The Complete World Hockey Association
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1978-79 • Franchise

1978-79 Edmonton Oilers

Record: 48-30-2, 98 pts
Finish: 1st, League
Playoffs: Lost in Finals to Winnipeg
Coach: Glen Sather

 

Oilers Preview, 1978-79 • The Hockey News 1979 Yearbook

Glen Sather was a miracle worker with the Edmonton Oilers last year, leading a team that had trouble fielding the same lineup two nights in a row, to a 38-39-3 record and a spot in the playoffs, when many people believed the Oilers would be holding up the rest of the league from the basement.

The scrappy Sather patched together a defense crew which allowed only three more goals than the previous year, despite absences to key players such as Al Hamilton (21 games), Joe Micheletti (24 games) and Dave Langevin (18 games).

Along the way, the Oilers started with goaltender Ken Broderick, dispatched him, picked up goaler Don McLeod, and subsequently lost him over the summer to Indianapolis. So they went to Montreal Canadiens' farmhand Ed Walsh and signed him to battle with standby Dave Dryden for the starting role with the club.

Last year was a big year offensively for the Oilers, who poured in 309 goals, an increase of 66 over the previous year, and this year with some additional scorers and a healthy defense, the Oilers, who have never finished higher than third place, may just have the club to dethrone Winnipeg as World Hockey Association champs.

First-team All-Star Hamilton heads the defense, which should stack up as the best in the league. Hamilton, who missed the last quarter of the season with an eye injury, had his best season ever with 11 goals and 43 assists for 54 points, and a strong performance guarding the Oiler net.

He'll be joined by Paul Shmyr, who managed to play in all 80 games and did so very efficiently with 9 goals and 40 assists, plus Micheletti, who had 14-38-52 figures last year and has to be regarded as one of the best up-and-coming defensemen in the league. Claire Alexander is another blue liner who has inked a contract with the Oilers and should fit in very well with the club's style of play. Alexander topped all Vancouver Canuck defensemen in scoring with 8 goals and 18 assists, despite playing in only 32 contests last year. However, he balked at signing a contract which had a minor league clause in it and opted for the WHA instead. Langevin, another good-looking youngster, and Cal Sandbeck, who signed with the Oilers out of college ranks and played in 11 games last year, complete the defense.

Bill Flett, was the club's leading goal scorer from his right wing post last year with 41, while center Ron Chipperfield was the leading point-getter with 85, including 33 goals. Blair MacDonald knocked in 34 goals from his right wing spot, and the club also acquired Bill Goldsworthy, who became player-coach for Indianapolis last season. Center Juha Widing went to Indianapolis in the deal.

Sather and new general manager Larry Gordon, though, have their eye on Mark Napier, the Birmingham right winger whose contract was to expire on August 31. Estimates had the club offering close to $1 million for Napier, who scored 33 goals and 65 points last year.

Backing up Chipperfield at the center spot are Stan Weir, who chose not to sign with Toronto Maple Leafs; Dennis Sobchuk, who missed most of last season due to injury; 23-goal scorer Mike Zuke; and Doug Berry, the slick center from Denver University. The Oilers are also impressive on the left side with Norm Ferguson (26-21-47), Brett Callighen (20-30-50), Darcy Rota, Dave Semenko (140 minutes in penalties), and a pair of junior players they signed, Dave Hunter of Sudbury, and Wes George of Saskatoon.

Hunter, a first-round choice of the Canadiens, was rated as one of the most rugged and talented players in the junior ranks last year. He's 5-11 and 204 pounds and scored 44 goals and the same number of assists for a last place club. George, 6 feet and 214 pounds, was a seventh-round choice of the Detroit Red Wings and scored 38 goals last season. Dryden was the workhorse in nets last year, appearing in 48 games with a 3.49 goals against average. He also put 21 victories in the books for the Oilers.

Walsh, who toiled for three seasons with Nova Scotia before splitting last year between Nova Scotia, Binghamton and Springfield, all in the American League, was one of the happiest Oilers to sign. Although he twice shared the Hap Holmes Trophy as the AHL's top goalkeeper, he knew he had a long wait behind Ken Dryden and Michel Larocque in Montreal. Instead, he'll have a chance to possibly be on the WHA Pennant winner.

No apparent weaknesses and good depth at all positions will be key to Edmonton's rise in the WHA. If the loss of Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson affects Winnipeg as much as most people think it will, and the Oilers stay healthy, they may be the next Avco Trophy winners.

