1980β81 Hartford Whalers | |
---|---|
Division | 4th Norris |
Conference | 9th Wales |
1980β81 record | 21β41β18 |
Home record | 14β17β9 |
Road record | 7β24β9 |
Goals for | 292 |
Goals against | 372 |
Team information | |
General manager | Jack Kelley |
Coach |
Don Blackburn (15-29-16) Larry Pleau (6-12-2) |
Captain |
Rick Ley Mike Rogers |
Arena | Hartford Civic Center |
Average attendance | 11,704 (80.7%) [1] |
Minor league affiliate(s) |
Binghamton Whalers (
AHL) Saginaw Gears ( IHL) Syracuse Hornets ( EHL) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Blaine Stoughton (43) |
Assists | Mike Rogers (65) |
Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
Penalty minutes | Tom Rowe (190) |
Plus/minus | Mark Howe (+9) |
Wins | John Garrett (15) |
Goals against average | Mike Veisor (4.46) |
The 1980β81 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' second season in the National Hockey League.
On May 23, Hartford signed defenseman Thommy Abrahamsson as a free agent. Abrahamsson played in 26 games with Leksands IF of Elitserien, scoring nine goals and 15 points. Abrahamsson had previously played with the Whalers from 1974 to 1977, when the club was still a part of the WHA. In 203 games with New England, Abrahamsson scored 28 goals and 95 points.
Gordie Howe announced his retirement from the team on June 4. Howe retired as the highest scoring player in NHL history, as he scored 801 goals and added 1049 assists for 1850 points in 1767 games in a career that spanned from 1946 until 1980. Howe joined the Whalers organization in 1977, and in two seasons with the New England Whalers in the WHA, he scored 53 goals and 139 points in 134 games. In 1979β80, he remained with the club as they moved to the NHL, and Howe, at the age of 51, scored 15 goals and 41 points in 80 games, followed with a goal and two points in three playoff games. Following this announcement, the Whalers hired Howe as director of player development.
On June 5, the Whalers acquired center Rick Meagher, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a third round and a fifth-round pick in 1981. Meagher appeared in only two games with Montreal during 1979β80, as he spent most of the season with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs. In 64 games with Nova Scotia, Meagher had 32 goals and 76 points, followed by three goals and seven points in six post-season games.
At the 1980 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum on June 11, the Whalers selected defenseman Fred Arthur from the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL with their first-round pick, eighth overall. In 67 games with Cornwall in 1979β80, Arthur scored five goals and 70 assists for 75 points. In the postseason, Arthur had two goals and 14 points in 18 games, helping Cornwall win the President's Cup and earn a berth at the 1980 Memorial Cup. During the Memorial Cup, Arthur had five assists in five games, helping the Royals win the championship.
On June 14, Hartford acquired goaltender Mike Veisor from the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Veisor had a record of 3β5β3 with a 3.28 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 11 games with Chicago during 1979β80.
The Whalers acquired right winger Warren Miller off of waivers under terms from the 1979 expansion draft from the New York Rangers on August 7. The Whalers had to give the Rangers cash to complete the deal. Miller scored seven goals and 13 points in 55 games with New York in 1979β80. In 1978β79, Miller scored 26 goals and 49 points in 77 games with the New England Whalers.
On September 1, right winger Bobby Hull announced his retirement as a player. Hull appeared in nine games with Hartford in 1979β80, scoring two goals and seven points after he was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets. In 1090 career NHL games, Hull scored 616 goals and 1187 points as he played with the Chicago Black Hawks from 1957 to 1972 before signing with the Jets as a free agent. In 411 career WHA games with Winnipeg, Hull scored 303 goals and 638 points from 1972 to 1979, before rejoining the NHL in 1979β80 with the Jets.
On September 4, the Whalers traded away goaltender Al Smith to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash. Smith had a record of 11β10β8 with a 3.67 GAA and a .876 save percentage with the Whalers in 1979β80. In 1973, Smith led the Whalers to the Avco Cup, and in 1978, he won the Ben Hatskin Trophy which was awarded to the best goaltender in the World Hockey Association.
The Whalers opened the 1980β81 season with a four-game road trip, and on October 9, they lost 8β6 to the St. Louis Blues, followed by a 9β3 loss two nights later against the Minnesota North Stars. After a 2β2 tie against the Buffalo Sabres, the Whalers earned their first victory on October 15, with a 5β2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hartford played their first home game of the season on October 18 against the Detroit Red Wings in front of 10,287 fans. The Whalers Al Sims led the way with two goals, and John Garrett made 26 saves in the Whalers 4β2 victory. The team would post a 3β0β1 record on their opening four game home stand.
