1981–82 Minnesota North Stars season: Difference between revisions

1981–82 Minnesota North Stars
1981–82 Minnesota North Stars
Norris Division champions
Division	1st Norris
Conference	2nd Campbell
1981–82 record	37–23–20
Home record	21–7–12
Road record	16–16–8
Goals for	346
Goals against	288
Team information
General manager	Lou Nanne
Coach	Glen Sonmor
Captain	Tim Young
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Met Center
Average attendance	15,220
Minor league affiliate(s)	Nashville South Stars (CHL)
Team leaders
Goals	Dino Ciccarelli (55)
Assists	Bobby Smith (71)
Points	Bobby Smith (114)
Penalty minutes	Dino Ciccarelli (138)
Wins	Gilles Meloche (26)
Goals against average	Lindsay Middlebrook (3.00)
	← 1980–81 1982–83 →

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The 1981–82 Minnesota North Stars season was their 15th season. Dino Ciccarelli, in his second season, scored 55 goals, a franchise record. Minnesota won their first division title, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago Black Hawks.

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	College/junior/club team
1	13	Ron Meighan (D)	Canada	Niagara Falls Flyers (OHL)
2	27	Dave Donnelly (C)	Canada	St. Albert Saints (AJHL)
2	31	Mike Sands (G)	Canada	Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
2	33	Tom Hirsch (D)	United States	Patrick Henry High School (USHS-MN)
2	34	Dave Preuss (RW)	United States	St. Thomas Academy (USHS-MN)
2	41	Jali Wahlsten (C)	Finland	TPS (Finland)
4	69	Terry Tait (C)	Canada	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
4	76	Jim Malwitz (C)	United States	Grand Rapids High School (USHS-MN)
5	97	Kelly Hubbard (D)	Canada	Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
6	118	Paul Guay (RW)	United States	Mount St. Charles Academy (USHS-RI)
7	139	Jim Archibald (RW)	Canada	Moose Jaw Canucks (SJHL)
8	160	Kari Kanervo (C)	Finland	TPS (Finland)
9	181	Scott Bjugstad (RW)	United States	University of Minnesota (WCHA)
10	202	Steve Kudebeh (G)	United States	Breck School (USHS-MN)

Regular season

Glen Sonmor took a temporary leave of absence in January 1982, leaving assistant coach Murray Oliver in charge for four games, three of which the North Stars won.

Final standings

Norris Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Minnesota North Stars	80	37	23	20	346	288	94
Winnipeg Jets	80	33	33	14	319	332	80
St. Louis Blues	80	32	40	8	315	349	72
Chicago Black Hawks	80	30	38	12	332	363	72
Toronto Maple Leafs	80	20	44	16	298	380	56
Detroit Red Wings	80	21	47	12	270	351	54

^[1]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

Norris Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Campbell Conference

Vs. Norris Division

1981–82 NHL records^[2]
Team	CHI	DET	MIN	STL	TOR	WIN	Total
Chicago	—	3−3−1	3−3−1	2−4−1	3−4	2−3−2	13−17−5
Detroit	3−3−1	—	1−6	2−5	3−3−1	2−3−2	11−20−4
Minnesota	3−3−1	6−1	—	3−3−1	4−0−3	3−3−1	19−10−6
St. Louis	4−2−1	5−2	3−3−1	—	5−2	1−4−2	18−13−4
Toronto	4−3	3−3−1	0−4−3	2−5	—	2−4−1	11−19−5
Winnipeg	3−2−2	3−2−2	3−3−1	4−1−2	4−2−1	—	17−10−8

Vs. Smythe Division

1981–82 NHL records
Team	CGY	COL	EDM	LAK	VAN	Total
Chicago	2−0−1	1−2	1−1−1	3−0	1−2	8−5−2
Detroit	1−1−1	3−0	0−2−1	1−2	1−1−1	6−6−3
Minnesota	1−0−2	1−0−2	0−2−1	2−0−1	1−1−1	5−3−7
St. Louis	2−1	2−1	0−3	1−2	2−1	7−8−0
Toronto	0−1−2	1−0−2	1−2	2−1	0−2−1	4−6−5
Winnipeg	2−1	2−1	1−2	3−0	1−2	9−6−0

Vs. Wales Conference

Vs. Adams Division

1981–82 NHL records
Team	BOS	BUF	HFD	MTL	QUE	Total
Chicago	2−1	1−2	1−1−1	0−2−1	1−2	5−8−2
Detroit	0−2−1	0−3	0−2−1	1−2	0−3	1−12−2
Minnesota	2−1	1−1−1	2−1	0−1−2	2−0−1	7−4−4
St. Louis	1−1−1	1−2	1−2	0−2−1	1−2	4−9−2
Toronto	0−3	0−2−1	0−3	0−2−1	1−1−1	1−11−3
Winnipeg	0−3	0−1−2	1−2	0−1−2	0−2−1	1−9−5

