1979–80 Buffalo Sabres season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1979–80 1979 Buffalo Sabres Wales 1st Adams 1st 47–17–16 27–5–8 20–12–8 318 201 John Anderson Scotty Bowman Scotty Bowman Danny Gare None Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 16,433 Danny Gare (56) Gilbert Perreault (66) Gilbert Perreault (106) Larry Playfair (145) Don Edwards (27) Bob Sauve (2.36) yes Yes The 1979–80 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' tenth season of operation for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.National Hockey League The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011 2010 Triumph Books 27 978-1-60078-422-4 The team was awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy for finishing with the best regular season record in the Prince of Wales Conference. They lost in the third round of the playoffs to the New York Islanders. Offseason NHL draft Round Pick Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team1 11 Mike Ramsey (D) United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)232Lindy Ruff (D)CanadaLethbridge Broncos (WHL)353Mark Robinson (D)CanadaVictoria Cougars (WHL)355Jacques Cloutier (G)CanadaTrois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)474Gilles Hamel (LW)CanadaLaval National (QMJHL)595Alan Haworth (C)CanadaSherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)6116Rick Knickle (G)CanadaBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL) Regular season Season standings BUF BUF Record vs. opponents BUF Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#003087 5px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 5px solid; 1979–80 regular season1979-80 Buffalo Sabres Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BUF/1980_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 25, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||W||October 11, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||1–0–0 |- |2||W||October 13, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||2–0–0 |- |3||L||October 14, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||2–1–0 |- |4||W||October 17, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||3–1–0 |- |5||L||October 20, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||3–2–0 |- |6||T||October 21, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||3–2–1 |- |7||W||October 24, 1979||7–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||4–2–1 |- |8||L||October 25, 1979||0–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||4–3–1 |- |9||W||October 27, 1979||3–0 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||5–3–1 |- |10||W||October 28, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||6–3–1 |- |11||T||October 31, 1979||0–0 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||6–3–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |12||W||November 3, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||7–3–2 |- |13||L||November 4, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||7–4–2 |- |14||T||November 8, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||7–4–3 |- |15||W||November 10, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||8–4–3 |- |16||L||November 11, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||8–5–3 |- |17||W||November 15, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||9–5–3 |- |18||W||November 17, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||10–5–3 |- |19||W||November 18, 1979||9–7 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||11–5–3 |- |20||L||November 21, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||11–6–3 |- |21||W||November 24, 1979||6–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||12–6–3 |- |22||W||November 25, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||13–6–3 |- |23||W||November 27, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||14–6–3 |- |24||W||November 29, 1979||2–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||15–6–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |25||W||December 2, 1979||2–0 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1979–80) ||16–6–3 |- |26||W||December 5, 1979||6–1 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||17–6–3 |- |27||W||December 7, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||18–6–3 |- |28||W||December 10, 1979||4–0 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||19–6–3 |- |29||W||December 13, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||20–6–3 |- |30||L||December 15, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||20–7–3 |- |31||L||December 16, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||20–8–3 |- |32||W||December 19, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||21–8–3 |- |33||W||December 20, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||22–8–3 |- |34||W||December 22, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||23–8–3 |- |35||L||December 23, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||23–9–3 |- |36||W||December 27, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||24–9–3 |- |37||L||December 29, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||24–10–3 |- |38||W||December 31, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||25–10–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |39||W||January 5, 1980||5–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||26–10–3 |- |40||L||January 6, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||26–11–3 |- |41||W||January 9, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||27–11–3 |- |42||W||January 11, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||28–11–3 |- |43||L||January 13, 1980||5–6 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||28–12–3 |- |44||W||January 16, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||29–12–3 |- |45||T||January 18, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||29–12–4 |- |46||T||January 20, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||29–12–5 |- |47||T||January 21, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||29–12–6 |- |48||L||January 24, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||29–13–6 |- |49||W||January 26, 1980||7–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||30–13–6 |- |50||W||January 27, 1980||9–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||31–13–6 |- |51||W||January 31, 1980||6–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||32–13–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |52||L||February 2, 1980||2–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||32–14–6 |- |53||W||February 3, 1980||3–0 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||33–14–6 |- |54||W||February 7, 1980||9–0 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||34–14–6 |- |55||L||February 9, 1980||2–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||34–15–6 |- |56||W||February 11, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||35–15–6 |- |57||T||February 14, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||35–15–7 |- |58||W||February 16, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||36–15–7 |- |59||T||February 17, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||36–15–8 |- |60||W||February 19, 1980||3–1 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||37–15–8 |- |61||W||February 20, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||38–15–8 |- |62||L||February 24, 1980||1–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||38–16–8 |- |63||T||February 27, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||38–16–9 |- |64||W||February 29, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||39–16–9 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |65||T||March 2, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||39–16–10 |- |66||L||March 5, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||39–17–10 |- |67||W||March 6, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||40–17–10 |- |68||W||March 9, 1980||9–4 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||41–17–10 |- |69||T||March 12, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||41–17–11 |- |70||T||March 15, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||41–17–12 |- |71||T||March 19, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||41–17–13 |- |72||W||March 22, 1980||5–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||42–17–13 |- |73||T||March 23, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||42–17–14 |- |74||T||March 25, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||42–17–15 |- |75||W||March 27, 1980||10–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||43–17–15 |- |76||T||March 30, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||43–17–16 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |77||W||April 1, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||44–17–16 |- |78||W||April 3, 1980||8–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||45–17–16 |- |79||W||April 5, 1980||9–1 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||46–17–16 |- |80||W||April 6, 1980||7–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||47–17–16 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs First round No. 2 seed Buffalo over No. 15 seed Vancouver (3 games to 1) Second round No. 2 seed Buffalo over No. 7 seed Chicago (4 games to 0) Third round No. 5 seed New York Islanders over No. 2 seed Buffalo (4 games to 2) Awards and records Prince of Wales Trophy NHL Plus/Minus Award Jim Schoenfeld Bob Sauve and Don Edwards, Vezina Trophy Danny Gare, NHL Goals Leader Don Edwards, Goaltender, NHL Second Team All-Star Danny Gare, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star Jim Schoenfeld, Defenceman, NHL Second Team All-Star Bob Sauve, posted league's lowest goals against average. References Sabres on Hockey Database Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons Buffalo Category:Adams Division champion seasons Category:Eastern Conference (NHL) championship seasons Category:1979 in sports in New York (state) Buffalo