The 1978–79 Los Angeles Kings season was the Kings' 12th season in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Regular season
Final standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|1||L||October 11, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||0–1–0
|2||W||October 14, 1978||6–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||1–1–0
|3||L||October 18, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||1–2–0
|4||W||October 20, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||2–2–0
|5||L||October 22, 1978||4–8 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||2–3–0
|6||L||October 24, 1978||2–7 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||2–4–0
|7||W||October 26, 1978||6–0 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||3–4–0
|8||W||October 28, 1978||5–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||4–4–0
|9||L||November 1, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||4–5–0
|10||L||November 4, 1978||3–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||4–6–0
|11||L||November 8, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||4–7–0
|12||W||November 11, 1978||8–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||5–7–0
|13||W||November 12, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||6–7–0
|14||W||November 14, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||7–7–0
|15||W||November 16, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||8–7–0
|16||L||November 18, 1978||1–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||8–8–0
|17||W||November 20, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||9–8–0
|18||T||November 22, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||9–8–1
|19||W||November 25, 1978||4–1 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||10–8–1
|20||L||November 26, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||10–9–1
|21||T||November 29, 1978||5–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||10–9–2
|22||W||December 2, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||11–9–2
|23||W||December 4, 1978||10–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||12–9–2
|24||L||December 6, 1978||0–4 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||12–10–2
|25||T||December 7, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||12–10–3
|26||W||December 9, 1978||5–1 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||13–10–3
|27||T||December 12, 1978||5–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||13–10–4
|28||L||December 13, 1978||7–8 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||13–11–4
|29||L||December 16, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||13–12–4
|30||T||December 19, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||13–12–5
|31||L||December 21, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||13–13–5
|32||L||December 23, 1978||0–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||13–14–5
|33||L||December 27, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||13–15–5
|34||T||December 28, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||13–15–6
|35||W||December 30, 1978||4–0 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||14–15–6
|36||W||January 1, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||15–15–6
|37||L||January 3, 1979||3–8 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||15–16–6
|38||W||January 4, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||16–16–6
|39||W||January 6, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||17–16–6
|40||L||January 7, 1979||0–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||17–17–6
|41||L||January 9, 1979||1–7 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||17–18–6
|42||L||January 10, 1979||0–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||17–19–6
|43||W||January 13, 1979||7–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||18–19–6
|44||W||January 14, 1979||6–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||19–19–6
|45||L||January 17, 1979||3–7 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||19–20–6
|46||L||January 20, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||19–21–6
|47||W||January 24, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||20–21–6
|48||T||January 25, 1979||6–6 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||20–21–7
|49||L||January 27, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||20–22–7
|50||W||January 28, 1979||5–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||21–22–7
|51||L||January 30, 1979||1–7 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||21–23–7
|52||L||January 31, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||21–24–7
|53||W||February 3, 1979||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||22–24–7
|54||W||February 4, 1979||4–1 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||23–24–7
|55||W||February 14, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||24–24–7
|56||T||February 15, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||24–24–8
|57||L||February 17, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||24–25–8
|58||L||February 19, 1979||3–8 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||24–26–8
|59||W||February 21, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||25–26–8
|60||L||February 24, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||25–27–8
|61||W||February 26, 1979||2–0 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||26–27–8
|62||T||February 28, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||26–27–9
|63||W||March 3, 1979||8–5 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||27–27–9
|64||W||March 4, 1979||3–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||28–27–9
|65||W||March 7, 1979||4–0 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||29–27–9
|66||L||March 8, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||29–28–9
|67||L||March 10, 1979||4–9 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||29–29–9
|68||L||March 11, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||29–30–9
|69||T||March 14, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||29–30–10
|70||W||March 17, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||30–30–10
|71||W||March 20, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||31–30–10
|72||T||March 22, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||31–30–11
|73||L||March 24, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||31–31–11
|74||W||March 28, 1979||8–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||32–31–11
|75||L||March 30, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||32–32–11
|76||W||March 31, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||33–32–11
|77||L||April 2, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||33–33–11
|78||L||April 3, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||33–34–11
|79||T||April 5, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||33–34–12
|80||W||April 7, 1979||7–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1978–79) ||34–34–12
Legend:
Transactions The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1978–79 season.
Trades June 14, 1978To Los Angeles KingsBrian Glennie Kurt Walker Scott Garland 2nd round pick in 1979 – Mark HardyTo Toronto Maple LeafsDave Hutchison Lorne Stamler June 15, 1978To Los Angeles KingsCashTo St. Louis Blues13th round pick in 1978 – Terry Kitching 14th round pick in 1978 – Jim Farrell September 18, 1978To Los Angeles KingsDoug HalwardTo Boston BruinsFuture considerations October 5, 1978To Los Angeles KingsMurray Wilson 1st round pick in 1979 – Jay WellsTo Montreal Canadiens1st round pick in 1981 – Gilbert Delorme October 9, 1978To Los Angeles KingsRon GrahameTo Boston Bruins1st round pick in 1979 – Ray Bourque November 18, 1978To Los Angeles Kings4th round pick in 1982 – Dave GansTo Colorado RockiesNick Beverley December 6, 1978To Los Angeles KingsSteve CarlsonTo Detroit Red WingsSteve Short December 31, 1978To Los Angeles KingsRandy HoltTo Vancouver CanucksDon Kozak January 16, 1979To Los Angeles KingsRichard Mulhern 2nd round pick in 1980 – Dave MorrisonTo Atlanta FlamesBob Murdoch 2nd round pick in 1980 – Tony Curtale
Free agent signings June 14, 1978From New York RangersMark Heaslip August 7, 1978From Fort Wayne Komets (IHL)Dan Bonar
Free agents lost June 30, 1978To Minnesota North StarsGary Sargent August 8, 1978To Detroit Red WingsRogie Vachon (5 years, $1.9 million)
Free agent compensation Dale McCourt refused to report to Los Angeles and sued the NHL. He played the 1978–79 season with the Red Wings.
July 15, 1978To Los Angeles KingsDave Gardner Rick Hampton Steve JensenTo Minnesota North StarsGary Sargent August 22, 1978To Los Angeles KingsDale McCourtTo Detroit Red WingsRogie Vachon
Waivers September 5, 1978From Minnesota North StarsNick Beverley
Draft picks Los Angeles's draft picks at the 1978 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)577Paul Mancini Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL)694Doug Keans Oshawa Generals (OMJHL)7111Don Waddell Northern Michigan University (CCHA)8128Rob Mierkalns Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL)9145Rick Scully Brown University (ECAC)10162Brad Thiessen Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL)11177Jim Armstrong Clarkson University (ECAC)12193Claude Larochelle Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)
See also 1978–79 NHL season
References