Vs. Patrick Division

1981–82 NHL records
Team	NYI	NYR	PHI	PIT	WSH	Total
Chicago	0−3	0−3	1−1−1	1−0−2	2−1	4−8−3
Detroit	0−3	1−2	0−2−1	2−1	0−1−2	3−9−3
Minnesota	0−2−1	1−2	1−1−1	2−1	2−0−1	6−6−3
St. Louis	0−2−1	0−2−1	0−3	2−1	1−2	3−10−2
Toronto	0−3	1−1−1	1−2	1−0−2	1−2	4−8−3
Winnipeg	1−2	1−1−1	2–1	1–2	1−2	6–8–1

Playoffs

The North Stars lost in the first round to Chicago. The Black Hawks won the best-of-five series, three games to one.

Schedule and results

1981–82 regular season^[3]

October

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	T	October 8, 1981	3–3	Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	0–0–1
2	W	October 10, 1981	7–0	New York Rangers (1981–82)	1–0–1
3	W	October 12, 1981	4–2	@ Quebec Nordiques (1981–82)	2–0–1
4	W	October 14, 1981	2–1	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	3–0–1
5	L	October 17, 1981	2–5	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82)	3–1–1
6	L	October 18, 1981	2–3	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82)	3–2–1
7	T	October 22, 1981	5–5	St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	3–2–2
8	W	October 24, 1981	6–3	Los Angeles Kings (1981–82)	4–2–2
9	W	October 25, 1981	6–3	@ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82)	5–2–2
10	W	October 28, 1981	6–1	Calgary Flames (1981–82)	6–2–2
11	W	October 31, 1981	5–4	Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	7–2–2

November

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
12	W	November 4, 1981	6–1	@ Washington Capitals (1981–82)	8–2–2
13	L	November 7, 1981	2–4	@ Hartford Whalers (1981–82)	8–3–2
14	W	November 8, 1981	4–1	@ Boston Bruins (1981–82)	9–3–2
15	W	November 11, 1981	15–2	Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	10–3–2
16	T	November 14, 1981	5–5	Quebec Nordiques (1981–82)	10–3–3
17	W	November 18, 1981	6–4	@ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	11–3–3
18	T	November 19, 1981	2–2	Edmonton Oilers (1981–82)	11–3–4
19	L	November 21, 1981	4–6	Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	11–4–4
20	T	November 22, 1981	1–1	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	11–4–5
21	T	November 25, 1981	4–4	Washington Capitals (1981–82)	11–4–6
22	T	November 27, 1981	5–5	@ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	11–4–7
23	W	November 28, 1981	5–3	Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82)	12–4–7
24	T	November 30, 1981	2–2	Colorado Rockies (1981–82)	12–4–8

December

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
25	L	December 2, 1981	0–5	@ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82)	12–5–8
26	L	December 5, 1981	5–8	New York Islanders (1981–82)	12–6–8
27	T	December 9, 1981	6–6	Montreal Canadiens (1981–82)	12–6–9
28	L	December 10, 1981	1–4	@ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	12–7–9
29	W	December 12, 1981	6–3	Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	13–7–9
30	L	December 15, 1981	2–4	@ St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	13–8–9
31	L	December 17, 1981	2–4	Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	13–9–9
32	L	December 19, 1981	6–9	@ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82)	13–10–9
33	T	December 22, 1981	4–4	@ Vancouver Canucks (1981–82)	13–10–10
34	T	December 23, 1981	4–4	@ Calgary Flames (1981–82)	13–10–11
35	W	December 26, 1981	6–3	St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	14–10–11
36	T	December 28, 1981	4–4	Colorado Rockies (1981–82)	14–10–12
37	L	December 31, 1981	2–4	@ Buffalo Sabres (1981–82)	14–11–12

January

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
38	W	January 2, 1982	6–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	15–11–12
39	L	January 5, 1982	1–4	@ St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	15–12–12
40	T	January 6, 1982	3–3	Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	15–12–13
41	T	January 9, 1982	3–3	Montreal Canadiens (1981–82)	15–12–14
42	L	January 11, 1982	3–5	@ New York Rangers (1981–82)	15–13–14
43	L	January 13, 1982	0–2	New York Rangers (1981–82)	15–14–14
44	W	January 16, 1982	4–1	Quebec Nordiques (1981–82)	16–14–14
45	W	January 17, 1982	7–5	Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	17–14–14
46	W	January 20, 1982	3–1	@ Colorado Rockies (1981–82)	18–14–14
47	T	January 21, 1982	3–3	@ Los Angeles Kings (1981–82)	18–14–15
48	W	January 23, 1982	8–4	Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	19–14–15
49	W	January 25, 1982	9–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	20–14–15
50	W	January 27, 1982	8–6	Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	21–14–15
51	L	January 28, 1982	3–8	@ St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	21–15–15
52	L	January 30, 1982	2–4	@ New York Islanders (1981–82)	21–16–15

