1978-1979  Coach: Glen Sather EDMONTON  Record: 48-30-2, 98 points OILERS  Finish: 1st, League  Playoffs: Lost in Finals to Winnipeg

For the first time in their seven seasons in the WHA, the Oilers were the class of the league, running away with the regular-season crown with 48 wins and 98 points. Much credit goes to , who came to the Oilers on November 2, 1978, purchased from Indianapolis along with Peter Driscoll and Ed Mio. The skinny 18-year old Gretzky showed he was very much worthy of his reputation, finishing strong with 46 goals, 110 points, and the league’s Rookie of the Year award. However, surrounding Gretzky was a strong, solid team ably coached by Glen Sather. Four other Oilers scored 30 goals (Blair MacDonald 34, Ron Chipperfield 32, Brett Callighen and with 31), as the Oilers led the league with 340 goals. On the blueline were (healthy for the first time in years who played in all 80 games), Dave Langevin, Joe Micheletti and . Should a player get past the Edmonton defense, big Dave Dryden posed a formidable barrier in . Dryden had his best season as a professional, winning 41 games with a 2.89 average, and sharing the league lead with three shutouts. In the playoffs, the Oilers fought off the Whalers in seven games, but fell to the veteran Jets in the final round. Despite the disappointing finish to a fine season, the Oilers would see greater glory in the NHL during the 1980s.

Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime)

