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) |
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.
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.
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.
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