winless streak (0β3β1).
For the month, the Whalers had a record of 1β8β3 in 12 games, and an overall record of 9β16β9, getting 27 points, as the team slipped into the Norris Division cellar, two points behind the Detroit Red Wings.
After the Whalers went 0β3β1 to finish December, the club opened January with a 0β4β1 record, extending their winless streak to nine games. Since December 1, the Whalers had a 1β12β4 record.
The team snapped out of their slump on January 12, as both Jordy Douglas and Blaine Stoughton scored twice, leading the Whalers to a 6β4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. This began a four-game winning streak for Hartford, as the team then defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 7β1, Chicago Black Hawks 5-3 and Winnipeg Jets 7β2.
The Montreal Canadiens ended the Whalers' winning streak on January 24, as they defeated Hartford 7β2, followed by a 3β2 loss to the New York Islanders two nights later; however, the Whalers won their final two games of the month, including a 6β1 victory over the Atlanta Flames, and an 8β2 win over their rivals, the Boston Bruins, to close the month.
The Whalers put together a record of 6-6-1 in January, improving to 15β22β10 for the season; however, the club remained in last place in the Norris Division, five points behind the Detroit Red Wings.
After dropping their first game of the month against the Atlanta Flames, the Whalers would then go on a six-game homestand, putting together a 3-1-2 record, highlighted by a 5β3 victory over the New York Islanders, led by Jordy Douglas and his four goals in their final game at the Springfield Civic Center on February 3. In their first game at the Hartford Civic Center on February 6, Mark Howe had two goals and two assists, leading the Whalers to a 7β3 win over the Los Angeles Kings in front of 14,448 fans.
After a loss on February 16 by a 5β3 score at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Whalers put together a three-game winning streak, scoring six goals in each of their wins. The Quebec Nordiques snapped the Whalers winning streak on February 26 by defeating Hartford 9β5. Hartford lost again the next night against the Boston Bruins by a 6β3 score, however, the team ended the month with a 3β0 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The Whalers put together their first winning month in team history, as the team went 7-5-2 in 14 games, and improved to 22-27-12 on the season, earning 56 points, and back into fourth place in the Norris Division, three points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, and only one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third.
Hartford won their first game of March by a score of 6β3 against the St. Louis Blues, however, the team would then go winless in their next four games (0β2β2). The Whalers snapped out of their slump with two straight wins, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3β1 on March 13, followed by a 4β1 victory over the Colorado Rockies two nights later on March 15.
After losing to the Minnesota North Stars 6β1 on March 16, the team would then tie their next three games, each by a 5β5 score, twice against the Montreal Canadiens and once against the Philadelphia Flyers to extend their winless skid to four games. Hartford then lost two more games in a row, which included a 7β0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, making it a six-game winless streak.
Hartford's winless streak would extend to eight games, as they tied the Vancouver Canucks 4-4, followed by a 2β2 tie against the Los Angeles Kings. The streak would continue, as Hartford then lost 5β4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 1, followed by a 6β4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins the following day, extending the Whalers streak to 10 games.
Hartford ended their winless streak on April 4 in convincing fashion, as the Whalers routed the Quebec Nordiques by a 9β2 score. Two nights later, in their last game of the season, the Whalers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5β3, highlighted by a Gordie Howe goal in his last ever regular season game in front of 10,687 fans at the Civic Center.
Overall, the Whalers finished their inaugural season with a 27-34-19 record, earning 73 points, and finished in fourth place in the Norris Division, earning a playoff berth. Their 73 points tied the Pittsburgh Penguins, however, the Penguins held the tie breaker, as Pittsburgh had 30 wins, and only one point behind the second place Los Angeles Kings. The Whalers finished 10 points ahead of the last place Detroit Red Wings.
