1979–80 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1979–80 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' tenth season of operation for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.^[1] The team was awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy for finishing with the best regular season record in the Prince of Wales Conference.

1979–80 Buffalo Sabres
Wales Conference champions
Adams Division champions
Division	1st Adams
Conference	1st Wales
1979–80 record	47–17–16
Home record	27–5–8
Road record	20–12–8
Goals for	318
Goals against	201
Team information
General manager	John Anderson Scotty Bowman
Coach	Scotty Bowman
Captain	Danny Gare
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Average attendance	16,433
Team leaders
Goals	Danny Gare (56)
Assists	Gilbert Perreault (66)
Points	Gilbert Perreault (106)
Penalty minutes	Larry Playfair (145)
Wins	Don Edwards (27)
Goals against average	Bob Sauve (2.36)
← 1978–79 1980–81 →

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team
1	11	Mike Ramsey (D)	United States	University of Minnesota (WCHA)
2	32	Lindy Ruff (D)	Canada	Lethbridge Broncos (WHL)
3	53	Mark Robinson (D)	Canada	Victoria Cougars (WHL)
3	55	Jacques Cloutier (G)	Canada	Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)
4	74	Gilles Hamel (LW)	Canada	Laval National (QMJHL)
5	95	Alan Haworth (C)	Canada	Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
6	116	Rick Knickle (G)	Canada	Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Regular season

Season standings

Adams Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Buffalo Sabres	80	47	17	16	318	201	110
Boston Bruins	80	46	21	13	310	234	105
Minnesota North Stars	80	36	28	16	311	253	88
Toronto Maple Leafs	80	35	40	5	304	327	75
Quebec Nordiques	80	25	44	11	248	313	61

^[2]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

League standings^[3]

R		Div	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – Philadelphia Flyers	PTK	80	48	12	20	327	254	116
2	y – Buffalo Sabres	ADM	80	47	17	16	318	201	110
3	x – Montreal Canadiens	NRS	80	47	20	13	328	240	107
4	Boston Bruins	ADM	80	46	21	13	310	234	105
5	New York Islanders	PTK	80	39	28	13	281	247	91
6	Minnesota North Stars	ADM	80	36	28	16	311	253	88
7	x – Chicago Black Hawks	SMY	80	34	27	19	241	250	87
8	New York Rangers	PTK	80	38	32	10	308	284	86
9	Atlanta Flames	PTK	80	35	32	13	282	269	83
10	St. Louis Blues	SMY	80	34	34	12	266	278	80
11	Toronto Maple Leafs	ADM	80	35	40	5	304	327	75
12	Los Angeles Kings	NRS	80	30	36	14	290	313	74
13	Pittsburgh Penguins	NRS	80	30	37	13	251	303	73
14	Hartford Whalers	NRS	80	27	34	19	303	312	73
15	Vancouver Canucks	SMY	80	27	37	16	256	281	70
16	Edmonton Oilers	SMY	80	28	39	13	301	322	69
17	Washington Capitals	PTK	80	27	40	13	261	293	67
18	Detroit Red Wings	NRS	80	26	43	11	268	306	63
19	Quebec Nordiques	ADM	80	25	44	11	248	313	61
20	Winnipeg Jets	SMY	80	20	49	11	214	314	51
21	Colorado Rockies	SMY	80	19	48	13	234	308	51

Divisions: ADM – Adams, NRS – Norris, PTK – Patrick, SMY – Smythe

bold – The top 16 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division or conference.
x – Won division; y – Won Conference (and division); p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and conference and division)

