The 1978–79 New England Whalers season was the seventh season of the Whalers' franchise. This was the final season in the World Hockey Association, which ceased operations after the season. Fortunately, the Whalers (along with the Winnipeg Jets, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Quebec Nordiques) were admitted to the National Hockey League as expansion teams. The Whalers (as part of the agreement suggested by the Boston Bruins) changed their name to the Hartford Whalers. Meanwhile, the Whalers made the playoffs once again, with only five teams participating in the postseason. Don Blackburn took over the team as coach before the season ended, and he would become the first coach of the team in the NHL.