1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs season

The 1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the 62nd season of the Toronto NHL franchise, 52nd as the Maple Leafs. The Leafs placed third in the Adams Division to make the playoffs where the Leafs won their first round series against the Atlanta Flames, only to lose in the second series to the Montreal Canadiens. Until 2021, this would mark the last time the Maple Leafs and Canadiens would play each other in the postseason.

1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs
Division3rd Adams
Conference5th Wales
1978–79 record34-33-13
Goals for267
Goals against252
Team information
General managerJim Gregory
CoachRoger Neilson
CaptainDarryl Sittler
Alternate captainsNone
ArenaMaple Leaf Gardens
Team leaders
GoalsLanny McDonald (43)
AssistsDarryl Sittler (51)
PointsDarryl Sittler (87)
Penalty minutesTiger Williams (298)
WinsMike Palmateer (26)
Goals against averageMike Palmateer (2.95)

Offseason

NHL Draft
Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team
221Joel Quenneville CanadaWindsor Spitfires (OMJHL)
348Mark Kirton CanadaPeterborough Petes (OMJHL)
465Bob Parent CanadaKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
581Jordy Douglas CanadaFlin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
692Mel Hewitt CanadaCalgary Wranglers (WCHL)
698Norm Lefebvre CanadaTrois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL)
7115John Scammell CanadaLethbridge Broncos (WCHL)
8132Kevin Reinhart CanadaKitchener Rangers (OMJHL)
9149Mike Waghorne United StatesUniversity of New Hampshire (ECAC)
10166Laurie Cuvelier CanadaSt. Francis Xavier University (CIAU)

[1]

Regular season

Final standings
Adams Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Boston Bruins80432314316270100
Buffalo Sabres8036281628026388
Toronto Maple Leafs8034331326725281
Minnesota North Stars8028401225728968

[2]

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 11, 19783–2@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79)1–0–0
2WOctober 14, 197810–7New York Islanders (1978–79)2–0–0
3LOctober 15, 19782–4@ Boston Bruins (1978–79)2–1–0
4WOctober 18, 19782–0Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)3–1–0
5LOctober 19, 19780–1@ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)3–2–0
6WOctober 21, 19782–0Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79)4–2–0
7LOctober 22, 19782–5@ New York Rangers (1978–79)4–3–0
8TOctober 25, 19784–4Montreal Canadiens (1978–79)4–3–1
9LOctober 26, 19780–5@ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79)4–4–1
10LOctober 28, 19783–5Boston Bruins (1978–79)4–5–1
11WNovember 1, 19784–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79)5–5–1
12WNovember 3, 19783–1@ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79)6–5–1
13TNovember 4, 19784–4@ Colorado Rockies (1978–79)6–5–2
14WNovember 7, 19785–0@ St. Louis Blues (1978–79)7–5–2
15LNovember 8, 19781–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79)7–6–2
16LNovember 11, 19782–3@ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79)7–7–2
17TNovember 15, 19782–2Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)7–7–3
18WNovember 16, 19786–4@ Boston Bruins (1978–79)8–7–3
19WNovember 18, 19783–1St. Louis Blues (1978–79)9–7–3
20WNovember 21, 19784–3@ Atlanta Flames (1978–79)10–7–3
21TNovember 22, 19783–3@ New York Rangers (1978–79)10–7–4
22LNovember 25, 19783–6Colorado Rockies (1978–79)10–8–4
23WNovember 26, 19788–2Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79)11–8–4
24WNovember 29, 19785–3@ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)12–8–4
25WDecember 2, 19785–2New York Rangers (1978–79)13–8–4
26LDecember 3, 19782–7@ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79)13–9–4
27LDecember 5, 19781–5Boston Bruins (1978–79)13–10–4
28LDecember 6, 19784–6@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79)13–11–4
29LDecember 9, 19782–3New York Islanders (1978–79)13–12–4
30LDecember 10, 19783–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)13–13–4
31WDecember 13, 19785–1Vancouver Canucks (1978–79)14–13–4
32WDecember 16, 19784–2Detroit Red Wings (1978–79)15–13–4
33LDecember 17, 19786–7@ Washington Capitals (1978–79)15–14–4
34WDecember 20, 19784–2Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)16–14–4
35LDecember 22, 19781–3@ Atlanta Flames (1978–79)16–15–4
36WDecember 23, 19786–1@ St. Louis Blues (1978–79)17–15–4
37LDecember 26, 19781–5@ New York Islanders (1978–79)17–16–4
38TDecember 27, 19781–1Boston Bruins (1978–79)17–16–5
39TDecember 30, 19785–5Washington Capitals (1978–79)17–16–6
40LJanuary 3, 19791–4Atlanta Flames (1978–79)17–17–6
41LJanuary 6, 19793–5Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79)17–18–6
42LJanuary 8, 19791–5Vancouver Canucks (1978–79)17–19–6
43TJanuary 10, 19792–2Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)17–19–7
44WJanuary 13, 19794–2Colorado Rockies (1978–79)18–19–7
45WJanuary 16, 19793–2@ Colorado Rockies (1978–79)19–19–7
46TJanuary 19, 19793–3@ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79)19–19–8
47WJanuary 20, 19793–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79)20–19–8
48TJanuary 24, 19792–2@ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)20–19–9
49LJanuary 26, 19792–4@ Atlanta Flames (1978–79)20–20–9
50TJanuary 28, 19792–2@ Washington Capitals (1978–79)20–20–10
51WJanuary 31, 19795–1St. Louis Blues (1978–79)21–20–10
52LFebruary 3, 19793–6Montreal Canadiens (1978–79)21–21–10
53LFebruary 4, 19794–6@ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)21–22–10
54WFebruary 12, 19795–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79)22–22–10
55TFebruary 14, 19792–2Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79)22–22–11
56WFebruary 17, 19795–2Los Angeles Kings (1978–79)23–22–11
57WFebruary 19, 19796–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79)24–22–11
58LFebruary 21, 19791–5@ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)24–23–11
59LFebruary 24, 19792–4New York Rangers (1978–79)24–24–11
60LFebruary 26, 19791–3@ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)24–25–11
61LFebruary 28, 19794–6Atlanta Flames (1978–79)24–26–11
62LMarch 1, 19791–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79)24–27–11
63WMarch 3, 19794–3Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79)25–27–11
64WMarch 4, 19794–2@ New York Rangers (1978–79)26–27–11
65WMarch 7, 19792–0Vancouver Canucks (1978–79)27–27–11
66WMarch 10, 19799–4Los Angeles Kings (1978–79)28–27–11
67WMarch 11, 19794–0Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79)29–27–11
68LMarch 14, 19791–4Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)29–28–11
69LMarch 15, 19792–6@ New York Islanders (1978–79)29–29–11
70WMarch 17, 19796–4Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)30–29–11
71LMarch 19, 19793–4@ Boston Bruins (1978–79)30–30–11
72LMarch 21, 19792–4Detroit Red Wings (1978–79)30–31–11
73TMarch 24, 19793–3Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79)30–31–12
74LMarch 25, 19791–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79)30–32–12
75WMarch 28, 19796–2Washington Capitals (1978–79)31–32–12
76WMarch 31, 19796–2Minnesota North Stars (1978–79)32–32–12
77WApril 1, 19796–3@ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)33–32–12
78TApril 4, 19793–3Boston Bruins (1978–79)33–32–13
79WApril 7, 19796–2Buffalo Sabres (1978–79)34–32–13
80LApril 8, 19793–6@ Boston Bruins (1978–79)34–33–13

