1978–79 Quebec Nordiques season

1978–79 Quebec Nordiques
Division 2nd WHA
1978–79 record 41–34–5
Home record 24–13–4
Road record 17–21–1
Goals for 288
Goals against 271
Team information
General Manager Maurice Filion
Coach Jacques Demers
Captain Marc Tardif
Arena Colisée Pepsi
Team leaders
Goals Real Cloutier (75)
Assists Marc Tardif (55)
Points Real Cloutier (129)
Penalties in minutes Paul Baxter (240)
Plus/minus Marc Tardif (+25)
Wins Richard Brodeur (25)
Goals against average Richard Brodeur (3.11)
<1977–78 1979–80>

The 1978–79 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques' seventh season in the WHA, were coming off of a 40-37-3 record in the 1977–78 season and a loss in the playoff semi-finals. The Nordiques improved to 41–34–5 to qualify for the playoffs, but lost in the first round to eventual Avco Cup champions Winnipeg Jets.

After the season was finished, the WHA announced that four of its teams, the Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers and Winnipeg Jets would be admitted to the National Hockey League as expansion teams for the 1979–80 NHL season, and that the WHA would cease operations. During their seven seasons in the WHA, Quebec had a record of 295-237-24, while winning the 1977 Avco Cup.

Off-season

During the off-season, the league would lose the Houston Aeros, as they elected to fold as the club was not part of an NHL-WHA merger, leaving the WHA with seven teams. The league also announced that games against all-star teams from the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Finland would once again count in the standings. The Nordiques would hire a new head coach, as Jacques Demers would take over from Maurice Filion, who ended the previous season as the interim head coach. Demers had previously coached the Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers.

Regular season

The Nordiques would start the season slowly, going winless in their opening five games, however, the team snapped out of their slump, winning ten of their next thirteen games to push themselves over the .500 mark. Quebec would stay consistent throughout the season, easily clinching a playoff berth, as the Nordiques would finish the season with a 41-34-5 record, finishing second in the league behind the Edmonton Oilers, who had eleven more points than Quebec.

Offensively, Quebec was led by Real Cloutier, who won the Bill Hunter Trophy by earning a league high 129 points. It was the fourth year in a row that a player from the Nordiques (Marc Tardif in 1976 and 1978, and Cloutier in 1977) would win that award. Cloutier scored a team record 75 goals, and added 54 assists. Marc Tardif had another solid season, scoring 41 goals and 96 points, while Serge Bernier added 36 goals and 82 points. Rich Leduc joined the 30 goal club, as he registered 30 goals and 62 points. On defense, Paul Baxter led the way, scoring 10 goals and 46 points, as well as a team high 240 PIM. Forty-year-old J. C. Tremblay had a productive year, earning 44 points in 56 games.

In goal, Richard Brodeur and Jim Corsi split the action, with Brodeur winning a team high 25 games, as well as a club best 3.11 GAA. Corsi had 16 victories and a 3.30 GAA, while both goaltenders earned three shutouts.

Season standings

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points

WHA Team GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Edmonton Oilers 80 48 30 2 98 340 266 1220
Quebec Nordiques 80 41 34 5 87 288 271 1399
Winnipeg Jets 80 39 35 6 84 307 306 1342
New England Whalers 80 37 34 9 83 298 287 1090
Cincinnati Stingers 80 33 41 6 72 274 284 1651
Birmingham Bulls 80 32 42 6 70 286 311 1661
xIndianapolis Racers 25 5 18 2 12 78 130 557
#Soviet All-Stars 6 4 1 1 9 27 20 77
#Czechoslovakia 6 1 4 1 3 14 33 107
#Finland 1 0 1 0 0 4 8 2

