1978-79 Racers' media guide
The 1978–79 Indianapolis Racers season was the Racers' final season in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The team folded after only 25 games.
Offseason Nelson Skalbania , the owner of Indianapolis Racers , signed the 17 year old future super-star, Wayne Gretzky to, at that time, a whopping personal contract worth between 1.125 and 1.75 million dollars over 4 to 7 years. Skalbania, knowing that the WHA was fading, felt owning the young star was more valuable than owning a WHA team.
Regular season This was the first season of Wayne Gretzky 's professional career. The Racers' management knew that the team was going to fold
due to poor attendance, and sold Gretzky to the Edmonton Oilers after eight games. Skalbania needed cash and liquidated his greatest asset to his old friend and former partner, Peter Pocklington , owner of the Edmonton Oilers . Pocklington purchased Gretzky and two other Indianapolis players, goaltender Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll paying $700,000 for the contracts of the three players, although the announced price was actually $850,000.
Final standings x-team folded during seasonbold.
Game log
No.
R
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
1
L
October 14, 1978
3–6
Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 ) 0–1–0
2
L
October 15, 1978
3–9
Birmingham Bulls (1978–79 ) 0–2–0
3
W
October 18, 1978
4–0
@ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79 )
1–2–0
4
L
October 20, 1978
3–4
Edmonton Oilers (1978–79 ) 1–3–0
5
L
October 22, 1978
3–6
New England Whalers (1978–79 ) 1–4–0
6
L
October 27, 1978
2–4
@ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79 )
1–5–0
7
W
October 28, 1978
3–2
Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 ) 2–5–0
8
T
October 29, 1978
3–3
@ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 )
2–5–1
9
L
November 3, 1978
3–6
@ New England Whalers (1978–79 )
2–6–1
10
T
November 4, 1978
6–6
New England Whalers (1978–79 ) 2–6–2
11
L
November 5, 1978
2–6
@ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 )
2–7–2
12
L
November 8, 1978
0–4
@ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79 )
2–8–2
13
L
November 11, 1978
2–8
@ Quebec Nordiques (1978–79 )
2–9–2
14
L
November 17, 1978
1–6
@ Edmonton Oilers (1978–79 )
2–10–2
15
L
November 19, 1978
2–5
@ Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 )
2–11–2
16
L
November 23, 1978
1–5
Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 ) 2–12–2
17
L
November 24, 1978
5–8
@ Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79 )
2–13–2
18
W
November 25, 1978
6–3
Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79 ) 3–13–2
19
L
November 28, 1978
2–8
@ Edmonton Oilers (1978–79 )
3–14–2
20
W
December 1, 1978
6–3
Birmingham Bulls (1978–79 ) 4–14–2
21
L
December 2, 1978
2–4
@ Birmingham Bulls (1978–79 )
4–15–2
22
L
December 3, 1978
2–4
Cincinnati Stingers (1978–79 ) 4–16–2
23
L
December 7, 1978
4–9
Winnipeg Jets (1978–79 ) 4–17–2
24
W
December 10, 1978
6–4
Edmonton Oilers (1978–79 ) 5–17–2
25
L
December 12, 1978
4–7
New England Whalers (1978–79 ) 5–18–2
[1]
Player stats Regular season Scoring
Player
Pos
GP
G
A
Pts
PIM
+/-
PPG
SHG
GWG
Stoughton, Blaine Blaine Stoughton
RW
25
9
9
18
16
-18
3
0
Larway, Don Don Larway
RW
25
8
10
18
39
-20
2
0
LeDuc, Rich Rich LeDuc
C
13
5
9
14
14
-2
2
0
Larose, Claude Claude Larose
LW
13
5
8
13
0
5
0
0
Parizeau, Michel Michel Parizeau
C
22
4
9
13
4
-1
0
0
MacGregor, Gary Gary MacGregor
C
17
8
4
12
0
-12
1
0
Leclerc, Rene Rene Leclerc
RW
22
5
7
12
12
2
1
0
Morrow, Dave Dave Morrow
D/LW
10
2
10
12
29
-13
0
0
Sacharuk, Larry Larry Sacharuk
D
15
2
9
11
25
-11
2
0
McLeod, Al Al McLeod
D
25
0
11
11
22
0
0
0
Greig, Bruce Bruce Greig
LW
21
3
7
10
64
-5
0
0
Nugent, Kevin Kevin Nugent
RW
25
2
8
10
20
-2
0
0
Inkpen, Dave Dave Inkpen
D
25
1
8
9
22
-5
0
0
Hughes, John John Hughes
D
22
3
4
7
48
-16
0
0
George, Wes Wes George
LW
9
4
2
6
23
-11
1
0
St. Sauveur, Claude Claude St. Sauveur
C
17
4
2
6
12
-6
2
0
Gretzky, Wayne Wayne Gretzky
C
8
3
3
6
0
-3
0
0
Block, Ken Ken Block
D
22
2
3
5
10
-11
0
0
Driscoll, Peter Peter Driscoll
LW
8
3
1
4
17
1
1
0
Moretto, Angelo Angelo Moretto
C
18
3
1
4
2
-6
1
0
Leroux, Gerry Gerry Leroux
LW
10
0
3
3
2
-4
0
0
Baltimore, Bryon Bryon Baltimore
D
2
1
1
2
2
-1
0
0
Burgess, Don Don Burgess
LW
3
1
1
2
0
-4
0
0
Morrison, Kevin Kevin Morrison
D
5
0
2
2
0
-10
0
0
Irwin, Glen Glen Irwin
D
24
0
1
1
124
-10
0
0
Magee, Dean Dean Magee
LW
5
0
1
1
10
-2
0
0
Rollins, Jerry Jerry Rollins
D
7
0
1
1
7
-4
0
0
Inness, Gary Gary Inness
G
10
0
0
0
9
0
0
0
Messier, Mark Mark Messier
C
5
0
0
0
0
-4
0
0
Mio, Eddie Eddie Mio
G
5
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
Smith, Gary Gary Smith
G
11
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
Goaltending
Player
MIN
GP
W
L
T
GA
GAA
SO
Inness, Gary Gary Inness
609
10
3
6
1
51
5.02
0
Mio, Eddie Eddie Mio
242
5
2
2
0
13
3.22
1
Smith, Gary Gary Smith
664
11
0
10
1
61
5.51
0
Team: 1515
25
5
18
2
125
4.95
1
[2]
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Awards and records Transactions Roster Draft picks Farm teams See also References External links 
