1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1978–79 1978 Toronto Maple Leafs Wales 5th Adams 3rd 34–33–13 20–12–8 14–21–5 267 252 Jim Gregory Roger Neilson Darryl Sittler None Maple Leaf Gardens Lanny McDonald (43) Darryl Sittler (51) Darryl Sittler (87) Tiger Williams (298) Mike Palmateer (26) Mike Palmateer (2.95) The 1978–79 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the 62nd season of the Toronto NHL franchise, 52nd as the Maple Leafs. The Leafs placed third in the Adams Division to make the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, where they won their first round series against the Atlanta Flames, only to lose in their second round series to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens would not play each other in the postseason again until the 2021 season. 2 Offseason NHL draft Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team221Joel QuennevilleCanadaWindsor Spitfires (OMJHL)348Mark Kirton Canada Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)465Bob Parent Canada Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL)581Jordy Douglas Canada Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)692Mel Hewitt Canada Calgary Wranglers (WCHL)698Norm Lefebvre Canada Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)7115John Scammell Canada Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL)8132Kevin Reinhart Canada Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL)9149Mike Waghorne United States University of New Hampshire (ECAC)10166Laurie Cuvelier Canada St. Francis Xavier University (CIAU)1978 NHL Amateur Draft http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl1978a.html HockeydB.com 3 February 2012 Regular season Final standings TOR Record vs. opponents TOR Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 5px solid; 1978–79 regular season1978-79 Toronto Maple Leafs Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/TOR/1979_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 4, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||W||October 11, 1978||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||1–0–0 |- |2||W||October 14, 1978||10–7 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||2–0–0 |- |3||L||October 15, 1978||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||2–1–0 |- |4||W||October 18, 1978||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||3–1–0 |- |5||L||October 19, 1978||0–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||3–2–0 |- |6||W||October 21, 1978||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||4–2–0 |- |7||L||October 22, 1978||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||4–3–0 |- |8||T||October 25, 1978||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||4–3–1 |- |9||L||October 26, 1978||0–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||4–4–1 |- |10||L||October 28, 1978||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||4–5–1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |11||W||November 1, 1978||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||5–5–1 |- |12||W||November 3, 1978||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||6–5–1 |- |13||T||November 4, 1978||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||6–5–2 |- |14||W||November 7, 1978||5–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||7–5–2 |- |15||L||November 8, 1978||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||7–6–2 |- |16||L||November 11, 1978||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||7–7–2 |- |17||T||November 15, 1978||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||7–7–3 |- |18||W||November 16, 1978||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||8–7–3 |- |19||W||November 18, 1978||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||9–7–3 |- |20||W||November 21, 1978||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||10–7–3 |- |21||T||November 22, 1978||3–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||10–7–4 |- |22||L||November 25, 1978||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||10–8–4 |- |23||W||November 26, 1978||8–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||11–8–4 |- |24||W||November 29, 1978||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||12–8–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |25||W||December 2, 1978||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||13–8–4 |- |26||L||December 3, 1978||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||13–9–4 |- |27||L||December 5, 1978||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||13–10–4 |- |28||L||December 6, 1978||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||13–11–4 |- |29||L||December 9, 1978||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||13–12–4 |- |30||L||December 10, 1978||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||13–13–4 |- |31||W||December 13, 1978||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||14–13–4 |- |32||W||December 16, 1978||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||15–13–4 |- |33||L||December 17, 1978||6–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||15–14–4 |- |34||W||December 20, 1978||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||16–14–4 |- |35||L||December 22, 1978||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||16–15–4 |- |36||W||December 23, 1978||6–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||17–15–4 |- |37||L||December 26, 1978||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||17–16–4 |- |38||T||December 27, 1978||1–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||17–16–5 |- |39||T||December 30, 1978||5–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||17–16–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |40||L||January 3, 1979||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||17–17–6 |- |41||L||January 6, 1979||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||17–18–6 |- |42||L||January 8, 1979||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||17–19–6 |- |43||T||January 10, 1979||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||17–19–7 |- |44||W||January 13, 1979||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||18–19–7 |- |45||W||January 16, 1979||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||19–19–7 |- |46||T||January 19, 1979||3–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||19–19–8 |- |47||W||January 20, 1979||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||20–19–8 |- |48||T||January 24, 1979||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||20–19–9 |- |49||L||January 26, 1979||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||20–20–9 |- |50||T||January 28, 1979||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||20–20–10 |- |51||W||January 31, 1979||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||21–20–10 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |52||L||February 3, 