1980–81 NHL season

1980–81 NHL season
League National Hockey League
Sport Ice hockey
Duration October 9, 1980 – May 21, 1981
Number of games 80
Number of teams 21
Regular season
Season champions New York Islanders
Season MVP Wayne Gretzky, (Edmonton)
Top scorer Wayne Gretzky, (Edmonton)
Playoffs
Playoffs Playoffs MVP Butch Goring, (NY Islanders)
Stanley Cup
Champions New York Islanders
  Runners-up Minnesota North Stars

The 1980–81 NHL season was the 64th season of the National Hockey League. The New York Islanders were the top regular season team and the top playoff team, winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup.

League business

This was the first season that the Calgary Flames played in Calgary, Alberta. Previously, they were the Atlanta Flames and played in Atlanta, Georgia.

Regular season

The most notable individual performers were Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers, who broke Bobby Orr's single season assist record and Phil Esposito's point mark for a new record of 164 points, winning his second of an unmatched eight straight Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player, as well as Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders, who became only the second man in NHL history to score 50 goals in his first 50 games. Bossy did it with a flair at his home rink, as he only had 48 goals going into the 3rd and final period (before the advent of overtime games). Bossy admitted being so embarrassed and upset that he contemplated not going out on the ice for the final period. However, Bossy got his 49th goal with 5:15 left to go in the game and the 50th with 1:50 remaining, sending the Nassau Coliseum into a delirium. Maurice Richard, the only other man to accomplish this feat, was on hand to congratulate Bossy.

The New York Islanders finished as regular season champions with 110 points with the St. Louis Blues finishing a close second at 107 points.

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold

Prince of Wales Conference

Adams Division
  GP W L T GF GA PIM PTS
Buffalo Sabres 80 39 20 21 327 250 1194 99
Boston Bruins 80 37 30 13 316 272 1836 87
Minnesota North Stars 8035 28 17 291 263 1624 87
Quebec Nordiques 80 30 32 18 314 318 1524 78
Toronto Maple Leafs 80 28 37 15 322 367 1830 71

[1]

Norris Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Montreal Canadiens 80 45 22 13 332 232 103
Los Angeles Kings 80 43 24 13 337 290 99
Pittsburgh Penguins 80 30 37 13 302 345 73
Hartford Whalers 80 21 41 18 292 372 60
Detroit Red Wings 80 19 43 18 252 339 56

[1]

Clarence Campbell Conference

Patrick Division
  GP W L T GF GA PTS
New York Islanders 80 48 18 14 355 260 110
Philadelphia Flyers 80 41 24 15 313 249 97
Calgary Flames 80 39 27 14 329 298 92
New York Rangers 80 30 36 14 312 317 74
Washington Capitals 80 26 36 18 286 317 70

[1]

Smythe Division
GP W L T GF GA PTS
St. Louis Blues 80 45 18 17 352 281 107
Chicago Black Hawks 80 31 33 16 304 315 78
Vancouver Canucks 80 28 32 20 289 301 76
Edmonton Oilers 80 29 35 16 328 327 74
Colorado Rockies 80 22 45 13 258 344 57
Winnipeg Jets 80 9 57 14 246 400 32

[1]

Playoffs

The Stanley Cup playoffs would see the New York Islanders dominate on their way to winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Notably, in the first round against the Maple Leafs, the Isles swept a three-game series, outscoring Toronto 20-4. The Islanders would go on to defeat Edmonton in six games in the quarter-finals, and in the semi-finals, the Islanders swept the Rangers and outscored them 22-8.

In game one of the Edmonton-Montreal series, Wayne Gretzky had five assists. This was a single game playoff record.[2] Another distinction was in the Minnesota North Stars' sweep of the Boston Bruins; the two games the North Stars won in Boston Garden were the first games the team had won in Boston, either regular season or playoff, since the team had joined the NHL in 1967.

