# 1981–82 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1981–82 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 12th season of operation for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Adams Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | PTS |
| Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 46 | 17 | 17 | 360 | 223 | 1463 | 109 |
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 43 | 27 | 10 | 323 | 285 | 1266 | 96 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 39 | 26 | 15 | 307 | 273 | 1425 | 93 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 80 | 33 | 31 | 16 | 356 | 345 | 1757 | 82 |
| Hartford Whalers | 80 | 21 | 41 | 18 | 264 | 351 | 1493 | 60 |
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

Adams Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1981–82 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
HFD
MTL
QUE
Total
Boston
—5–2–14–2–20–7–14–413–15–4
Buffalo
2–5–1—4–1–33–2–34–3–113–11–8
Hartford
2–4–21–4–3—0–7–12–3–35–18–9
Montreal
7–0–12–3–37–0–1—3–3–219–6–7
Quebec
4–43–4–13–2–33–3–2—13–13–6
Vs. Patrick Division
1981–82 NHL records
Team
NYI
NYR
PHI
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
2–12–11–21–1–13–09–5–1
Buffalo
2–10–2–11–22–13–08–6–1
Hartford
0–2–11–1–10−30–2–11–22–10–3
Montreal
1–22–12–12–11–28–7–0
Quebec
1–1–11–1–11–1–10–32–0–15–6–4
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1981–82 NHL records
Team
CHI
DET
MIN
STL
TOR
WIN
Total
Boston
1−22−0−11−21−1–13−03−011−5−2
Buffalo
2−13−01−1−12−12−0−11−0−211−3−4
Hartford
1–1–12–0–11–22–13–02−111−5−2
Montreal
2−0−12−11–0−22−0−12–0−11−0−210−1−7
Quebec
2−13−00−2–12−11−1–12−0−110−5−3
Vs. Smythe Division
1981–82 NHL records
Team
CGY
COL
EDM
LAK
VAN
Total
Boston
1−1−13−01−0–23−02−110−2−3
Buffalo
0−2−13–01−22−11−1−17−6−2
Hartford
1–20–2–10–2–12–0–10–2–13–8–4
Montreal
2−12−0−11−0−22–12−19−3−3
Quebec
0−32−12−10–1–21–1−15−7−3 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 7, 1981 | 5–3 | Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | L | October 10, 1981 | 0–9 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | T | October 11, 1981 | 2–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | W | October 14, 1981 | 4–2 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 2–1–1 |
| 5 | W | October 17, 1981 | 4–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 3–1–1 |
| 6 | T | October 18, 1981 | 3–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 3–1–2 |
| 7 | T | October 21, 1981 | 2–2 | Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) | 3–1–3 |
| 8 | W | October 23, 1981 | 6–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 4–1–3 |
| 9 | L | October 25, 1981 | 3–6 | Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 4–2–3 |
| 10 | W | October 28, 1981 | 6–2 | St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 5–2–3 |
| 11 | L | October 31, 1981 | 1–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 5–3–3 |
| 12 | W | November 1, 1981 | 6–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 6–3–3 |
| 13 | T | November 4, 1981 | 3–3 | Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 6–3–4 |
| 14 | W | November 7, 1981 | 6–2 | @ New York Islanders (1981–82) | 7–3–4 |
| 15 | T | November 8, 1981 | 2–2 | Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 7–3–5 |
| 16 | L | November 11, 1981 | 3–7 | @ New York Rangers (1981–82) | 7–4–5 |
| 17 | T | November 13, 1981 | 3–3 | New York Rangers (1981–82) | 7–4–6 |
| 18 | W | November 15, 1981 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 8–4–6 |
| 19 | L | November 18, 1981 | 3–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 8–5–6 |
| 20 | W | November 20, 1981 | 4–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 9–5–6 |
| 21 | W | November 21, 1981 | 7–1 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 10–5–6 |
| 22 | W | November 25, 1981 | 3–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 11–5–6 |
| 23 | T | November 28, 1981 | 4–4 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 11–5–7 |
| 24 | W | November 29, 1981 | 5–2 | New York Islanders (1981–82) | 12–5–7 |
| 25 | L | December 3, 1981 | 3–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 12–6–7 |
| 26 | W | December 4, 1981 | 4–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 13–6–7 |
| 27 | W | December 6, 1981 | 7–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 14–6–7 |
| 28 | W | December 9, 1981 | 7–1 | Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 15–6–7 |
| 29 | W | December 12, 1981 | 4–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 16–6–7 |
| 30 | T | December 13, 1981 | 4–4 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 16–6–8 |
| 31 | L | December 15, 1981 | 3–4 | Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 16–7–8 |
| 32 | L | December 17, 1981 | 1–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 16–8–8 |
| 33 | L | December 19, 1981 | 3–7 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 16–9–8 |
| 34 | W | December 20, 1981 | 8–2 | Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 17–9–8 |
| 35 | L | December 22, 1981 | 2–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 17–10–8 |
| 36 | W | December 26, 1981 | 7–5 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 18–10–8 |
