1979–80 NHL season facts for kids

The 1979–80 NHL season was a super exciting year for ice hockey! It was the 63rd season for the National Hockey League (NHL). This season was special because four new teams joined the league. These teams came from another league called the World Hockey Association (WHA), which had closed down. The new teams were the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers (who were first called the New England Whalers), and Quebec Nordiques. With these additions, the NHL grew to 21 teams!

Teams and Divisions: Who Played?

The 1979–80 NHL season had 21 teams, split into two big groups called Conferences: the Prince of Wales Conference and the Clarence Campbell Conference. Each Conference had two smaller groups called Divisions.

Prince of Wales Conference Teams

This conference included teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, and Detroit Red Wings. The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens were among the top teams here.

Clarence Campbell Conference Teams

In this conference, you'd find teams such as the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Atlanta Flames, Washington Capitals, Chicago Black Hawks, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Rockies. The Philadelphia Flyers had an amazing season, leading this conference.

Top Players: Scoring Big Points

Many players had fantastic seasons, scoring lots of goals and assists. Here are some of the top scorers from the 1979–80 season:

Did you know that Marcel Dionne and Wayne Gretzky both tied for the most points this season? They each had an incredible 137 points!

Stanley Cup Playoffs: The Road to the Championship

After the regular season, the best teams competed in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This is a big tournament where teams play against each other to see who is the champion. The winner gets to lift the famous Stanley Cup trophy!

How the Playoffs Worked

Sixteen teams made it to the playoffs. They played a series of games, and the team that won the most games in each series moved on. It was a knockout competition, meaning if you lost, you were out!

The Stanley Cup Final

The big final game was between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders. It was a thrilling series! In the end, the New York Islanders won the Stanley Cup, beating the Flyers 4 games to 2. This was a huge win for the Islanders!

NHL Awards: Celebrating Greatness

At the end of the season, the NHL gives out special awards to players and coaches who did an amazing job.

• Art Ross Trophy: Given to the player with the most points (goals + assists). This year, it was a tie between Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings and Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers!
• Hart Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. Wayne Gretzky won this award for the Edmonton Oilers.
• Calder Memorial Trophy: Given to the best rookie (first-year player). Ray Bourque from the Boston Bruins won this.
• Conn Smythe Trophy: Awarded to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders won this for his great play in the playoffs.
• Vezina Trophy: Given to the best goaltenders. Don Edwards and Bob Sauve from the Buffalo Sabres shared this award.
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: For the player who shows the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. Wayne Gretzky also won this one!
• Jack Adams Award: Given to the best coach. Pat Quinn from the Philadelphia Flyers won this award.

All-Star Teams: The Best of the Best

The NHL also picks "All-Star Teams" which are like dream teams made up of the best players at each position. There's a First Team and a Second Team.