x-team folded during season #-played limited schedule

Schedule and results

# Date Visitor Score Home Record Pts
1 October 15 New England Whalers 6–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–1–0 0
2 October 17 Cincinnati Stingers 5–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–1–1 1
3 October 18 Indianapolis Racers 4–0 Quebec Nordiques 0–2–1 1
4 October 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–7 New England Whalers 0–3–1 1
5 October 22 Birmingham Bulls 8–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–4–1 1
6 October 25 Cincinnati Stingers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 1–4–1 3
7 October 26 New England Whalers 5–8 Quebec Nordiques 2–4–1 5
8 October 28 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 Cincinnati Stingers 2–5–1 5
9 October 29 Quebec Nordiques 6–2 Edmonton Oilers 3–5–1 7
10 October 31 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Edmonton Oilers 4–5–1 9
11 November 3 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Birmingham Bulls 5–5–1 11
12 November 4 Quebec Nordiques 3–1 Birmingham Bulls 6–5–1 13
13 November 5 Edmonton Oilers 0–2 Quebec Nordiques 7–5–1 15
14 November 7 Winnipeg Jets 2–1 Quebec Nordiques 7–6–1 15
15 November 8 Edmonton Oilers 6–5 Quebec Nordiques 7–7–1 15
16 November 11 Indianapolis Racers 2–8 Quebec Nordiques 8–7–1 17
17 November 12 Quebec Nordiques 6–4 Winnipeg Jets 9–7–1 19
18 November 15 Winnipeg Jets 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 10–7–1 21
19 November 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 Edmonton Oilers 10–8–1 21
20 November 24 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 Edmonton Oilers 10–9–1 21
21 November 26 Winnipeg Jets 2–2 Quebec Nordiques 10–9–2 22
22 November 29 Birmingham Bulls 4–7 Quebec Nordiques 11–9–2 24
23 December 2 Cincinnati Stingers 0–2 Quebec Nordiques 12–9–2 26
24 December 3 Winnipeg Jets 3–5 Quebec Nordiques 13–9–2 28
25 December 6 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 14–9–2 30
26 December 9 Cincinnati Stingers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 15–9–2 32
27 December 10 Quebec Nordiques 4–4 Winnipeg Jets 15–9–3 33
28 December 12 Soviet All-Stars 6–3 Quebec Nordiques 15–10–3 33
29 December 14 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 16–10–3 35
30 December 16 Quebec Nordiques 1–2 New England Whalers 16–11–3 35
31 December 17 New England Whalers 4–4 Quebec Nordiques 16–11–4 36
32 December 22 Quebec Nordiques 5–1 Birmingham Bulls 17–11–4 38
33 December 23 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Cincinnati Stingers 17–12–4 38
34 December 28 Czechoslovakian All-Stars 0–4 Quebec Nordiques 18–12–4 40
35 December 30 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 19–12–4 42
36 January 7 Quebec Nordiques 2–3 Winnipeg Jets 19–13–4 42
37 January 9 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Cincinnati Stingers 20–13–4 44
38 January 12 Quebec Nordiques 2–1 Cincinnati Stingers 21–13–4 46
