1978–79 Detroit Red Wings season

Sports season March 2026 August 2023 1978–79 1978 Detroit Red Wings NHL 15th Wales 9th Norris 5th 23–41–16 15–17–8 8–24–8 252 295 Ted Lindsay Bobby Kromm Dennis HextallNick Libett and Paul Woods Detroit Olympia Václav Nedomanský (38) Reed Larson (49) Vaclav Nedomansky (73) Dennis Polonich (208) Jim Rutherford (13) Jim Rutherford (3.27) 1977–78 1979–80 The 1978–79 Detroit Red Wings season was the Red Wings' 47th season and 53rd overall for the franchise. It is the last full season at the Detroit Olympia for the team. A year later, they would move to the newly built Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings did not qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 1976–77 season and it is also since the 1976-77 season that the team finished last in the conference despite qualifying the previous year. 2 Regular season Final standings DET Record vs. opponents DET Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 5px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 5px solid; 1978–79 regular season1978-79 Detroit Red Wings Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/DET/1979_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 2, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 11, 1978||4–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||October 14, 1978||1–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||0–2–0 |- |3||W||October 15, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||1–2–0 |- |4||T||October 18, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||1–2–1 |- |5||T||October 19, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||1–2–2 |- |6||T||October 21, 1978||4–4 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||1–2–3 |- |7||W||October 25, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||2–2–3 |- |8||W||October 27, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||3–2–3 |- |9||W||October 28, 1978||7–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||4–2–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |10||L||November 1, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||4–3–3 |- |11||L||November 4, 1978||3–7 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||4–4–3 |- |12||T||November 5, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||4–4–4 |- |13||L||November 8, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||4–5–4 |- |14||L||November 9, 1978||3–8 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||4–6–4 |- |15||W||November 11, 1978||7–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||5–6–4 |- |16||L||November 15, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||5–7–4 |- |17||L||November 18, 1978||1–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||5–8–4 |- |18||L||November 19, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||5–9–4 |- |19||T||November 22, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||5–9–5 |- |20||L||November 25, 1978||0–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||5–10–5 |- |21||W||November 26, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||6–10–5 |- |22||T||November 29, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||6–10–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |23||L||December 1, 1978||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||6–11–6 |- |24||L||December 2, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||6–12–6 |- |25||T||December 6, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||6–12–7 |- |26||L||December 7, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||6–13–7 |- |27||W||December 9, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||7–13–7 |- |28||T||December 10, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||7–13–8 |- |29||T||December 13, 1978||5–5 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||7–13–9 |- |30||L||December 14, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||7–14–9 |- |31||L||December 16, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||7–15–9 |- |32||L||December 17, 1978||0–3 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||7–16–9 |- |33||W||December 20, 1978||7–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||8–16–9 |- |34||L||December 22, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||8–17–9 |- |35||T||December 23, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||8–17–10 |- |36||T||December 26, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||8–17–11 |- |37||L||December 27, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||8–18–11 |- |38||L||December 30, 1978||1–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||8–19–11 |- |39||L||December 31, 1978||4–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||8–20–11 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |40||L||January 6, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||8–21–11 |- |41||L||January 7, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||8–22–11 |- |42||T||January 10, 1979||5–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||8–22–12 |- |43||T||January 11, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||8–22–13 |- |44||L||January 13, 1979||3–7 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||8–23–13 |- |45||W||January 17, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||9–23–13 |- |46||L||January 19, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||9–24–13 |- |47||L||January 20, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||9–25–13 |- |48||T||January 25, 1979||6–6 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||9–25–14 |- |49||L||January 27, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||9–26–14 |- |50||L||January 28, 1979||2–7 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||9–27–14 |- |51||W||January 30, 1979||7–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||10–27–14 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |52||L||February 1, 1979||1–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||10–28–14 |- |53||L||February 3, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||10–29–14 |- |54||W||February 4, 