When the WHA folded in 1979, the Hartford Whalers joined the NHL and the 51-year-old Howe signed on for one final season playing in all 80 games of the schedule, helping his team to make the playoffs with fifteen goals. One particular honor was when Howe, Phil Esposito, and Jean Ratelle were selected to the mid-season all-star game by coach Scotty Bowman, as a nod to their storied careers before they retired. Howe had played in five decades of all-star games and he would skate alongside the second-youngest to ever play in the game, 19-year-old Wayne Gretzky. The Joe Louis Arena crowd gave him a standing ovation twice, lasting so long, he had to skate to the bench to stop people from cheering. He had one assist in his side's 6β3 win.
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 47 | 20 | 13 | 328 | 240 | 107 |
Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 30 | 36 | 14 | 290 | 313 | 74 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 30 | 37 | 13 | 251 | 303 | 73 |
Hartford Whalers | 80 | 27 | 34 | 19 | 303 | 312 | 73 |
Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 26 | 43 | 11 | 268 | 306 | 63 |
[3]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
Norris Division record vs. opponents
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Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Campbell Conference
|
No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L | October 11, 1979 | 1β4 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 0β1β0 | 11,214 |
2 | T | October 13, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 0β1β1 | 8,623 |
3 | T | October 14, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 0β1β2 | 10,827 |
4 | L | October 17, 1979 | 1β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 0β2β2 | 16,433 |
5 | W | October 19, 1979 | 6β3 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 1β2β2 | 7,626 |
6 | L | October 20, 1979 | 1β6 | @ New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 1β3β2 | 14,556 |
7 | T | October 24, 1979 | 2β2 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 1β3β3 | 10,445 |
8 | L | October 26, 1979 | 1β2 | New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 1β4β3 | 7,267 |
9 | T | October 28, 1979 | 2β2 | @ New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 1β4β4 | 17,407 |
10 | W | October 31, 1979 | 4β2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 2β4β4 | 16,485 |
11 | W | November 2, 1979 | 5β3 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 3β4β4 | 7,643 |
12 | W | November 6, 1979 | 7β2 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 4β4β4 | 7,814 |
13 | L | November 9, 1979 | 2β4 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 4β5β4 | 7,618 |
14 | T | November 11, 1979 | 5β5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 4β5β5 | 9,634 |
15 | L | November 14, 1979 | 2β3 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 4β6β5 | 12,736 |
16 | W | November 17, 1979 | 4β0 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 5β6β5 | 7,627 |
17 | L | November 18, 1979 | 4β5 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 5β7β5 | 11,834 |
18 | W | November 21, 1979 | 5β3 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 6β7β5 | 7,627 |
19 | T | November 24, 1979 | 4β4 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 6β7β6 | 7,627 |
20 | W | November 25, 1979 | 4β2 | Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 7β7β6 | 7,627 |
21 | L | November 27, 1979 | 2β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 7β8β6 | 17,077 |
22 | W | November 30, 1979 | 7β5 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 8β8β6 | 7,627 |
23 | T | December 1, 1979 | 4β4 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 8β8β7 | 16,879 |
24 | T | December 4, 1979 | 3β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 8β8β8 | 6,946 |
25 | L | December 7, 1979 | 4β7 | New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 8β9β8 | 7,627 |
26 | L | December 9, 1979 | 0β3 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 8β10β8 | 15,423 |
27 | L | December 11, 1979 | 3β5 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 8β11β8 | 16,165 |
28 | L | December 12, 1979 | 4β7 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 8β12β8 | 8,732 |
29 | L | December 15, 1979 | 5β6 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 8β13β8 | 9,438 |
30 | W | December 19, 1979 | 5β4 | Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 9β13β8 | 7,100 |
31 | L | December 22, 1979 | 2β4 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 9β14β8 | 7,627 |
32 | L | December 23, 1979 | 2β4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 9β15β8 | 17,077 |
