1979–80 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1979–80 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 71st season. The Canadiens ended the season with a twenty-game unbeaten streak at the Montreal Forum. By season's end, the franchise was third overall in NHL standings. The season involved being eliminated in the NHL Quarter-finals vs the Minnesota North Stars 4 games to 3.

Offseason

 * Al MacNeil left his position as head coach of the Canadiens farm club, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, to become head coach of the Atlanta Flames.
 * Jacques Lemaire retired to become a playing coach in Switzerland. In addition, Ken Dryden and captain Yvan Cournoyer also retired from the team.
 * Scotty Bowman, upset over the appointment of Irving Grundman as general manager in 1978, left the club to become head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Sabres.
 * Boom Boom Geoffrion was hired as head coach in September 1979. In his previous coaching stint, Geoffrion lasted half a season with the 1968–69 New York Rangers. He had to leave the position due to ulcers.
 * Veteran defenceman Serge Savard is named team captain.
 * The Canadiens did not have a first-round pick in the Amateur Draft. The club picked Mats Naslund with its second-round choice, 37th overall. The team picked Guy Carbonneau in the third-round, 44th overall.

Regular season
Despite a record of fifteen wins, nine losses and six ties, Geoffrion stepped down as head coach.

Playoffs
The Canadiens swept the Hartford Whalers in the preliminary round 3–0 in games. The Canadiens then faced the Minnesota North Stars in the quarter-final and lost a seven-game series four games to three.

Awards and records
Larry Robinson, Norris Trophy