 

Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)

no. Date Opponent Score w-l-t pts gf-ga no. Date Opponent Score w-l-t pts gf-ga
1Oct 13Cincinnati3-2W1-0-023-241Jan 28Cincinnati3-0W23-18-046163-135
2Oct 17New England1-2L1-1-024-442Jan 31@ Winnipeg3-6L23-19-046166-141
3Oct 20@ Indianapolis4-3W2-1-048-743Feb 2@ Winnipeg2-4L23-20-046168-145
4Oct 21@ Cincinnati3-4L2-2-0411-1144Feb 4@ Quebec3-6L23-21-046171-151
5Oct 22@ Winnipeg6-2W3-2-0617-1345Feb 6Birmingham6-2W24-21-048177-153
6Oct 24Birmingham2-3L3-3-0619-1646Feb 7Cincinnati8-5W25-21-050185-158
7Oct 29Quebec2-6L3-4-0621-2247Feb 9Quebec3-0W26-21-052188-158
8Oct 31Quebec4-5L3-5-0625-2748Feb 11Birmingham*4-3W27-21-054192-161
9Nov 3Winnipeg*4-3W4-5-0829-3049Feb 13Quebec6-1W28-21-056198-162
10Nov 5@ Quebec0-2L4-6-0829-3250Feb 16@ New England4-2W29-21-058202-164
11Nov 8@ Quebec6-5W5-6-01035-3751Feb 18@ Birmingham6-3W30-21-060208-167
12Nov 9@ New England1-6L5-7-01036-4352Feb 20New England8-2W31-21-062216-169
13Nov 11@ Birmingham5-3W6-7-01241-4653Feb 23Cincinnati3-1W32-21-064219-170
14Nov 12@ Cincinnati3-5L6-8-01244-5154Feb 25Birmingham5-4W33-21-066224-174
15Nov 17Indianapolis6-1W7-8-01450-5255Feb 27New England1-1T33-21-167225-175
16Nov 19Cincinnati6-3W8-8-01656-5556Mar 2Cincinnati5-2W34-21-169230-177
17Nov 21Quebec4-1W9-8-01860-5657Mar 3@ Cincinnati6-4W35-21-171236-181
18Nov 24Quebec*4-3W10-8-02064-5958Mar 6@ Quebec3-4L35-22-171239-185
19Nov 28Indianapolis8-2W11-8-02272-6159Mar 7@ Quebec3-6L35-23-171242-191
20Dec 1New England8-2W12-8-02480-6360Mar 9@ Birmingham4-4T35-23-272246-195
21Dec 3New England0-7L12-9-02480-7061Mar 11@ Birmingham4-0W36-23-274250-195
22Dec 6@ Quebec3-6L12-10-02483-7662Mar 13@ Cincinnati1-5L36-24-274251-200
23Dec 7@ New England3-5L12-11-02486-8163Mar 16Quebec6-1W37-24-276257-201
24Dec 9@ Birmingham2-6L12-12-02488-8764Mar 18Quebec2-7L37-25-276259-208
25Dec 10@ Indianapolis4-6L12-13-02492-9365Mar 20Finland8-4W38-25-278267-212
26Dec 12@ Cincinnati5-2W13-13-02697-9566Mar 21@ Winnipeg7-4W39-25-280274-216
27Dec 15Soviet All-Stars5-3W14-13-028102-9867Mar 23Winnipeg4-6L39-26-280278-222
28Dec 19@ Birmingham5-2W15-13-030107-10068Mar 25@ Cincinnati6-5W40-26-282284-227
29Dec 22Winnipeg4-5L15-14-030111-10569Mar 28@ Quebec0-3L40-27-282284-230
30Dec 26@ Winnipeg3-5L15-15-030114-11070Mar 30@ New England3-1W41-27-284287-231
31Dec 27Winnipeg5-3W16-15-032119-11371Apr 1@ New England5-3W42-27-286292-234
32Dec 30Czechoslovakia5-1W17-15-034124-11472Apr 3@ Cincinnati5-1W43-27-288297-235
33Jan 9@ Winnipeg*3-4L17-16-034127-11873Apr 4@ Quebec2-4L43-28-288299-239
34Jan 13@ New England3-0W18-16-036130-11874Apr 6New England7-2W44-28-290306-241
35Jan 16Winnipeg3-1W19-16-038133-11975Apr 8Birmingham5-4W45-28-292311-245
36Jan 17@ Winnipeg6-3W20-16-040139-12276Apr 10Winnipeg4-6L45-29-292315-251
37Jan 19Birmingham11-3W21-16-042150-12577Apr 13@ Birmingham6-4W46-29-294321-255
38Jan 21Birmingham3-4L21-17-042153-12978Apr 14@ Birmingham6-7L46-30-294327-262
39Jan 23New England5-1W22-17-044158-13079Apr 15@ New England4-1W47-30-296331-263
40Jan 26Cincinnati2-5L22-18-044160-13580Apr 18Winnipeg9-3W48-30-298340-266

