# 1982–83 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1982–83 Buffalo Sabres season was the 13th season 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 | Pts |
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 50 | 20 | 10 | 327 | 228 | 110 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 42 | 24 | 14 | 350 | 286 | 98 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 38 | 29 | 13 | 318 | 285 | 89 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 80 | 34 | 34 | 12 | 343 | 336 | 80 |
| Hartford Whalers | 80 | 19 | 54 | 7 | 261 | 403 | 45 |
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
1982–83 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
HFD
MTL
QUE
Total
Boston
—5–36–23–3–25–2–119–10–3
Buffalo
3–5—5–2–13–3–23–3–214–13–5
Hartford
2–62–5–1—3–52–69–22–1
Montreal
3–3–23–3–25–3—5–2–116–11–5
Quebec
2–5–13–3–26–22–5–1—13–15–4
Vs. Patrick Division
1982–83 NHL records
Team
NJD
NYI
NYR
PHI
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
1−0−22−0−13−02−0−12−10−310−4−4
Buffalo
2−0−12−12−0−12−11−1−13−012−3−3
Hartford
2–11–21–21–20–30−2−15−12−1
Montreal
2−10−1−22–12−12−11−0−29−5−4
Quebec
2−11−1–12–10−33−01−1−19−7−2
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1982–83 NHL records
Team
CHI
DET
MIN
STL
TOR
Total
Boston
3–03–03–03–02–114–1–0
Buffalo
1−1−11−1−10−2−12−10−2−14−7−4
Hartford
0–30–30−2−11–21–22–12–1
Montreal
0–31−0–23–02–0–10−1–26–4–5
Quebec
1–21–1–12–11–1–11–1–16–6–3
Vs. Smythe Division
1982–83 NHL records
Team
CGY
EDM
LAK
VAN
WIN
Total
Boston
2−0−12−0−11−22−10−2−17−5−3
Buffalo
2−11–22−11−1−12−18−6−1
Hartford
0−1–20–2–11–21–21–1–13–8–4
Montreal
2−11−22−13–03−011−4−0
Quebec
2−0−11−1−11−1−10−32−16−6−3 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 6, 1982 | 4–6 | Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | L | October 9, 1982 | 4–6 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 0–2–0 |
| 3 | T | October 10, 1982 | 4–4 | Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 0–2–1 |
| 4 | L | October 14, 1982 | 2–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1982–83) | 0–3–1 |
| 5 | W | October 16, 1982 | 9–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1982–83) | 1–3–1 |
| 6 | W | October 17, 1982 | 6–4 | Edmonton Oilers (1982–83) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | L | October 20, 1982 | 0–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1982–83) | 2–4–1 |
| 8 | L | October 23, 1982 | 2–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1982–83) | 2–5–1 |
| 9 | W | October 24, 1982 | 6–2 | St. Louis Blues (1982–83) | 3–5–1 |
| 10 | T | October 26, 1982 | 7–7 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 3–5–2 |
| 11 | T | October 30, 1982 | 3–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1982–83) | 3–5–3 |
| 12 | W | October 31, 1982 | 3–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 4–5–3 |
| 13 | L | November 3, 1982 | 2–3 | Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 4–6–3 |
| 14 | W | November 6, 1982 | 5–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 5–6–3 |
| 15 | W | November 7, 1982 | 3–1 | Vancouver Canucks (1982–83) | 6–6–3 |
| 16 | W | November 10, 1982 | 7–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1982–83) | 7–6–3 |
| 17 | L | November 13, 1982 | 2–3 | @ Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 7–7–3 |
| 18 | T | November 14, 1982 | 6–6 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1982–83) | 7–7–4 |
| 19 | W | November 17, 1982 | 7–2 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1982–83) | 8–7–4 |
| 20 | L | November 18, 1982 | 1–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1982–83) | 8–8–4 |
| 21 | W | November 20, 1982 | 5–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1982–83) | 9–8–4 |
| 22 | W | November 24, 1982 | 4–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 10–8–4 |
| 23 | W | November 26, 1982 | 8–6 | St. Louis Blues (1982–83) | 11–8–4 |
| 24 | W | November 28, 1982 | 7–3 | New York Rangers (1982–83) | 12–8–4 |
| 25 | T | December 1, 1982 | 2–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 12–8–5 |
| 26 | L | December 4, 1982 | 2–3 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 12–9–5 |
| 27 | T | December 5, 1982 | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1982–83) | 12–9–6 |
| 28 | L | December 8, 1982 | 2–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1982–83) | 12–10–6 |
| 29 | L | December 11, 1982 | 2–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 12–11–6 |
| 30 | L | December 12, 1982 | 1–3 | Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 12–12–6 |
| 31 | W | December 14, 1982 | 5–3 | @ New York Islanders (1982–83) | 13–12–6 |
| 32 | L | December 16, 1982 | 1–8 | @ Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 13–13–6 |
| 33 | W | December 18, 1982 | 5–4 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 14–13–6 |
| 34 | W | December 19, 1982 | 3–1 | Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 15–13–6 |
| 35 | W | December 22, 1982 | 3–1 | @ New York Rangers (1982–83) | 16–13–6 |
| 36 | T | December 26, 1982 | 2–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1982–83) | 16–13–7 |
| 37 | W | December 31, 1982 | 5–1 | New York Islanders (1982–83) | 17–13–7 |
| 38 | W | January 2, 1983 | 8–4 | Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 18–13–7 |
| 39 | L | January 4, 1983 | 2–5 | @ New York Islanders (1982–83) | 18–14–7 |
| 40 | T | January 5, 1983 | 3–3 | @ New York Rangers (1982–83) | 18–14–8 |
| 41 | T | January 7, 1983 | 5–5 | Vancouver Canucks (1982–83) | 18–14–9 |
| 42 | W | January 9, 1983 | 7–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1982–83) | 19–14–9 |
| 43 | W | January 12, 1983 | 2–1 | Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 20–14–9 |
| 44 | W | January 14, 1983 | 3–2 | Washington Capitals (1982–83) | 21–14–9 |
| 45 | W | January 15, 1983 | 4–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1982–83) | 22–14–9 |
| 46 | L | January 20, 1983 | 0–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 22–15–9 |
| 47 | L | January 22, 1983 | 1–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 22–16–9 |
| 48 | W | January 23, 1983 | 5–2 | Winnipeg Jets (1982–83) | 23–16–9 |
| 49 | W | January 26, 1983 | 7–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 24–16–9 |
| 50 | W | January 28, 1983 | 6–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1982–83) | 25–16–9 |
| 51 | L | January 29, 1983 | 3–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1982–83) | 25–17–9 |
| 52 | T | February 2, 1983 | 2–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1982–83) | 25–17–10 |
| 53 | T | February 5, 1983 | 0–0 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 25–17–11 |
| 54 | L | February 6, 1983 | 1–5 | Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 25–18–11 |
| 55 | L | February 10, 1983 | 2–7 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1982–83) | 25–19–11 |
| 56 | L | February 12, 1983 | 2–4 | @ Calgary Flames (1982–83) | 25–20–11 |
| 57 | L | February 14, 1983 | 4–6 | @ St. Louis Blues (1982–83) | 25–21–11 |
| 58 | W | February 16, 1983 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 26–21–11 |
| 59 | W | February 18, 1983 | 5–1 | Calgary Flames (1982–83) | 27–21–11 |
| 60 | L | February 20, 1983 | 4–5 | Edmonton Oilers (1982–83) | 27–22–11 |
| 61 | T | February 21, 1983 | 4–4 | @ New Jersey Devils (1982–83) | 27–22–12 |
| 62 | W | February 23, 1983 | 4–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1982–83) | 28–22–12 |
| 63 | W | February 25, 1983 | 7–6 | Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 29–22–12 |
| 64 | W | February 27, 1983 | 6–2 | New Jersey Devils (1982–83) | 30–22–12 |
| 65 | W | March 1, 1983 | 6–5 | @ Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 31–22–12 |
| 66 | W | March 3, 1983 | 3–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1982–83) | 32–22–12 |
| 67 | W | March 4, 1983 | 10–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1982–83) | 33–22–12 |
| 68 | W | March 6, 1983 | 6–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1982–83) | 34–22–12 |
| 69 | L | March 8, 1983 | 1–5 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1982–83) | 34–23–12 |
| 70 | L | March 9, 1983 | 0–6 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1982–83) | 34–24–12 |
| 71 | L | March 12, 1983 | 3–8 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1982–83) | 34–25–12 |
| 72 | L | March 13, 1983 | 2–6 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1982–83) | 34–26–12 |
| 73 | W | March 16, 1983 | 5–3 | Calgary Flames (1982–83) | 35–26–12 |
| 74 | W | March 19, 1983 | 6–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 36–26–12 |
| 75 | L | March 20, 1983 | 4–7 | Montreal Canadiens (1982–83) | 36–27–12 |
| 76 | W | March 23, 1983 | 8–3 | Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 37–27–12 |
| 77 | T | March 27, 1983 | 6–6 | Quebec Nordiques (1982–83) | 37–27–13 |
| 78 | L | March 29, 1983 | 4–5 | @ Hartford Whalers (1982–83) | 37–28–13 |
| 79 | W | March 31, 1983 | 8–5 | @ New Jersey Devils (1982–83) | 38–28–13 |
| 80 | L | April 3, 1983 | 3–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1982–83) | 38–29–13 |