33 | T | December 26, 1979 | 4β4 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 9β15β9 | 7,627 |
34 | L | December 29, 1979 | 0β3 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 9β16β9 | 12,175 |
35 | T | January 2, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 9β16β10 | 15,423 |
36 | L | January 4, 1980 | 3β6 | Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 9β17β10 | 7,623 |
37 | L | January 6, 1980 | 1β2 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 9β18β10 | 7,627 |
38 | L | January 7, 1980 | 2β5 | @ New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 9β19β10 | 17,417 |
39 | L | January 9, 1980 | 2β6 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 9β20β10 | 9,346 |
40 | W | January 12, 1980 | 6β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 10β20β10 | 19,905 |
41 | W | January 17, 1980 | 7β1 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 11β20β10 | 7,627 |
42 | W | January 19, 1980 | 5β3 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1979β80) | 12β20β10 | 7,627 |
43 | W | January 21, 1980 | 7β2 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 13β20β10 | 7,627 |
44 | L | January 24, 1980 | 2β7 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 13β21β10 | 7,627 |
45 | L | January 26, 1980 | 2β3 | @ New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 13β22β10 | 14,995 |
46 | W | January 28, 1980 | 6β1 | Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 14β22β10 | 7,627 |
47 | W | January 30, 1980 | 8β2 | Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 15β22β10 | 7,627 |
48 | L | February 2, 1980 | 3β5 | @ Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 15β23β10 | 11,040 |
49 | W | February 3, 1980 | 5β3 | New York Islanders ( 1979β80) | 16β23β10 | 7,627 |
50 | W | February 6, 1980 | 7β3 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 17β23β10 | 14,448 |
51 | T | February 8, 1980 | 4β4 | Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 17β23β11 | 10,726 |
52 | L | February 10, 1980 | 2β6 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 17β24β11 | 10,886 |
53 | T | February 12, 1980 | 5β5 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 17β24β12 | 10,043 |
54 | W | February 15, 1980 | 5β4 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 18β24β12 | 10,136 |
55 | L | February 16, 1980 | 3β5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 18β25β12 | 16,485 |
56 | W | February 18, 1980 | 6β4 | New York Rangers ( 1979β80) | 19β25β12 | 14,318 |
57 | W | February 19, 1980 | 6β2 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1979β80) | 20β25β12 | 9,955 |
58 | W | February 23, 1980 | 6β5 | @ Atlanta Flames ( 1979β80) | 21β25β12 | 9,868 |
59 | L | February 26, 1980 | 5β9 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 21β26β12 | 10,099 |
60 | L | February 27, 1980 | 3β6 | Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 21β27β12 | 14,460 |
61 | W | February 29, 1980 | 3β0 | St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 22β27β12 | 13,622 |
62 | W | March 1, 1980 | 6β3 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 23β27β12 | 14,192 |
63 | L | March 6, 1980 | 3β4 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1979β80) | 23β28β12 | 16,431 |
64 | L | March 8, 1980 | 5β9 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1979β80) | 23β29β12 | 10,521 |
65 | T | March 9, 1980 | 1β1 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1979β80) | 23β29β13 | 13,606 |
66 | T | March 12, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 23β29β14 | 19,041 |
67 | W | March 13, 1980 | 3β1 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 24β29β14 | 10,879 |
68 | W | March 15, 1980 | 4β1 | Colorado Rockies ( 1979β80) | 25β29β14 | 14,460 |
69 | L | March 16, 1980 | 1β6 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1979β80) | 25β30β14 | 13,754 |
70 | T | March 19, 1980 | 5β5 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 25β30β15 | 14,366 |
71 | T | March 21, 1980 | 5β5 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1979β80) | 25β30β16 | 14,460 |
72 | T | March 22, 1980 | 5β5 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1979β80) | 25β30β17 | 17,893 |
73 | L | March 24, 1980 | 5β7 | St. Louis Blues ( 1979β80) | 25β31β17 | 12,033 |
74 | L | March 26, 1980 | 0β7 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1979β80) | 25β32β17 | 13,151 |
75 | T | March 28, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1979β80) | 25β32β18 | 16,362 |
76 | T | March 29, 1980 | 2β2 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1979β80) | 25β32β19 | 12,848 |
77 | L | April 1, 1980 | 4β5 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1979β80) | 25β33β19 | 12,845 |