The Whalers would finish the month with a solid record of 5β4β2, earning 12 points, and second place in the Norris Division, three points behind the first place Los Angeles Kings.
The Whalers would slump to begin the month of November, as the club would go winless in their first eight games (0β6β2) of the month before earning a 4β3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on November 22. The Whalers would follow that game up with a huge 11β3 loss to the Chicago Black Hawks the next night.
Hartford would end November with two wins in their final three games, bringing their season record to 8β12β4 record with 20 points, sitting in third place in the Norris Division.
The Whalers opened December with a five-game western road trip, in which the team put up a respectable 2β2β1 record, with wins over the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.
The team returned home for two games, as Hartford tied the Los Angeles Kings 5β5 on December 13, followed by a 5β4 win over the Boston Bruins on December 17. The Whalers then headed out for a three-game road trip before Christmas, in which the Whalers tied the Bruins 5β5, lost to the Quebec Nordiques 6β5, followed by a huge 7β2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 23.
On December 26, the Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins played a very high scoring game, as Hartford came out on top with a 9β7 victory. Hartford ended the month with a 5β5 tie against the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders the next night.
Overall, the Whalers had a 5β3β4 record in their 12 December games, and improved to 13β15β8, earning 34 points, for the season. The Whalers continued to stay into third place in the Norris Division, five points ahead of the fourth place Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hartford got off to a bad start in January, losing their first three games, snapping their losing streak with a 6β6 tie against the Edmonton Oilers on January 9. The Whalers earned their first win of the month the next night, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5β3.
The Whalers losing ways would return though, as the club lost four games in a row, including three by one goal, before ending the streak with a tie against the St. Louis Blues on January 21. Hartford would then lose their next two games, extending their winless streak to seven games, before the team finally defeated the Colorado Rockies 6β3 on January 28. Hartford then went winless in their last two games (0β1β1) of the month.
The team managed a 2β10β3 record in 15 games for the month, and had a 15β25β11 record, getting 41 points at the end January. Hartford fell into fourth place in the Norris Division, one point behind the third place Pittsburgh Penguins, and four points ahead of the last place Detroit Red Wings.
The Whalers losing ways continued into February, as Hartford would go winless in their first nine games of the month (0β4β5), and extend their overall winless streak to 11 games.
After their 6β2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 19, the Whalers fired head coach Don Blackburn, and replaced him with Larry Pleau.
In his first game as the head coach, Pleau ended the Whalers winless skid, as Hartford defeated the New York Rangers 6β5 on February 22. The club won their next game three nights later, defeating the Minnesota North Stars 3β2, however, their winning streak ended with a 5β1 loss to the Calgary Flames on February 27.
The Whalers had a 2β5β5 record in February, and had a 4β15β8 record since the start of January. The Whalers overall season record at the end of February was 17β30β16, as they earned 50 points, and remained in fourth place in the Norris Division, only two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings.
The Whalers began March with two straight losses before earning a 5β3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on March 6. Hartford then went on a five-game winless skid (0β4β1) before earning another victory, which was a huge 9β3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Hartford would continue to struggle for the rest of the regular season, as they posted a 2β5β1 record in their final eight games after the 9β3 win over the Canadiens.
The team finished their second season with a 21β41β18 record, earning 60 points, and fourth place in the Norris Division, four points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. The Whalers failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in team history.
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 |
[2]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.