Record vs. opponents

Adams Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Adams Division 1979–80 NHL records[4] Team BOS BUF MIN QUE TOR Total Boston — 2–1–1 2–2 4–0 4–0 12–3–1 Buffalo 1–2–1 — 2–1–1 3–1 4–0 10–4–2 Minnesota 2–2 1–2–1 — 2–1–1 2–2 7–7–2 Quebec 0–4 1–3 1–2–1 — 3–1 5–10–1 Toronto 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–3 — 3–13–0 Vs. Norris Division 1979–80 NHL records Team DET HFD LAK MTL PIT Total Boston 2–1–1 2–1–1 2–1–1 1–3 2–2 9–8–3 Buffalo 3–1 3–1 3–0–1 1–1–2 4–0 14–3–3 Minnesota 1–2–1 4–0 0–2–2 1–3 3–1 9–8–3 Quebec 1–2–1 1–1–2 1–3 1–2–1 2–2 6–10–4 Toronto 4–0 2–2 0–3–1 1–3 2–2 9–10–1 Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Patrick Division 1979–80 NHL records Team ATL NYI NYR PHI WSH Total Boston 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–1–2 2–1–1 12–5–3 Buffalo 3–0–1 2–1–1 2–1–1 0–3–1 4–0 11–5–4 Minnesota 1–1–2 2–0–2 2–1–1 1–3 3–0–1 9–5–6 Quebec 0–3–1 0–4 1–2–1 0–3–1 1–1–2 2–13–5 Toronto 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–1–2 3–1 10–8–2 Vs. Smythe Division 1979–80 NHL records Team CHI COL EDM STL VAN WIN Total Boston 2−2 2−1−1 4−0 1−1−2 1−0−3 3−1 13−5−6 Buffalo 1−1−2 3−1 2−1−1 2−2 1−0−3 3−0−1 12−5−7 Minnesota 1−2−1 3−1 1−1−2 3−1 1−2−1 2−1−1 11−8−5 Quebec 1−2−1 3−1 2−2 2−2 2−2 2−2 12−11−1 Toronto 0−4 3−0−1 1−2−1 2−2 3−1 4−0 13−9−2

