1980–81 Colorado Rockies season

NHL hockey team season

1980–81 Colorado Rockies
Division5th Smythe
ConferenceCampbell Conference
1980–81 record22–45–13
Goals for258
Goals against344
Team information
General managerRay Miron
CoachBill MacMillan
CaptainRene Robert (Oct.–Jan.)
Lanny McDonald (Jan.–Apr.)
Alternate captainsNone
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Average attendance8,889

The 1980–81 Colorado Rockies season was the Rockies' fifth season, and seventh season of the franchise. Bill MacMillan was hired to coach the team, replacing Don Cherry. Like five of the previous six seasons, the Rockies did not qualify for the playoffs.

Regular season

Final standings

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]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.

Record vs. opponents

Smythe Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Campbell Conference

Vs. Smythe Division

1980–81 NHL records[2]
Team CHI COL EDM STL VAN WIN Total
Chicago — 2−2 1−3 1−2−1 2−2 3−1 9−10−1
Colorado 2−2 — 3−0−1 1−3 0−2−2 1−2−1 7−9−4
Edmonton 3−1 0−3−1 — 1−2−1 2−2 4−0 10−8−2
St. Louis 2−1−1 3−1 2−1−1 — 4−0 2−0−2 13−3−4
Vancouver 2−2 2−0−2 2−2 0−4 — 2−0−2 8−8−4
Winnipeg 1−3 2−1−1 0−4 0−2−2 0−2−2 — 3−12−5

Vs. Patrick Division

1980–81 NHL records
Team CGY NYI NYR PHI WSH Total
Chicago 1−0−3 0−4 1−2−1 1−1−2 1−1−2 4−8−8
Colorado 3−1 1−3 3−1 0−4 0−3−1 7−12−1
Edmonton 1−2−1 0−2−2 1−2−1 2−2 1−2−1 5−10−5
St. Louis 2−2 0−2−2 4−0 0−3−1 2−0−2 8−7−5
Vancouver 1−3 1−3 1−2−1 2−1−1 1−1−2 6−10−4
Winnipeg 0−3−1 0−3−1 1−3 1−3 0−3−1 2−15−3

Vs. Wales Conference

Vs. Adams Division

1980–81 NHL records
Team BOS BUF MIN QUE TOR Total
Chicago 1−3 2−2 2−2 3−0−1 1−2−1 9−9−2
Colorado 1−2−1 0−3−1 1−2−1 2−2 1−1−2 5−10−5
Edmonton 1−3 1−1−2 1−2−1 1−3 2−1−1 6−10−4
St. Louis 3−1 3−0−1 1−2−1 2−1−1 3−1 12−5−3
Vancouver 2−2 1−1−2 1−2−1 1−1−2 3−0−1 8−6−6
Winnipeg 0−2−2 0−4 0−4 1−1−2 2−2 3−13−4

Vs. Norris Division

1980–81 NHL records
Team DET HFD LAK MTL PIT Total
Chicago 1−1−2 3−0−1 0−2−2 2−2 3−1 9−6−5
Colorado 1−2−1 1−2−1 0−3−1 0−4 1−3 3−14−3
Edmonton 2−1−1 2−1−1 0−2−2 2−2 2−1−1 8−7−5
St. Louis 4−0 3−0−1 2−0−2 1−1−2 2−2 12−3−5
Vancouver 2−1−1 1−1−2 0−4 0−2−2 3−0−1 6−8−6
Winnipeg 0−3−1 0−3−1 0−4 1−3 0−4 1−17−2