Norris Division record vs. opponents
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|
No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L | October 9, 1980 | 6β8 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 0β1β0 | 11,132 |
2 | L | October 11, 1980 | 3β9 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 0β2β0 | 15,338 |
3 | T | October 12, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 0β2β1 | 16,433 |
4 | W | October 15, 1980 | 5β2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 1β2β1 | 5,637 |
5 | W | October 18, 1980 | 4β2 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 2β2β1 | 10,287 |
6 | T | October 19, 1980 | 3β3 | New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 2β2β2 | 10,014 |
7 | W | October 22, 1980 | 3β0 | Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 3β2β2 | 9,595 |
8 | W | October 25, 1980 | 4β2 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 4β2β2 | 11,005 |
9 | L | October 26, 1980 | 1β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 4β3β2 | 17,077 |
10 | W | October 29, 1980 | 5β3 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 5β3β2 | 9,103 |
11 | L | October 30, 1980 | 2β8 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 5β4β2 | 15,555 |
12 | T | November 1, 1980 | 4β4 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 5β4β3 | 10,418 |
13 | L | November 5, 1980 | 1β6 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 5β5β3 | 10,278 |
14 | T | November 6, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 5β5β4 | 5,669 |
15 | L | November 8, 1980 | 4β5 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 5β6β4 | 13,191 |
16 | L | November 12, 1980 | 1β5 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 5β7β4 | 10,044 |
17 | L | November 15, 1980 | 4β8 | Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 5β8β4 | 11,544 |
18 | L | November 16, 1980 | 3β7 | @ New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 5β9β4 | 17,419 |
19 | L | November 20, 1980 | 0β5 | @ New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 5β10β4 | 14,062 |
20 | W | November 22, 1980 | 4β3 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 6β10β4 | 11,160 |
21 | L | November 23, 1980 | 3β11 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 6β11β4 | 10,827 |
22 | W | November 26, 1980 | 8β4 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 7β11β4 | 10,741 |
23 | W | November 28, 1980 | 6β4 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 8β11β4 | 11,073 |
24 | L | November 29, 1980 | 2β5 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 8β12β4 | 13,202 |
25 | L | December 2, 1980 | 2β5 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 8β13β4 | 7,456 |
26 | T | December 3, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 8β13β5 | 11,281 |
27 | W | December 6, 1980 | 5β3 | @ Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 9β13β5 | 7,083 |
28 | L | December 7, 1980 | 4β6 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 9β14β5 | 17,215 |
29 | W | December 10, 1980 | 8β5 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 10β14β5 | 11,623 |
30 | T | December 13, 1980 | 5β5 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 10β14β6 | 11,204 |
31 | W | December 17, 1980 | 5β4 | Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 11β14β6 | 13,111 |
32 | T | December 20, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 11β14β7 | 9,616 |
33 | L | December 21, 1980 | 5β6 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 11β15β7 | 10,241 |
34 | W | December 23, 1980 | 7β2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 12β15β7 | 16,430 |
35 | W | December 26, 1980 | 9β7 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 13β15β7 | 12,208 |
36 | T | December 27, 1980 | 5β5 | New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 13β15β8 | 14,510 |
37 | L | January 2, 1981 | 1β3 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 13β16β8 | 14,510 |
38 | L | January 3, 1981 | 1β8 | @ New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 13β17β8 | 15,008 |
39 | L | January 7, 1981 | 3β5 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 13β18β8 | 8,535 |
40 | T | January 9, 1981 | 6β6 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 13β18β9 | 17,474 |
41 | W | January 10, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 14β18β9 | 11,233 |
42 | L | January 12, 1981 | 2β5 | St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 14β19β9 | 11,118 |
43 | L | January 14, 1981 | 4β5 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 14β20β9 | 11,455 |
44 | L | January 17, 1981 | 2β3 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 14β21β9 | 13,131 |
45 | L | January 18, 1981 | 2β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 14β22β9 | 10,036 |
46 | T | January 21, 1981 | 6β6 | St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 14β22β10 | 9,484 |
47 | L | January 23, 1981 | 2β4 | Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 14β23β10 | 10,206 |
48 | L | January 24, 1981 | 4β7 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 14β24β10 | 16,485 |
49 | W | January 28, 1981 | 6β3 | Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 15β24β10 | 12,510 |
50 | T | January 30, 1981 | 5β5 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 15β24β11 | 10,667 |
51 | L | January 31, 1981 | 3β5 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 15β25β11 | 12,425 |
52 | L | February 2, 1981 | 2β4 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 15β26β11 | 12,435 |
53 | T | February 4, 1981 | 3β3 | Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 15β26β12 | 13,149 |
54 | L | February 7, 1981 | 2β6 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 15β27β12 | 12,327 |
55 | T | February 8, 1981 | 6β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 15β27β13 | 17,077 |
56 | T | February 12, 1981 | 2β2 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 15β27β14 | 11,175 |
57 | L | February 14, 1981 | 4β7 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 15β28β14 | 13,158 |