Schedule and results

1979–80 regular season[5]
October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 1 W October 11, 1979 6–3 Washington Capitals (1979–80) 1–0–0 2 W October 13, 1979 5–2 @ New York Islanders (1979–80) 2–0–0 3 L October 14, 1979 4–5 Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) 2–1–0 4 W October 17, 1979 3–1 Hartford Whalers (1979–80) 3–1–0 5 L October 20, 1979 2–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) 3–2–0 6 T October 21, 1979 3–3 Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) 3–2–1 7 W October 24, 1979 7–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) 4–2–1 8 L October 25, 1979 0–4 @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) 4–3–1 9 W October 27, 1979 3–0 @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) 5–3–1 10 W October 28, 1979 4–2 Colorado Rockies (1979–80) 6–3–1 11 T October 31, 1979 0–0 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) 6–3–2
November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 12 W November 3, 1979 4–3 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) 7–3–2 13 L November 4, 1979 1–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) 7–4–2 14 T November 8, 1979 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) 7–4–3 15 W November 10, 1979 5–3 @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) 8–4–3 16 L November 11, 1979 3–5 Colorado Rockies (1979–80) 8–5–3 17 W November 15, 1979 5–1 Atlanta Flames (1979–80) 9–5–3 18 W November 17, 1979 4–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) 10–5–3 19 W November 18, 1979 9–7 Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) 11–5–3 20 L November 21, 1979 3–5 @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) 11–6–3 21 W November 24, 1979 6–1 @ Washington Capitals (1979–80) 12–6–3 22 W November 25, 1979 6–2 Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) 13–6–3 23 W November 27, 1979 5–2 @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) 14–6–3 24 W November 29, 1979 2–1 New York Rangers (1979–80) 15–6–3
December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 25 W December 2, 1979 2–0 Washington Capitals (1979–80) 16–6–3 26 W December 5, 1979 6–1 Atlanta Flames (1979–80) 17–6–3 27 W December 7, 1979 5–3 @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) 18–6–3 28 W December 10, 1979 4–0 Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) 19–6–3 29 W December 13, 1979 5–2 Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) 20–6–3 30 L December 15, 1979 2–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) 20–7–3 31 L December 16, 1979 1–5 Boston Bruins (1979–80) 20–8–3 32 W December 19, 1979 3–2 @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) 21–8–3 33 W December 20, 1979 5–3 Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) 22–8–3 34 W December 22, 1979 4–2 @ Hartford Whalers (1979–80) 23–8–3 35 L December 23, 1979 1–3 Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) 23–9–3 36 W December 27, 1979 5–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) 24–9–3 37 L December 29, 1979 3–6 @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) 24–10–3 38 W December 31, 1979 6–2 Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) 25–10–3
January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 39 W January 5, 1980 5–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) 26–10–3 40 L January 6, 1980 2–4 Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) 26–11–3 41 W January 9, 1980 3–2 New York Islanders (1979–80) 27–11–3 42 W January 11, 1980 4–3 @ Colorado Rockies (1979–80) 28–11–3 43 L January 13, 1980 5–6 @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) 28–12–3 44 W January 16, 1980 4–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) 29–12–3 45 T January 18, 1980 2–2 @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) 29–12–4 46 T January 20, 1980 4–4 Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) 29–12–5 47 T January 21, 1980 3–3 @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) 29–12–6 48 L January 24, 1980 3–4 @ Boston Bruins (1979–80) 29–13–6 49 W January 26, 1980 7–2 @ Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) 30–13–6 50 W January 27, 1980 9–1 Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) 31–13–6 51 W January 31, 1980 6–2 New York Rangers (1979–80) 32–13–6
February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 52 L February 2, 1980 2–3 @ New York Islanders (1979–80) 32–14–6 53 W February 3, 1980 3–0 Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) 33–14–6 54 W February 7, 1980 9–0 Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) 34–14–6 55 L February 9, 1980 2–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1979–80) 34–15–6 56 W February 11, 1980 4–2 St. Louis Blues (1979–80) 35–15–6 57 T February 14, 1980 3–3 Boston Bruins (1979–80) 35–15–7 58 W February 16, 1980 4–3 @ Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) 36–15–7 59 T February 17, 1980 2–2 Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) 36–15–8 60 W February 19, 1980 3–1 @ Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) 37–15–8 61 W February 20, 1980 4–3 Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) 38–15–8 62 L February 24, 1980 1–3 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1979–80) 38–16–8 63 T February 27, 1980 1–1 Philadelphia Flyers (1979–80) 38–16–9 64 W February 29, 1980 4–2 @ Edmonton Oilers (1979–80) 39–16–9
March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 65 T March 2, 1980 2–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1979–80) 39–16–10 66 L March 5, 1980 2–4 @ New York Rangers (1979–80) 39–17–10 67 W March 6, 1980 4–3 Hartford Whalers (1979–80) 40–17–10 68 W March 9, 1980 9–4 St. Louis Blues (1979–80) 41–17–10 69 T March 12, 1980 3–3 @ Winnipeg Jets (1979–80) 41–17–11 70 T March 15, 1980 2–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1979–80) 41–17–12 71 T March 19, 1980 3–3 @ Vancouver Canucks (1979–80) 41–17–13 72 W March 22, 1980 5–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) 42–17–13 73 T March 23, 1980 1–1 New York Islanders (1979–80) 42–17–14 74 T March 25, 1980 3–3 @ New York Rangers (1979–80) 42–17–15 75 W March 27, 1980 10–1 Detroit Red Wings (1979–80) 43–17–15 76 T March 30, 1980 1–1 Montreal Canadiens (1979–80) 43–17–16
April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 77 W April 1, 1980 5–2 @ Atlanta Flames (1979–80) 44–17–16 78 W April 3, 1980 8–3 Quebec Nordiques (1979–80) 45–17–16 79 W April 5, 1980 9–1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1979–80) 46–17–16 80 W April 6, 1980 7–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1979–80) 47–17–16
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

• First round
  • No. 2 seed Buffalo over No. 15 seed Vancouver (3 games to 1)
• Second round
  • No. 2 seed Buffalo over No. 7 seed Chicago (4 games to 0)
• Third round
  • No. 5 seed New York Islanders over No. 2 seed Buffalo (4 games to 2)

Player statistics

Awards and records

• Prince of Wales Trophy
• NHL Plus/Minus Award Jim Schoenfeld
• Bob Sauve and Don Edwards, Vezina Trophy
• Danny Gare, NHL Goals Leader
• Don Edwards, Goaltender, NHL Second Team All-Star
• Danny Gare, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
• Jim Schoenfeld, Defenceman, NHL Second Team All-Star
• Bob Sauve, posted league's lowest goals against average.