1978–79 Edmonton Oilers season

WHA hockey team season (last season of WHA) March 2026 August 2023 WHA 1978–79 1978 Edmonton Oilers WHA 1st 48–30–2 29–11–1 19–19–1 340 266 Larry Gordon Glen Sather Paul Shmyr Ron ChipperfieldPeter DriscollAl HamiltonBlair MacDonald Northlands Coliseum Wayne Gretzky (43) Wayne Gretzky (61) Wayne Gretzky (104) Paul Shmyr (+37) Dave Semenko (158) Dave Dryden (41) Dave Dryden (2.89) Springfield Indians (AHL)Dallas Black Hawks (CHL) The 1978–79 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' seventh season of operation. The Oilers placed first and made it to the Avco Cup Final, losing to the Winnipeg Jets. This was the organization's last season in the WHA before joining the National Hockey League. Regular season Final standings EDM Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#012169 5px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 5px solid; 1978–79 regular season1978-79 Edmonton Oilers Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/EDO/1979_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 21, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||W||October 13, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||1–0–0 |- |2||L||October 17, 1978||1–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||1–1–0 |- |3||W||October 20, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1978–79) ||2–1–0 |- |4||L||October 21, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||2–2–0 |- |5||W||October 22, 1978||6–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||3–2–0 |- |6||L||October 24, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||3–3–0 |- |7||L||October 29, 1978||2–6 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||3–4–0 |- |8||L||October 31, 1978||4–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||3–5–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |9||W||November 3, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||4–5–0 |- |10||L||November 5, 1978||0–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||4–6–0 |- |11||W||November 8, 1978||6–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||5–6–0 |- |12||L||November 9, 1978||1–6 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||5–7–0 |- |13||W||November 11, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||6–7–0 |- |14||L||November 12, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||6–8–0 |- |15||W||November 17, 1978||6–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1978–79) ||7–8–0 |- |16||W||November 19, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||8–8–0 |- |17||W||November 21, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||9–8–0 |- |18||W||November 24, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||10–8–0 |- |19||W||November 28, 1978||8–2 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1978–79) ||11–8–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |20||W||December 1, 1978||8–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||12–8–0 |- |21||L||December 3, 1978||0–7 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||12–9–0 |- |22||L||December 6, 1978||3–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||12–10–0 |- |23||L||December 7, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||12–11–0 |- |24||L||December 9, 1978||2–6 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||12–12–0 |- |25||L||December 10, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1978–79) ||12–13–0 |- |26||W||December 12, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||13–13–0 |- |27||W||December 15, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Soviet All-Stars (1978–79) ||14–13–0 |- |28||W||December 19, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||15–13–0 |- |29||L||December 22, 1978||4–5 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||15–14–0 |- |30||L||December 26, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||15–15–0 |- |31||W||December 27, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||16–15–0 |- |32||W||December 30, 1978||5–1 || align="left"| Czechoslovakia (1978–79) ||17–15–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |33||L||January 9, 1979||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||17–16–0 |- |34||W||January 13, 1979||3–0 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||18–16–0 |- |35||W||January 16, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||19–16–0 |- |36||W||January 17, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||20–16–0 |- |37||W||January 19, 1979||11–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||21–16–0 |- |38||L||January 21, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||21–17–0 |- |39||W||January 23, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||22–17–0 |- |40||L||January 26, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||22–18–0 |- |41||W||January 28, 1979||3–0 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||23–18–0 |- |42||L||January 31, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||23–19–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |43||L||February 2, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||23–20–0 |- |44||L||February 4, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||23–21–0 |- |45||W||February 6, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||24–21–0 |- |46||W||February 7, 1979||8–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||25–21–0 |- |47||W||February 9, 1979||3–0 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||26–21–0 |- |48||W||February 11, 1979||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||27–21–0 |- |49||W||February 13, 1979||6–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||28–21–0 |- |50||W||February 16, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||29–21–0 |- |51||W||February 18, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||30–21–0 |- |52||W||February 20, 1979||8–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||31–21–0 |- |53||W||February 23, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||32–21–0 |- |54||W||February 25, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||33–21–0 |- |55||T||February 27, 1979||1–1 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||33–21–1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |56||W||March 2, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||34–21–1 |- |57||W||March 3, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||35–21–1 |- |58||L||March 6, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||35–22–1 |- |59||L||March 7, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||35–23–1 |- |60||T||March 9, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||35–23–2 |- |61||W||March 11, 1979||4–0 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||36–23–2 |- |62||L||March 13, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||36–24–2 |- |63||W||March 16, 1979||6–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||37–24–2 |- |64||L||March 18, 1979||2–7 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||37–25–2 |- |65||W||March 20, 1979||8–4 || align="left"| Finland (1978–79) ||38–25–2 |- |66||W||March 21, 1979||7–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||39–25–2 |- |67||L||March 23, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||39–26–2 |- |68||W||March 25, 1979||6–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||40–26–2 |- |69||L||March 28, 1979||0–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||40–27–2 |- |70||W||March 30, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||41–27–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |71||W||April 1, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||42–27–2 |- |72||W||April 3, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79) ||43–27–2 |- |73||L||April 4, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79) ||43–28–2 |- |74||W||April 6, 1979||7–2 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1978–79) ||44–28–2 |- |75||W||April 8, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||45–28–2 |- |76||L||April 10, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||45–29–2 |- |77||W||April 13, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||46–29–2 |- |78||L||April 14, 1979||6–7 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79) ||46–30–2 |- |79||W||April 15, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1978–79) ||47–30–2 |- |80||W||April 18, 1979||9–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1978–79) ||48–30–2 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs background:#fff; border-top:#012169 5px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 5px solid; 1979 Avco Cup playoffs y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; Semifinals vs. (4) New England Whalers – Oilers win 4–3 Game Date Visitor Score Home Series |- | 1 || April 26 || New England || 2 – 6 || Edmonton || 1–0 |- | 2 || April 27 || New England || 5 – 9 || Edmonton || 2–0 |- | 3 || April 29 || Edmonton || 1 – 4 || New England || 2–1 |- | 4 || May 1 || Edmonton || 4 – 5 || New England || 2–2 |- | 5 || May 3 || New England || 2 – 5 || Edmonton || 3–2 |- | 6 || May 6 || Edmonton || 8 – 4 || New England || 3–3 |- | 7 || May 8 || New England || 3 – 6 || Edmonton || 4–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#012169 2px solid; border-bottom:#FF6720 2px solid; Avco Cup Finals vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets – Jets win 4–2 Game Date Visitor Score Home Series |- | 1 || May 11 || Winnipeg Jets || 3–1 || Edmonton Oilers || 0–1 |- | 2 || May 13 || Winnipeg Jets || 3–2 || Edmonton Oilers || 0–2 |- | 3 || May 15 || Edmonton Oilers || 8–3 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–2 |- | 4 || May 16 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–3 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–3 |- | 5 || May 18 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–10 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–3 |- | 6 || May 20 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–7 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–4 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win 1px solid black #fcc Loss 1px solid black Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Wayne Gretzky C 72 43 61 104 1923900 Blair MacDonald RW 80 34 37 71 4435340 Brett Callighen C 71 31 39 70 79291200 Ron Chipperfield C 55 32 37 69 4725600 Bill Flett RW 73 28 36 64 1426900 Dennis Sobchuk C 74 26 37 63 3124610 Stan Weir C 68 31 30 61 2024300 Joe Micheletti D 72 14 33 47 8510300 Paul Shmyr D 80 8 39 47 11937000 Al Hamilton D 80 6 38 44 3822200 Steve Carlson C 73 18 22 40 5015430 Peter Driscoll LW 69 17 23 40 11516300 Dave Hunter LW 72 7 25 32 1347000 Claire Alexander D 54 8 23 31 16-5210 Dave Langevin D 77 6 21 27 7633300 Dave Semenko LW 77 10 14 24 158-12200 John Hughes John Hughes (ice hockey, born 1954) D 41 2 15 17 8222000 Doug Berry Doug Berry (ice hockey) C 29 6 3 9 4-9100 Garnet Bailey LW 38 5 4 9 22-8100 Dave Dryden G 63 0 8 8 00000 Risto Siltanen D 20 3 4 7 44000 Bill Goldsworthy RW 17 4 2 6 14-3000 Jim Neilson D 35 0 5 5 185000 Pierre Guite Pierre Guité LW 12 1 1 2 8-5100 Eddie Mio G 22 0 1 1 20000 Wes George LW 3 0 0 0 111000 Hannu Kamppuri G 2 0 0 0 00000 Jim Mayer Jim Mayer (ice hockey) RW 2 0 0 0 0-2000 Cal Sandbeck D 6 0 0 0 2-2000 Rudy Tajcnar D 2 0 0 0 0-4000 Ed Walsh ice hockey G 3 0 0 0 00000Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO Dave Dryden 3531 63 41 17 2 170 2.89 3 Eddie Mio 1068 22 7 10 0 71 3.99 1 Hannu Kamppuri 90 2 0 1 0 10 6.67 0 Ed Walsh ice hockey 144 3 0 2 0 9 3.75 0 Team: 4833 80 48 30 2 260 3.23 4 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG Wayne Gretzky C 13 10 10 20 2001 Ron Chipperfield C 13 9 10 19 8000 Blair MacDonald RW 13 8 10 18 6000 Brett Callighen C 13 5 10 15 15001 Dennis Sobchuk C 12 6 6 12 4001 Al Hamilton D 13 4 5 9 4000 Joe Micheletti D 13 0 9 9 2000 Risto Siltanen D 11 0 9 9 4000 Bill Flett RW 10 5 2 7 2001 Stan Weir C 13 2 5 7 2001 Peter Driscoll LW 13 1 6 7 8000 Dave Semenko LW 11 4 2 6 29000 Paul Shmyr D 13 1 5 6 23000 Dave Hunter LW 13 2 3 5 42000 Bengt-Ake Gustafsson Bengt-Åke Gustafsson RW 2 1 2 3 0000 Steve Carlson C 11 1 1 2 12000 Bill Goldsworthy RW 4 1 1 2 11001 John Hughes John Hughes (ice hockey b. 1954) D 13 1 0 1 35000 Dave Dryden G 13 0 1 1 0000 