The 1978–79 Pittsburgh Penguins season was their 12th in the National Hockey League. They finished second in the Norris Division, qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1977. Their regular season was a marked improvement over the previous season, from 68 to 85 points.

Regular season

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Preliminary round vs. Buffalo

Quarterfinals vs. Boston

Player statistics

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Penguins. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1978–79 season:

Trades

Additions and subtractions

Draft picks

The 1978 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 15, 1978, in Montreal.