| 37 | W | December 27, 1981 | 3–2 | Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 19–10–8 |
| 38 | W | December 31, 1981 | 4–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 20–10–8 |
| 39 | L | January 2, 1982 | 3–6 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 20–11–8 |
| 40 | W | January 3, 1982 | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 21–11–8 |
| 41 | W | January 6, 1982 | 5–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 22–11–8 |
| 42 | W | January 9, 1982 | 3–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 23–11–8 |
| 43 | W | January 10, 1982 | 6–4 | Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 24–11–8 |
| 44 | W | January 13, 1982 | 6–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 25–11–8 |
| 45 | W | January 15, 1982 | 8–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 26–11–8 |
| 46 | W | January 17, 1982 | 7–1 | Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 27–11–8 |
| 47 | T | January 19, 1982 | 2–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 27–11–9 |
| 48 | W | January 22, 1982 | 5–3 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 28–11–9 |
| 49 | W | January 23, 1982 | 3–2 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 29–11–9 |
| 50 | L | January 27, 1982 | 3–4 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 29–12–9 |
| 51 | L | January 29, 1982 | 1–3 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 29–13–9 |
| 52 | L | January 30, 1982 | 2–3 | @ Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 29–14–9 |
| 53 | L | February 3, 1982 | 2–5 | Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 29–15–9 |
| 54 | L | February 4, 1982 | 2–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 29–16–9 |
| 55 | L | February 7, 1982 | 3–7 | New York Islanders (1981–82) | 29–17–9 |
| 56 | W | February 10, 1982 | 4–3 | Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) | 30–17–9 |
| 57 | L | February 11, 1982 | 4–6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 30–18–9 |
| 58 | W | February 16, 1982 | 2–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 31–18–9 |
| 59 | W | February 17, 1982 | 3–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 32–18–9 |
| 60 | T | February 20, 1982 | 2–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 32–18–10 |
| 61 | W | February 21, 1982 | 6–2 | Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 33–18–10 |
| 62 | L | February 24, 1982 | 3–6 | Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 33–19–10 |
| 63 | T | February 26, 1982 | 4–4 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) | 33–19–11 |
| 64 | T | February 27, 1982 | 5–5 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 33–19–12 |
| 65 | T | March 3, 1982 | 3–3 | Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 33–19–13 |
| 66 | T | March 6, 1982 | 2–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 33–19–14 |
| 67 | L | March 7, 1982 | 3–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 33–20–14 |
| 68 | W | March 10, 1982 | 7–4 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 34–20–14 |
| 69 | W | March 12, 1982 | 3–2 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 35–20–14 |
| 70 | L | March 13, 1982 | 1–4 | @ Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 35–21–14 |
| 71 | T | March 16, 1982 | 3–3 | Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 35–21–15 |
| 72 | L | March 18, 1982 | 1–4 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 35–22–15 |
| 73 | L | March 20, 1982 | 4–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 35–23–15 |
| 74 | W | March 21, 1982 | 5–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 36–23–15 |
| 75 | L | March 25, 1982 | 1–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 36–24–15 |
| 76 | L | March 26, 1982 | 5–8 | New York Rangers (1981–82) | 36–25–15 |
| 77 | W | March 28, 1982 | 9–5 | Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 37–25–15 |
| 78 | W | March 30, 1982 | 6–4 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 38–25–15 |
| 79 | W | April 3, 1982 | 5–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 39–25–15 |
| 80 | L | April 4, 1982 | 4–7 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 39–26–15 |

## Playoffs

The Sabres lost to the Boston Bruins three games to one, in the Adams Division semi-finals.

## Draft picks

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 17 | Jiri Dudacek | Czechoslovakia | HC Kladno (Czechoslovakia) |
| 2 | 38 | Hannu Virta | Finland | TPS (Finland) |
| 3 | 59 | Jim Aldred | Canada | Kingston Canadiens (OMJHL) |
| 3 | 60 | Colin Chisholm | Canada | Calgary Wranglers (WHL) |
| 4 | 80 | Jeff Eatough | Canada | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 4 | 83 | Anders Wikberg | Sweden | Timra IK (Sweden) |
| 5 | 101 | Mauri Eivola | Finland | TPS (Finland) |
| 6 | 122 | Ali Butorac | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) |
| 7 | 143 | Heikki Leime | Finland | TPS (Finland) |
| 8 | 164 | Gates Orlando | Canada | Providence College (ECAC) |
| 9 | 185 | Venci Sebek | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
| 10 | 206 | Warren Harper | Canada | Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) |