# 1980–81 Vancouver Canucks season

The 1980–81 Vancouver Canucks season was the team's 11th in the National Hockey League (NHL). They finished 3rd in the Smythe Division, scoring 289 goals and allowing 301.

## 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 |
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.
League standings :
| R | | Div | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| 1 | p – New York Islanders | PTK | 80 | 48 | 18 | 14 | 355 | 260 | 110 |
| 2 | x – St. Louis Blues | SMY | 80 | 45 | 18 | 17 | 352 | 281 | 107 |
| 3 | y – Montreal Canadiens | NRS | 80 | 45 | 22 | 13 | 332 | 232 | 103 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Kings | NRS | 80 | 43 | 24 | 13 | 337 | 290 | 99 |
| 5 | x – Buffalo Sabres | ADM | 80 | 39 | 20 | 21 | 327 | 250 | 99 |
| 6 | Philadelphia Flyers | PTK | 80 | 41 | 24 | 15 | 313 | 249 | 97 |
| 7 | Calgary Flames | PTK | 80 | 39 | 27 | 14 | 329 | 298 | 92 |
| 8 | Boston Bruins | ADM | 80 | 37 | 30 | 13 | 316 | 272 | 87 |
| 9 | Minnesota North Stars | ADM | 80 | 35 | 28 | 17 | 291 | 263 | 87 |
| 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | SMY | 80 | 31 | 33 | 16 | 304 | 315 | 78 |
| 11 | Quebec Nordiques | ADM | 80 | 30 | 32 | 18 | 314 | 318 | 78 |
| 12 | Vancouver Canucks | SMY | 80 | 28 | 32 | 20 | 289 | 301 | 76 |
| 13 | New York Rangers | PTK | 80 | 30 | 36 | 14 | 312 | 317 | 74 |
| 14 | Edmonton Oilers | SMY | 80 | 29 | 35 | 16 | 328 | 327 | 74 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NRS | 80 | 30 | 37 | 13 | 302 | 345 | 73 |
| 16 | Toronto Maple Leafs | ADM | 80 | 28 | 37 | 15 | 322 | 367 | 71 |
| 17 | Washington Capitals | PTK | 80 | 26 | 36 | 18 | 286 | 317 | 70 |
| 18 | Hartford Whalers | NRS | 80 | 21 | 41 | 18 | 292 | 372 | 60 |
| 19 | Colorado Rockies | SMY | 80 | 22 | 45 | 13 | 258 | 344 | 57 |
| 20 | Detroit Red Wings | NRS | 80 | 19 | 43 | 18 | 252 | 339 | 56 |
| 21 | Winnipeg Jets | SMY | 80 | 9 | 57 | 14 | 246 | 400 | 32 |
Divisions: ADM – Adams, NRS – Norris, PTK – Patrick, SMY – Smythe
bold – The top 16 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division or conference. x – Won division; y – Won Conference (and division); p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and conference and division)