1979||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||21–21–10 |- |53||L||February 4, 1979||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||21–22–10 |- |54||W||February 12, 1979||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||22–22–10 |- |55||T||February 14, 1979||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||22–22–11 |- |56||W||February 17, 1979||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||23–22–11 |- |57||W||February 19, 1979||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||24–22–11 |- |58||L||February 21, 1979||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||24–23–11 |- |59||L||February 24, 1979||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||24–24–11 |- |60||L||February 26, 1979||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||24–25–11 |- |61||L||February 28, 1979||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||24–26–11 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |62||L||March 1, 1979||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||24–27–11 |- |63||W||March 3, 1979||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||25–27–11 |- |64||W||March 4, 1979||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||26–27–11 |- |65||W||March 7, 1979||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||27–27–11 |- |66||W||March 10, 1979||9–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||28–27–11 |- |67||W||March 11, 1979||4–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||29–27–11 |- |68||L||March 14, 1979||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||29–28–11 |- |69||L||March 15, 1979||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||29–29–11 |- |70||W||March 17, 1979||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||30–29–11 |- |71||L||March 19, 1979||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||30–30–11 |- |72||L||March 21, 1979||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||30–31–11 |- |73||T||March 24, 1979||3–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||30–31–12 |- |74||L||March 25, 1979||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||30–32–12 |- |75||W||March 28, 1979||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||31–32–12 |- |76||W||March 31, 1979||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||32–32–12 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#00205B 2px solid; border-bottom:#00205B 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |77||W||April 1, 1979||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||33–32–12 |- |78||T||April 4, 1979||3–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||33–32–13 |- |79||W||April 7, 1979||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||34–32–13 |- |80||L||April 8, 1979||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||34–33–13 |- |- | 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 Darryl Sittler C 70 36 51 87 6991204 Lanny McDonald RW 79 43 42 85 32121602 Borje Salming D 78 17 56 73 7636402 Ian Turnbull Ian Turnbull (ice hockey) D 80 12 51 63 80-7400 Walt McKechnie C 79 25 36 61 1821716 Dan Maloney LW 77 17 36 53 15719005 Tiger Williams LW 77 19 20 39 298-7604 Pat Boutette C/RW 80 14 19 33 1363002 Ron Ellis RW 63 16 12 28 107401 John Anderson John Anderson (ice hockey, born 1957) RW 71 15 11 26 102002 Dave Hutchison Dave Hutchison (ice hockey) D 79 4 15 19 23536000 Jimmy Jones Jimmy Jones (ice hockey) RW 69 9 9 18 452000 Ron Wilson Ron Wilson (ice hockey, born 1955) D 46 5 12 17 4-10400 Jerry Butler Jerry Butler (ice hockey) RW 76 8 7 15 52-2022 Dave Burrows D 65 2 11 13 28-10000 Garry Monahan LW 62 4 7 11 254020 Joel Quenneville D 61 2 9 11 607001 Paul Gardner Paul Gardner (ice hockey) C 11 7 2 9 00201 Rocky Saganiuk RW/C 16 3 5 8 91101 Bruce Boudreau C 26 4 3 7 2-3000 Lorne Stamler LW 45 4 3 7 2-6001 Trevor Johansen D 40 1 4 5 481000 Mike Palmateer G 58 0 5 5 240000 Don Ashby C 3 0 0 0 0-3000 Pierre Hamel G 1 0 0 0 00000 Paul Harrison Paul Harrison (ice hockey) G 25 0 0 0 100000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO Mike Palmateer 3396 58 26 21 10 167 2.95 4 Paul Harrison Paul Harrison (ice hockey) 1403 25 8 12 3 82 3.51 1 Pierre Hamel 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.00 0 Team: 4800 80 34 33 13 249 3.11 5 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG Darryl Sittler C 6 5 4 9 17200 Walt McKechnie C 6 4 3 7 7011 Dan Maloney LW 6 3 3 6 2101 Lanny McDonald RW 6 3 2 5 0000 Pat Boutette C/RW 6 2 2 4 22000 Ian Turnbull Ian Turnbull (ice hockey) D 6 0 4 4 27000 Dave Hutchison Dave Hutchison (ice hockey) D 6 0 3 3 23000 Ron Ellis RW 6 1 1 2 2000 John Anderson John Anderson (ice hockey, born 1957) RW 6 0 2 2 0000 Rocky Saganiuk RW/C 3 1 0 1 5000 Dave Burrows D 6 0 1 1 7000 Paul Gardner Paul Gardner (ice hockey) C 6 0 1 1 4000 Joel Quenneville D 6 0 1 1 4000 Borje Salming D 6 0 1 1 8000 Ron Wilson Ron Wilson (ice hockey, born 1955) D 3 0 1 1 0000 Jerry Butler Jerry Butler (ice hockey) RW 6 0 0 0 4000 Paul Harrison Paul Harrison (ice hockey) G 2 0 0 0 0000 Jimmy Jones Jimmy Jones (ice hockey) RW 6 0 0 0 4000 Mike Palmateer G 5 0 0 0 6000 Tiger Williams LW 6 0 0 0 48000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LGAGAA SO Mike Palmateer 298 5 2 3 17 3.42 0 Paul Harrison Paul Harrison (ice hockey) 91 2 0 1 7 4.62 0 Team: 389 6 2 4 24 3.70 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-05-28 1978-79 Toronto Maple Leafs Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/TOR/1979.html Playoffs Preliminary round Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Atlanta Flames Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 10 Toronto 2 Atlanta 1 April 12 Atlanta 4 Toronto 7 Toronto wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0. Quarter-finals Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 16 Toronto 2 Montreal 5 April 18 Toronto 1 Montreal 5 April 21 Montreal 4 Toronto 3 (OT) April 22 Montreal 5 Toronto 4 (OT) Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0. Awards and records Borje Salming, Second Team NHL All-Star, Defence Transactions The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1978–79 season. Trades September 13, 1978To Vancouver CanucksCashTo Toronto Maple LeafsGarry Monahan October 5, 1978To Minnesota North Stars3rd round pick in 1980 – Randy VelischekTo Toronto Maple LeafsWalt McKechnie October 19, 1978To Colorado RockiesJack ValiquetteTo Toronto Maple Leafs2nd round pick in 1981 – Gary Yaremchuk March 13, 1979To Colorado RockiesDon Ashby Trevor JohansenTo Toronto Maple LeafsPaul Gardner Waivers July 4, 1979To Edmonton OilersStan Weir Expansion draft June 13, 1979To Hartford WhalersJordy Douglas June 13, 1979To Winnipeg JetsPierre Hamel June 13, 1979To Hartford WhalersKevin Kemp June 13, 1979To Hartford WhalersRick Ley References Maple Leafs on Hockey Database Category:Toronto Maple Leafs seasons Toronto Toronto Category:1978 in Toronto Category:1979 in Toronto