1979–80 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1979–80 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 71st season. The Canadiens ended the season with a twenty-game unbeaten streak at the Montreal Forum. By season's end, the franchise was third overall in NHL standings.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.240, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, The season involved being eliminated in the NHL quarter-finals vs the Minnesota North Stars 4 games to 3.

Offseason Al MacNeil left his position as head coach of the Canadiens farm club, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, to become head coach of the Atlanta Flames.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.236, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, Jacques Lemaire retired to become a playing coach in Switzerland. In addition, Ken Dryden and captain Yvan Cournoyer also retired from the team. Scotty Bowman, upset over the appointment of Irving Grundman as general manager in 1978, left the club to become head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Sabres. Boom Boom Geoffrion was hired as head coach in September 1979. In his previous coaching stint, Geoffrion lasted half a season with the 1968–69 New York Rangers. He had to leave the position due to ulcers.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.237, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, Veteran defenceman Serge Savard is named team captain. The Canadiens did not have a first-round pick in the amateur draft. The club picked Mats Naslund with its second-round choice, 37th overall. The team picked Guy Carbonneau in the third-round, 44th overall.

Regular season Despite a record of fifteen wins, nine losses and six ties, Geoffrion stepped down as head coach.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.239, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009,

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||W||October 11, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||1–0–0

|2||W||October 13, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||2–0–0

|3||L||October 17, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||2–1–0

|4||W||October 20, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||3–1–0

|5||T||October 21, 1979||6–6 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||3–1–1

|6||W||October 23, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||4–1–1

|7||W||October 25, 1979||8–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||5–1–1

|8||W||October 27, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||6–1–1

|9||L||October 28, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||6–2–1

|10||T||October 30, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||6–2–2

|11||W||November 1, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||7–2–2

|12||L||November 3, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||7–3–2

|13||W||November 5, 1979||2–0 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||8–3–2

|14||T||November 7, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||8–3–3

|15||L||November 10, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||8–4–3

|16||W||November 13, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||9–4–3

|17||W||November 15, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||10–4–3

|18||W||November 17, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||11–4–3

|19||L||November 18, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||11–5–3

|20||W||November 22, 1979||7–0 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||12–5–3

|21||W||November 24, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||13–5–3

|22||L||November 25, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||13–6–3

|23||T||November 27, 1979||5–5 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||13–6–4

|24||W||November 29, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||14–6–4

|25||T||December 1, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||14–6–5

|26||T||December 3, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||14–6–6

|27||L||December 5, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||14–7–6

|28||W||December 7, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||15–7–6

|29||L||December 9, 1979||5–7 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||15–8–6

|30||L||December 11, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||15–9–6

|31||L||December 14, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||15–10–6

|32||L||December 15, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||15–11–6

|33||L||December 18, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||15–12–6

|34||L||December 19, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||15–13–6

|35||W||December 22, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||16–13–6

|36||W||December 23, 1979||8–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||17–13–6

|37||L||December 27, 1979||3–7 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||17–14–6

|38||W||December 29, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||18–14–6

|39||L||January 2, 1980||3–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||18–15–6

|40||L||January 5, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||18–16–6

|41||W||January 7, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||19–16–6

|42||W||January 9, 1980||5–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||20–16–6

|43||W||January 12, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||21–16–6

|44||W||January 14, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||22–16–6

|45||W||January 16, 1980||6–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||23–16–6

|46||W||January 19, 1980||7–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||24–16–6

|47||L||January 22, 1980||1–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||24–17–6

|48||W||January 24, 1980||7–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||25–17–6

|49||L||January 26, 1980||2–7 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||25–18–6

|50||W||January 29, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||26–18–6

|51||W||January 30, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||27–18–6

|52||W||February 2, 1980||5–4 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||28–18–6

|53||W||February 7, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||29–18–6

|54||L||February 9, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||29–19–6

|55||W||February 10, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||30–19–6

|56||W||February 14, 1980||5–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||31–19–6

|57||W||February 16, 1980||8–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||32–19–6

|58||T||February 17, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||32–19–7

|59||L||February 19, 1980||1–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||32–20–7