### Record vs. opponents

Smythe Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Smythe Division
1980–81 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
EDM
STL
VAN
WIN
Total
Chicago
—2−21−31−2−12−23−19−10−1
Colorado
2−2—3−0−11−30−2−21−2−17−9−4
Edmonton
3−10−3−1—1−2−12−24−010−8−2
St. Louis
2−1−13−12−1−1—4−02−0−213−3−4
Vancouver
2−22−0−22−20−4—2−0−28−8−4
Winnipeg
1−32−1−10−40−2−20−2−2—3−12−5
Vs. Patrick Division
1980–81 NHL records
Team
CGY
NYI
NYR
PHI
WSH
Total
Chicago
1−0−30−41−2−11−1−21−1−24−8−8
Colorado
3−11−33−10−40−3−17−12−1
Edmonton
1−2−10−2−21−2−12−21−2−15−10−5
St. Louis
2−20−2−24−00−3−12−0−28−7−5
Vancouver
1−31−31−2−12−1−11−1−26−10−4
Winnipeg
0−3−10−3−11−31−30−3−12−15−3
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1980–81 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
MIN
QUE
TOR
Total
Chicago
1−32−22−23−0−11−2−19−9−2
Colorado
1−2−10−3−11−2−12−21−1−25−10−5
Edmonton
1−31−1−21−2−11−32−1−16−10−4
St. Louis
3−13−0−11−2−12−1−13−112−5−3
Vancouver
2−21−1−21−2−11−1−23−0−18−6−6
Winnipeg
0−2−20−40−41−1−22−23−13−4
Vs. Norris Division
1980–81 NHL records
Team
DET
HFD
LAK
MTL
PIT
Total
Chicago
1−1−23−0−10−2−22−23−19−6−5
Colorado
1−2−11−2−10−3−10−41−33−14−3
Edmonton
2−1−12−1−10−2−22−22−1−18−7−5
St. Louis
4−03−0−12−0−21−1−22−212−3−5
Vancouver
2−1−11−1−20−40−2−23−0−16−8−6
Winnipeg
0−3−10−3−10−41−30−41−17−2 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 10, 1980 | 5–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | W | October 12, 1980 | 8–2 | Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | L | October 15, 1980 | 2–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) | 2–1–0 |
| 4 | W | October 16, 1980 | 5–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) | 3–1–0 |
| 5 | L | October 18, 1980 | 1–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) | 3–2–0 |
| 6 | W | October 21, 1980 | 6–3 | @ New York Islanders (1980–81) | 4–2–0 |
| 7 | L | October 22, 1980 | 2–3 | @ New York Rangers (1980–81) | 4–3–0 |
| 8 | W | October 24, 1980 | 3–2 | Boston Bruins (1980–81) | 5–3–0 |
| 9 | W | October 26, 1980 | 8–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) | 6–3–0 |
| 10 | T | October 29, 1980 | 3–3 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) | 6–3–1 |
| 11 | T | November 1, 1980 | 4–4 | @ Hartford Whalers (1980–81) | 6–3–2 |
| 12 | L | November 2, 1980 | 3–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1980–81) | 6–4–2 |
| 13 | W | November 5, 1980 | 4–3 | Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) | 7–4–2 |
| 14 | W | November 7, 1980 | 3–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) | 8–4–2 |
| 15 | W | November 8, 1980 | 6–4 | New York Rangers (1980–81) | 9–4–2 |
| 16 | L | November 11, 1980 | 2–8 | St. Louis Blues (1980–81) | 9–5–2 |
| 17 | T | November 14, 1980 | 3–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) | 9–5–3 |
| 18 | L | November 16, 1980 | 2–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) | 9–6–3 |
| 19 | W | November 18, 1980 | 6–1 | Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) | 10–6–3 |
| 20 | W | November 19, 1980 | 6–4 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) | 11–6–3 |
| 21 | L | November 22, 1980 | 3–4 | @ Hartford Whalers (1980–81) | 11–7–3 |
| 22 | T | November 23, 1980 | 2–2 | @ New York Rangers (1980–81) | 11–7–4 |
| 23 | W | November 26, 1980 | 7–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) | 12–7–4 |
| 24 | W | November 28, 1980 | 6–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) | 13–7–4 |
| 25 | T | November 29, 1980 | 3–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) | 13–7–5 |
| 26 | T | December 3, 1980 | 4–4 | Hartford Whalers (1980–81) | 13–7–6 |
| 27 | L | December 4, 1980 | 1–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) | 13–8–6 |
| 28 | L | December 7, 1980 | 3–5 | New York Islanders (1980–81) | 13–9–6 |
| 29 | W | December 9, 1980 | 4–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1980–81) | 14–9–6 |
| 30 | W | December 10, 1980 | 8–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) | 15–9–6 |
| 31 | W | December 13, 1980 | 2–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1980–81) | 16–9–6 |
| 32 | T | December 14, 1980 | 2–2 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1980–81) | 16–9–7 |
| 33 | T | December 17, 1980 | 4–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) | 16–9–8 |
| 34 | W | December 19, 1980 | 10–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) | 17–9–8 |
| 35 | T | December 21, 1980 | 3–3 | Buffalo Sabres (1980–81) | 17–9–9 |
| 36 | L | December 26, 1980 | 3–6 | Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) | 17–10–9 |
