The 1979–80 Winnipeg Jets season was the organization's eighth season since its inception in 1972, and its first season in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Offseason After spending seven seasons in the World Hockey Association, in which the team won three Avco Cup championships, the Winnipeg Jets joined the National Hockey League, as did the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques, as the WHA disbanded.
On June 13, 1979, the Jets participated in the 1979 NHL expansion draft to fill out their roster, while on June 28, 1979, Winnipeg made their first ever trade, as the Jets sent Jamie Hislop to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for Barry Legge.
On August 8, 1979, the Jets selected Jimmy Mann of the Sherbrooke Castors of the QMJHL with their first ever draft pick at the 1979 NHL entry draft. In the fifth round, the Jets selected Thomas Steen from Leksands IF of the SEL.
During the off-season, the club announced that Tom McVie would be retained as head coach. McVie became the Jets head coach late in the 1978–79 season, going 11-8-0 in nineteen games, followed by a record of 8–2 in the playoffs to lead Winnipeg to the Avco Cup. McVie had head coaching experience in the NHL, as he coached the Washington Capitals to a 49-122-33 record from 1975 to 1978.
Lars-Erik Sjoberg was named captain of the team, as former captain Barry Long joined the Detroit Red Wings for the 1979–80 season. Sjoberg captained Winnipeg from 1975 to 1978 in the WHA.
Regular season The Jets failed to qualify for the playoffs, as their record of 20-49-11 earned them 51 points, good for fifth in the Smythe Division, 18 points behind the fourth place Edmonton Oilers for the final playoff position.
Final standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|1||L||October 10, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||0–1–0 ||8,752
|2||L||October 11, 1979||0–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||0–2–0 ||10,613
|3||W||October 14, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||1–2–0 ||12,648
|4||L||October 17, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||1–3–0 ||12,145
|5||W||October 19, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||2–3–0 ||11,035
|6||L||October 20, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||2–4–0 ||7,758
|7||L||October 24, 1979||0–4 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||2–5–0 ||9,726
|8||W||October 26, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||3–5–0 ||13,699
|9||T||October 28, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||3–5–1 ||11,763
|10||W||October 31, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||4–5–1 ||10,430
|11||T||November 2, 1979||1–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||4–5–2 ||11,512
|12||T||November 4, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||4–5–3 ||12,478
|13||L||November 6, 1979||0–8 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||4–6–3 ||7,296
|14||L||November 7, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||4–7–3 ||6,308
|15||L||November 10, 1979||4–8 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||4–8–3 ||14,347
|16||W||November 14, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||5–8–3 ||12,736
|17||L||November 16, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||5–9–3 ||12,401
|18||L||November 18, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||5–10–3 ||12,668
|19||W||November 21, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||6–10–3 ||17,406
|20||L||November 22, 1979||0–7 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||6–11–3 ||16,921
|21||W||November 24, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||7–11–3 ||13,110
|22||L||November 27, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||7–12–3 ||7,914
|23||L||November 28, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||7–13–3 ||12,584
|24||T||December 1, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||7–13–4 ||12,763
|25||L||December 2, 1979||0–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||7–14–4 ||14,041
|26||W||December 4, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||8–14–4 ||8,383
|27||L||December 5, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||8–15–4 ||12,278
|28||W||December 7, 1979||8–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||9–15–4 ||11,772
|29||L||December 9, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||9–16–4 ||12,579
|30||L||December 12, 1979||0–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||9–17–4 ||10,326
|31||W||December 15, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||10–17–4 ||15,723
|32||W||December 16, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||11–17–4 ||15,423
|33||L||December 19, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||11–18–4 ||12,696
|34||W||December 21, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||12–18–4 ||13,406
|35||L||December 26, 1979||0–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||12–19–4 ||15,623
|36||L||December 28, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||12–20–4 ||16,038
|37||L||December 29, 1979||1–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||12–21–4 ||16,485
|38||L||December 31, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||12–22–4 ||16,433
|39||L||January 4, 1980||1–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||12–23–4 ||15,040
|40||T||January 6, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||12–23–5 ||12,250
|41||L||January 8, 1980||0–2 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||12–24–5 ||6,138
|42||L||January 10, 1980||4–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||12–25–5 ||17,077
|43||L||January 12, 1980||0–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||12–26–5 ||13,848
|44||W||January 13, 1980||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||13–26–5 ||13,598
|45||L||January 15, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||13–27–5 ||14,256