|60||W||February 21, 1980||3–0 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||33–20–7

|61||W||February 23, 1980||5–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||34–20–7

|62||T||February 26, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||34–20–8

|63||W||February 28, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||35–20–8

|64||W||March 1, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||36–20–8

|65||W||March 2, 1980||5–1 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||37–20–8

|66||W||March 6, 1980||5–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||38–20–8

|67||W||March 8, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||39–20–8

|68||W||March 10, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||40–20–8

|69||W||March 12, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||41–20–8

|70||W||March 14, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||42–20–8

|71||W||March 15, 1980||7–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||43–20–8

|72||T||March 19, 1980||5–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||43–20–9

|73||T||March 22, 1980||5–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||43–20–10

|74||W||March 23, 1980||6–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||44–20–10

|75||W||March 25, 1980||8–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||45–20–10

|76||T||March 28, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||45–20–11

|77||T||March 30, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||45–20–12

|78||W||April 2, 1980||7–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||46–20–12

|79||W||April 5, 1980||6–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||47–20–12

|80||T||April 6, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||47–20–13

Legend:

Playoffs The Canadiens swept the Hartford Whalers in the preliminary round 3–0 in games. The Canadiens then faced the Minnesota North Stars in the quarter-final and lost a seven-game series four games to three.

Player statistics

Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG RW 74 50 75 125 12401507 C 73 50 41 91 16361207 LW 77 47 42 89 34451704 D 72 14 61 75 3938603 C 75 30 36 66 1226803 LW 77 21 32 53 233707 RW 76 16 33 49 711401 W 60 18 27 45 683203 RW 77 16 26 42 1056002 D 77 7 29 36 8136001 LW 64 14 19 33 32-2413 D 45 6 20 26 29-2000 C 80 13 11 24 28-5013 D 70 3 20 23 4322000 C 44 8 10 18 81-2000 D 46 5 8 13 18-2001 D/RW 66 5 7 12 356000 D 34 3 7 10 1811201 D 56 1 7 8 10913001 RW 32 0 6 6 121000 LW 35 1 3 4 42000 G 39 0 2 2 40000 RW 15 0 2 2 50-1000 C 2 0 1 1 00000 G 34 0 0 0 00000 C 2 0 0 0 00000 D 1 0 0 0 00000 G 11 0 0 0 40000

Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO 1909 34 25 3 3 80 2.51 0 2259 39 17 13 8 125 3.32 3 632 11 5 4 2 31 2.94 0 Team: 4800 80 47 20 13 236 2.95 3

Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG LW 10 8 4 12 4101 RW 10 0 11 11 14000 LW 10 6 3 9 6202 W 10 4 5 9 12100 C 10 4 4 8 2010 RW 10 2 6 8 0100 C 9 1 7 8 2000 D 10 1 6 7 8000 D 10 3 3 6 2100 D 10 2 4 6 6101 C 4 1 4 5 4000 RW 3 3 1 4 0000 D/RW 10 2 2 4 0000 D 10 0 4 4 2000 LW 8 1 1 2 0001 LW 10 1 1 2 4001 RW 2 0 0 0 7000 G 5 0 0 0 0000 RW 1 0 0 0 0000 D 2 0 0 0 0000 G 5 0 0 0 0000 D 4 0 0 0 2000 RW 5 0 0 0 2000 D 2 0 0 0 0000

Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SO 300 5 4 1 11 2.20 1 300 5 2 3 15 3.00 0 Team: 600 10 6 4 26 2.60 1

Awards and records Larry Robinson, Norris TrophyNational Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario,

Draft picks Round # Player Position Nationality College/junior/club team (League)227Gaston GingrasDefence Birmingham Bulls (WHA) 2 37 Mats Naslund Left wing Brynäs IF (Sweden)343Craig LevieDefence Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 3 44 Guy Carbonneau Centre Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)358Rick WamsleyGoaltender Brantford Alexanders (OMJHL)479Dave OrleskiLeft wing New Westminster Bruins (WHL)5100Yvan JolyRight wing Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)6121Greg MoffettGoaltender University of New Hampshire (ECAC)National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 234, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario,

See also 1979–80 NHL season

References