Team Stats

1978–79 Regular Season

Coaches: Marcel Pronovost, Billy Inglis
Total Players: 28
Related1978–79 game results1978–79 standingsRound 1 vs PIT breakdown
Season Summary

36-28-16, 88 points, a +17 goal differential.

Team Totals
280
263
+17
20.6%
78.7%
3.29
GF
GA
DIFF
PP%
PK%
GAA
NHL
9th
5th
7th
13th
8th
5th
CONF
5th
3rd
3rd
8th
4th
3rd
DIV
2nd
2nd
2nd
4th
3rd
2nd
ALL-TIME
61st pct
55th pct
55th pct
64th pct
24th pct

All-time is where 1978–79 ranks among Sabres regular seasons, as a percentile: GF, GA and DIFF since 1970–71 (55 seasons), PP% and PK% since 1977–78 (48). GF, GA and DIFF are relative to each season's league scoring. Higher is better, GA included.

Goal differential
LEAGUE MED +6BUF +17-121+144
One dot per NHL team.
Team Leaders

Skater Scatter

Any two stats, one dot per skater. What is xG?

Dot size is ice time per game. Above the dashed line: more Goals than xG.

X axis:
Y axis:

No skaters match these filters. Lower the games-played floor or widen the position filter.

More cuts on the Stats Playground scatter.

Win DNA

Yes-or-no box-score traits, and how often the Sabres won with and without each. Correlation, not cause.

How this is measured

Every counting stat runs higher in a win (you score more when you win), so each game gets a yes-or-no question instead, and the win rate when yes is set against the win rate when no. The gap is the lift, in percentage points. A trait can be a symptom of a good night as much as a reason for one. Shot-attempt share (CF%) is left out: in a single game the trailing team piles up attempts, so out-attempting the opponent has gone with a lower win rate.

36-28 in 64 decided games, 1978–79 regular season.
Wins (36)Losses (28)
3+ scorersD combined 3+ ptsScored firstDepth goal50%100%

The wider the gap on an axis, the more that trait separates a win from a loss.

The raw split, wins vs losses

The totals the table above deliberately doesn't lead with. Goals and points from both positions climb in wins, but the defense's share of the offense barely moves, which is why the question is who else scored, not whether the D did.

PER GAMEWINS (36)LOSSES (28)
Forward goals4.061.86
Defense goals0.470.21
Forward points9.284.46
Defense points2.361.14
Different goal scorers3.971.79
D share of points20%20%
D share of shots26%27%

Skaters

PlayerNo.GPGAPTS+/-PIMPPSHGWGSOGS%
Gilbert Perreault1179275885+122060417215.7%
Danny Gare1871274067+179070326010.4%
Rene Robert1468224062-134610620610.7%
Don Luce1479263561+201462714917.4%
Craig Ramsay1080263157+211043311323.0%
Rick Martin773322153-73580325012.8%
Jerry Korab2278114051+81048102045.4%
Ric Seiling1678202242+155620413614.7%
Andre Savard1265182240+2202219718.6%
Derek Smith1943141226-583008516.5%
Jacques Richard1561101525+8260018511.8%
Jim Schoenfeld64681725+867600998.1%
Lee Fogolin27431922-3103000704.3%
Tony McKegney255281422-1100016711.9%
Bill Stewart176811718+4101000871.1%
Terry Martin25646814-17331003815.8%
Rick Dudley17245611+1120013613.9%
Jocelyn Guevremont2343811+128000515.9%
Bill Hajt24403811-520011535.7%
Gary McAdam15406511-6131013915.4%
Ken Breitenbach2330189+525000412.4%
Dave Schultz828235-12860001612.5%
Mike Boland1522123+529000175.9%
Richie Dunn324033-214000180.0%
Larry Playfair2726033+160000120.0%
Total280457737100055936240111.7%

Goalies

PlayerNo.GPWLTGAASV%SO
Don Edwards154261893.02.8992
Bob Sauve1829101073.73.8760
Randy Ireland3020006.02.8570
Total3628162

A goalie is credited a game played for any appearance, relief included, so GP sums above the team's own games played by the number of relief outings. The Total row leaves GP out for that reason.