58 | T | February 15, 1981 | 4β4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 15β28β15 | 12,571 |
59 | T | February 18, 1981 | 3β3 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 15β28β16 | 14,096 |
60 | L | February 19, 1981 | 2β6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 15β29β16 | 6,571 |
61 | W | February 22, 1981 | 6β5 | New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 16β29β16 | 13,663 |
62 | W | February 25, 1981 | 3β2 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 17β29β16 | 11,202 |
63 | L | February 27, 1981 | 1β5 | @ Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 17β30β16 | 7,226 |
64 | L | March 1, 1981 | 0β3 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 17β31β16 | 12,616 |
65 | L | March 3, 1981 | 4β5 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 17β32β16 | 5,239 |
66 | W | March 6, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 18β32β16 | 16,383 |
67 | L | March 8, 1981 | 4β5 | Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 18β33β16 | 10,171 |
68 | T | March 10, 1981 | 4β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 18β33β17 | 13,217 |
69 | L | March 11, 1981 | 2β5 | Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 18β34β17 | 10,962 |
70 | L | March 14, 1981 | 2β6 | @ New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 18β35β17 | 17,405 |
71 | L | March 15, 1981 | 2β4 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 18β36β17 | 10,865 |
72 | W | March 18, 1981 | 9β3 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 19β36β17 | 12,092 |
73 | L | March 21, 1981 | 4β6 | New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 19β37β17 | 14,510 |
74 | T | March 22, 1981 | 3β3 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 19β37β18 | 10,620 |
75 | L | March 25, 1981 | 2β7 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 19β38β18 | 11,405 |
76 | W | March 27, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 20β38β18 | 12,201 |
77 | L | March 29, 1981 | 1β4 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 20β39β18 | 12,350 |
78 | W | April 1, 1981 | 5β4 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 21β39β18 | 10,734 |
79 | L | April 3, 1981 | 1β6 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 21β40β18 | 16,978 |
80 | L | April 5, 1981 | 4β5 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 21β41β18 | 13,059 |
The Whalers failed to qualify for 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, as the club finished with a 21β41β18 record, earning 60 points, which was 11 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final playoff position. This marked the first time since joining the NHL that the Whalers did not qualify for the playoffs.
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adding to it. (July 2010) |
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2010) |
The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1980β81 season.
June 5, 1980 | To
Montreal Canadiens 3rd-round pick in 1981 β Dieter Hegen 5th-round pick in 1981 β Steve Rooney |
To
Hartford Whalers Rick Meagher 3rd-round pick in 1981 β Paul MacDermid 5th-round pick in 1981 NHL Entry Draft β Dan Bourbonnais |
June 14, 1980 | To
Chicago Black Hawks 2nd-round pick in 1981 |
To
Hartford Whalers Mike Veisor |
September 4, 1980 | To
Colorado Rockies Al Smith |
To
Hartford Whalers Cash Considerations |
November 20, 1980 | To
Philadelphia Flyers 2nd-round pick in 1982 β Peter Ihnacak |
To
Hartford Whalers Jack McIlhargey Player to be Named Later β Norm Barnes on Dec. 5, 1980 |
December 16, 1980 | To
Minnesota North Stars Gordie Roberts |
To
Hartford Whalers Mike Fidler |
January 15, 1981 | To
New York Rangers Nick Fotiu |
To
Hartford Whalers 5th-round pick in 1981 β Bill Maguire |
February 1, 1981 | To
Calgary Flames Future Considerations |
To
Hartford Whalers John Stewart |
February 20, 1981 | To
Pittsburgh Penguins 6th-round pick in 1981 β Paul Edwards |
To
Hartford Whalers Gilles Lupien |
August 7, 1980 | From
New York Rangers Warren Miller |
Player | Former Team |
Thommy Abrahamsson | Leksands IF ( Sweden) |
Randy MacGregor | EC VSV ( Austria) |
Ross Yates | Mount Allison University ( AUAA) |
Hartford's draft picks from the 1980 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal on June 11, 1980.
Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/junior/club team (league) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 | Fred Arthur | ![]() |
Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
2 | 29 | Michel Galarneau | ![]() |
Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) |
3 | 50 | Mickey Volcan | ![]() |
University of North Dakota (WCHA) |
4 | 71 | Kevin McClelland | ![]() |
Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
5 | 92 | Darren Jensen | ![]() |
University of North Dakota (WCHA) |
6 | 113 | Mario Cerri | ![]() |
Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) |
7 | 134 | Mike Martin | ![]() |
Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) |
8 | 155 | Brent DeNat | ![]() |
Michigan Tech (WCHA) |
9 | 176 | Paul Fricker | ![]() |
University of Michigan (WCHA) |
10 | 197 | Lorne Bokshowan | ![]() |
Saskatoon Blades (WHL) |
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2010) |
1980β81 Hartford Whalers | |
---|---|
Division | 4th Norris |
Conference | 9th Wales |
1980β81 record | 21β41β18 |
Home record | 14β17β9 |
Road record | 7β24β9 |
Goals for | 292 |
Goals against | 372 |
Team information | |
General manager | Jack Kelley |
Coach |
Don Blackburn (15-29-16) Larry Pleau (6-12-2) |
Captain |
Rick Ley Mike Rogers |
Arena | Hartford Civic Center |
Average attendance | 11,704 (80.7%) [1] |
Minor league affiliate(s) |
Binghamton Whalers (
AHL) Saginaw Gears ( IHL) Syracuse Hornets ( EHL) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Blaine Stoughton (43) |
Assists | Mike Rogers (65) |
Points | Mike Rogers (105) |
Penalty minutes | Tom Rowe (190) |
Plus/minus | Mark Howe (+9) |
Wins | John Garrett (15) |
Goals against average | Mike Veisor (4.46) |
The 1980β81 Hartford Whalers season was the Whalers' second season in the National Hockey League.
