1979–80 Hartford Whalers season
| 1979–80 Hartford Whalers | |
|---|---|
| Division | 4th Norris |
| Conference | 8th Wales |
| 1979–80 record | 27–34–19 |
| Goals for | 303 |
| Goals against | 312 |
| Team information | |
| General Manager | Jack Kelley |
| Coach | Don Blackburn |
| Captain | Rick Ley |
| Alternate captains | None |
| Arena |
Springfield Civic Center (first 22 home games) Hartford Civic Center |
| Average attendance | 9,833 (91.9%) |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Blaine Stoughton (56) |
| Assists | Mike Rogers (61) |
| Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
| Penalties in minutes | Nick Fotiu (107) |
| Wins | John Garrett (16) |
| Goals against average | Al Smith (3.66) |
The 1979–80 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' first season in the National Hockey League. Along with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets, the Whalers were one of four World Hockey Association franchises that joined the NHL. The Whalers season was Gordie Howe's final season in the NHL.
Hartford's draft picks from the 1979 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, on August 9, 1979.
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.
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 4-1. 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.
...
Wikipedia