39 January 18 Quebec Nordiques 4–2 New England Whalers 22–13–4 48
40 January 20 Winnipeg Jets 1–10 Quebec Nordiques 23–13–4 50
41 January 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–3 Winnipeg Jets 23–14–4 50
42 January 23 Quebec Nordiques 7–5 Birmingham Bulls 24–14–4 52
43 January 27 Winnipeg Jets 4–2 Quebec Nordiques 24–15–4 52
44 January 30 Quebec Nordiques 1–2 Birmingham Bulls 24–16–4 52
45 February 1 Quebec Nordiques 5–7 Birmingham Bulls 24–17–4 52
46 February 2 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 New England Whalers 24-18–4 52
47 February 4 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 25–18–4 54
48 February 6 New England Whalers 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 25–19–4 54
49 February 9 Quebec Nordiques 0–3 Edmonton Oilers 25–20–4 54
50 February 13 Quebec Nordiques 1–6 Edmonton Oilers 25–21–4 54
51 February 17 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 New England Whalers 25–22–4 54
52 February 18 Quebec Nordiques 4–2 Cincinnati Stingers 26–22–4 56
53 February 20 Quebec Nordiques 7–3 Birmingham Bulls 27–22–4 58
54 February 23 Quebec Nordiques 4–5 New England Whalers 27–23–4 58
55 February 24 New England Whalers 0–6 Quebec Nordiques 28–23–4 60
56 February 25 Cincinnati Stingers 1–1 Quebec Nordiques 28–23–5 61
57 March 3 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 29–23–5 63
58 March 4 Birmingham Bulls 4–5 Quebec Nordiques 30–23–5 65
59 March 6 Edmonton Oilers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 31–23–5 67
60 March 7 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 32–23–5 69
61 March 9 Quebec Nordiques 3–1 New England Whalers 33–23–5 71
62 March 10 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Cincinnati Stingers 33–24–5 71
63 March 11 Quebec Nordiques 2–7 Winnipeg Jets 33–25–5 71
64 March 14 Quebec Nordiques 4-2 Winnipeg Jets 34–25–5 73
65 March 16 Quebec Nordiques 1–6 Edmonton Oilers 34–26–5 73
66 March 18 Quebec Nordiques 7–2 Edmonton Oilers 35–26-5 75
67 March 20 New England Whalers 7–6 Quebec Nordiques 35–27–5 75
68 March 23 Quebec Nordiques 3–5 New England Whalers 35–28–5 75
69 March 24 Quebec Nordiques 5–2 Cincinnati Stingers 36–28–5 77
70 March 25 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 37–28–5 79
71 March 28 Edmonton Oilers 0-3 Quebec Nordiques 38–28–5 81
72 March 30 Quebec Nordiques 2–0 Winnipeg Jets 39–28–5 83
73 April 1 Winnipeg Jets 7–3 Quebec Nordiques 39–29–5 83
74 April 3 Quebec Nordiques 3–5 Birmingham Bulls 39–30–5 83
75 April 4 Edmonton Oilers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 40–30–5 85
76 April 7 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Cincinnati Stingers 40–31–5 85
77 April 10 New England Whalers 5–2 Quebec Nordiques 40–32–5 85
78 April 11 Cincinnati Stingers 6–2 Quebec Nordiques 40–33–5 85
79 April 15 Cincinnati Stingers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 41–33–5 87
80 April 17 New England Whalers 6–2 Quebec Nordiques 41–34–5 87