On May 23, Hartford signed defenseman Thommy Abrahamsson as a free agent. Abrahamsson played in 26 games with Leksands IF of Elitserien, scoring nine goals and 15 points. Abrahamsson had previously played with the Whalers from 1974 to 1977, when the club was still a part of the WHA. In 203 games with New England, Abrahamsson scored 28 goals and 95 points.
Gordie Howe announced his retirement from the team on June 4. Howe retired as the highest scoring player in NHL history, as he scored 801 goals and added 1049 assists for 1850 points in 1767 games in a career that spanned from 1946 until 1980. Howe joined the Whalers organization in 1977, and in two seasons with the New England Whalers in the WHA, he scored 53 goals and 139 points in 134 games. In 1979β80, he remained with the club as they moved to the NHL, and Howe, at the age of 51, scored 15 goals and 41 points in 80 games, followed with a goal and two points in three playoff games. Following this announcement, the Whalers hired Howe as director of player development.
On June 5, the Whalers acquired center Rick Meagher, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a third round and a fifth-round pick in 1981. Meagher appeared in only two games with Montreal during 1979β80, as he spent most of the season with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs. In 64 games with Nova Scotia, Meagher had 32 goals and 76 points, followed by three goals and seven points in six post-season games.
At the 1980 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum on June 11, the Whalers selected defenseman Fred Arthur from the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL with their first-round pick, eighth overall. In 67 games with Cornwall in 1979β80, Arthur scored five goals and 70 assists for 75 points. In the postseason, Arthur had two goals and 14 points in 18 games, helping Cornwall win the President's Cup and earn a berth at the 1980 Memorial Cup. During the Memorial Cup, Arthur had five assists in five games, helping the Royals win the championship.
On June 14, Hartford acquired goaltender Mike Veisor from the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Veisor had a record of 3β5β3 with a 3.28 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 11 games with Chicago during 1979β80.
The Whalers acquired right winger Warren Miller off of waivers under terms from the 1979 expansion draft from the New York Rangers on August 7. The Whalers had to give the Rangers cash to complete the deal. Miller scored seven goals and 13 points in 55 games with New York in 1979β80. In 1978β79, Miller scored 26 goals and 49 points in 77 games with the New England Whalers.
On September 1, right winger Bobby Hull announced his retirement as a player. Hull appeared in nine games with Hartford in 1979β80, scoring two goals and seven points after he was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets. In 1090 career NHL games, Hull scored 616 goals and 1187 points as he played with the Chicago Black Hawks from 1957 to 1972 before signing with the Jets as a free agent. In 411 career WHA games with Winnipeg, Hull scored 303 goals and 638 points from 1972 to 1979, before rejoining the NHL in 1979β80 with the Jets.
On September 4, the Whalers traded away goaltender Al Smith to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash. Smith had a record of 11β10β8 with a 3.67 GAA and a .876 save percentage with the Whalers in 1979β80. In 1973, Smith led the Whalers to the Avco Cup, and in 1978, he won the Ben Hatskin Trophy which was awarded to the best goaltender in the World Hockey Association.
The Whalers opened the 1980β81 season with a four-game road trip, and on October 9, they lost 8β6 to the St. Louis Blues, followed by a 9β3 loss two nights later against the Minnesota North Stars. After a 2β2 tie against the Buffalo Sabres, the Whalers earned their first victory on October 15, with a 5β2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hartford played their first home game of the season on October 18 against the Detroit Red Wings in front of 10,287 fans. The Whalers Al Sims led the way with two goals, and John Garrett made 26 saves in the Whalers 4β2 victory. The team would post a 3β0β1 record on their opening four game home stand.
The Whalers would finish the month with a solid record of 5β4β2, earning 12 points, and second place in the Norris Division, three points behind the first place Los Angeles Kings.
The Whalers would slump to begin the month of November, as the club would go winless in their first eight games (0β6β2) of the month before earning a 4β3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on November 22. The Whalers would follow that game up with a huge 11β3 loss to the Chicago Black Hawks the next night.
