1981–82 Montreal Canadiens season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 Montreal Canadiens NHL 1981–82 1981 Wales 2nd Adams 1st 46–17–17 25–6–9 21–11–8 360 223 Irving Grundman Bob Berry Bob Gainey None Montreal Forum 16,587 Mark Napier (40) Guy Lafleur (57) Keith Acton (88) Brian Engblom (+76) Chris Nilan (204) Rick Wamsley (23) Denis Herron (2.64) Yes The 1981–82 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 73rd season. The club finished with over 100 points in the regular season, and were third overall in the NHL standings.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.243, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, 978-0-385-66325-0 The season involved being eliminated in the Adams Division semi-final versus the Quebec Nordiques 3 games to 2. 2 Offseason Montreal along with Hartford were moved to the Adams Division which was a more geographical grouping of teams, including Boston, Buffalo and Quebec. Before the 1981 NHL entry draft, general manager Irving Grundman announced that Bob Berry would be the new head coach of the Canadiens. Bob Gainey is named captain, following Serge Savard's signing with the Winnipeg Jets. Regular season Final standings MTL Record vs. opponents MTL Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 5px solid; border-bottom:#192168 5px solid; 1981–82 regular season1981-82 Montreal Canadiens Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1982_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 6, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||T||October 8, 1981||5–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||0–0–1 |- |2||W||October 10, 1981||9–0 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||1–0–1 |- |3||W||October 15, 1981||7–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||2–0–1 |- |4||W||October 17, 1981||10–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) ||3–0–1 |- |5||T||October 18, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||3–0–2 |- |6||T||October 21, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) ||3–0–3 |- |7||W||October 24, 1981||7–0 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||4–0–3 |- |8||W||October 25, 1981||4–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1981–82) ||5–0–3 |- |9||W||October 27, 1981||11–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) ||6–0–3 |- |10||T||October 29, 1981||5–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||6–0–4 |- |11||L||October 31, 1981||1–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1981–82) ||6–1–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |12||L||November 2, 1981||4–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||6–2–4 |- |13||W||November 5, 1981||4–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1981–82) ||7–2–4 |- |14||W||November 7, 1981||4–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) ||8–2–4 |- |15||L||November 10, 1981||2–4 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) ||8–3–4 |- |16||W||November 11, 1981||9–0 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1981–82) ||9–3–4 |- |17||W||November 14, 1981||4–1 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) ||10–3–4 |- |18||T||November 19, 1981||1–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||10–3–5 |- |19||W||November 21, 1981||9–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) ||11–3–5 |- |20||T||November 24, 1981||2–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) ||11–3–6 |- |21||L||November 25, 1981||1–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) ||11–4–6 |- |22||L||November 27, 1981||2–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1981–82) ||11–5–6 |- |23||W||November 29, 1981||6–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||12–5–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |24||T||December 1, 1981||3–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) ||12–5–7 |- |25||L||December 3, 1981||3–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) ||12–6–7 |- |26||L||December 5, 1981||4–7 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1981–82) ||12–7–7 |- |27||T||December 9, 1981||6–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) ||12–7–8 |- |28||T||December 11, 1981||5–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) ||12–7–9 |- |29||W||December 12, 1981||6–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) ||13–7–9 |- |30||W||December 14, 1981||6–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1981–82) ||14–7–9 |- |31||W||December 16, 1981||6–1 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||15–7–9 |- |32||W||December 17, 1981||5–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||16–7–9 |- |33||W||December 19, 1981||5–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||17–7–9 |- |34||L||December 22, 1981||2–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||17–8–9 |- |35||W||December 27, 1981||6–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||18–8–9 |- |36||W||December 29, 1981||5–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1981–82) ||19–8–9 |- |37||W||December 30, 1981||6–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) ||20–8–9 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |38||L||January 2, 1982||5–6 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1981–82) ||20–9–9 |- |39||L||January 3, 1982||2–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||20–10–9 |- |40||W||January 5, 1982||3–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||21–10–9 |- |41||T||January 9, 1982||3–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) ||21–10–10 |- |42||T||January 10, 1982||4–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) ||21–10–11 |- |43||W||January 12, 1982||2–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) ||22–10–11 |- |44||L||January 16, 1982||2–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) ||22–11–11 |- |45||T||January 19, 1982||2–2 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||22–11–12 |- |46||W||January 21, 1982||4–2 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) ||23–11–12 |- |47||W||January 23, 1982||6–2 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1981–82) ||24–11–12 |- |48||W||January 26, 1982||8–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||25–11–12 |- |49||W||January 28, 1982||6–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||26–11–12 |- |50||W||January 30, 1982||5–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) ||27–11–12 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |51||W||February 2, 1982||5–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1981–82) ||28–11–12 |- |52||W||February 3, 1982||6–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) ||29–11–12 |- |53||W||February 6, 1982||5–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1981–82) ||30–11–12 |- |54||W||February 7, 1982||7–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) ||31–11–12 |- |55||W||February 11, 1982||4–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) ||32–11–12 |- |56||W||February 13, 1982||7–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1981–82) ||33–11–12 |- |57||T||February 16, 1982||3–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1981–82) ||33–11–13 |- |58||W||February 18, 1982||5–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1981–82) ||34–11–13 |- |59||T||February 20, 1982||2–2 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||34–11–14 |- |60||W||February 21, 1982||4–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1981–82) ||35–11–14 |- |61||L||February 23, 1982||3–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||35–12–14 |- |62||T||February 25, 1982||4–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||35–12–15 |- |63||T||February 27, 1982||3–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) ||35–12–16 |- |64||W||February 28, 1982||5–0 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||36–12–16 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |65||T||March 2, 1982||3–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) ||36–12–17 |- |66||W||March 6, 1982||6–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) ||37–12–17 |- |67||W||March 7, 1982||5–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||38–12–17 |- |68||W||March 9, 1982||4–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||39–12–17 |- |69||W||March 11, 1982||4–0 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) ||40–12–17 |- |70||W||March 13, 1982||5–0 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||41–12–17 |- |71||W||March 14, 1982||5–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) ||42–12–17 |- |72||L||March 18, 1982||2–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) ||42–13–17 |- |73||W||March 20, 1982||5–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) ||43–13–17 |- |74||L||March 21, 1982||4–5 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||43–14–17 |- |75||L||March 25, 1982||1–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1981–82) ||43–15–17 |- |76||W||March 27, 1982||4–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) ||44–15–17 |- |77||W||March 30, 1982||6–4 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||45–15–17 |- |78||W||March 31, 1982||5–1 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) ||46–15–17 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |79||L||April 3, 1982||4–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) ||46–16–17 |- |80||L||April 4, 1982||1–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1981–82) ||46–17–17 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs The Canadiens were seeded 3rd overall in the playoffs, while their opponents, the Quebec Nordiques were seeded 10th overall. The clubs were 27 points apart in the league standings.