Playoffs

In the opening round of the playoffs, Quebec would face the Winnipeg Jets in a best of seven semi-final series. The Jets finished the season with a 39-35-6 record, earning 84 points, and a third-place finish. The series opened with two games in Quebec, however, the Jets struck first, easily dominating the Nordiques in the series opener, by winning the game 6-3, before crushing Quebec in the second game 9-2 to take a two-game series lead. The series moved to Winnipeg for the next two games, and the Jets would stay hot, as they continued to dominate the Nordiques in the third and fourth games of the series, winning them 9-5 and 6-2 respectively to sweep Quebec out of the playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets 4, Quebec Nordiques 0

# Date Visitor Score Home Record
1 April 23 Winnipeg Jets 6–3 Quebec Nordiques 0–1
2 April 25 Winnipeg Jets 9–2 Quebec Nordiques 0–2
3 April 27 Quebec Nordiques 5–9 Winnipeg Jets 0–3
4 April 29 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Winnipeg Jets 0–4

Player statistics

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Cloutier, RealReal Cloutier RW 77 75 54 129 48232100
Tardif, MarcMarc Tardif LW 74 41 55 96 98251200
Bernier, SergeSerge Bernier RW 65 36 46 82 717930
LeDuc, RichRich LeDuc C 61 30 32 62 30-11210
Baxter, PaulPaul Baxter D 76 10 36 46 240-5600
Fitchner, BobBob Fitchner C 79 10 35 45 69-3100
Tremblay, J. C.J. C. Tremblay D 56 6 38 44 810000
Lariviere, GarryGarry Lariviere D 50 5 33 38 54-11100
Bordeleau, PaulinPaulin Bordeleau RW 77 17 12 29 441210
Cote, AlainAlain Cote LW 79 14 13 27 23-7010
Brackenbury, CurtCurt Brackenbury RW 70 13 13 26 155-5100
Geoffrion, DannyDanny Geoffrion RW 77 12 14 26 74-2000
Lacombe, FrancoisFrancois Lacombe D 78 3 21 24 444000
Hoganson, DaleDale Hoganson D 69 2 19 21 171100
Bordeleau, ChristianChristian Bordeleau C 16 5 12 17 06000
Dube, NormNorm Dube LW 36 2 13 15 46000
Bilodeau, GillesGilles Bilodeau LW 36 3 6 9 1412000
Weir, WallyWally Weir D 68 2 7 9 1669000
Morrison, KevinKevin Morrison D 27 2 5 7 14-2100
David, RichardRichard David LW 14 0 4 4 43000
Brodeur, RichardRichard Brodeur G 42 0 3 3 20000
Corsi, JimJim Corsi G 40 0 2 2 200000
Dorey, JimJim Dorey D 32 0 2 2 17-5000
Lagace, PierrePierre Lagace LW 21 0 1 1 120000
Devine, KevinKevin Devine LW 5 0 0 0 6-3000
Leclerc, ReneRene Leclerc RW 23 0 0 0 8-2000
Levasseur, Jean-LouisJean-Louis Levasseur G 3 0 0 0 00000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Brodeur, RichardRichard Brodeur 2433 42 25 13 3 126 3.11 3
Corsi, JimJim Corsi 2291 40 16 20 1 126 3.30 3
Levasseur, Jean-LouisJean-Louis Levasseur 140 3 0 1 1 14 6.00 0
Team: 4864 80 41 34 5 266 3.28 6
Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Tardif, MarcMarc Tardif LW 4 6 2 8 4000
Cloutier, RealReal Cloutier RW 4 2 2 4 2000
Fitchner, BobBob Fitchner C 4 1 3 4 0000
Geoffrion, DannyDanny Geoffrion RW 4 1 2 3 2000
Brackenbury, CurtCurt Brackenbury RW 4 1 1 2 2000
Baxter, PaulPaul Baxter D 4 0 2 2 7000
LeDuc, RichRich LeDuc C 4 0 2 2 0000
Bordeleau, PaulinPaulin Bordeleau RW 4 1 0 1 0000
Lacombe, FrancoisFrancois Lacombe D 4 0 1 1 7000
Lagace, PierrePierre Lagace LW 3 0 1 1 2000
Lariviere, GarryGarry Lariviere D 4 0 1 1 2000
Weir, WallyWally Weir D 4 0 1 1 4000
Bernier, SergeSerge Bernier RW 1 0 0 0 2000
Bilodeau, GillesGilles Bilodeau LW 3 0 0 0 25000
Brodeur, RichardRichard Brodeur G 3 0 0 0 0000
Corsi, JimJim Corsi G 2 0 0 0 2000
Cote, AlainAlain Cote LW 4 0 0 0 2000
Dorey, JimJim Dorey D 3 0 0 0 0000
Hoganson, DaleDale Hoganson D 4 0 0 0 2000
Leclerc, ReneRene Leclerc RW 4 0 0 0 0000
Levasseur, Jean-LouisJean-Louis Levasseur G 1 0 0 0 2000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Brodeur, RichardRichard Brodeur 114 3 0 2 14 7.37 0
Corsi, JimJim Corsi 66 2 0 1 7 6.36 0
Levasseur, Jean-LouisJean-Louis Levasseur 59 1 0 1 8 8.14 0
Team: 239 4 0 4 29 7.28 0

[1]

Note:

Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1978-79 Quebec Nordiques Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
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