1981 NHL Entry Draft The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal , Quebec . A total of 211 players were drafted . Selections by round . Below are listed the selections in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft . Round one . Notes ( Round 1 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Detroit Red Wings ' first round pick went to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on August 22 , 1979 that sent Dale McCourt and Rogie Vachon to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Andre St . Laurent , 1st round pick in 1980 NHL Entry Draft and this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Colorado Rockies ' first round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on June 10 , 1981 that sent the 5th overall pick and 26th overall pick to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for the 45th overall pick and this pick . 3 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Washington Capitals ' first round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of to a trade on June 10 , 1981 that sent the 3rd overall pick and the 45th overall pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for 26th overall pick and this pick . 4 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Pittsburgh Penguins ' first round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of to a trade on October 18 , 1978 that sent Rod Schutt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for this pick . 5 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Los Angeles Kings ' first round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of to a trade on October 5 , 1978 that sent Murray Wilson and the 1st round pick in 1979 to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for this pick . Round two . Notes ( Round 2 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Colorado Rockies ' second round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on October 19 , 1978 that sent Jack Valiquette to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Hartford Whalers ' second round pick went to the Chicago Black Hawks as the result of a trade on June 19 , 1980 that sent Mike Veisor to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for this pick . 3 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Washington Capitals ' second round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of to a trade on June 10 , 1981 that sent the 3rd overall pick and the 45th overall pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for 5th overall pick and this pick . 4 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Toronto Maple Leafs ' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of to a trade on March 10 , 1981 that sent Ron Zanussi and the 55th overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick . 5 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Vancouver Canucks ' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of to a trade on December 10 , 1979 that sent Olov Brasar to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for this pick . 6 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Quebec Nordiques ' second round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of to a trade on June 9 , 1979 that Montreal Canadiens promise to take Danny Geoffrion and Alain Cote , rather than Marc Tardif and / or Richard David , from the Quebec Nordiques in 1979 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for the third round pick in 1980 and this pick . Nordiques promise to take Alain Cote in NHL Expansion Draft . 7 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Chicago Black Hawks ' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of to a trade on December 29 , 1980 that sent Glen Sharpley to the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for this pick . 8 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Calgary Flames ' second round pick went to the St . Louis Blues as the result of to a trade on October 10 , 1979 that sent Garry Unger to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Ed Kea , Don Laurence , and this pick . 9 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The St . Louis Blues ' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of to a trade on June 15 , 1978 that sent Bob Stewart and Harvey Bennett to the St . Louis Blues in exchange for this pick . Round three . Notes ( Round 3 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Colorado Rockies ' third round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on June 10 , 1981 that sent the 5th overall pick and the 26th overall pick to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for 3rd overall pick and this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Hartford Whalers ' third round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 5 , 1980 that sent Rick Meagher , the 61st overall pick , and the 103rd overall pick to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for the 88th overall pick and this pick . 3 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Washington Capitals ' third round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of to a trade on August 16 , 1979 that sent Wayne Stephenson to the Washington Capitals in exchange for this pick . 4 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Toronto Maple Leafs ' third round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of to a trade on June 30 , 1981 that sent Rene Robert to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick . 5 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Edmonton Oilers ' third round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of to a trade on March 11 , 1980 that sent Don Murdoch to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Cam Connor and this pick . 6 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Minnesota North Stars ' third round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of to a trade on March 10 , 1981 that sent the 27th overall pick to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Ron Zanussi and this pick . 7 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Boston Bruins ' third round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of to a trade on June 2 , 1980 that sent Jim Craig to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the second round pick in 1980 and this pick . 8 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Calgary Flames ' third round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of to a trade on October 9 , 1980 that sent Alex McKendry to the Calgary Flames in exchange for this pick . 9 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Los Angeles Kings ' third round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of to a trade on March 10 , 1981 that sent Rick Martin to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the 60th overall pick and this pick . 10 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Montreal Canadiens ' third round pick went to the Hartford Whalers as the result of to a trade on June 5 , 1980 that sent the 46th overall pick and the 88th overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Rick Meagher , the 103th overall pick , and this pick . Round four . Notes ( Round 4 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Detroit Red Wings ' fourth round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on September 4 , 1979 that sent Dennis Sobchuk to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Toronto Maple Leafs ' fourth round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 14 , 1978 that sent Paul Harrison to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick . 3 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The St . Louis Blues ' fourth round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of to a trade on October 20 , 1980 that sent Bill Stewart to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Bob Hess and this pick . Round five . Notes ( Round 5 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Hartford Whalers ' fifth round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 5 , 1980 that sent Rick Meagher , the 61st overall pick , and the 103rd overall pick to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for the 46th overall pick and this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Pittsburgh Penguins ' fifth round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on January 2 , 1981 that sent Gary Rissling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for this pick . 3 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The New York Rangers ' fifth round pick went to the Hartford Whalers as the result of to a trade on January 15 , 1981 that sent Nick Fotiu to the New York Rangers in exchange for this pick . 4 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Vancouver Canucks ' fifth round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of to a trade on October 6 , 1980 that sent Richard Brodeur and the 105th overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for this pick . 5 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Los Angeles Kings ' fifth round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of to a trade on March 10 , 1981 that sent Jim Rutherford to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for this pick . 6 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Montreal Canadiens ' fifth round pick went to the Hartford Whalers as the result of to a trade on June 5 , 1980 that sent the 46th overall pick and the 88th overall pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Rick Meagher , the 61st overall pick , and this pick . 7 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The New York Islanders ' fifth round pick went to the Vancouver Canucks as the result of to a trade on October 6 , 1980 that sent the 94th overall pick to the New York Islanders in exchange for Richard Brodeur and this pick . Round six . Notes ( Round 6 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Hartford Whalers ' sixth round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as the result of a trade on February 20 , 1981 that sent Gilles Lupien to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Toronto Maple Leafs ' sixth round pick went to the Edmonton Oilers as the result of a trade on August 22 , 1979 that sent Reg Thomas to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick . Round seven . Notes ( Round 7 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Edmonton Oilers ' seventh round pick went to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on March 10 , 1981 that sent Garry Unger to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for this pick . 2 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > The Quebec Nordiques ' seventh round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on September 15 , 1980 that sent Andre Dupont to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for this pick . Round eleven . Notes ( Round 11 ) . 1 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Bonus selection awarded from NHL as compensation for accepting move from the Smythe Division to the Norris Division for the 1981 – 82 NHL season