Dave Langevin D 13 0 1 1 25000 Garnet Bailey LW 2 0 0 0 4000 Eddie Mio G 3 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LGAGAA SO Dave Dryden 687 13 6 7 42 3.67 0 Eddie Mio 90 3 0 0 6 4.00 0 Team: 777 13 6 7 48 3.71 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-06-29 1978-79 Edmonton Oilers Statistics – Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/EDO/1979.html Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals       MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; Awards and records Regular Season Player Milestone Reached Claire Alexander 1st WHA Game1st WHA Goal1st WHA Assist1st WHA Point October 13, 1978 Dave Hunter 1st WHA Game Dave Hunter 1st WHA Assist1st WHA Point October 20, 1978 Ed Walsh 1st WHA Game October 21, 1978 Doug Berry 1st WHA Goal1st WHA Point October 22, 1978 Garnet Bailey 1st WHA Goal1st WHA Point October 31, 1978 Brett Callighen 100th WHA Point November 8, 1978 Stan Weir 1st WHA Assist1st WHA Point Garnet Bailey 1st WHA Assist November 11, 1978 Doug Berry 1st WHA Assist November 19, 1978 Dave Hunter 1st WHA Goal Stan Weir 1st WHA Goal November 21, 1978 Jim Neilson 1st WHA Assist November 24, 1978 Stan Weir 1st WHA Hat-Trick November 28, 1978 Wayne Gretzky 1st WHA Hat-Trick December 12, 1978 Dave Dryden 200th WHA Game December 19, 1978 Wayne Gretzky 2nd WHA Hat-Trick January 13, 1978 Dennis Sobchuk 300th WHA Point January 28, 1979 Ron Chipperfield 300th WHA Point February 7, 1979 Dave Dryden 100th WHA Win February 23, 1979 Paul Shmyr 300th WHA Point March 16, 1979 Risto Siltanen 1st WHA Goal March 18, 1979 Al Hamilton 300th WHA Point March 20, 1979 Hannu Kamppuri 1st WHA Game Peter Driscoll 100th WHA Assist April 4, 1979 Bill Flett 100th WHA Goal Wayne Gretzky 3rd WHA Hat-Trick April 10, 1979 Wayne Gretzky 100th WHA Point April 13, 1979 Joe Micheletti 100th WHA Point April 14, 1979 Wayne Gretzky 4th WHA Hat-Trick April 15, 1979 Transactions Trades Date To Edmonton Oilers Traded to Traded for 1978 6 16 Bill Goldsworthy Indianapolis Racers Juha Widing 1978 9 17 Larry Hendrick Minnesota North Stars (NHL) Cash 1978 11 2 Peter DriscollEddie MioWayne Gretzky Indianapolis Racers ($850,000) Cash Players acquired Date Player Former team Term 1978 6 8 Claire Alexander Vancouver Canucks (NHL) 1-year1978 6 15 Wes George Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 3-year Stan Weir Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) 2-year1978 6 22 Dave Hunter Montreal Canadiens (NHL) 5-year Ed Walsh 2-year1978 7 6 Matti Hagman Quebec Nordiques Mark Napier Birmingham Bulls 1978 8 18 George Buat Seattle Breakers (WCHL) Ron Carter Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 2-year 1978 9 5 Jim Neilson Cleveland Barons (NHL) 1978 11 19 Rudolf Tajcnar Maine Mariners (AHL) 1978 12 17 John Hughes Indianapolis Racers 1979 3 4 Mike Brown New York Rangers (NHL) 1979 3 6 Hannu Kamppuri Jokerit Helsinki (Liiga) 1-year Risto Siltanen Ilves Tampere (Liiga) 1-year 1979 3 8 Mark Miller Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) 1979 3 21 Bengt-Ake Gustafsson Färjestad BK Karlstad (Elitserien) 2-year Players lost Date Player New team Ron Busniuk Retired Bryan Campbell Bob Falkenberg Norm Ferguson Gavin Kirk Birmingham Bulls Gary MacGregor Indianapolis Racers Don McLeod Retired Gerry Pinder Randy Rota1978 7 6 Pierre Jarry Indianapolis Racers Don McLeod Jim Troy Cincinnati Stingers 1978 9 29 Mike Zuke St. Louis Blues (NHL) 1978 10 23 Ab DeMarco Boston Bruins (NHL) 1978 12 14 Rudolf Tajcnar Released 1979 3 1 Bryan Watson Cincinnati Stingers Signings Date Player Term 1978 6 2 Al Hamilton 3-year1978 6 13 Doug Berry 3-year Blair MacDonald 4-year 1978 6 15 Bill Flett 1-year 1978 9 22 Larry Hendrick 1978 10 27 Garnet Bailey 1979 1 26 Wayne Gretzky 10-year Waivers Date Player Team1978 9 4 Steve Carlson from New England Whalers Jim Mayer See also 1978–79 WHA season References http://www.scsr.org/CHA/Teams/CS1/1978-79/BS/12/12.htm Teenager Gretzky Pulls 'Hat Trick' On Stingers, 5-2. Ed Ed Category:Edmonton Oilers seasons Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers Category:1970s in Edmonton