Player Scoring

pos.
#
Player
gp
g
a
pts
pim
+/-
ppg
shg
sog
sc%
gp
g
a
pts
pim
D
5
Alexander, Claire
54
8
23
31
16
-5
2
1
148
0.054
-
-
-
-
-
LW
17
Bailey, Ace
38
5
4
9
22
-8
1
0
26
0.192
2
0
0
0
4
C
11
Berry, Doug
29
6
3
9
4
-9
1
0
30
0.200
-
-
-
-
-
C/W
18
Callighen, Brett
71
31
39
70
79
+29
12
0
161
0.193
13
5
10
15
15
C
23
Carlson, Steve
73
18
22
40
50
+15
4
3
71
0.254
11
1
1
2
12
C
7
Chipperfield, Ron
55
32
37
69
47
+25
6
0
181
0.177
13
9
10
19
8
LW
24
Driscoll, Peter
69
17
23
40
115
+16
3
0
93
0.183
13
1
6
7
8
G
28
Dryden, Dave
63
0
8
8
0
-
0
0
0
-
13
0
0
0
0
RW
19
Flett, Bill
73
28
36
64
14
+26
9
0
170
0.165
10
5
2
7
2
LW
8
George, Wes
3
0
0
0
11
+1
0
0
1
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
RW
9
Goldsworthy, Bill
17
4
2
6
14
-3
0
0
27
0.148
4
1
1
2
11
C
99
Gretzky, Wayne
72
43
61
104
19
+23
9
0
253
0.170
13
10
10
20
2
LW
16
Guite, Pierre
12
1
1
2
8
-5
1
0
10
0.100
-
-
-
-
-
RW
16
Gustafsson, Bengt
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
1
2
3
0
D
3
Hamilton, Al
80
6
38
44
38
+22
2
0
153
0.039
13
4
5
9
4
D
8/20
Hughes, John
41
2
15
17
82
+22
0
0
43
0.047
13
1
0
1
35
LW
12
Hunter, David
72
7
25
32
134
+7
0
0
71
0.099
13
2
3
5
42
G
35
Kampurri, Hannu
2
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
D
26
Langevin, Dave
77
6
21
27
76
+33
3
0
130
0.046
13
0
1
1
25
RW
14
MacDonald, Blair
80
34
37
71
44
+35
3
4
259
0.131
13
8
10
18
6
RW
25
Mayer, James
2
0
0
0
0
-2
0
0
1
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
D
4
Micheletti, Joe
72
14
33
47
85
+10
3
0
155
0.090
13
0
9
9
2
G
31
Mio, Ed
22
0
1
1
2
-
0
0
0
-
3
0
0
0
0
D
15
Neilson, James
35
0
5
5
18
+5
0
0
13
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
D
2
Sandbeck, Cal
6
0
0
0
2
-2
0
0
3
0.000
-
-
-
-
-
LW
27
Semenko, Dave
77
10
14
24
158
-12
2
0
56
0.179
11
4
2
6
29
D
6
Shmyr, Paul
80
8
39
47
119
+37
0
0
133
0.060
13
1
5
6
23
D
8
Siltanen, Risto
20
3
4
7
4
+4
0
0
36
0.083
11
0
9
9
4
C
10
Sobchuk, Dennis
74
26
37
63
31
+24
6
1
183
0.142
12
6
6
12
4
D
8
Tajcnar, Rudy
2
0
0
0
0
-4
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
G
30
Walsh, Ed
3
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
21
Weir, Stan
68
31
30
61
20
+24
3
0
132
0.235
13
2
5
7
2

Goaltending

Goaltender
gp
min
ga
en
so
w-l-t
gaa
sog
sv%
gp
min
ga
w-l
gaa
Dryden, Dave
63
3531
170
4
3
41-17-2
2.89
1544
0.890
13
687
42
6-7
3.67
Kampurri, Hannu
2
90
10
0
0
0-1-0
6.67
48
0.792
-
-
-
-
-
Mio, Ed
22
1068
71
2
1
7-10-0
3.99
482
0.853
3
90
6
0-0
4.00
Walsh, Ed
3
144
9
0
0
0-2-0
3.75
55
0.836
-
-
-
-
-

Transactions

• Steve Carlson claimed off waivers, May 1978
• Jim Mayer claimed off waivers from New England, May 1978
• Claire Alexander, Dave Hunter, Jim Neilson, Risto Siltanen, Stan Weir signed to contracts, Jun 1978
• Bill Goldsworthy acquired from Indianapolis for Juha Widing, Jun 1978
• Peter Driscoll, Ed Mio and Wayne Gretzky purchased from Indianapolis, Nov 1978
• John Hughes signed as free agent from defunct Indianapolis, Dec 1978
• Wes George signed as free agent from defunct Indianapolis, Jan 1979 (George had been signed by Edmonton in Jun 1978, then traded to Indianapolis in Nov 1978)
• Hannu Kampurri, Risto Siltanen, Bengt-Ake Gustafsson signed to contracts, Mar 1979
• Jari Kurri added to Edmonton's negotiating list, Mar 1979

Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month

opponent overall gf-ga home gf-ga away gf-ga
Birmingham10-4-174-525-2-036-235-2-138-29
Cincinnati10-4-059-446-1-030-184-3-029-26
Indianapolis3-1-022-122-0-014-31-1-08-9
New England9-4-153-354-2-130-175-2-023-18
Quebec6-10-051-605-3-031-241-7-020-36
Winnipeg7-7-063-554-3-033-273-4-030-28
Touring Teams3-0-018-83-0-018-80-0-00-0
 
October3-5-025-271-4-012-182-1-013-9
November8-3-047-346-0-032-132-3-015-21
December6-7-052-534-2-027-212-5-025-32
January6-4-042-274-2-027-142-2-015-13
February10-2-159-348-0-144-192-2-015-15
March8-6-162-563-2-025-205-4-137-36
April7-3-053-353-1-025-154-2-028-20

 

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