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.243, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, 978-0-385-66325-0 The fifth and final game of the series went into overtime. Twenty-two seconds into overtime, Nordiques' Dale Hunter scored against Canadiens goalie Rick Wamsley to clinch the series.The Montreal Canadiens:100 Years of Glory, D'Arcy Jenish, p.244, Published in Canada by Doubleday, 2009, 978-0-385-66325-0 Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Keith Acton C 78 36 52 88 88481005 Guy Lafleur RW 66 27 57 84 2433903 Mark Napier Mark Napier (ice hockey) RW 80 40 41 81 1449905 Mario Tremblay RW 80 33 40 73 6624704 Pierre Mondou C 73 35 33 68 5718824 Larry Robinson D 71 12 47 59 4157510 Steve Shutt LW 57 31 24 55 4024503 Doug Jarvis C 80 20 28 48 2034104 Bob Gainey LW 79 21 24 45 2437131 Rejean Houle W 51 11 32 43 3418211 Rod Langway D 66 5 34 39 11666101 Doug Wickenheiser C 56 12 23 35 4318103 Doug Risebrough C 59 15 18 33 11623222 Brian Engblom D 76 4 29 33 7678100 Mark Hunter Mark Hunter (ice hockey) RW 71 18 11 29 14310005 Robert Picard D 62 2 26 28 10617200 Gaston Gingras D 34 6 18 24 2810303 Craig Laughlin RW 36 12 11 23 3310201 Pierre Larouche C 22 9 12 21 0-3300 Guy Lapointe D 47 1 19 20 72-3000 Chris Nilan RW 49 7 4 11 2046001 Gilbert Delorme D 60 3 8 11 5519000 Rick Wamsley G 38 0 2 2 40000 Jeff Brubaker LW 3 0 1 1 321000 Denis Herron G 27 0 0 0 40000 Mark Holden Mark Holden (ice hockey) G 1 0 0 0 00000 Bill Kitchen Bill Kitchen (ice hockey) D 1 0 0 0 70000 Dave Orleski LW 1 0 0 0 00000 Richard Sevigny G 19 0 0 0 100000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO Rick Wamsley 2206 38 23 7 7 101 2.75 2 Denis Herron 1547 27 12 6 8 68 2.64 3 Richard Sevigny 1027 19 11 4 2 53 3.10 0 Mark Holden Mark Holden (ice hockey) 20 1 0 0 0 0 0.00 0 Team: 4800 80 46 17 17 222 2.78 5 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG Pierre Mondou C 5 2 5 7 8110 Mario Tremblay RW 5 4 1 5 24001 Mark Napier Mark Napier (ice hockey) RW 5 3 2 5 0111 Keith Acton C 5 0 4 4 16000 Rejean Houle W 5 0 4 4 6000 Guy Lafleur RW 5 2 1 3 4200 Doug Risebrough C 5 2 1 3 11000 Rod Langway D 5 0 3 3 18000 Chris Nilan RW 5 1 1 2 22000 Robert Picard D 5 1 1 2 7000 Brian Engblom D 5 0 2 2 14000 Doug Jarvis C 5 1 0 1 4010 Bob Gainey LW 5 0 1 1 8000 Gaston Gingras D 5 0 1 1 0000 Bill Kitchen Bill Kitchen (ice hockey) D 3 0 1 1 0000 Craig Laughlin RW 3 0 1 1 0000 Larry Robinson D 5 0 1 1 8000 Jeff Brubaker LW 2 0 0 0 27000 Mark Hunter Mark Hunter (ice hockey) RW 5 0 0 0 20000 Rick Wamsley G 5 0 0 0 2000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SO Rick Wamsley 300 5 2 3 11 2.20 0 Team: 300 5 2 3 11 2.20 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-05-28 1981-82 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1982.html Draft picks 1981 NHL entry draft Round # Player Nationality College/junior/club team17Mark HunterCanadaBrantford Alexanders (OMJHL)118Gilbert DelormeCanadaChicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)119Jan IngmanSwedenFärjestad BK (Sweden)232Lars ErikssonSwedenBrynäs IF (Sweden)240Chris CheliosUnited StatesMoose Jaw Canucks (SJHL)346Dieter HegenEVS Kaufbeuren (West Germany)482Kjell DahlinSwedenTimra IK (Sweden)588Steve RooneyUnited StatesCanton High School (USHS-MA)6124Tom AnastosUnited StatesPaddock Pool Saints (GLJHL)7145Tom KurversUnited StatesUniversity of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA)8166Paul GessUnited StatesBloomington Jefferson High School (USHS-MN)9187Scott FergusonUnited StatesEdina West High School (USHS-MN)10208Dan BurrowsCanadaBelleville Bulls (OPJHL) See also 1981–82 NHL season References Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons Montreal Canadiens season, 1981-82 Category:Adams Division champion seasons Montreal Category:1981 in Montreal Category:1982 in Montreal Category:1981 in sports in Quebec Category:1982 in sports in Quebec