Schedule and results

1980–81 game log
October: 4–4–2 (home: 3–1–2; road: 1–3–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
1 October 11 Calgary 2–6 Colorado Smith 1–0–0 2
2 October 12 Colorado 3–2 Edmonton Smith 2–0–0 4
3 October 14 Quebec 1–4 Colorado Smith 3–0–0 6
4 October 17 Minnesota 5–5 Colorado Smith 3–0–1 7
5 October 18 Colorado 3–4 Los Angeles Smith 3–1–1 7
6 October 22 Colorado 0–3 Hartford Smith 3–2–1 7
7 October 23 Colorado 1–5 Detroit Åström 3–3–1 7
8 October 25 Chicago 3–5 Colorado Smith 4–3–1 9
9 October 28 Los Angeles 8–4 Colorado Smith 4–4–1 9
10 October 30 Washington 5–5 Colorado Åström 4–4–2 10
November: 5–6–2 (home: 2–2–2; road: 3–4–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
11 November 1 Colorado 5–4 Toronto Smith 5–4–2 12
12 November 2 Colorado 5–4 Quebec Smith 6–4–2 14
13 November 5 Colorado 3–5 Buffalo Smith 6–5–2 14
14 November 6 Hartford 3–3 Colorado Åström 6–5–3 15
15 November 8 Toronto 3–3 Colorado Smith 6–5–4 16
16 November 11 Montreal 8–2 Colorado Smith 6–6–4 16
17 November 14 St. Louis 1–5 Colorado Åström 7–6–4 18
18 November 16 Colorado 4–3 Calgary Smith 8–6–4 20
19 November 20 Colorado 2–4 Boston Smith 8–7–4 20
20 November 22 Colorado 2–4 Pittsburgh Åström 8–8–4 20
21 November 25 Edmonton 3–4 Colorado Smith 9–8–4 22
22 November 28 Philadelphia 7–4 Colorado Smith 9–9–4 22
23 November 30 Colorado 1–4 Buffalo Åström 9–10–4 22
December: 4–9–2 (home: 2–1–2; road: 2–8–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
24 December 2 Colorado 1–5 N.Y. Islanders Smith 9–11–4 22
25 December 4 N.Y. Islanders 3–4 Colorado Åström 10–11–4 24
26 December 6 Colorado 6–8 Washington Smith 10–12–4 24
27 December 7 Colorado 2–4 Philadelphia Åström 10–13–5 25
28 December 9 Buffalo 4–4 Colorado Åström 10–13–5 25
29 December 12 N.Y. Rangers 4–3 Colorado Åström 10–14–5 25
30 December 13 Colorado 4–9 St. Louis Smith 10–15–5 25
31 December 17 Colorado 6–1 Chicago Åström 11–15–5 27
32 December 18 Colorado 0–2 Philadelphia Åström 11–16–5 27
33 December 20 Detroit 3–3 Colorado Åström 11–16–6 28
34 December 23 Colorado 4–5 Winnipeg Smith 11–17–6 28
35 December 26 Calgary 2–5 Colorado Åström 12–17–6 30
36 December 27 Colorado 4–6 Minnesota Smith 12–18–6 30
37 December 30 Colorado 3–9 N.Y. Islanders Åström 12–19–6 30
38 December 31 Colorado 6–4 N.Y. Rangers Kaarela 13–18–6 32
January: 3–8–2 (home: 3–4–1; road: 0–4–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
39 January 3 Boston 1–4 Colorado Kaarela 14–19–6 34
40 January 6 Vancouver 7–3 Colorado Kaarela 14–20–6 34
41 January 7 Colorado 2–6 Chicago Åström 14–21–6 34
42 January 9 Minnesota 2–4 Colorado Åström 15–21–6 36
43 January 12 Washington 2–1 Colorado Åström 15–22–6 36
44 January 13 Colorado 3–3 Vancouver Smith 15–22–7 37
45 January 15 N.Y. Rangers 3–4 Colorado Åström 16–22–7 39
46 January 17 Vancouver 5–2 Colorado Smith 16–23–7 39
47 January 23 Winnipeg 2–2 Colorado Åström 16–23–8 40
48 January 24 Colorado 2–6 Detroit Smith 16–24–8 40
49 January 26 Colorado 3–5 Boston Åström 16–25–8 40
50 January 28 Colorado 3–6 Hartford Smith 16–26–8 40
51 January 30 Philadelphia 7–4 Colorado Åström 16–27–8 40
February: 2–8–2 (home: 2–3–2; road: 0–5–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
52 February 3 Montreal 5–2 Colorado Åström 16–28–8 40
53 February 6 Pittsburgh 4–6 Colorado Smith 17–28–8 42
54 February 8 Toronto 6–6 Colorado Åström 17–28–9 43
33rd All-Star Game in Inglewood, CA
55 February 12 Boston 3–3 Colorado Smith 17–28–10 44
56 February 14 Chicago 4–3 Colorado Smith 17–29–10 44
57 February 17 Quebec 6–3 Colorado Smith 17–30–10 44
58 February 18 Colorado 2–6 Minnesota Åström 17–31–10 44
59 February 21 Colorado 1–4 St. Louis Smith 17–32–10 44
60 February 22 Colorado 4–9 Pittsburgh Smith 17–33–10 44
61 February 25 Colorado 5–9 Toronto Kaarela 17–34–10 44
62 February 26 Colorado 0–6 Montreal Åström 17–35–10 44
63 February 28 Edmonton 1–3 Colorado Myre 18–35–10 46
March: 4–9–1 (home: 3–5–0; road: 1–4–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
64 March 3 Hartford 4–5 Colorado Myre 19–35–10 48
65 March 6 Los Angeles 3–1 Colorado Myre 19–36–10 48
66 March 8 St. Louis 7–0 Colorado Myre 19–37–10 48
67 March 10 Colorado 3–4 Washington Myre 19–38–10 48
68 March 11 Colorado 4–3 N.Y. Rangers Resch 20–38–10 50
69 March 14 Colorado 1–2 Montreal Resch 20–39–10 50
70 March 15 Colorado 0–3 Quebec Myre 20–40–10 50
71 March 18 Colorado 3–4 Winnipeg Resch 20–41–10 50
72 March 20 N.Y. Islanders 5–3 Colorado Resch 20–42–10 50
73 March 21 Pittsburgh 3–1 Colorado Myre 20–43–10 50
74 March 24 Detroit 4–7 Colorado Resch 21–43–10 52
75 March 25 Colorado 4–4 Vancouver Myre 21–43–11 53
76 March 27 Buffalo 5–3 Colorado Resch 21–44–11 53
77 March 29 Winnipeg 1–2 Colorado Myre 22–44–11 55
April: 0–1–2 (home: 0–0–0; road: 0–1–2)
# Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
78 April 1 Colorado 4–4 Edmonton Resch 22–44–12 56
79 April 2 Colorado 5–3 Calgary Myre 22–45–12 56
80 April 4 Colorado 5–5 Los Angeles Resch 22–45–13 57