78 | L | April 2, 1980 | 4β6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1979β80) | 25β34β19 | 11,491 |
79 | W | April 4, 1980 | 9β2 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1979β80) | 26β34β19 | 14,356 |
80 | W | April 6, 1980 | 5β3 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1979β80) | 27β34β19 | 10,867 |
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Rogers | 80 | 44 | 61 | 105 | 10 | |
Blaine Stoughton | 80 | 56 | 44 | 100 | 16 | |
Mark Howe | 74 | 24 | 56 | 80 | 20 | |
Dave Keon | 76 | 10 | 52 | 62 | 10 | |
Jordy Douglas | 77 | 33 | 24 | 57 | 39 | |
Pat Boutette | 47 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 75 | |
Gordie Howe | 80 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 42 | |
Al Sims | 76 | 10 | 31 | 41 | 30 | |
Gordie Roberts | 80 | 8 | 28 | 36 | 89 |
Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al Smith | 30 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3.66 |
John Garrett | 52 | 16 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 3.98 |
The Whalers opened the 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal had finished the regular season with a 47-20-13 record, earning 107 points and had the best record in the Norris Division. The Canadiens had also won the last four Stanley Cup championships.
The series opened on April 8 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, and the Canadiens opened the scoring 5:50 into the game, when Yvon Lambert beat Whalers goaltender Al Smith to take a 1β0 lead. The Canadiens extended the lead to 2-0 when Brian Engblom beat Smith before the end of the first period. In the second period, Montreal continued to score, as Rick Chartraw made in 3-0 for the Canadiens, followed by a goal by Guy Lafleur to make it 4β0 after two periods. Yvon Lambert scored his second goal of the game midway through the third period, making it 5-0 Montreal, then the Canadiens Steve Shutt scored a powerplay goal at 13:15 of the third, making it 6-0 for the Canadiens. Hartford finally managed a goal late in the game, as Mark Howe scored with 4:59 remaining in the game, spoiling the shutout, as the final score was 6-1 for Montreal, and the Canadiens took a 1β0 series lead.
John Garrett got the start in goal for the Whalers in the second game, however, it was the Canadiens who scored early, as Doug Jarvis scored 30 seconds into the game, making it 1β0. Less than a minute later, RΓ©jean Houle scored another for Montreal, as the Canadiens had a 2β0 lead 1:20 into the game. Before the period was over, the Canadiens added another, as Yvon Lambert had his third goal of the series, making the score 3β0. The Canadiens Gaston Gingras opened the scoring 1:33 into the second period, giving the Habs a 4β0 lead. Ray Neufeld finally got the Whalers on the board, as Marty Howe and Gordie Howe set him up with a goal, as the Whalers cut into the lead, making 4β1. The Canadiens responded quickly though, as Bob Gainey scored 24 seconds later, making it 5-1 for the Canadiens. The Whalers Gordie Roberts made it 5-2 midway through the period, however, the Canadiens continued the route, as they scored three more goals in the period, making it 8β2 after two periods. Hartford's Marty Howe and Gordie Howe each scored goals in the third period, making the final score 8-4 for Montreal, and a 2β0 series lead for the Canadiens.
The series moved the Hartford Civic Center for the third game, making it the first home playoff game in team history in front of 14,460 fans. Goaltender Al Smith returned to the Whalers net, and Hartford opened the scoring when Pat Boutette scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at the 7:03 mark of the first period, giving the Whalers their first lead of the series. The Canadiens responded five minutes later on a goal by Guy Lafleur, as the score was 1β1 after a period of play. The Whalers Tom Rowe broke the tie 1:27 into the second period, making it 2-1 for the Whalers, but once again, the Canadiens tied it 2-2, after a goal by Yvon Lambert, his fifth of the series, less than five minutes later. The two teams remained tied heading into the third period. Montreal's RΓ©jean Houle scored early in the third, giving the Habs their first lead of the game; however, Tom Rowe of the Whalers tied the score midway through the period with his second goal of the game. Neither team could score again, sending the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Canadiens Yvon Lambert scored his second goal of the game, and sixth of the series, only 29 seconds into overtime, as Montreal won the game 4β3, and swept the series 3β0. This game marked the final game of Gordie Howe's career, as the 52-year-old retired after the season. The Whalers wouldn't return to the playoffs again until 1986.
