1979–80 Montreal Canadiens season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 Montreal Canadiens NHL 1979–80 1979 Wales 2nd Norris 1st 47–20–13 30–7–3 17–13–10 328 240 Irving Grundman Bernie Geoffrion (Oct–Dec)Claude Ruel (Dec–Apr) Serge Savard None Montreal Forum Guy Lafleur and Pierre Larouche (50) Guy Lafleur (75) Guy Lafleur (125) Larry Robinson (+38) Gilles Lupien (109) Denis Herron (25) Denis Herron (2.51) Yes 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, 978-0-385-66325-0 The season involved being eliminated in the NHL quarter-finals vs the Minnesota North Stars 4 games to 3. 2 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, 978-0-385-66325-0 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, 978-0-385-66325-0 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, 978-0-385-66325-0 Final standings MTL MTL Record vs. opponents MTL Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 5px solid; border-bottom:#192168 5px solid; 1979–80 regular season1979-80 Montreal Canadiens Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1980_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 6, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |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: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black 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 Guy Lafleur RW 74 50 75 125 12401507 Pierre Larouche C 73 50 41 91 16361207 Steve Shutt LW 77 47 42 89 34451704 Larry Robinson D 72 14 61 75 3938603 Pierre Mondou C 75 30 36 66 1226803 Yvon Lambert LW 77 21 32 53 233707 Mark Napier Mark Napier (ice hockey) RW 76 16 33 49 711401 Rejean Houle W 60 18 27 45 683203 Mario Tremblay RW 77 16 26 42 1056002 Rod Langway D 77 7 29 36 8136001 Bob Gainey LW 64 14 19 33 32-2413 Guy Lapointe D 45 6 20 26 29-2000 Doug Jarvis C 80 13 11 24 28-5013 Brian Engblom D 70 3 20 23 4322000 Doug Risebrough C 44 8 10 18 81-2000 Serge Savard D 46 5 8 13 18-2001 Rick Chartraw D/RW 66 5 7 12 356000 Gaston Gingras D 34 3 7 10 1811201 Gilles Lupien D 56 1 7 8 10913001 Danny Geoffrion RW 32 0 6 6 121000 Norm Dupont LW 35 1 3 4 42000 Michel Larocque Michel Larocque (ice hockey, born 1952) G 39 0 2 2 40000 Chris Nilan RW 15 0 2 2 50-1000 Keith Acton C 2 0 1 1 00000 Denis Herron G 34 0 0 0 00000 Rick Meagher C 2 0 0 0 00000 Moe Robinson D 1 0 0 0 00000 Richard Sevigny G 11 0 0 0 40000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO Denis Herron 1909 34 25 3 3 80 2.51 0 Michel Larocque Michel Larocque (ice hockey, born 1952) 2259 39 17 13 8 125 3.32 3 Richard Sevigny 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 Yvon Lambert LW 10 8 4 12 4101 Mario Tremblay RW 10 0 11 11 14000 Steve Shutt LW 10 6 3 9 6202 Rejean Houle W 10 4 5 9 12100 Doug Jarvis C 10 4 4 8 2010 Mark Napier Mark Napier (ice hockey) RW 10 2 6 8 0100 Pierre Larouche C 9 1 7 8 2000 Gaston Gingras D 10 1 6 7 8000 Rod Langway D 10 3 3 6 2100 Brian Engblom D 10 2 4 6 6101 Pierre Mondou C 4 1 4 5 4000 Guy Lafleur RW 3 3 1 4 0000 Rick Chartraw D/RW 10 2 2 4 0000 Larry Robinson D 10 0 4 4 2000 Norm Dupont LW 8 1 1 2 0001 Bob Gainey LW 10 1 1 2 4001 Danny Geoffrion RW 2 0 0 0 7000 Denis Herron G 5 0 0 0 0000 Yvan Joly RW 1 0 0 0 0000 Guy Lapointe D 2 0 0 0 0000 Michel Larocque Michel Larocque (ice hockey, born 1952) G 5 0 0 0 0000 Gilles Lupien D 4 0 0 0 2000 Chris Nilan RW 5 0 0 0 2000 Serge Savard D 2 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SO Michel Larocque Michel Larocque (ice hockey, born 1952) 300 5 4 1 11 2.20 1 Denis Herron 300 5 2 3 15 3.00 0 Team: 600 10 6 4 26 2.60 1 hockey-reference.com 2009-05-28 1979-80 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1980.html Awards and records Larry Robinson, Norris TrophyNational Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 0-920445-98-5 Draft picks Round # Player Position Nationality College/junior/club team (League)227Gaston GingrasDefence Canada Birmingham Bulls (WHA) 2 37 Mats Naslund Left wing Sweden Brynäs IF (Sweden)343Craig LevieDefence Canada Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 3 44 Guy Carbonneau Centre Canada Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)358Rick WamsleyGoaltender Canada Brantford Alexanders (OMJHL)479Dave OrleskiLeft wing Canada New Westminster Bruins (WHL)5100Yvan JolyRight wing Canada Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)6121Greg MoffettGoaltender United States University of New Hampshire (ECAC)National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 234, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 0-920445-98-5 See also 1979–80 NHL season References 35em Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons Montreal Canadiens season, 1979-80 Category:Norris Division champion seasons Montreal Category:1979 in Montreal Category:1980 in Montreal Category:1979 in sports in Quebec Category:1980 in sports in Quebec