|46||L||January 16, 1980||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||13–28–5 ||17,416
|47||L||January 18, 1980||0–5 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||13–29–5 ||12,708
|48||L||January 21, 1980||2–7 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||13–30–5 ||7,627
|49||L||January 22, 1980||4–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||13–31–5 ||7,028
|50||L||January 25, 1980||4–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||13–32–5 ||15,122
|51||T||January 27, 1980||6–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||13–32–6 ||12,938
|52||W||January 29, 1980||7–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||14–32–6 ||7,165
|53||L||February 1, 1980||2–9 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||14–33–6 ||15,423
|54||T||February 2, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||14–33–7 ||13,308
|55||L||February 8, 1980||3–6 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||14–34–7 ||11,917
|56||T||February 10, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||14–34–8 ||11,588
|57||T||February 12, 1980||0–0 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||14–34–9 ||13,898
|58||L||February 14, 1980||1–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||14–35–9 ||17,077
|59||L||February 15, 1980||4–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||14–36–9 ||10,136
|60||W||February 17, 1980||6–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||15–36–9 ||12,328
|61||L||February 20, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||15–37–9 ||16,433
|62||L||February 21, 1980||0–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||15–38–9 ||15,799
|63||L||February 23, 1980||3–9 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||15–39–9 ||15,171
|64||L||February 27, 1980||2–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||15–40–9 ||8,977
|65||T||February 29, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||15–40–10 ||13,667
|66||L||March 2, 1980||2–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||15–41–10 ||13,669
|67||L||March 4, 1980||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||15–42–10 ||15,085
|68||L||March 9, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||15–43–10 ||12,412
|69||T||March 12, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||15–43–11 ||14,299
|70||L||March 14, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||15–44–11 ||N/A
|71||W||March 16, 1980||6–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||16–44–11 ||12,014
|72||L||March 19, 1980||1–9 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||16–45–11 ||16,485
|73||W||March 21, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||17–45–11 ||15,170
|74||L||March 23, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||17–46–11 ||12,377
|75||W||March 26, 1980||7–0 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||18–46–11 ||13,151
|76||L||March 28, 1980||1–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||18–47–11 ||13,100
|77||L||March 30, 1980||1–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||18–48–11 ||11,686
|78||W||April 2, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||19–48–11 ||9,374
|79||L||April 5, 1980||0–6 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||19–49–11 ||13,261
|80||W||April 6, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||20–49–11 ||14,236
Legend:
Player statistics
Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG LW 78 35 39 74 77-161312 C 79 24 35 59 20-45503 C 79 21 36 57 28-12603 RW 79 23 26 49 20-19504 D 70 10 35 45 36-11700 RW 57 18 20 38 59-38900 D 79 7 27 34 48-35310 C 78 8 16 24 50-38121 D 63 3 17 20 136-39002 LW 74 10 9 19 38-24001 RW 15 8 10 18 2-5300 LW 38 10 7 17 21-12201 LW 62 8 7 15 12-29000 D 63 3 11 14 72-26000 D 46 2 9 11 32-16100 C/RW 16 6 4 10 6-8400 LW 18 4 6 10 0-7100 D 74 4 6 10 124-41001 RW 72 3 5 8 287-20101 RW 35 1 5 6 15-13000 RW 14 3 2 5 70201 C 10 1 3 4 24000 LW 15 1 1 2 35-4000 LW 17 0 2 2 4-3000 G 35 0 2 2 100000 LW 5 1 0 1 4-2000 LW 6 0 1 1 02000 LW 49 0 1 1 43-15000 D 19 0 0 0 2-15000 C 13 0 0 0 2-6000 LW 5 0 0 0 0-3000 D 6 0 0 0 2-5000 G 21 0 0 0 20000 G 10 0 0 0 00000 RW 8 0 0 0 6-2000 G 20 0 0 0 250000 D 13 0 0 0 8-5000 LW 1 0 0 0 00000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO 1947 35 9 19 3 130 4.01 0 1200 21 5 11 4 65 3.25 2 1073 20 4 11 4 73 4.08 0 580 10 2 8 0 40 4.14 0 Team: 4800 80 20 49 11 308 3.85 2
Transactions
Trades June 28, 1979To Quebec NordiquesJamie HislopTo Winnipeg JetsBarry Legge July 25, 1979To New York RangersFuture ConsiderationsTo Winnipeg JetsWayne Dillon August 1, 1979To Atlanta FlamesPaul TerbencheTo Winnipeg JetsFuture Considerations October 4, 1979To Montreal CanadiensCashTo Winnipeg JetsRon Wilson October 15, 1979To New York RangersCash Future ConsiderationsTo Winnipeg JetsBud Stefanski February 27, 1980To Hartford WhalersBobby HullTo Winnipeg JetsFuture Considerations
Waivers February 27, 1980From Vancouver CanucksKris Manery
Free agents Player Former team Willy Lindstrom Winnipeg Jets (WHA) Larry Hopkins Toronto Maple Leafs John Bethel Undrafted Free Agent Benoit Gosselin New York Rangers Gerry Rioux Undrafted Free Agent Glenn Tomalty Undrafted Free Agent Ross Cory Undrafted Free Agent Jude Drouin New York Islanders Mark Plantery Undrafted Free Agent Don MacIver Undrafted Free Agent Anders Steen Undrafted Free Agent
Draft picks
NHL amateur draft Winnipeg's picks at the 1979 NHL entry draft, which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal on August 9, 1979.
Round Pick Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team1 19 Jimmy Mann (RW) Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)2 40 Dave Christian (RW) University of North Dakota (NCAA)3 61 Bill Whelton (D) Boston University (NCAA)4 82 Pat Daley (LW) Montreal Juniors (QMJHL)5 103 Thomas Steen (C) Färjestad BK Karlstad (SEL)6 124 Tim Watters (D) Michigan Tech (NCAA)
Expansion Draft
Reclaimed Players