[4]

Player statistics

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Darryl SittlerC703651876991204
Lanny McDonaldRW7943428532121602
Borje SalmingD781756737636402
Ian TurnbullD8012516380-7400
Walt McKechnieC792536611821716
Dan MaloneyLW7717365315719005
Tiger WilliamsLW77192039298-7604
Pat BoutetteC/RW801419331363002
Ron EllisRW63161228107401
John AndersonRW71151126102002
Dave HutchisonD794151923536000
Jimmy JonesRW699918452000
Ron WilsonD46512174-10400
Jerry ButlerRW76871552-2022
Dave BurrowsD652111328-10000
Garry MonahanLW624711254020
Joel QuennevilleD612911607001
Paul GardnerC1172900201
Rocky SaganiukRW/C1635891101
Bruce BoudreauC264372-3000
Lorne StamlerLW454372-6001
Trevor JohansenD40145481000
Mike PalmateerG58055240000
Don AshbyC30000-3000
Pierre HamelG100000000
Paul HarrisonG25000100000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Mike Palmateer3396582621101672.954
Paul Harrison1403258123823.511
Pierre Hamel1100000.000
Team:4800803433132493.115

Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Darryl SittlerC654917200
Walt McKechnieC64377011
Dan MaloneyLW63362101
Lanny McDonaldRW63250000
Pat BoutetteC/RW622422000
Ian TurnbullD604427000
Dave HutchisonD603323000
Ron EllisRW61122000
John AndersonRW60220000
Rocky SaganiukRW/C31015000
Dave BurrowsD60117000
Paul GardnerC60114000
Joel QuennevilleD60114000
Borje SalmingD60118000
Ron WilsonD30110000
Jerry ButlerRW60004000
Paul HarrisonG20000000
Jimmy JonesRW60004000
Mike PalmateerG50006000
Tiger WilliamsLW600048000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Mike Palmateer298523173.420
Paul Harrison9120174.620
Team:389624243.700

[5]

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;

Playoffs

Preliminary round

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Atlanta Flames

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 10Toronto 2Atlanta1
April 12Atlanta4Toronto 7

Toronto wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0.

Quarter-finals

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 16Toronto2Montreal 5
April 18Toronto1Montreal 5
April 21Montreal 4Toronto3(OT)
April 22Montreal 5Toronto4(OT)

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0.

Transactions

The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1978-79 season.

Trades
September 13, 1978 To Vancouver Canucks
Cash		 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Garry Monahan
October 5, 1978 To Minnesota North Stars
3rd round pick in 1980 - Randy Velischek		 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Walt McKechnie
October 19, 1978 To Colorado Rockies
Jack Valiquette		 To Toronto Maple Leafs
2nd round pick in 1981 - Gary Yaremchuk
March 13, 1979 To Colorado Rockies
Don Ashby
Trevor Johansen		 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Paul Gardner

Waivers
July 4, 1979 To Edmonton Oilers
Stan Weir

Expansion Draft
June 13, 1979 To Hartford Whalers
Jordy Douglas
June 13, 1979 To Winnipeg Jets
Pierre Hamel
June 13, 1979 To Hartford Whalers
Kevin Kemp
June 13, 1979 To Hartford Whalers
Rick Ley

Awards and records
  • Borje Salming, Second Team NHL All-Star, Defense

Farm Teams

References
  1. "1978 NHL Amateur Draft". HockeydB.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  2. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 163, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
  3. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  4. "1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  5. "1978-79 Toronto Maple Leafs Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
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