| 37 | L | December 28, 1980 | 2–3 | St. Louis Blues (1980–81) | 17–11–9 |
| 38 | T | December 30, 1980 | 3–3 | Washington Capitals (1980–81) | 17–11–10 |
| 39 | T | January 2, 1981 | 2–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) | 17–11–11 |
| 40 | L | January 3, 1981 | 3–6 | @ St. Louis Blues (1980–81) | 17–12–11 |
| 41 | W | January 6, 1981 | 7–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1980–81) | 18–12–11 |
| 42 | T | January 7, 1981 | 1–1 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) | 18–12–12 |
| 43 | T | January 9, 1981 | 4–4 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) | 18–12–13 |
| 44 | T | January 13, 1981 | 3–3 | Colorado Rockies (1980–81) | 18–12–14 |
| 45 | W | January 16, 1981 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) | 19–12–14 |
| 46 | W | January 17, 1981 | 5–2 | @ Colorado Rockies (1980–81) | 20–12–14 |
| 47 | T | January 20, 1981 | 2–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) | 20–12–15 |
| 48 | L | January 21, 1981 | 1–5 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) | 20–13–15 |
| 49 | L | January 24, 1981 | 5–7 | New York Rangers (1980–81) | 20–14–15 |
| 50 | L | January 28, 1981 | 3–7 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) | 20–15–15 |
| 51 | L | January 29, 1981 | 1–3 | @ Washington Capitals (1980–81) | 20–16–15 |
| 52 | W | February 1, 1981 | 6–2 | Calgary Flames (1980–81) | 21–16–15 |
| 53 | T | February 3, 1981 | 3–3 | Washington Capitals (1980–81) | 21–16–16 |
| 54 | L | February 7, 1981 | 2–9 | @ St. Louis Blues (1980–81) | 21–17–16 |
| 55 | L | February 8, 1981 | 2–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1980–81) | 21–18–16 |
| 56 | L | February 12, 1981 | 3–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) | 21–19–16 |
| 57 | T | February 14, 1981 | 2–2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) | 21–19–17 |
| 58 | L | February 15, 1981 | 2–7 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) | 21–20–17 |
| 59 | L | February 18, 1981 | 5–7 | Boston Bruins (1980–81) | 21–21–17 |
| 60 | L | February 20, 1981 | 3–9 | Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) | 21–22–17 |
| 61 | L | February 22, 1981 | 3–5 | Calgary Flames (1980–81) | 21–23–17 |
| 62 | W | February 24, 1981 | 6–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1980–81) | 22–23–17 |
| 63 | L | February 26, 1981 | 3–4 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1980–81) | 22–24–17 |
| 64 | L | February 27, 1981 | 1–5 | New York Islanders (1980–81) | 22–25–17 |
| 65 | W | March 1, 1981 | 3–0 | Hartford Whalers (1980–81) | 23–25–17 |
| 66 | W | March 4, 1981 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1980–81) | 24–25–17 |
| 67 | L | March 7, 1981 | 1–3 | @ New York Islanders (1980–81) | 24–26–17 |
| 68 | L | March 8, 1981 | 1–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1980–81) | 24–27–17 |
| 69 | L | March 10, 1981 | 2–11 | @ Calgary Flames (1980–81) | 24–28–17 |
| 70 | W | March 13, 1981 | 5–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1980–81) | 25–28–17 |
| 71 | W | March 14, 1981 | 2–1 | Buffalo Sabres (1980–81) | 26–28–17 |
| 72 | W | March 17, 1981 | 4–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1980–81) | 27–28–17 |
| 73 | L | March 21, 1981 | 3–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1980–81) | 27–29–17 |
| 74 | T | March 23, 1981 | 3–3 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1980–81) | 27–29–18 |
| 75 | T | March 25, 1981 | 4–4 | Colorado Rockies (1980–81) | 27–29–19 |
| 76 | W | March 27, 1981 | 10–2 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) | 28–29–19 |
| 77 | L | March 29, 1981 | 2–4 | Minnesota North Stars (1980–81) | 28–30–19 |
| 78 | T | April 1, 1981 | 4–4 | Winnipeg Jets (1980–81) | 28–30–20 |
| 79 | L | April 3, 1981 | 2–7 | Edmonton Oilers (1980–81) | 28–31–20 |
| 80 | L | April 4, 1981 | 5–6 | @ Calgary Flames (1980–81) | 28–32–20 |

## Draft picks

Vancouver'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 | 7 | Rick Lanz | Canada | Oshawa Generals (OHA) |
| 3 | 49 | Andy Schliebener | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHA) |
| 4 | 70 | Marc Crawford | Canada | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) |
| 5 | 91 | Darrell May | Canada | Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) |
| 6 | 112 | Ken Berry | Canada | Canadian National Development Team |
| 7 | 133 | Doug Lidster | Canada | Colorado College (NCAA) |
| 8 | 154 | John O'Connor | United States | University of Vermont (ECAC) |
| 9 | 175 | Patrik Sundstrom | Sweden | Umeå (Sweden) |
| 10 | 196 | Grant Martin | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) |