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Time (1 point)

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Lanny McDonald RW 80 35 46 81 56 -27 11 0 2
Merlin Malinowski C 69 25 37 62 61 -24 4 0 1
Rob Ramage D 79 20 42 62 193 -46 12 1 3
Mike McEwen D 65 11 35 46 84 -33 5 0 1
Lucien DeBlois C 74 26 16 42 78 -42 9 1 2
Paul Gagne LW 61 25 16 41 12 -24 9 0 2
Walt McKechnie C 53 15 23 38 18 -7 2 2 2
Yvon Vautour RW 74 15 19 34 143 -20 3 0 0
Joel Quenneville D 71 10 24 34 86 -24 3 0 1
Randy Pierce RW 55 9 21 30 52 -28 3 0 3
Ron Delorme C 65 11 16 27 70 -11 3 0 0
Rene Robert RW 28 8 11 19 30 -13 4 0 0
Mike Gillis LW 51 11 7 18 54 -21 1 0 2
Steve Tambellini C 13 6 12 18 2 -1 2 0 1
Ed Cooper LW 47 7 7 14 46 -6 1 0 2
Craig Norwich D 11 3 11 14 10 4 1 0 0
Doug Berry C 46 3 10 13 9 -15 0 1 0
Jack Valiquette C 25 3 9 12 7 -12 0 0 0
Barry Smith C 62 4 4 8 4 -2 0 0 0
Mike Kitchen D 75 1 7 8 100 -38 0 0 0
Jack Hughes D 38 2 5 7 91 -22 1 0 0
Trevor Johansen D 35 0 7 7 18 -20 0 0 0
Bob Miller C 22 5 1 6 15 -19 2 0 0
Bobby Crawford RW 15 1 3 4 6 4 0 0 0
Bobby Sheehan C 41 1 3 4 10 -5 0 0 0
Bob Attwell RW 15 0 4 4 0 1 0 0 0
Les Auge D 6 0 3 3 4 -3 0 0 0
Bill Baker D 13 0 3 3 12 0 0 0 0
Gary Dillon C 13 1 1 2 29 -6 0 0 0
Mario Giallonardo D 15 0 2 2 4 1 0 0 0
Terry Harper D 15 0 2 2 8 -3 0 0 0
Al Smith G 37 0 2 2 51 0 0 0 0
Hardy Astrom G 30 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0
Peter Sturgeon LW 4 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0
Dave Watson LW 13 0 1 1 8 -2 0 0 0
Aaron Broten LW/C 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mike Christie D 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Jari Kaarela G 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
Phil Myre G 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chico Resch G 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dean Turner D 4 0 0 0 4 -4 0 0 0
Joe Ward C 4 0 0 0 2 -2 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Al Smith 1909 37 9 18 4 151 4.75 0
Hardy Astrom 1642 30 6 15 6 103 3.76 0
Phil Myre 580 10 3 6 1 33 3.41 0
Jari Kaarela 220 5 2 2 0 22 6.00 0
Chico Resch 449 8 2 4 2 28 3.74 0
Team: 4800 80 22 45 13 337 4.21 0

[3]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals
      MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SO = Shutouts;

Draft picks

Colorado's draft picks at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 19 Paul Gagne  Canada Windsor Spitfires (OHA)
2 22 Joe Ward  Canada Seattle Breakers (WHL)
4 64 Rick LaFerriere  Canada Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)
5 85 Ed Cooper  Canada Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
6 106 Aaron Broten  United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)
7 127 Dan Fascinato  Canada Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)
8 148 Andre Hidi  Canada Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)
9 169 Shawn MacKenzie  Canada Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL)
10 190 Bob Jansch  Canada Victoria Cougars (WHL)

See also

References

  1. ^ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.
  2. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ^ "1980-81 Colorado Rockies Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
  • "1980–81 Colorado Rockies Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
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Colorado Rockies seasons