| League: | NHL |
| Season: | 1981–82 |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Team: | Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)Winnipeg Jets |
| Record: | 33–33–14 |
| Conference: | Campbell |
| Division: | Norris |
| Divisionrank: | 2nd |
| Generalmanager: | John Ferguson |
| Coach: | Tom Watt |
| Captain: | Dave Christian |
| Minorleague: | Tulsa Oilers (CHL) |
| Altcaptain: | None |
| Goalsfor: | 319 |
| Goalsagainst: | 332 |
| Next Season: | 1982–83 |
The 1981–82 Winnipeg Jets season was the team's third season in the National Hockey League and tenth season overall. The club's on-ice performance vastly improved compared to the previous season when the Jets won only nine games. The Jets finished with a .500 record and, for the first time in its history, qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs
After a very disappointing 1980–81, in which the Jets won only nine games and finished in last place in the National Hockey League, the club announced on May 14, 1981, that Tom Watt would become the new head coach of the team. Watt spent the 1980–81 season as an assistant coach under Harry Neale on the Vancouver Canucks. This would be Watt's first NHL head coaching job. The Jets also announced that Dave Christian would become the new captain of the team. Christian, who was a part of the 1980 US Olympic Team that won the gold medal, became the third captain of the team since the Jets joined the NHL.
The NHL announced a new divisional realignment based on geography, as the Jets were shifted from the Smythe Division to the Norris Division, where they would join the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs. On June 10, 1981, the Jets went into the 1981 NHL Entry Draft with the first overall selection, and the club used it to select Dale Hawerchuk from the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL. Hawerchuk scored 81 goals and 183 points in 72 games with Cornwall, followed by 15 goals and 35 points in 19 playoff games with the team, leading them to the President's Cup. At the 1981 Memorial Cup, Hawerchuk had eight goals and 12 points in five games, leading Cornwall to the championship. With their second selection, Winnipeg selected Scott Arniel, who also played with the Cornwall Royals. Arniel had 52 goals and 123 points with Cornwall, followed by 14 goals and 33 points in 19 playoff games, and six goals and eight points in five Memorial Cup games, helping the Royals win the 1981 Memorial Cup.
On July 3, 1981, Winnipeg acquired Bryan Maxwell, Ed Staniowski and Paul MacLean from the St. Louis Blues for Scott Campbell and John Markell. Maxwell, a stay-at-home defenseman, had three goals and 13 points in 40 games with the Blues in 1980–81, while Staniowski posted a 10–3–3 record with a 4.28 GAA in 19 games as a backup to Mike Liut in St. Louis. MacLean had 36 goals and 78 points in 80 games with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the CHL.
Twelve days later on July 15, 1981, the Jets were involved in a three-way deal with the Colorado Rockies and Vancouver Canucks. Winnipeg originally traded Ivan Hlinka to the Vancouver Canucks for Brent Ashton and the Canucks fourth round draft pick at the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. The Jets then traded Ashton and their own third round pick in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft to the Colorado Rockies for Lucien DeBlois. DeBlois had 26 goals and 42 points in 74 games with Colorado during the 1980–81 season.
One day before the regular season began, on October 5, 1981, the Jets picked up Serge Savard from the Montreal Canadiens in the waiver draft. Savard, who played with the Canadiens since the 1966–67 season, had four goals and 17 points in 77 games during the 1980–81 season. Savard was a seven time Stanley Cup champion.
| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L | October 6, 1981 | 1–6 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 0–1–0 | 11,410 | |
| 2 | W | October 9, 1981 | 8–3 | New York Rangers (1981–82) | 1–1–0 | 12,377 | |
| 3 | W | October 14, 1981 | 4–2 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 2–1–0 | 17,430 | |
| 4 | W | October 15, 1981 | 5–4 | @ Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 3–1–0 | 7,226 | |
| 5 | L | October 18, 1981 | 3–4 | Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 3–2–0 | 11,499 | |
| 6 | T | October 21, 1981 | 2–2 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) | 3–2–1 | 14,745 | |
| 7 | T | October 23, 1981 | 5–5 | Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 3–2–2 | 13,169 | |
| 8 | W | October 25, 1981 | 9–4 | Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 4–2–2 | 10,664 | |
| 9 | L | October 28, 1981 | 6–7 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 4–3–2 | 8,493 | |
| 10 | W | October 31, 1981 | 6–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 5–3–2 | 16,360 | |
| 11 | W | November 3, 1981 | 5–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 6–3–2 | 5,126 | |
| 12 | W | November 6, 1981 | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 7–3–2 | 13,484 | |
| 13 | L | November 8, 1981 | 1–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 7–4–2 | 12,533 | |
| 14 | L | November 10, 1981 | 3–5 | New York Islanders (1981–82) | 7–5–2 | 13,494 | |
| 15 | L | November 11, 1981 | 2–15 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 7–6–2 | 14,244 | |
| 16 | W | November 14, 1981 | 3–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 8–6–2 | 10,363 | |
| 17 | L | November 17, 1981 | 4–6 | @ Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 8–7–2 | 7,226 | |
| 18 | L | November 18, 1981 | 4–6 | Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 8–8–2 | 10,992 | |
| 19 | T | November 21, 1981 | 1–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 8–8–3 | 16,316 | |
| 20 | W | November 22, 1981 | 5–4 | St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 9–8–3 | 12,287 | |
| 21 | W | November 25, 1981 | 7–2 | Colorado Rockies (1981–82) | 10–8–3 | 11,363 | |
| 22 | T | November 27, 1981 | 5–5 | Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 10–8–4 | 13,903 | |
| 23 | L | November 29, 1981 | 2–10 | Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 10–9–4 | 15,756 | |
| 24 | L | December 1, 1981 | 1–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 10–10–4 | 17,077 | |
| 25 | L | December 2, 1981 | 2–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 10–11–4 | 8,829 | |
| 26 | L | December 4, 1981 | 3–7 | @ Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 10–12–4 | 10,605 | |
| 27 | W | December 6, 1981 | 5–2 | New York Islanders (1981–82) | 11–12–4 | 12,877 | |
| 28 | T | December 9, 1981 | 3–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 11–12–5 | 16,215 | |
| 29 | T | December 11, 1981 | 5–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 11–12–6 | 15,652 | |
| 30 | L | December 13, 1981 | 1–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 11–13–6 | 13,011 | |
| 31 | T | December 16, 1981 | 3–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 11–13–7 | 10,236 | |
| 32 | W | December 17, 1981 | 4–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 12–13–7 | 14,995 | |
| 33 | L | December 19, 1981 | 4–8 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 12–14–7 | 12,689 | |
| 34 | W | December 20, 1981 | 5–4 | St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 13–14–7 | 12,691 | |
| 35 | L | December 22, 1981 | 2–5 | @ New York Islanders (1981–82) | 13–15–7 | 14,806 | |
| 36 | L | December 23, 1981 | 2–5 | @ New York Rangers (1981–82) | 13–16–7 | 17,422 | |
| 37 | L | December 26, 1981 | 2–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 13–17–7 | 13,778 | |
| 38 | T | December 27, 1981 | 2–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 13–17–8 | 14,257 | |
| 39 | L | December 30, 1981 | 1–6 | Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 13–18–8 | 10,470 | |
| 40 | L | January 3, 1982 | 5–8 | Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 13–19–8 | 14,419 | |
| 41 | W | January 6, 1982 | 5–3 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 14–19–8 | 12,097 | |
| 42 | L | January 7, 1982 | 6–8 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 14–20–8 | 11,240 | |
| 43 | W | January 9, 1982 | 4–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 15–20–8 | 14,234 | |
| 44 | T | January 10, 1982 | 4–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 15–20–9 | 15,269 | |
| 45 | W | January 13, 1982 | 6–1 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 16–20–9 | 11,483 | |
| 46 | T | January 15, 1982 | 4–4 | New York Rangers (1981–82) | 16–20–10 | 12,533 | |
| 47 | L | January 17, 1982 | 5–7 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 16–21–10 | 14,061 | |
| 48 | W | January 20, 1982 | 3–0 | Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 17–21–10 | 10,649 | |
