1978–79 Washington Capitals season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1978–79 1978 Washington Capitals 24–41–15 15–19–6 9–22–9 Campbell 8th Norris 4th 273 338 Max McNab Danny Belisle Guy Charron None Capital Centre Dennis MarukTom Rowe (31) Dennis Maruk (59) Dennis Maruk (90) Gord Lane (147) Rolf Edberg (+12) Gary Inness (14) Gary Inness (3.71) The 1978–79 Washington Capitals season was the Washington Capitals fifth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Capitals failed to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year for the first time in franchise history. 2 Regular season Final standings WAS Record vs. opponents WSH Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 5px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 5px solid; 1978–79 regular season1978-79 Washington Capitals Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/1979_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 22, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||W||October 11, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||1–0–0 |- |2||T||October 13, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||1–0–1 |- |3||L||October 14, 1978||3–6 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||1–1–1 |- |4||L||October 18, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||1–2–1 |- |5||L||October 20, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||1–3–1 |- |6||L||October 21, 1978||1–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||1–4–1 |- |7||T||October 25, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||1–4–2 |- |8||L||October 28, 1978||1–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||1–5–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |9||W||November 1, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||2–5–2 |- |10||L||November 2, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||2–6–2 |- |11||L||November 4, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||2–7–2 |- |12||T||November 5, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||2–7–3 |- |13||L||November 8, 1978||0–6 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||2–8–3 |- |14||L||November 9, 1978||2–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||2–9–3 |- |15||L||November 11, 1978||0–2 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||2–10–3 |- |16||W||November 14, 1978||8–7 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||3–10–3 |- |17||W||November 15, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||4–10–3 |- |18||L||November 17, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||4–11–3 |- |19||W||November 21, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||5–11–3 |- |20||L||November 22, 1978||1–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||5–12–3 |- |21||T||November 25, 1978||5–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||5–12–4 |- |22||L||November 26, 1978||4–9 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||5–13–4 |- |23||L||November 29, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||5–14–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |24||L||December 1, 1978||4–7 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||5–15–4 |- |25||L||December 2, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||5–16–4 |- |26||L||December 4, 1978||2–10 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||5–17–4 |- |27||W||December 5, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||6–17–4 |- |28||W||December 9, 1978||7–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||7–17–4 |- |29||L||December 12, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||7–18–4 |- |30||L||December 14, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||7–19–4 |- |31||L||December 15, 1978||1–6 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||7–20–4 |- |32||W||December 17, 1978||7–6 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||8–20–4 |- |33||T||December 19, 1978||4–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||8–20–5 |- |34||L||December 21, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||8–21–5 |- |35||T||December 23, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||8–21–6 |- |36||L||December 27, 1978||1–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||8–22–6 |- |37||T||December 30, 1978||5–5 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||8–22–7 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |38||W||January 3, 1979||8–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||9–22–7 |- |39||W||January 6, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||10–22–7 |- |40||L||January 7, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||10–23–7 |- |41||L||January 9, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||10–24–7 |- |42||L||January 11, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||10–25–7 |- |43||W||January 12, 1979||8–1 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||11–25–7 |- |44||W||January 14, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||12–25–7 |- |45||L||January 16, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||12–26–7 |- |46||W||January 19, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||13–26–7 |- |47||W||January 20, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||14–26–7 |- |48||W||January 24, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||15–26–7 |- |49||W||January 27, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||16–26–7 |- |50||T||January 28, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||16–26–8 |- |51||L||January 30, 1979||4–7 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||16–27–8 |- |52||W||January 31, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||17–27–8 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |53||L||February 3, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||17–28–8 |- |54||L||February 4, 1979||4–8 