1978–79 Quebec Nordiques season

1978–79 Quebec Nordiques
Division	2nd WHA
1978–79 record	41–34–5
Home record	24–13–4
Road record	17–21–1
Goals for	288
Goals against	271
Team information
General manager	Maurice Filion
Coach	Jacques Demers
Captain	Marc Tardif
Alternate captains	Serge Bernier Real Cloutier Bob Fitchner
Arena	Colisée de Québec
Team leaders
Goals	Real Cloutier (75)
Assists	Marc Tardif (55)
Points	Real Cloutier (129)
Penalty minutes	Paul Baxter (240)
Plus/minus	Marc Tardif (+25)
Wins	Richard Brodeur (25)
Goals against average	Richard Brodeur (3.11)

The 1978–79 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques' seventh season in the WHA, were coming off of a 40–37–3 record in the 1977–78 season and a loss in the playoff semi-finals. The Nordiques improved to 41–34–5 to qualify for the playoffs, but lost in the first round to eventual Avco Cup champions Winnipeg Jets.

After the season was finished, the WHA announced that four of its teams, the Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers and Winnipeg Jets would be admitted to the National Hockey League as expansion teams for the 1979–80 NHL season, and that the WHA would cease operations. During their seven seasons in the WHA, Quebec had a record of 295–237–24, while winning the 1977 Avco Cup.

Off-season

During the off-season, the league would lose the Houston Aeros, as they elected to fold as the club was not part of an NHL-WHA merger, leaving the WHA with seven teams. The league also announced that games against all-star teams from the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Finland would once again count in the standings. The Nordiques would hire a new head coach, as Jacques Demers would take over from Maurice Filion, who ended the previous season as the interim head coach. Demers had previously coached the Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers.

Regular season

The Nordiques would start the season slowly, going winless in their opening five games, however, the team snapped out of their slump, winning ten of their next thirteen games to push themselves over the .500 mark. Quebec would stay consistent throughout the season, easily clinching a playoff berth, as the Nordiques would finish the season with a 41-34-5 record, finishing second in the league behind the Edmonton Oilers, who had eleven more points than Quebec.

Offensively, Quebec was led by Real Cloutier, who won the Bill Hunter Trophy by earning a league high 129 points. It was the fourth year in a row that a player from the Nordiques (Marc Tardif in 1976 and 1978, and Cloutier in 1977) would win that award. Cloutier scored a team record 75 goals, and added 54 assists. Marc Tardif had another solid season, scoring 41 goals and 96 points, while Serge Bernier added 36 goals and 82 points. Rich Leduc joined the 30 goal club, as he registered 30 goals and 62 points. On defense, Paul Baxter led the way, scoring 10 goals and 46 points, as well as a team high 240 PIM. Forty-year-old J. C. Tremblay had a productive year, earning 44 points in 56 games.

In goal, Richard Brodeur and Jim Corsi split the action, with Brodeur winning a team high 25 games, as well as a club best 3.11 GAA. Corsi had 16 victories and a 3.30 GAA, while both goaltenders earned three shutouts.

Season standings

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points

WHA Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Edmonton Oilers	80	48	30	2	98	340	266	1220
Quebec Nordiques	80	41	34	5	87	288	271	1399
Winnipeg Jets	80	39	35	6	84	307	306	1342
New England Whalers	80	37	34	9	83	298	287	1090
Cincinnati Stingers	80	33	41	6	72	274	284	1651
Birmingham Bulls	80	32	42	6	70	286	311	1661
xIndianapolis Racers	25	5	18	2	12	78	130	557
#Soviet All-Stars	6	4	1	1	9	27	20	77
#Czechoslovakia	6	1	4	1	3	14	33	107
#Finland	1	0	1	0	0	4	8	2