| 49 | W | January 22, 1982 | 6–5 | Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 18–21–10 | 12,847 | |
| 50 | T | January 26, 1982 | 3–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 18–21–11 | 9,202 | |
| 51 | W | January 27, 1982 | 4–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 19–21–11 | 16,308 | |
| 52 | L | January 30, 1982 | 1–2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82) | 19–22–11 | 13,842 | |
| 53 | L | February 2, 1982 | 6–10 | @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 19–23–11 | 6,502 | |
| 54 | W | February 5, 1982 | 6–4 | Calgary Flames (1981–82) | 20–23–11 | 14,406 | |
| 55 | L | February 10, 1982 | 3–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) | 20–24–11 | 15,260 | |
| 56 | L | February 13, 1982 | 3–7 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82) | 20–25–11 | 16,422 | |
| 57 | L | February 16, 1982 | 3–7 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 20–26–11 | 15,265 | |
| 58 | T | February 19, 1982 | 4–4 | Quebec Nordiques (1981–82) | 20–26–12 | 13,661 | |
| 59 | L | February 21, 1982 | 3–6 | Washington Capitals (1981–82) | 20–27–12 | 13,395 | |
| 60 | W | February 24, 1982 | 6–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 21–27–12 | 13,779 | |
| 61 | T | February 26, 1982 | 4–4 | Buffalo Sabres (1981–82) | 21–27–13 | 15,794 | |
| 62 | W | February 28, 1982 | 5–2 | St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 22–27–13 | 13,308 | |
| 63 | W | March 2, 1982 | 7–6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82) | 23–27–13 | 16,912 | |
| 64 | W | March 3, 1982 | 4–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82) | 24–27–13 | 10,523 | |
| 65 | W | March 5, 1982 | 2–0 | Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 25–27–13 | 14,803 | |
| 66 | W | March 7, 1982 | 5–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 26–27–13 | 14,727 | |
| 67 | L | March 10, 1982 | 2–6 | @ Hartford Whalers (1981–82) | 26–28–13 | 11,858 | |
| 68 | L | March 11, 1982 | 4–7 | @ Boston Bruins (1981–82) | 26–29–13 | 12,333 | |
| 69 | W | March 13, 1982 | 10–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 27–29–13 | 16,360 | |
| 70 | W | March 16, 1982 | 7–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 28–29–13 | 12,167 | |
| 71 | W | March 17, 1982 | 3–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 29–29–13 | 15,784 | |
| 72 | W | March 20, 1982 | 7–0 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82) | 30–29–13 | 15,253 | |
| 73 | W | March 21, 1982 | 8–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 31–29–13 | 13,378 | |
| 74 | W | March 24, 1982 | 5–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1981–82) | 32–29–13 | 12,711 | |
| 75 | T | March 26, 1982 | 4–4 | St. Louis Blues (1981–82) | 32–29–14 | 15,790 | |
| 76 | L | March 28, 1982 | 0–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82) | 32–30–14 | 16,079 | |
| 77 | W | March 30, 1982 | 7–5 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 33–30–14 | 15,784 | |
| 78 | L | March 31, 1982 | 2–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82) | 33–31–14 | 9,654 | |
| 79 | L | April 2, 1982 | 2–5 | Minnesota North Stars (1981–82) | 33–32–14 | 15,351 | |
| 80 | L | April 4, 1982 | 1–2 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82) | 33–33–14 | 17,490 |
They faced the St. Louis Blues in the Division Semifinals, losing 3 games to 1.
| July 3, 1981 | To St. Louis Blues Scott Campbell John Markell | To Winnipeg Jets Bryan Maxwell Ed Staniowski Paul MacLean | |
| July 15, 1981 | To Vancouver Canucks Ivan Hlinka | To Winnipeg Jets Brent Ashton 4th round pick in 1982 – Tom Martin | |
| July 15, 1981 | To Colorado Rockies Brent Ashton 2nd round pick in 1982 – Dave Kasper | To Winnipeg Jets Lucien DeBlois | |
| July 27, 1981 | To Minnesota North Stars Lindsay Middlebrook | To Winnipeg Jets Cash | |
| September 8, 1981 | To New York Rangers 3rd round pick in 1983 – Vesa Salo | To Winnipeg Jets Doug Soetaert | |
| December 19, 1981 | To Montreal Canadiens 6th round pick in 1982 – Ernie Vargas | To Winnipeg Jets Serge Savard |
| October 5, 1981 | From Montreal Canadiens Craig Levie |
The Jets selected the following players at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, which was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, on June 10, 1981.[2]
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Dale Hawerchuk (C) | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) | ||
| 2 | 22 | Scott Arniel (LW) | Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) | ||
| 3 | 43 | Jyrki Seppa (D) | Ilves Tampere (SM-liiga) | ||
| 4 | 64 | Kirk McCaskill (LW) | University of Vermont (NCAA) | ||
| 5 | 85 | Marc Behrend (G) | University of Wisconsin (NCAA) | ||
| 6 | 106 | Bob O'Connor (G) | Boston College (NCAA) | ||
| 7 | 127 | Peter Nilsson (D) | Hammarby IK (SEL) | ||
| 8 | 148 | Dan McFall (D) | Buffalo Jr. Sabres (NYPJHL) | ||
| 9 | 169 | Greg Dick (D) | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (NCAA) | ||
| 10 | 190 | Vladimir Kadlec (D) | HC Vitkovice (Czech.) | ||
| 11 | 211 | Dave Kirwin (D) |