1979–80 Washington Capitals season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1979–80 1979 Washington Capitals 27–40–13 20–14–6 7–26–7 Campbell 9th Patrick 5th 261 293 Max McNab Danny BelisleGary Green Ryan Walter None Capital Centre 11,038 (60.9%) Mike Gartner (36) Robert Picard (43) Mike Gartner (68) Paul Mulvey (240) Mike Gartner (+16) Wayne Stephenson (18) Rollie Boutin (3.50) The 1979–80 Washington Capitals season was the Washington Capitals sixth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Capitals failed to make the playoffs for the sixth straight year for the first time in franchise history. 2 Regular season Washington was tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the last playoff berth with two games remaining, but lost to the Philadelphia Flyers and tied the Atlanta Flames, while the Oilers tied the Minnesota North Stars and defeated the Colorado Rockies to finish two points ahead. Final standings WAS WAS Record vs. opponents WSH Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 5px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 5px solid; 1979–80 regular season1979-80 Washington Capitals Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/1980_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||L||October 11, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||October 13, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||0–2–0 |- |3||W||October 14, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||1–2–0 |- |4||W||October 16, 1979||8–6 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||2–2–0 |- |5||L||October 19, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||2–3–0 |- |6||L||October 20, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||2–4–0 |- |7||L||October 24, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||2–5–0 |- |8||L||October 27, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||2–6–0 |- |9||W||October 28, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||3–6–0 |- |10||T||October 30, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||3–6–1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |11||T||November 2, 1979||1–1 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||3–6–2 |- |12||L||November 3, 1979||1–7 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||3–7–2 |- |13||L||November 5, 1979||0–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||3–8–2 |- |14||W||November 7, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||4–8–2 |- |15||L||November 10, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||4–9–2 |- |16||L||November 13, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||4–10–2 |- |17||L||November 15, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||4–11–2 |- |18||L||November 16, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||4–12–2 |- |19||L||November 18, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||4–13–2 |- |20||T||November 20, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||4–13–3 |- |21||L||November 21, 1979||0–4 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||4–14–3 |- |22||L||November 24, 1979||1–6 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||4–15–3 |- |23||T||November 25, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||4–15–4 |- |24||L||November 28, 1979||2–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||4–16–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |25||W||December 1, 1979||7–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||5–16–4 |- |26||L||December 2, 1979||0–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1979–80) ||5–17–4 |- |27||T||December 4, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||5–17–5 |- |28||L||December 7, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||5–18–5 |- |29||L||December 8, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||5–19–5 |- |30||L||December 12, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||5–20–5 |- |31||W||December 15, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||6–20–5 |- |32||L||December 19, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||6–21–5 |- |33||W||December 21, 1979||2–1 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||7–21–5 |- |34||L||December 22, 1979||1–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||7–22–5 |- |35||W||December 26, 1979||8–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||8–22–5 |- |36||W||December 28, 1979||6–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||9–22–5 |- |37||L||December 30, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1979–80) ||9–23–5 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |38||W||January 4, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||10–23–5 |- |39||T||January 5, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||10–23–6 |- |40||W||January 11, 1980||7–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||11–23–6 |- |41||L||January 12, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1979–80) ||11–24–6 |- |42||L||January 15, 1980||4–7 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||11–25–6 |- |43||L||January 16, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||11–26–6 |- |44||T||January 19, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||11–26–7 |- |45||L||January 20, 1980||2–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||11–27–7 |- |46||W||January 22, 1980||5–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||12–27–7 |- |47||T||January 26, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) ||12–27–8 |- |48||W||January 27, 1980||7–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||13–27–8 |- |49||L||January 30, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||13–28–8 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |50||L||February 1, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||13–29–8 |- |51||L||February 2, 1980||3–6 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1979–80) ||13–30–8 |- |52||T||February 6, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||13–30–9 |- |53||W||February 8, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) ||14–30–9 |- |54||W||February 12, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||15–30–9 |- |55||L||February 15, 1980||2–8 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) ||15–31–9 |- |56||W||February 16, 1980||5–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) ||16–31–9 |- |57||W||February 19, 1980||3–1 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||17–31–9 |- |58||L||February 21, 1980||0–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||17–32–9 |- |59||W||February 23, 1980||6–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) ||18–32–9 |- |60||T||February 24, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||18–32–10 |- |61||W||February 26, 1980||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) ||19–32–10 |- |62||L||February 28, 1980||1–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||19–33–10 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |63||L||March 1, 1980||3–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) ||19–34–10 |- |64||L||March 2, 1980||1–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||19–35–10 |- |65||W||March 5, 1980||7–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||20–35–10 |- |66||W||March 8, 1980||9–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1979–80) ||21–35–10 |- |67||W||March 9, 1980||3–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1979–80) ||22–35–10 |- |68||W||March 12, 1980||6–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||23–35–10 |- |69||W||March 15, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) ||24–35–10 |- |70||T||March 16, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) ||24–35–11 |- |71||W||March 18, 1980||4–1 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1979–80) ||25–35–11 |- |72||L||March 21, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) ||25–36–11 |- |73||L||March 22, 1980||2–6 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||25–37–11 |- |74||L||March 24, 1980||1–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) ||25–38–11 |- |75||W||March 26, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1979–80) ||26–38–11 |- |76||T||March 29, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||26–38–12 |- |77||L||March 30, 1980||0–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||26–39–12 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#D50032 2px solid; border-bottom:#003DA5 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |78||W||April 1, 1980||6–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) ||27–39–12 |- |79||L||April 3, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) ||27–40–12 |- |80||T||April 5, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1979–80) ||27–40–13 |- |- | 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 Mike Gartner RW 77 36 32 68 6615403 Ryan Walter C/LW 80 24 42 66 106-11211 Bengt-Ake Gustafsson Bengt-Åke Gustafsson RW 80 22 38 60 17-17613 Robert Picard D 78 11 43 54 122-21501 Rolf Edberg C 63 23 23 46 12-5417 Paul Mulvey LW 77 15 19 34 240-8203 Mark Lofthouse RW/C 68 15 18 33 20-9101 Bob Sirois RW 49 15 17 32 18-5412 Guy Charron C 33 11 20 31 6-2501 Dennis Maruk C 27 10 17 27 80110 Tom Rowe Tom Rowe (ice hockey) RW 41 10 17 27 76-9402 Wes Jarvis C 63 11 15 26 8-3000 Rick Green ice hockey D 71 4 20 24 52-10001 Antero Lehtonen LW 65 9 12 21 14-4201 Alan Hangsleben D 37 10 7 17 451201 Mike Kaszycki C 28 7 10 17 10-5100 Leif Svensson D 47 4 11 15 21-10000 Pierre Bouchard D 54 5 9 14 16-7000 Paul MacKinnon D 63 1 11 12 22-1000 Errol Rausse LW 24 6 2 8 04000 Peter Scamurra D 23 3 5 8 6-1100 Gord Lane D 19 2 4 6 531000 Greg Polis LW 28 1 5 6 19-6000 Pat Ribble D 19 1 5 6 302000 Yvon Labre D 18 0 5 5 383000 Tim Coulis LW 19 1 2 3 27-6000 Glen Currie C 32 2 0 2 2-2000 Dennis Hextall LW 15 1 1 2 49-5000 Tony Cassolato RW 9 0 2 2 02000 Wayne Stephenson G 56 0 2 2 200000 Brent Tremblay D 9 1 0 1 61000 Rollie Boutin G 18 0 1 1 60000 Gary Rissling LW 11 0 1 1 49-6000 Greg Theberge D 12 0 1 1 0-3000 Steve Clippingdale LW 3 0 0 0 00000 Bob Girard LW 1 0 0 0 00000 Gary Inness G 14 0 0 0 20000 Claude Noel Claude Noël C 7 0 0 0 0-3000 Harvie Pocza LW 1 0 0 0 00000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO Wayne Stephenson 3146 56 18 24 10 187 3.57 0 Rollie Boutin 927 18 7 7 1 54 3.50 0 Gary Inness 727 14 2 9 2 44 3.63 0 Team: 4800 80 27 40 13 285 3.56 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-06-02 1979-80 Washington Capitals Statistics – Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/1980.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 1979 NHL entry draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)14Mike Gartner (RW) Canada Cincinnati Stingers (WHA)224Errol Rausse (LW) Canada Seattle Breakers (WHL)467Harvie Pocza (LW) Canada Billings Bighorns (WHL)588Tim Tookey (C) Canada Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)6109Greg Theberge (D) Canada Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) See also 1979–80 NHL season References Category:Washington Capitals seasons Wash Category:1979 in sports in Washington, D.C. Washing