## Playoffs

Sabres defeat the Montreal Canadiens in the Adams Division Semi-finals, in a three-game sweep.
They lose to the Boston Bruins in the Adams Division finals, three games to four.

## Draft picks

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1982 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 6 | Phil Housley | United States | South St. Paul High School (USHS-MN) |
| 1 | 9 | Paul Cyr | Canada | Victoria Cougars (WHL) |
| 1 | 16 | Dave Andreychuk | Canada | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
| 2 | 26 | Mike Anderson | United States | North St. Paul High School (USHS-MN) |
| 2 | 30 | Jens Johansson | Sweden | Pitea (Sweden) |
| 4 | 68 | Timo Jutila | Finland | Tampere Tappara (Finland) |
| 4 | 79 | Jeff Hamilton | Canada | Providence College (ECAC) |
| 5 | 100 | Bob Logan | Canada | West Island Royals (LHJAQ) |
| 6 | 111 | Jeff Parker | United States | Mariner High School (USHS-MN) |
| 6 | 121 | Jakob Gustavsson | Sweden | Almtuna (Sweden) |
| 7 | 142 | Allen Bishop | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OHL) |
| 8 | 163 | Claude Verret | Canada | Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL) |
| 9 | 184 | Rob Norman | Canada | Cornwall Royals (OHL) |
| 10 | 205 | Mike Craig | Canada | Billings Bighorns (WHL) |
| 11 | 226 | Jim Plankers | United States | Cloquet High School (USHS-MN) |