x-team folded during season #-played limited schedule

Schedule and results

1978–79 regular season
October Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 1 October 15 New England Whalers 6–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–1–0 0 2 October 17 Cincinnati Stingers 5–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–1–1 1 3 October 18 Indianapolis Racers 4–0 Quebec Nordiques 0–2–1 1 4 October 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–7 New England Whalers 0–3–1 1 5 October 22 Birmingham Bulls 8–5 Quebec Nordiques 0–4–1 1 6 October 25 Cincinnati Stingers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 1–4–1 3 7 October 26 New England Whalers 5–8 Quebec Nordiques 2–4–1 5 8 October 28 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 Cincinnati Stingers 2–5–1 5 9 October 29 Quebec Nordiques 6–2 Edmonton Oilers 3–5–1 7 10 October 31 Quebec Nordiques 5–4 Edmonton Oilers 4–5–1 9
November Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 11 November 3 Quebec Nordiques 3–2 Birmingham Bulls 5–5–1 11 12 November 4 Quebec Nordiques 3–1 Birmingham Bulls 6–5–1 13 13 November 5 Edmonton Oilers 0–2 Quebec Nordiques 7–5–1 15 14 November 7 Winnipeg Jets 2–1 Quebec Nordiques 7–6–1 15 15 November 8 Edmonton Oilers 6–5 Quebec Nordiques 7–7–1 15 16 November 11 Indianapolis Racers 2–8 Quebec Nordiques 8–7–1 17 17 November 12 Quebec Nordiques 6–4 Winnipeg Jets 9–7–1 19 18 November 15 Winnipeg Jets 2–5 Quebec Nordiques 10–7–1 21 19 November 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 Edmonton Oilers 10–8–1 21 20 November 24 Quebec Nordiques 3–4 Edmonton Oilers 10–9–1 21 21 November 26 Winnipeg Jets 2–2 Quebec Nordiques 10–9–2 22 22 November 29 Birmingham Bulls 4–7 Quebec Nordiques 11–9–2 24
December Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 23 December 2 Cincinnati Stingers 0–2 Quebec Nordiques 12–9–2 26 24 December 3 Winnipeg Jets 3–5 Quebec Nordiques 13–9–2 28 25 December 6 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 14–9–2 30 26 December 9 Cincinnati Stingers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 15–9–2 32 27 December 10 Quebec Nordiques 4–4 Winnipeg Jets 15–9–3 33 28 December 12 Soviet All-Stars 6–3 Quebec Nordiques 15–10–3 33 29 December 14 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 16–10–3 35 30 December 16 Quebec Nordiques 1–2 New England Whalers 16–11–3 35 31 December 17 New England Whalers 4–4 Quebec Nordiques 16–11–4 36 32 December 22 Quebec Nordiques 5–1 Birmingham Bulls 17–11–4 38 33 December 23 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Cincinnati Stingers 17–12–4 38 34 December 28 Czechoslovakian All-Stars 0–4 Quebec Nordiques 18–12–4 40 35 December 30 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 19–12–4 42
January Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 36 January 7 Quebec Nordiques 2–3 Winnipeg Jets 19–13–4 42 37 January 9 Quebec Nordiques 4–3 Cincinnati Stingers 20–13–4 44 38 January 12 Quebec Nordiques 2–1 Cincinnati Stingers 21–13–4 46 39 January 18 Quebec Nordiques 4–2 New England Whalers 22–13–4 48 40 January 20 Winnipeg Jets 1–10 Quebec Nordiques 23–13–4 50 41 January 21 Quebec Nordiques 1–3 Winnipeg Jets 23–14–4 50 42 January 23 Quebec Nordiques 7–5 Birmingham Bulls 24–14–4 52 43 January 27 Winnipeg Jets 4–2 Quebec Nordiques 24–15–4 52 44 January 30 Quebec Nordiques 1–2 Birmingham Bulls 24–16–4 52
February Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 45 February 1 Quebec Nordiques 5–7 Birmingham Bulls 24–17–4 52 46 February 2 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 New England Whalers 24-18–4 52 47 February 4 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 25–18–4 54 48 February 6 New England Whalers 5–3 Quebec Nordiques 25–19–4 54 49 February 9 Quebec Nordiques 0–3 Edmonton Oilers 25–20–4 54 50 February 13 Quebec Nordiques 1–6 Edmonton Oilers 25–21–4 54 51 February 17 Quebec Nordiques 1–4 New England Whalers 25–22–4 54 52 February 18 Quebec Nordiques 4–2 Cincinnati Stingers 26–22–4 56 53 February 20 Quebec Nordiques 7–3 Birmingham Bulls 27–22–4 58 54 February 23 Quebec Nordiques 4–5 New England Whalers 27–23–4 58 55 February 24 New England Whalers 0–6 Quebec Nordiques 28–23–4 60 56 February 25 Cincinnati Stingers 1–1 Quebec Nordiques 28–23–5 61
March Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 57 March 3 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 29–23–5 63 58 March 4 Birmingham Bulls 4–5 Quebec Nordiques 30–23–5 65 59 March 6 Edmonton Oilers 3–4 Quebec Nordiques 31–23–5 67 60 March 7 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Quebec Nordiques 32–23–5 69 61 March 9 Quebec Nordiques 3–1 New England Whalers 33–23–5 71 62 March 10 Quebec Nordiques 2–5 Cincinnati Stingers 33–24–5 71 63 March 11 Quebec Nordiques 2–7 Winnipeg Jets 33–25–5 71 64 March 14 Quebec Nordiques 4-2 Winnipeg Jets 34–25–5 73 65 March 16 Quebec Nordiques 1–6 Edmonton Oilers 34–26–5 73 66 March 18 Quebec Nordiques 7–2 Edmonton Oilers 35–26-5 75 67 March 20 New England Whalers 7–6 Quebec Nordiques 35–27–5 75 68 March 23 Quebec Nordiques 3–5 New England Whalers 35–28–5 75 69 March 24 Quebec Nordiques 5–2 Cincinnati Stingers 36–28–5 77 70 March 25 Birmingham Bulls 2–3 Quebec Nordiques 37–28–5 79 71 March 28 Edmonton Oilers 0-3 Quebec Nordiques 38–28–5 81 72 March 30 Quebec Nordiques 2–0 Winnipeg Jets 39–28–5 83
April Game Date Visitor Score Home Record Points 73 April 1 Winnipeg Jets 7–3 Quebec Nordiques 39–29–5 83 74 April 3 Quebec Nordiques 3–5 Birmingham Bulls 39–30–5 83 75 April 4 Edmonton Oilers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 40–30–5 85 76 April 7 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Cincinnati Stingers 40–31–5 85 77 April 10 New England Whalers 5–2 Quebec Nordiques 40–32–5 85 78 April 11 Cincinnati Stingers 6–2 Quebec Nordiques 40–33–5 85 79 April 15 Cincinnati Stingers 2–4 Quebec Nordiques 41–33–5 87 80 April 17 New England Whalers 6–2 Quebec Nordiques 41–34–5 87
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

