1979-80 NHL season

The 1979-80 NHL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-one teams each played 80 games. This season saw the addition of four teams from the collapse of the World Hockey Association (WHA) the previous season. The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers (re-named Hartford Whalers), and Quebec Nordiques all joined the NHL bringing a new total of 21 teams. The other two WHA teams folded. The collapse of the WHA also saw the much hyped super-star rookie Wayne Gretzky come to the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky would tie Marcel Dionne for the scoring lead with 137 points and capture the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player while Dionne took home the Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer by virtue of having scored more goals.

Related Topics:
Regular season - National Hockey League - World Hockey Association - Season - Edmonton Oilers - Winnipeg Jets - New England Whalers - Quebec Nordiques - Wayne Gretzky - Marcel Dionne - Hart Trophy - Art Ross Trophy

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The real story of this season, though, was Mike Bossy and the New York Islanders. After a dismal start for their franchise in the early seventies, the Islanders built a contender for the Stanley Cup and won thier first of 4 in a row by beating the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of game six of the finals.

Related Topics:
Mike Bossy - New York Islanders - Stanley Cup - Philadelphia Flyers - Overtime

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