April 8 | Hartford Whalers | 1 β 6 | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 5:50 β
Lambert (1) β (
Tremblay,
Robinson) 15:52 β Engblom (1) β ( Mondou, Lafleur) | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 11:59 β
Chartraw (1) β (
Jarvis) 13:59 β Lafleur (1) β ( Shutt, Larouche) | ||||||
Mark Howe (1) β ( Rogers) β 15:01 | Third period | 10:27 β
Lambert (2) β (
Mondou,
Langway) 13:15 β pp β Shutt (1) β ( Larouche, Robinson) | ||||||
Smith (0-1) (31 saves / 37 shots) | Goalie stats | Herron (1-0) (20 saves / 21 shots) |
April 9 | Hartford Whalers | 4 β 8 | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 0:30 β
Jarvis (1) β (
Engblom) 1:20 β Houle (1) β ( Lambert, Tremblay) 16:32 β Lambert (3) β ( Tremblay) | ||||||
Neufeld (1) β (
Marty Howe,
G. Howe) β 6:22 Roberts (1) β ( Allison, Rogers) β 11:26 |
Second period | 1:33 β
Gingras (1) β (
Jarvis,
Chartraw) 6:46 β Gainey (1) β ( Langway, Jarvis) 12:45 β Lambert (4) β ( Gingras, Tremblay) 13:53 β Shutt (2) β (Unassisted) 19:49 β Lafleur (2) β ( Houle, Robinson) | ||||||
Marty Howe (1) β (
Mark Howe,
Rogers) β 5:55 G. Howe (1) β ( Mark Howe) β 13:59 |
Third period | No scoring | ||||||
John Garrett (0-1) (32 saves / 40 shots) | Goalie stats | Denis Herron (2-0) (23 saves / 27 shots) |
April 11 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 β 3 | OT | Hartford Whalers | Hartford Civic Center | Recap | ||
Lafleur (3) β ( Shutt, Engblom) β 12:17 | First period | 7:03 β sh β Pat Boutette (1) β (Unassisted) | ||||||
Lambert (5) β pp β ( Larouche, Napier) β 5:03 | Second period | 1:27 β Rowe (1) β ( Keon, Alley) | ||||||
Houle (2) β ( Lambert, Tremblay) β 2:58 | Third period | 8:04 β Rowe (2) β ( Roberts, Johnston) | ||||||
Lambert (6) β ( Tremblay, Houle) β 0:29 | First overtime period | No scoring | ||||||
Michel Larocque (1-0) (25 saves / 28 shots) | Goalie stats | Al Smith (0-2) (23 saves / 27 shots) |
Montreal wins series 3 β 0 | |
1980 NHL All-Star Game
The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1979β80 season.
June 14, 1979 | To
New York Islanders Ralph Klassen |
To
Hartford Whalers Terry Richardson |
December 24, 1979 | To
Toronto Maple Leafs Bob Stephenson |
To
Hartford Whalers Pat Boutette |
January 17, 1980 | To
Washington Capitals Alan Hangsleben |
To
Hartford Whalers Tom Rowe |
February 27, 1980 | To
Winnipeg Jets Future Considerations |
To
Hartford Whalers Bobby Hull |
Player | Former Team |
Chuck Luksa | Cincinnati Stingers, WHA |
Greg Carroll | Detroit Red Wings |
Larry Giroux | St. Louis Blues |