1979–80 Hartford Whalers season
| 1979–80 Hartford Whalers | |
|---|---|
| Division | 4th Norris |
| Conference | 8th Wales |
| 1979–80 record | 27–34–19 |
| Home record | 22–12–6 |
| Road record | 5–22–13 |
| Goals for | 303 |
| Goals against | 312 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Jack Kelley |
| Coach | Don Blackburn |
| Captain | Rick Ley |
| Arena | Springfield Civic Center (first 22 home games) Hartford Civic Center |
| Average attendance | 9,833 (91.9%) |
| Minor league affiliates | Springfield Indians (AHL) Cincinnati Stingers (CHL) Utica Mohawks (EHL) |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Blaine Stoughton (56) |
| Assists | Mike Rogers (61) |
| Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
| Penalty minutes | Nick Fotiu (107) |
| Plus/minus | Mike Rogers (+29) |
| Wins | John Garrett (16) |
| Goals against average | Al Smith (3.67) |
The 1979–80 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' first season in the National Hockey League (NHL) and eighth overall following their previous seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA).
The Whalers were one of four WHA franchises (with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets) that joined the league for the 1979–80 season. Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and André Lacroix all played the final NHL games of their illustrious careers with Hartford this season.