In the opening round of the playoffs, Quebec would face the Winnipeg Jets in a best of seven semi-final series. The Jets finished the season with a 39-35-6 record, earning 84 points, and a third-place finish. The series opened with two games in Quebec, however, the Jets struck first, easily dominating the Nordiques in the series opener, by winning the game 6-3, before crushing Quebec in the second game 9-2 to take a two-game series lead. The series moved to Winnipeg for the next two games, and the Jets would stay hot, as they continued to dominate the Nordiques in the third and fourth games of the series, winning them 9-5 and 6-2 respectively to sweep Quebec out of the playoffs.

1979 Avco Cup playoffs
Semifinals vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets – Jets win 4–0 Game Date Visitor Score Home Series 1 April 23 Winnipeg Jets 6–3 Quebec Nordiques 0–1 2 April 25 Winnipeg Jets 9–2 Quebec Nordiques 0–2 3 April 27 Quebec Nordiques 5–9 Winnipeg Jets 0–3 4 April 29 Quebec Nordiques 2–6 Winnipeg Jets 0–4
Legend:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Real Cloutier RW 77 75 54 129 48 23 21 0 0 Marc Tardif LW 74 41 55 96 98 25 12 0 0 Serge Bernier RW 65 36 46 82 71 7 9 3 0 Rich LeDuc C 61 30 32 62 30 -1 12 1 0 Paul Baxter D 76 10 36 46 240 -5 6 0 0 Bob Fitchner C 79 10 35 45 69 -3 1 0 0 J. C. Tremblay D 56 6 38 44 8 10 0 0 0 Garry Lariviere D 50 5 33 38 54 -11 1 0 0 Paulin Bordeleau RW 77 17 12 29 44 1 2 1 0 Alain Cote LW 79 14 13 27 23 -7 0 1 0 Curt Brackenbury RW 70 13 13 26 155 -5 1 0 0 Danny Geoffrion RW 77 12 14 26 74 -2 0 0 0 Francois Lacombe D 78 3 21 24 44 4 0 0 0 Dale Hoganson D 69 2 19 21 17 1 1 0 0 Christian Bordeleau C 16 5 12 17 0 6 0 0 0 Norm Dube LW 36 2 13 15 4 6 0 0 0 Gilles Bilodeau LW 36 3 6 9 141 2 0 0 0 Wally Weir D 68 2 7 9 166 9 0 0 0 Kevin Morrison D 27 2 5 7 14 -2 1 0 0 Richard David LW 14 0 4 4 4 3 0 0 0 Richard Brodeur G 42 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 Jim Corsi G 40 0 2 2 20 0 0 0 0 Jim Dorey D 32 0 2 2 17 -5 0 0 0 Pierre Lagace LW 21 0 1 1 12 0 0 0 0 Kevin Devine LW 5 0 0 0 6 -3 0 0 0 Rene Leclerc RW 23 0 0 0 8 -2 0 0 0 Jean-Louis Levasseur G 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO Richard Brodeur 2433 42 25 13 3 126 3.11 3 Jim Corsi 2291 40 16 20 1 126 3.30 3 Jean-Louis Levasseur 140 3 0 1 1 14 6.00 0 Team: 4864 80 41 34 5 266 3.28 6

Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG Marc Tardif LW 4 6 2 8 4 0 0 0 Real Cloutier RW 4 2 2 4 2 0 0 0 Bob Fitchner C 4 1 3 4 0 0 0 0 Danny Geoffrion RW 4 1 2 3 2 0 0 0 Curt Brackenbury RW 4 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 Paul Baxter D 4 0 2 2 7 0 0 0 Rich LeDuc C 4 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 Paulin Bordeleau RW 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Francois Lacombe D 4 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 Pierre Lagace LW 3 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 Garry Lariviere D 4 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 Wally Weir D 4 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 Serge Bernier RW 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Gilles Bilodeau LW 3 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 Richard Brodeur G 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jim Corsi G 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Alain Cote LW 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Jim Dorey D 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dale Hoganson D 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Rene Leclerc RW 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jean-Louis Levasseur G 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO Richard Brodeur 114 3 0 2 14 7.37 0 Jim Corsi 66 2 0 1 7 6.36 0 Jean-Louis Levasseur 59 1 0 1 8 8.14 0 Team: 239 4 0 4 29 7.28 0

Note:

Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

See also

• 1978–79 WHA season