1980–81 Calgary Flames season

The 1980–81 Calgary Flames season was the first season in Calgary and ninth for the Flames in the National Hockey League. The Flames moved to southern Alberta from Atlanta, Georgia, where the franchise was known as the Atlanta Flames for the first eight years of its existence. The Flames became the third major-league team to represent the city of Calgary after the Calgary Tigers of the 1920s, and the Calgary Cowboys, which had folded in 1977.

1980–81 Calgary Flames
Division3rd Patrick
Conference4th Campbell
1980–81 record39–27–14
Home record25–5–10
Road record14–22–4
Goals for329 (5th)
Goals against298 (9th)
Team information
General managerCliff Fletcher
CoachAl MacNeil
CaptainBrad Marsh
Alternate captainsNone
ArenaStampede Corral
Average attendance7,217
Team leaders
GoalsKent Nilsson (49)
AssistsKent Nilsson (82)
PointsKent Nilsson (131)
Penalty minutesWilli Plett (239)
WinsPat Riggin (21)
Goals against averageRejean Lemelin (3.83)

The Flames were purchased for $16 million USD by Nelson Skalbania in the spring of 1980. Before the sale was even announced, he had already sold 50% of the franchise to a group of Calgary-based investors including Harley Hotchkiss and Normie Kwong. On May 21, 1980, it was announced that the franchise was moving to Calgary.[1] While the Cowboys could not manage 2,000 season tickets three years previous, the Flames sold 10,000 full and half-season ticket packages in 1980, selling out the Stampede Corral for every game played there.[2]

The Flames' first game was played October 9, ending as a 5–5 tie to the Quebec Nordiques. While still in the East-coast dominated Patrick Division, the Flames finished 3rd, and qualified for the playoffs. The franchise, which had won just two playoff games in Atlanta, won two playoff series in their first year in Calgary. After sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks, Calgary then downed the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games before falling to the Minnesota North Stars in the league semi-final.

Kent Nilsson led the Flames in scoring, and his 82 assists and 131 points remain franchise records to this day. Nilsson was also the Flames lone representative at the 1981 All-Star Game.[3]

Regular season

Season standings

Patrick Division
  GP W L T GF GA PTS
New York Islanders80481814355260110
Philadelphia Flyers8041241531324997
Calgary Flames8039271432929892
New York Rangers8030361431231774
Washington Capitals8026361828631770

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

Schedule and results

1980–81 Game Log

Playoffs

1981 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters

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

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
Kent Nilsson148049821312616314174
Guy Chouinard16523152832416314174
Willi Plett257838306823915841289
Paul Reinhart237418496752161141516
Eric Vail27642836642360000
Bob MacMillan1177283563471686147
Don Lever12622631575616471120
Pekka Rautakallio47611455664162466
Jim Peplinski24801325381081623511
Kevin LaVallee15771520351682354
Bill Clement107812203233162136
Ken Houston6421515309316781530
Phil Russell580623291041627929
Bob Murdoch207431922541614536
Dan Labraaten212797161351014
Jamie Hislop1729691511163035
Brad Marsh22801121387160558
Bert Wilson85057129410000
Brad Smith1845741165-----
Alex McKendry263636919-----
Earl Ingarfield21162356-----
Denis Cyr9101450-----
Randy Holt7480551651322452
Dan Bouchard30140446-----
Dave Hindmarch181101060002
Greg Meredith2931010-----
Mike Dwyer294011411010
Gord Wappel270114-----
Rejean Lemelin129011260000
Pat Riggin31420117110000
Tony Curtale320000-----
Bobby Gould1930000113144
Steve Konroyd340004-----

Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary. Stats reflect time with the Flames only. Traded mid-season.
Bold denotes franchise record.

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Rejean Lemelin129162914678823.246366332203.61
Pat Riggin314224112116415403.8311629633703.53
Dan Bouchard30147604535104.06-------.--

Transactions

The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 1980–81 season.

Trades

June 2, 1980 To Calgary Flames
2nd round pick in 1980 Entry Draft
(Steve Konroyd)
2nd round pick in 1981 Entry Draft
(Mike Vernon)
To Boston Bruins
Jim Craig
June 8, 1980[5] To Calgary Flames
Randy Holt
Bert Wilson
To Los Angeles Kings
Garry Unger
June 10, 1980 To Calgary Flames
2nd round pick in 1980 Entry Draft
(Kevin LaVallee)
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Dave Shand
3rd round pick in 1980 Entry Draft
(traded to Washington Capitals;
Capitals selected Torrie Robertson)
July 1, 1980 To Calgary Flames
Cash
To Washington Capitals
Jean Pronovost
October 9, 1980 To Calgary Flames
Alex McKendry
To New York Islanders
3rd round pick in 1981 Entry Draft
(Ron Handy)
January 30, 1981 To Calgary Flames
Jamie Hislop
To Quebec Nordiques
Dan Bouchard
February 3, 1981 To Calgary Flames
Dan Labraaten
To Detroit Red Wings
Earl Ingarfield
February 24, 1981 To Calgary Flames
Future Considerations
To Detroit Red Wings
Brad Smith

Free agents

PlayerFormer team
LW Mike DwyerColorado Rockies
C Bob FrancisUniversity of New Hampshire (NCAA)
D Charlie BourgeoisUniversité de Moncton (CIAU)
PlayerNew team
This sports-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Draft picks

Calgary's picks at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, held in Montreal, Quebec.[6]

Rnd Pick Player Nationality Position Team (league) NHL statistics
GPGAPtsPIM
113Denis Cyr CanadaRWMontreal Junior Canadiens (QMJHL)19341438436
231Tony Curtale United StatesDBrantford Alexanders (OHA)20000
232Kevin LaVallee CanadaFBrantford Alexanders (OHA)36611012523585
239Steve Konroyd CanadaDOshawa Generals (OHA)89541195236863
476Marc Roy CanadaRWChicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
597Randy Turnbull CanadaDPortland Winter Hawks (WHL)10002
6118John Multan CanadaRWPortland Winter Hawks (WHL)
7139Dave Newsom CanadaLWBrantford Alexanders (OHA)
8160Claude Drouin CanadaCQuebec Remparts (QMJHL)
9181Hakan Loob SwedenFFärjestads BK (SEL)450193236429189
10202Steven Fletcher CanadaLWHull Olympiques (QMJHL)30005

See also

References

  • Zeman, Gary (1986). Alberta on Ice. ISBN 0-9692320-0-4.
  • Player stats: 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, p. 131.
  • Game log: 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, p. 141.
  • Team standings: 1980–81 NHL standings @hockeydb.com
  • Trades: Individual player pages at hockeydb.com
  1. Zeman, p. 92.
  2. Zeman, p. 94.
  3. All-Star Selections, 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, p. 22.
  4. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.
  5. Maki, Alan (1980-06-11). "No Kings' ransom paid to land Unger". Calgary Herald. p. D1. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  6. Calgary Flames draft history, hockeydb.com, accessed October 8, 2007.
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