Hartford would end November with two wins in their final three games, bringing their season record to 8β12β4 record with 20 points, sitting in third place in the Norris Division.
The Whalers opened December with a five-game western road trip, in which the team put up a respectable 2β2β1 record, with wins over the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.
The team returned home for two games, as Hartford tied the Los Angeles Kings 5β5 on December 13, followed by a 5β4 win over the Boston Bruins on December 17. The Whalers then headed out for a three-game road trip before Christmas, in which the Whalers tied the Bruins 5β5, lost to the Quebec Nordiques 6β5, followed by a huge 7β2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 23.
On December 26, the Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins played a very high scoring game, as Hartford came out on top with a 9β7 victory. Hartford ended the month with a 5β5 tie against the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders the next night.
Overall, the Whalers had a 5β3β4 record in their 12 December games, and improved to 13β15β8, earning 34 points, for the season. The Whalers continued to stay into third place in the Norris Division, five points ahead of the fourth place Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hartford got off to a bad start in January, losing their first three games, snapping their losing streak with a 6β6 tie against the Edmonton Oilers on January 9. The Whalers earned their first win of the month the next night, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5β3.
The Whalers losing ways would return though, as the club lost four games in a row, including three by one goal, before ending the streak with a tie against the St. Louis Blues on January 21. Hartford would then lose their next two games, extending their winless streak to seven games, before the team finally defeated the Colorado Rockies 6β3 on January 28. Hartford then went winless in their last two games (0β1β1) of the month.
The team managed a 2β10β3 record in 15 games for the month, and had a 15β25β11 record, getting 41 points at the end January. Hartford fell into fourth place in the Norris Division, one point behind the third place Pittsburgh Penguins, and four points ahead of the last place Detroit Red Wings.
The Whalers losing ways continued into February, as Hartford would go winless in their first nine games of the month (0β4β5), and extend their overall winless streak to 11 games.
After their 6β2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 19, the Whalers fired head coach Don Blackburn, and replaced him with Larry Pleau.
In his first game as the head coach, Pleau ended the Whalers winless skid, as Hartford defeated the New York Rangers 6β5 on February 22. The club won their next game three nights later, defeating the Minnesota North Stars 3β2, however, their winning streak ended with a 5β1 loss to the Calgary Flames on February 27.
The Whalers had a 2β5β5 record in February, and had a 4β15β8 record since the start of January. The Whalers overall season record at the end of February was 17β30β16, as they earned 50 points, and remained in fourth place in the Norris Division, only two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings.
The Whalers began March with two straight losses before earning a 5β3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on March 6. Hartford then went on a five-game winless skid (0β4β1) before earning another victory, which was a huge 9β3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Hartford would continue to struggle for the rest of the regular season, as they posted a 2β5β1 record in their final eight games after the 9β3 win over the Canadiens.
The team finished their second season with a 21β41β18 record, earning 60 points, and fourth place in the Norris Division, four points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. The Whalers failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in team history.
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 |
[2]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.
Norris Division record vs. opponents
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No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L | October 9, 1980 | 6β8 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 0β1β0 | 11,132 |
2 | L | October 11, 1980 | 3β9 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 0β2β0 | 15,338 |
3 | T | October 12, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 0β2β1 | 16,433 |
4 | W | October 15, 1980 | 5β2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 1β2β1 | 5,637 |
5 | W | October 18, 1980 | 4β2 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 2β2β1 | 10,287 |
6 | T | October 19, 1980 | 3β3 | New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 2β2β2 | 10,014 |
7 | W | October 22, 1980 | 3β0 | Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 3β2β2 | 9,595 |
8 | W | October 25, 1980 | 4β2 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 4β2β2 | 11,005 |