February

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
53	W	February 3, 1982	9–6	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82)	22–16–15
54	T	February 4, 1982	3–3	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1981–82)	22–16–16
55	L	February 7, 1982	2–5	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	22–17–16
56	L	February 11, 1982	2–4	Boston Bruins (1981–82)	22–18–16
57	W	February 13, 1982	6–1	Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	23–18–16
58	T	February 15, 1982	3–3	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	23–18–17
59	L	February 17, 1982	4–7	@ Edmonton Oilers (1981–82)	23–19–17
60	T	February 18, 1982	2–2	@ Calgary Flames (1981–82)	23–19–18
61	W	February 20, 1982	7–3	Washington Capitals (1981–82)	24–19–18
62	W	February 22, 1982	8–7	Hartford Whalers (1981–82)	25–19–18
63	W	February 24, 1982	7–5	Toronto Maple Leafs (1981–82)	26–19–18
64	T	February 27, 1982	5–5	Buffalo Sabres (1981–82)	26–19–19
65	W	February 28, 1982	5–4	@ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	27–19–19

March

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
66	W	March 3, 1982	6–4	Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	28–19–19
67	W	March 6, 1982	3–1	Vancouver Canucks (1981–82)	29–19–19
68	W	March 8, 1982	8–1	St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	30–19–19
69	T	March 10, 1982	4–4	New York Islanders (1981–82)	30–19–20
70	W	March 13, 1982	3–2	@ St. Louis Blues (1981–82)	31–19–20
71	W	March 15, 1982	4–3	Pittsburgh Penguins (1981–82)	32–19–20
72	L	March 17, 1982	2–3	Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	32–20–20
73	L	March 20, 1982	1–5	@ Montreal Canadiens (1981–82)	32–21–20
74	W	March 22, 1982	4–2	Los Angeles Kings (1981–82)	33–21–20
75	W	March 25, 1982	4–3	@ Detroit Red Wings (1981–82)	34–21–20
76	W	March 27, 1982	6–5	@ Boston Bruins (1981–82)	35–21–20
77	W	March 28, 1982	5–2	@ Hartford Whalers (1981–82)	36–21–20
78	L	March 30, 1982	5–7	Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	36–22–20

April

Game	Result	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
79	W	April 2, 1982	5–2	@ Winnipeg Jets (1981–82)	37–22–20
80	L	April 4, 1982	3–4	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1981–82)	37–23–20

Legend: Win (2 points) Loss (0 points) Tie (1 point)

Player statistics

Awards and records

Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1981 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	13	Ron Meighan	Canada	Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL)
2	27	Dave Donnelly	Canada	St. Albert Saints (AJHL)
2	31	Mike Sands	Canada	Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL)
2	33	Tom Hirsch	United States	Patrick Henry High School (USHS-MN)
2	34	Dave Preuss	United States	St. Thomas Academy (USHS-MN)
2	41	Jali Wahlsten	Finland	TPS (Finland)
4	69	Terry Tait	Canada	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL)
4	76	Jim Malwitz	United States	Grand Rapids High School (USHS-MN)
5	97	Kelly Hubbard	Canada	Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
6	118	Paul Guay	United States	Mount Saint Charles Academy (USHS-RI)
7	139	Jim Archibald	Canada	Moose Jaw Canucks (SJHL)
8	160	Kari Kanervo	Finland	TPS (Finland)
9	181	Scott Bjugstad	United States	University of Minnesota (WCHA)
10	202	Steve Kudebeh	United States	Breck School (USHS-MN)

References

^ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.
^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
^ "1981-82 Minnesota North Stars Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved March 26, 2025.

External links

North Stars on Hockey Database

[nhl-gd-standings-1] Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.

[2] "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

[Gamelog-3] "1981-82 Minnesota North Stars Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved March 26, 2025.

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[2]

[3]

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 |2||34||Dave Preuss (RW)||{{flagu|United States}}||St. Thomas Academy (USHS-MN)
 |-
-|2||41||Jali Wahlsten (C)||{{FIN}}||TPS (Finland)
+|2||41||Jali Wahlsten (C)||{{FIN}}|| [[HC TPS|TPS]] (Finland)
 |-
 |4||69||Terry Tait (C)||{{flagu|Canada}}|| [[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]] (OHL)

v t e 1981–82 NHL season
Patrick	NY Islanders NY Rangers Philadelphia Pittsburgh Washington
Adams	Boston Buffalo Hartford Montreal Quebec
Norris	Chicago Detroit Minnesota St. Louis Toronto Winnipeg
Smythe	Calgary Colorado Edmonton Los Angeles Vancouver
See also	Draft Waiver draft All-Star Game Stanley Cup playoffs Miracle on Manchester Towel Power Stanley Cup Finals

v t e Minnesota North Stars seasons
1960s	1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 Dallas