Playoff bracket

  Preliminary Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Stanley Cup Finals
                                         
1  NY Islanders 3  
16  Toronto 0  
  1  NY Islanders 4  
 
  14  Edmonton 2  
2  St. Louis 3
15  Pittsburgh 2  
  1  NY Islanders 4  
  13  NY Rangers 0  
3  Montreal 0  
14  Edmonton 3  
  2  St. Louis 2
 
  13  NY Rangers 4  
4  Los Angeles 1
13  NY Rangers 3  
  1  NY Islanders 4
(Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second rounds.)
  9  Minnesota 1
5  Buffalo 3  
12  Vancouver 0  
  5  Buffalo 1
 
  9  Minnesota 4  
6  Philadelphia 3
11  Quebec 2  
  7  Calgary 2
  9  Minnesota 4  
7  Calgary 3  
10  Chicago 0  
  6  Philadelphia 3
 
  7  Calgary 4  
8  Boston 0
9  Minnesota 3  

Stanley Cup Finals

The Islanders easily defeated the Minnesota North Stars in the finals in five games. The Islanders would only be defeated three times during the playoffs.

New York Islanders vs. Minnesota North Stars

New York won series 4–1

Awards

1981 NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Wales Conference regular season champion) 		Montreal Canadiens
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:
(Campbell Conference regular season champion) 		New York Islanders
Art Ross Trophy:
(Top scorer, regular season) 		Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:
(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication)		 Blake Dunlop, St. Louis Blues
Calder Memorial Trophy:
(Top first-year player) 		Peter Stastny, Quebec Nordiques
Conn Smythe Trophy:
(Most valuable player, playoffs) 		Butch Goring, New York Islanders
Frank J. Selke Trophy:
(Top defensive forward) 		Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
Hart Memorial Trophy:
(Most valuable player, regular season) 		Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Jack Adams Award:
(Best coach) 		Gordon "Red" Berenson, St. Louis Blues
James Norris Memorial Trophy:
(Best defenceman) 		Randy Carlyle, Pittsburgh Penguins
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
(Excellence and sportsmanship) 		Rick Kehoe, Pittsburgh Penguins
Lester B. Pearson Award:
(Outstanding player, regular season) 		Mike Liut, St. Louis Blues
NHL Plus/Minus Award:
(Player with best plus/minus record) 		Brian Engblom, Montreal Canadiens
Vezina Trophy:
(Goaltender(s) of team(s) with best goaltending record) 		Denis Herron, Michel Larocque, & Richard Sevigny, Montreal Canadiens
Lester Patrick Trophy:
(Service to hockey in the U.S.) 		Charles M. Schulz

All-Star teams

First Team   Position   Second Team
Mike Liut, St. Louis Blues G Mario Lessard, Los Angeles Kings
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders D Larry Robinson, Montreal Canadiens
Randy Carlyle, Pittsburgh Penguins D Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins
Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers C Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
Mike Bossy, New York Islanders RW Dave Taylor, Los Angeles Kings
Charlie Simmer, Los Angeles Kings LW Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 80 55 109 164 28
Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings 80 58 77 135 70
Kent Nilsson Calgary Flames 80 49 82 131 26
Mike Bossy New York Islanders 79 68 51 119 32
Dave Taylor Los Angeles Kings 72 47 65 112 130
Peter Stastny Quebec Nordiques 77 39 70 109 37
Charlie Simmer Los Angeles Kings 65 56 49 105 62
Mike Rogers Hartford Whalers 80 40 65 105 32
Bernie Federko St. Louis Blues 78 31 73 104 47
Jacques Richard Quebec Nordiques 78 52 51 103 39
Rick Middleton Boston Bruins 80 44 59 103 16
Bryan Trottier New York Islanders 73 31 72 103 74

Source: NHL.[3]

Leading goaltenders

Player Team GP MIN GA SO GAA
Richard Sevigny Montreal 33 1777 71 2 2.40
Rick St. Croix Philadelphia 27 1567 65 2 2.49
Don Edwards Buffalo 45 2700 133 3 2.96
Pete Peeters Philadelphia 40 2333 115 2 2.96
Bob Sauve Buffalo 35 2100 111 2 3.17
Don Beaupre Minnesota 44 2585 138 0 3.20
Glenn Resch New York Islanders/Colorado 40 2266 121 3 3.20
Reggie Lemelin Calgary 29 1629 88 2 3.24
Gilles Meloche Minnesota 38 2215 120 2 3.25
Mario Lessard Los Angeles 64 3746 203 2 3.25

[4]

Milestones

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1980–81 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1980–81 (listed with their last team):

1981 Trading Deadline

See also

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.
  2. ↑ Jenish, D’Arcy (2009). The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory. Doubleday. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-385-66325-0.
  3. ↑ Dinger 2011, p. 152.
  4. ↑ http://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1981_leaders.html
  5. ↑ NHL trade deadline: Deals since 1980 | Habs Inside/Out

External links

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