9 | L | October 26, 1980 | 1β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 4β3β2 | 17,077 |
10 | W | October 29, 1980 | 5β3 | Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 5β3β2 | 9,103 |
11 | L | October 30, 1980 | 2β8 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 5β4β2 | 15,555 |
12 | T | November 1, 1980 | 4β4 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 5β4β3 | 10,418 |
13 | L | November 5, 1980 | 1β6 | @ St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 5β5β3 | 10,278 |
14 | T | November 6, 1980 | 3β3 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 5β5β4 | 5,669 |
15 | L | November 8, 1980 | 4β5 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 5β6β4 | 13,191 |
16 | L | November 12, 1980 | 1β5 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 5β7β4 | 10,044 |
17 | L | November 15, 1980 | 4β8 | Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 5β8β4 | 11,544 |
18 | L | November 16, 1980 | 3β7 | @ New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 5β9β4 | 17,419 |
19 | L | November 20, 1980 | 0β5 | @ New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 5β10β4 | 14,062 |
20 | W | November 22, 1980 | 4β3 | Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 6β10β4 | 11,160 |
21 | L | November 23, 1980 | 3β11 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 6β11β4 | 10,827 |
22 | W | November 26, 1980 | 8β4 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 7β11β4 | 10,741 |
23 | W | November 28, 1980 | 6β4 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 8β11β4 | 11,073 |
24 | L | November 29, 1980 | 2β5 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 8β12β4 | 13,202 |
25 | L | December 2, 1980 | 2β5 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 8β13β4 | 7,456 |
26 | T | December 3, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 8β13β5 | 11,281 |
27 | W | December 6, 1980 | 5β3 | @ Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 9β13β5 | 7,083 |
28 | L | December 7, 1980 | 4β6 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 9β14β5 | 17,215 |
29 | W | December 10, 1980 | 8β5 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 10β14β5 | 11,623 |
30 | T | December 13, 1980 | 5β5 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 10β14β6 | 11,204 |
31 | W | December 17, 1980 | 5β4 | Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 11β14β6 | 13,111 |
32 | T | December 20, 1980 | 4β4 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 11β14β7 | 9,616 |
33 | L | December 21, 1980 | 5β6 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 11β15β7 | 10,241 |
34 | W | December 23, 1980 | 7β2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 12β15β7 | 16,430 |
35 | W | December 26, 1980 | 9β7 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 13β15β7 | 12,208 |
36 | T | December 27, 1980 | 5β5 | New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 13β15β8 | 14,510 |
37 | L | January 2, 1981 | 1β3 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 13β16β8 | 14,510 |
38 | L | January 3, 1981 | 1β8 | @ New York Islanders ( 1980β81) | 13β17β8 | 15,008 |
39 | L | January 7, 1981 | 3β5 | @ Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 13β18β8 | 8,535 |
40 | T | January 9, 1981 | 6β6 | @ Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 13β18β9 | 17,474 |
41 | W | January 10, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 14β18β9 | 11,233 |
42 | L | January 12, 1981 | 2β5 | St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 14β19β9 | 11,118 |
43 | L | January 14, 1981 | 4β5 | Los Angeles Kings ( 1980β81) | 14β20β9 | 11,455 |
44 | L | January 17, 1981 | 2β3 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 14β21β9 | 13,131 |
45 | L | January 18, 1981 | 2β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 14β22β9 | 10,036 |
46 | T | January 21, 1981 | 6β6 | St. Louis Blues ( 1980β81) | 14β22β10 | 9,484 |
47 | L | January 23, 1981 | 2β4 | Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 14β23β10 | 10,206 |
48 | L | January 24, 1981 | 4β7 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 14β24β10 | 16,485 |
49 | W | January 28, 1981 | 6β3 | Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 15β24β10 | 12,510 |
50 | T | January 30, 1981 | 5β5 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 15β24β11 | 10,667 |
51 | L | January 31, 1981 | 3β5 | Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 15β25β11 | 12,425 |
52 | L | February 2, 1981 | 2β4 | @ Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 15β26β11 | 12,435 |
53 | T | February 4, 1981 | 3β3 | Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 15β26β12 | 13,149 |
54 | L | February 7, 1981 | 2β6 | Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 15β27β12 | 12,327 |
55 | T | February 8, 1981 | 6β6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 15β27β13 | 17,077 |
56 | T | February 12, 1981 | 2β2 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 15β27β14 | 11,175 |
57 | L | February 14, 1981 | 4β7 | @ Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 15β28β14 | 13,158 |