date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1 Oct 13 Cincinnati 3-2 W 1-0-0 2 3-2 41 Jan 28 Cincinnati 3-0 W 23-18-0 46 163-135 2 Oct 17 New England 1-2 L 1-1-0 2 4-4 42 Jan 31 @ Winnipeg 3-6 L 23-19-0 46 166-141 3 Oct 20 @ Indianapolis 4-3 W 2-1-0 4 8-7 43 Feb 2 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 23-20-0 46 168-145 4 Oct 21 @ Cincinnati 3-4 L 2-2-0 4 11-11 44 Feb 4 @ Québec 3-6 L 23-21-0 46 171-151 5 Oct 22 @ Winnipeg 6-2 W 3-2-0 6 17-13 45 Feb 6 Birmingham 6-2 W 24-21-0 48 177-153 6 Oct 24 Birmingham 2-3 L 3-3-0 6 19-16 46 Feb 7 Cincinnati 8-5 W 25-21-0 50 185-158 7 Oct 29 Québec 2-6 L 3-4-0 6 21-22 47 Feb 9 Québec 3-0 W 26-21-0 52 188-158 8 Oct 31 Québec 4-5 L 3-5-0 6 25-27 48 Feb 11 Birmingham *4-3 W 27-21-0 54 192-161 9 Nov 3 Winnipeg *4-3 W 4-5-0 8 29-30 49 Feb 13 Québec 6-1 W 28-21-0 56 198-162 10 Nov 5 @ Québec 0-2 L 4-6-0 8 29-32 50 Feb 16 @ New England 4-2 W 29-21-0 58 202-164 11 Nov 8 @ Québec 6-5 W 5-6-0 10 35-37 51 Feb 18 @ Birmingham 6-3 W 30-21-0 60 208-167 12 Nov 9 @ New England 1-6 L 5-7-0 10 36-43 52 Feb 20 New England 8-2 W 31-21-0 62 216-169 13 Nov 11 @ Birmingham 5-3 W 6-7-0 12 41-46 53 Feb 23 Cincinnati 3-1 W 32-21-0 64 219-170 14 Nov 12 @ Cincinnati 3-5 L 6-8-0 12 44-51 54 Feb 25 Birmingham 5-4 W 33-21-0 66 224-174 15 Nov 17 Indianapolis 6-1 W 7-8-0 14 50-52 55 Feb 27 New England 1-1 T 33-21-1 67 225-175 16 Nov 19 Cincinnati 6-3 W 8-8-0 16 56-55 56 Mar 2 Cincinnati 5-2 W 34-21-1 69 230-177 17 Nov 21 Québec 4-1 W 9-8-0 18 60-56 57 Mar 3 @ Cincinnati 6-4 W 35-21-1 71 236-181 18 Nov 24 Québec *4-3 W 10-8-0 20 64-59 58 Mar 6 @ Québec 3-4 L 35-22-1 71 239-185 19 Nov 28 Indianapolis 8-2 W 11-8-0 22 72-61 59 Mar 7 @ Québec 3-6 L 35-23-1 71 242-191 20 Dec 1 New England 8-2 W 12-8-0 24 80-63 60 Mar 9 @ Birmingham 4-4 T 35-23-2 72 246-195 21 Dec 3 New England 0-7 L 12-9-0 24 80-70 61 Mar 11 @ Birmingham 4-0 W 36-23-2 74 250-195 22 Dec 6 @ Québec 3-6 L 12-10-0 24 83-76 62 Mar 13 @ Cincinnati 1-5 L 36-24-2 74 251-200 23 Dec 7 @ New England 3-5 L 12-11-0 24 86-81 63 Mar 16 Québec 6-1 W 37-24-2 76 257-201 24 Dec 9 @ Birmingham 2-6 L 12-12-0 24 88-87 64 Mar 18 Québec 2-7 L 37-25-2 76 259-208 25 Dec 10 @ Indianapolis 4-6 L 12-13-0 24 92-93 65 Mar 20 Finland 8-4 W 38-25-2 78 267-212 26 Dec 12 @ Cincinnati 5-2 W 13-13-0 26 97-95 66 Mar 21 @ Winnipeg 7-4 W 39-25-2 80 274-216 27 Dec 15 Soviet All-Stars 5-3 W 14-13-0 28 102-98 67 Mar 23 Winnipeg 4-6 L 39-26-2 80 278-222 28 Dec 19 @ Birmingham 5-2 W 15-13-0 30 107-100 68 Mar 25 @ Cincinnati 6-5 W 40-26-2 82 284-227 29 Dec 22 Winnipeg 4-5 L 15-14-0 30 111-105 69 Mar 28 @ Québec 0-3 L 40-27-2 82 284-230 30 Dec 26 @ Winnipeg 3-5 L 15-15-0 30 114-110 70 Mar 30 @ New England 3-1 W 41-27-2 84 287-231 31 Dec 27 Winnipeg 5-3 W 16-15-0 32 119-113 71 Apr 1 @ New England 5-3 W 42-27-2 86 292-234 32 Dec 30 Czechoslovakia 5-1 W 17-15-0 34 124-114 72 Apr 3 @ Cincinnati 5-1 W 43-27-2 88 297-235 33 Jan 9 @ Winnipeg *3-4 L 17-16-0 34 127-118 73 Apr 4 @ Québec 2-4 L 43-28-2 88 299-239 34 Jan 13 @ New England 3-0 W 18-16-0 36 130-118 74 Apr 6 New England 7-2 W 44-28-2 90 306-241 35 Jan 16 Winnipeg 3-1 W 19-16-0 38 133-119 75 Apr 8 Birmingham 5-4 W 45-28-2 92 311-245 36 Jan 17 @ Winnipeg 6-3 W 20-16-0 40 139-122 76 Apr 10 Winnipeg 4-6 L 45-29-2 92 315-251 37 Jan 19 Birmingham 11-3 W 21-16-0 42 150-125 77 Apr 13 @ Birmingham 6-4 W 46-29-2 94 321-255 38 Jan 21 Birmingham 3-4 L 21-17-0 42 153-129 78 Apr 14 @ Birmingham 6-7 L 46-30-2 94 327-262 39 Jan 23 New England 5-1 W 22-17-0 44 158-130 79 Apr 15 @ New England 4-1 W 47-30-2 96 331-263 40 Jan 26 Cincinnati 2-5 L 22-18-0 44 160-135 80 Apr 18 Winnipeg 9-3 W 48-30-2 98 340-266

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