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||17–29–8 |- |55||W||February 15, 1979||9–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||18–29–8 |- |56||L||February 17, 1979||0–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||18–30–8 |- |57||T||February 18, 1979||6–6 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||18–30–9 |- |58||L||February 20, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||18–31–9 |- |59||L||February 21, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||18–32–9 |- |60||L||February 24, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||18–33–9 |- |61||L||February 25, 1979||5–8 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||18–34–9 |- |62||T||February 28, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||18–34–10 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |63||W||March 2, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||19–34–10 |- |64||W||March 4, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||20–34–10 |- |65||T||March 5, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||20–34–11 |- |66||W||March 10, 1979||7–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||21–34–11 |- |67||T||March 11, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||21–34–12 |- |68||L||March 14, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||21–35–12 |- |69||L||March 17, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||21–36–12 |- |70||T||March 18, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||21–36–13 |- |71||T||March 20, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||21–36–14 |- |72||T||March 21, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||21–36–15 |- |73||L||March 24, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||21–37–15 |- |74||L||March 25, 1979||4–7 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||21–38–15 |- |75||L||March 28, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||21–39–15 |- |76||L||March 31, 1979||1–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||21–40–15 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |77||W||April 1, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||22–40–15 |- |78||W||April 3, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||23–40–15 |- |79||L||April 7, 1979||3–10 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||23–41–15 |- |80||W||April 8, 1979||5–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||24–41–15 |- |- | 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 Dennis Maruk C 76 31 59 90 71-14623 Guy Charron C 80 28 42 70 24-14904 Robert Picard D 77 21 44 65 853802 Tom Rowe Tom Rowe (ice hockey) RW 69 31 30 61 137-6404 Ryan Walter C/LW 69 28 28 56 70-1601 Bob Sirois RW 73 29 25 54 6-6903 Rolf Edberg C 76 14 27 41 611102 Rick Green ice hockey D 71 8 33 41 62-45210 Leif Svensson D 74 2 29 31 28-3000 Bob Girard LW 79 9 15 24 36-15000 Mark Lofthouse RW/C 52 13 10 23 10-11100 Blair Stewart Blair Stewart (ice hockey) C 45 7 12 19 481000 Greg Polis LW 19 12 6 18 63601 Gord Lane D 64 3 15 18 147-15000 Yvon Labre D 51 1 13 14 807000 Michel Bergeron ice hockey, born 1954 RW 30 7 6 13 7-18101 Paul Mulvey LW 55 7 4 11 81-18101 Greg Carroll ice hockey C 24 5 6 11 12-2000 Dennis Hextall LW 26 2 9 11 43-13000 Peter Scamurra D 30 3 5 8 12-13010 Jack Lynch ice hockey D 30 2 6 8 142100 Gary Rissling LW 26 3 3 6 127-5101 Gerry Meehan C 18 2 4 6 0-3101 Bill Riley Bill Riley (ice hockey, born 1950) RW 24 2 2 4 64-6000 Ron Lalonde C 18 1 3 4 4-1010 Eddy Godin RW 9 0 3 3 6-2000 Craig Patrick RW 3 1 1 2 0-1000 Chuck Arnason RW 13 0 2 2 4-1000 Gary Inness G 37 0 2 2 60000 Doug Patey RW 6 1 0 1 2-2000 Dave Forbes LW 2 0 1 1 20000 Gord Smith ice hockey D 39 0 1 1 22-7000 Bryan Watson Bryan Watson (ice hockey) D 20 0 1 1 36-7000 Jim Bedard Jim Bedard (ice hockey b. 1956) G 30 0 0 0 60000 Pierre Bouchard D 1 0 0 0 01000 Rollie Boutin G 2 0 0 0 00000 Rick Bragnalo C 2 0 0 0 0-1000 Nelson Burton ice hockey LW 3 0 0 0 13-2000 Mike Marson LW 4 0 0 0 0-3000 Brent Tremblay D 1 0 0 0 00000 Bernie Wolfe Bernie Wolfe (ice hockey) G 18 0 0 0 150000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO Gary Inness 2107 37 14 14 8 130 3.70 0 Jim Bedard Jim Bedard (ice hockey b. 1956) 1740 30 6 17 6 126 4.34 0 Bernie Wolfe Bernie Wolfe (ice hockey) 863 18 4 9 1 68 4.73 0 Rollie Boutin 90 2 0 1 0 10 6.67 0 Team: 4800 80 24 41 15 334 4.17 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-06-02 1978-79 Washington Capitals Statistics – Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/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 Washington's draft picks at the 1978 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)12Ryan Walter Canada Seattle Breakers (WCHL)118Tim Coulis Canada Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)220Paul Mulvey Canada Portland Winterhawks (WCHL)223Paul MacKinnon Canada Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)338Glen Currie Canada Laval National (QMJHL)345Jay Johnston Canada Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)455Bengt-Ake Gustafsson Sweden Färjestad BK Karlstad (SEL)571Lou Franceschetti Canada Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL)688Vince Magnan Canada University of Denver (WCHA)7105Mats Hallin Sweden Södertälje SK (Sweden)8122Rich Sirois Canada Milwaukee Admirals (IHL)9139Denis Pomerleau Canada Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)10156Barry Heard Canada London Knights (OMJHL)11172Mark Toffolo United States Port Huron Flags (IHL)12187Paul Hogan Canada Regina Pats (WCHL)12189Steve Barger United States Boston College (ECAC)13202Rod Pacholzuk Canada University of Michigan (WCHA)14213Wes Jarvis Canada Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL)14215Ray Irwin Canada Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) See also 1978–79 NHL season References Category:Washington Capitals seasons Wash Washing Washing