58 | T | February 15, 1981 | 4β4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks ( 1980β81) | 15β28β15 | 12,571 |
59 | T | February 18, 1981 | 3β3 | Winnipeg Jets ( 1980β81) | 15β28β16 | 14,096 |
60 | L | February 19, 1981 | 2β6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 15β29β16 | 6,571 |
61 | W | February 22, 1981 | 6β5 | New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 16β29β16 | 13,663 |
62 | W | February 25, 1981 | 3β2 | Minnesota North Stars ( 1980β81) | 17β29β16 | 11,202 |
63 | L | February 27, 1981 | 1β5 | @ Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 17β30β16 | 7,226 |
64 | L | March 1, 1981 | 0β3 | @ Vancouver Canucks ( 1980β81) | 17β31β16 | 12,616 |
65 | L | March 3, 1981 | 4β5 | @ Colorado Rockies ( 1980β81) | 17β32β16 | 5,239 |
66 | W | March 6, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Buffalo Sabres ( 1980β81) | 18β32β16 | 16,383 |
67 | L | March 8, 1981 | 4β5 | Calgary Flames ( 1980β81) | 18β33β16 | 10,171 |
68 | T | March 10, 1981 | 4β4 | @ Detroit Red Wings ( 1980β81) | 18β33β17 | 13,217 |
69 | L | March 11, 1981 | 2β5 | Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 18β34β17 | 10,962 |
70 | L | March 14, 1981 | 2β6 | @ New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 18β35β17 | 17,405 |
71 | L | March 15, 1981 | 2β4 | @ Boston Bruins ( 1980β81) | 18β36β17 | 10,865 |
72 | W | March 18, 1981 | 9β3 | Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 19β36β17 | 12,092 |
73 | L | March 21, 1981 | 4β6 | New York Rangers ( 1980β81) | 19β37β17 | 14,510 |
74 | T | March 22, 1981 | 3β3 | Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1980β81) | 19β37β18 | 10,620 |
75 | L | March 25, 1981 | 2β7 | Edmonton Oilers ( 1980β81) | 19β38β18 | 11,405 |
76 | W | March 27, 1981 | 5β3 | @ Washington Capitals ( 1980β81) | 20β38β18 | 12,201 |
77 | L | March 29, 1981 | 1β4 | Philadelphia Flyers ( 1980β81) | 20β39β18 | 12,350 |
78 | W | April 1, 1981 | 5β4 | Quebec Nordiques ( 1980β81) | 21β39β18 | 10,734 |
79 | L | April 3, 1981 | 1β6 | @ Montreal Canadiens ( 1980β81) | 21β40β18 | 16,978 |
80 | L | April 5, 1981 | 4β5 | Pittsburgh Penguins ( 1980β81) | 21β41β18 | 13,059 |
The Whalers failed to qualify for 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, as the club finished with a 21β41β18 record, earning 60 points, which was 11 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final playoff position. This marked the first time since joining the NHL that the Whalers did not qualify for the playoffs.
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adding to it. (July 2010) |
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2010) |
The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1980β81 season.
June 5, 1980 | To
Montreal Canadiens 3rd-round pick in 1981 β Dieter Hegen 5th-round pick in 1981 β Steve Rooney |
To
Hartford Whalers Rick Meagher 3rd-round pick in 1981 β Paul MacDermid 5th-round pick in 1981 NHL Entry Draft β Dan Bourbonnais |
June 14, 1980 | To
Chicago Black Hawks 2nd-round pick in 1981 |
To
Hartford Whalers Mike Veisor |
September 4, 1980 | To
Colorado Rockies Al Smith |
To
Hartford Whalers Cash Considerations |
November 20, 1980 | To
Philadelphia Flyers 2nd-round pick in 1982 β Peter Ihnacak |
To
Hartford Whalers Jack McIlhargey Player to be Named Later β Norm Barnes on Dec. 5, 1980 |
December 16, 1980 | To
Minnesota North Stars Gordie Roberts |
To
Hartford Whalers Mike Fidler |
January 15, 1981 | To
New York Rangers Nick Fotiu |
To
Hartford Whalers 5th-round pick in 1981 β Bill Maguire |
February 1, 1981 | To
Calgary Flames Future Considerations |
To
Hartford Whalers John Stewart |
February 20, 1981 | To
Pittsburgh Penguins 6th-round pick in 1981 β Paul Edwards |
To
Hartford Whalers Gilles Lupien |
August 7, 1980 | From
New York Rangers Warren Miller |
Player | Former Team |
Thommy Abrahamsson | Leksands IF ( Sweden) |
Randy MacGregor | EC VSV ( Austria) |
Ross Yates | Mount Allison University ( AUAA) |
Hartford's draft picks from the 1980 NHL Entry Draft which was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal on June 11, 1980.
Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/junior/club team (league) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 | Fred Arthur | ![]() |
Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
2 | 29 | Michel Galarneau | ![]() |
Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) |
3 | 50 | Mickey Volcan | ![]() |
University of North Dakota (WCHA) |
4 | 71 | Kevin McClelland | ![]() |
Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
5 | 92 | Darren Jensen | ![]() |
University of North Dakota (WCHA) |
6 | 113 | Mario Cerri | ![]() |
Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) |
7 | 134 | Mike Martin | ![]() |
Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) |
8 | 155 | Brent DeNat | ![]() |
Michigan Tech (WCHA) |
9 | 176 | Paul Fricker | ![]() |
University of Michigan (WCHA) |
10 | 197 | Lorne Bokshowan | ![]() |
Saskatoon Blades (WHL) |
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2010) |