1980–81 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1980–81 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 11th season of operation for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970. The team won their second consecutive Adams Division regular season championship. As of 2023 this is the only time the Buffalo Sabres have won consecutive division titles. Regular season Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 9, 1980||3–4 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) ||0–1–0

|2||T||October 12, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1980–81) ||0–1–1

|3||W||October 15, 1980||2–0 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) ||1–1–1

|4||W||October 18, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) ||2–1–1

|5||L||October 19, 1980||2–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) ||2–2–1

|6||W||October 22, 1980||7–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) ||3–2–1

|7||W||October 25, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) ||4–2–1

|8||W||October 26, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1980–81) ||5–2–1

|9||T||October 29, 1980||1–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) ||5–2–2

|10||W||November 1, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) ||6–2–2

|11||W||November 2, 1980||4–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1980–81) ||7–2–2

|12||W||November 5, 1980||5–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1980–81) ||8–2–2

|13||T||November 8, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1980–81) ||8–2–3

|14||T||November 9, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1980–81) ||8–2–4

|15||T||November 12, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) ||8–2–5

|16||L||November 15, 1980||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1980–81) ||8–3–5

|17||W||November 16, 1980||8–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) ||9–3–5

|18||L||November 19, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) ||9–4–5

|19||W||November 21, 1980||4–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) ||10–4–5

|20||L||November 23, 1980||3–6 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) ||10–5–5

|21||L||November 25, 1980||3–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1980–81) ||10–6–5

|22||W||November 27, 1980||6–3 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1980–81) ||11–6–5

|23||W||November 29, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1980–81) ||12–6–5

|24||W||November 30, 1980||4–1 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1980–81) ||13–6–5

|25||L||December 3, 1980||5–6 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) ||13–7–5

|26||T||December 6, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) ||13–7–6

|27||W||December 7, 1980||10–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) ||14–7–6

|28||T||December 9, 1980||4–4 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1980–81) ||14–7–7

|29||L||December 11, 1980||4–8 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1980–81) ||14–8–7

|30||W||December 13, 1980||5–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) ||15–8–7

|31||T||December 14, 1980||2–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1980–81) ||15–8–8

|32||W||December 20, 1980||7–4 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) ||16–8–8

|33||T||December 21, 1980||3–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1980–81) ||16–8–9

|34||W||December 26, 1980||3–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) ||17–8–9

|35||W||December 28, 1980||5–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1980–81) ||18–8–9

|36||L||December 31, 1980||2–5 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) ||18–9–9

|37||T||January 3, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) ||18–9–10

|38||T||January 4, 1981||2–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) ||18–9–11

|39||W||January 7, 1981||5–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) ||19–9–11

|40||T||January 9, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1980–81) ||19–9–12

|41||T||January 11, 1981||4–4 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) ||19–9–13

|42||T||January 14, 1981||1–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) ||19–9–14

|43||T||January 16, 1981||5–5 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) ||19–9–15

|44||W||January 18, 1981||4–0 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1980–81) ||20–9–15

|45||L||January 19, 1981||1–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1980–81) ||20–10–15

|46||W||January 21, 1981||6–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) ||21–10–15

|47||W||January 24, 1981||7–4 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1980–81) ||22–10–15

|48||W||January 26, 1981||5–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1980–81) ||23–10–15

|49||T||January 28, 1981||4–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) ||23–10–16

|50||W||January 31, 1981||5–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1980–81) ||24–10–16

|51||W||February 1, 1981||4–0 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) ||25–10–16

|52||W||February 5, 1981||4–0 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) ||26–10–16

|53||W||February 6, 1981||7–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) ||27–10–16

|54||T||February 8, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1980–81) ||27–10–17

|55||W||February 12, 1981||6–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1980–81) ||28–10–17

|56||T||February 14, 1981||4–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1980–81) ||28–10–18

|57||T||February 15, 1981||2–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) ||28–10–19

|58||L||February 19, 1981||2–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) ||28–11–19

|59||W||February 21, 1981||6–1 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) ||29–11–19

|60||L||February 22, 1981||2–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) ||29–12–19

|61||L||February 25, 1981||3–6 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1980–81) ||29–13–19

|62||W||February 27, 1981||6–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) ||30–13–19

|63||L||March 1, 1981||4–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1980–81) ||30–14–19

|64||W||March 4, 1981||4–0 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1980–81) ||31–14–19

|65||L||March 6, 1981||3–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1980–81) ||31–15–19

|66||W||March 8, 1981||8–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) ||32–15–19

|67||L||March 11, 1981||1–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) ||32–16–19

|68||W||March 13, 1981||5–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) ||33–16–19

|69||L||March 14, 1981||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1980–81) ||33–17–19

|70||W||March 17, 1981||3–1 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) ||34–17–19

|71||W||March 19, 1981||14–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) ||35–17–19

|72||W||March 21, 1981||6–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) ||36–17–19

|73||L||March 22, 1981||5–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1980–81) ||36–18–19

|74||W||March 25, 1981||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1980–81) ||37–18–19

|75||W||March 27, 1981||5–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1980–81) ||38–18–19

|76||L||March 28, 1981||4–7 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1980–81) ||38–19–19

|77||T||March 30, 1981||2–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1980–81) ||38–19–20

|78||T||April 2, 1981||2–2 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) ||38–19–21

|79||W||April 4, 1981||5–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) ||39–19–21

|80||L||April 5, 1981||3–7 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1980–81) ||39–20–21

Legend:

Playoffs

Transactions The Sabres were involved in the following transactions during the 1980–81 season. Trades October 30, 1980To Buffalo SabresBob Hess 4th round pick in 1981 – Anders WikbergTo St. Louis BluesBill Stewart March 10, 1981To Buffalo Sabres6th round pick in 1982 – Jakob Gustavsson CashTo Los Angeles KingsDon Luce March 10, 1981To Buffalo Sabres3rd round pick in 1981 – Colin Chishom 1st round pick in 1983 – Tom BarrassoTo Los Angeles KingsRick Martin

Waivers July 1, 1980From Edmonton OilersRon Carter January 12, 1981To Winnipeg JetsRick Dudley

Free agent signings June 26, 1980From Edmonton OilersJohn Bednarski March 19, 1981From Calgary Dinos (CIAU)Ron Fischer

Draft picks Buffalo's draft picks at the 1980 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)120Steve Patrick Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)241Mike Moller Lethbridge Broncos (WHL)356Sean McKenna Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)362Jay North Bloomington Jefferson High School (USHS-MN)483Jim Wiemer Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)5104Dirk Reuter Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL)6125Daniel Naud Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL)7146Jari Paavola TPS (Finland)8167Randy Cunneyworth Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)9188Dave Beckon Peterborough Petes (OMJHL)10209John Bader Irondale High School (USHS-MN)

See also 1980–81 NHL season

References