1979||8–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||11–29–14 |- |55||L||February 14, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||11–30–14 |- |56||W||February 18, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||12–30–14 |- |57||L||February 19, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||12–31–14 |- |58||W||February 21, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||13–31–14 |- |59||L||February 24, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||13–32–14 |- |60||W||February 25, 1979||8–1 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||14–32–14 |- |61||L||February 28, 1979||5–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||14–33–14 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |62||W||March 3, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||15–33–14 |- |63||L||March 4, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||15–34–14 |- |64||L||March 7, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||15–35–14 |- |65||T||March 11, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||15–35–15 |- |66||T||March 12, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||15–35–16 |- |67||W||March 14, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||16–35–16 |- |68||W||March 17, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||17–35–16 |- |69||W||March 18, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||18–35–16 |- |70||W||March 20, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||19–35–16 |- |71||W||March 21, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||20–35–16 |- |72||L||March 24, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||20–36–16 |- |73||W||March 25, 1979||2–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||21–36–16 |- |74||L||March 27, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||21–37–16 |- |75||L||March 28, 1979||1–8 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||21–38–16 |- |76||L||March 31, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||21–39–16 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#CE1126 2px solid; border-bottom:#CE1126 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |77||W||April 1, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||22–39–16 |- |78||L||April 4, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||22–40–16 |- |79||L||April 7, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||22–41–16 |- |80||W||April 8, 1979||1–0 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||23–41–16 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Vaclav Nedomansky RW 80 38 35 73 19-131302 Dale McCourt C 79 28 43 71 14-271423 Reed Larson D 79 18 49 67 169-20620 Errol Thompson Errol Thompson (ice hockey) LW 70 23 31 54 26-28803 Andre St. Laurent C 76 18 31 49 124-31411 Dan Labraaten LW 78 19 19 38 8-17703 Paul Woods ice hockey LW 80 14 23 37 59-26131 Nick Libett LW 68 15 19 34 204310 Willie Huber D 68 7 24 31 114-25402 Dan Bolduc LW 56 16 13 29 14-9304 Perry Miller Perry Miller (ice hockey) D 75 5 23 28 156-13301 Thommie Bergman D 68 10 17 27 64-25311 Dennis Polonich C/RW 62 10 12 22 208-10100 Roland Cloutier C 19 6 6 12 20101 Dennis Hextall LW 20 4 8 12 333200 Fern LeBlanc C 29 5 6 11 01100 Bill Lochead LW 40 4 7 11 20-4000 Greg Carroll Greg Carroll (ice hockey) C 36 2 9 11 8-6100 Bill Hogaboam C 18 4 6 10 4-5101 J.P. LeBlanc Jean-Paul LeBlanc (ice hockey) C 24 2 6 8 4-7200 Jean Hamel D 52 2 4 6 72-9000 Terry Harper D 51 0 6 6 58-3000 Greg Joly D 20 0 4 4 6-8000 Al Cameron D 9 0 3 3 81000 John Hilworth D 37 1 1 2 66-13000 Rob Plumb LW 7 1 1 2 2-1000 Lorry Gloeckner D 13 0 2 2 6-7000 Jim Rutherford G 32 0 2 2 40000 John Taft ice hockey D 15 0 2 2 42000 Rogie Vachon G 50 0 1 1 210000 Mal Davis LW 6 0 0 0 0-2000 Dave Hanson David Hanson (ice hockey) D 11 0 0 0 26-1000 Brent Peterson C 5 0 0 0 00000 Steve Short LW 1 0 0 0 00000 Bjorn Skaare C 1 0 0 0 00000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO Jim Rutherford 1892 32 13 14 5 103 3.27 1 Rogie Vachon 2908 50 10 27 11 189 3.90 0 Team: 4800 80 23 41 16 292 3.65 1 hockey-reference.com 2009-06-02 1978-79 Detroit Red Wings Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/DET/1979.html Note: 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; Draft picks Detroit's draft picks at the 1978 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Ladislav Svozil was the first Czechoslovak player drafted in the history of the NHL Draft. The Red Wings selected Svozil with their 14th pick in the 1978 Draft.Hockey's Book of Firsts, p. 46, James Duplacey, JG Press, 978-1-57215-037-9 Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)19Willie Huber Canada Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)112Brent Peterson Canada Portland Winterhawks (WCHL)228Glenn Hicks Canada Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)231Al Jensen Canada Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)353Doug Derkson Canada New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)462Bjorn Skaare Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)578Ted Nolan Canada Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL)695Sylvain Locas Canada Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)7112Wes George Canada Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)8129John Barrett Canada Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL)9146Jim Malazdrewicz Canada St. Boniface Saints (MJHL)10163Geoff Shaw Canada Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)11178Carl Van Harrewyn Canada New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)12194Ladislav Svozil HC Vitkovice (Czechoslovakia)13208Tom Bailey Canada Kingston Canadians (OMJHL)14219Larry Lozinski Canada Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)15224Randy Betty Canada New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)16226Brian Crawley Canada St. Lawrence University (ECAC)17228Doug Feasby Canada Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) See also 1978–79 NHL season References Category:Detroit Red Wings seasons Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Detroit Red Red Wings Red Wings