Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - NHL history in a 127 years of bite sized pieces.

CaptainCrunch · 05-16-2024, 06:13 PM

1980-81

With the dawn of the 80’s, the advent of pastel, the decade of consumption, big shoulder pads, bigger hair, and tight jeans and the Hair Metal evolution, I could talk about Mike Bossy’s 50 goals in 50 games. I could talk about the 2nd straight cup by the awesome Islanders. Or I could talk about what was important to us that season.

The 1972 expansion was a direct response to the WHA, the NHL wanted to block the WHA from establishing itself in the New York market and quickly granted Long Island a expansion franchise. The Islanders immediately had the screws to them by the Rangers, but persevered, the WHA still tried and failed in New York. The other expansion franchise, the Atlanta Flames were a bolt on, the NHL wanted to keep a balanced schedule and hastily granted a team to Atlanta despite all of the red flags. The NBA’s Atlanta Hawks ownership group stepped up to take ownership lead by Tom Cousins a local real estate developer.

The owners immediately showed their sense of humor as they named the team after the fire resulting from General William Sherman’s march to the sea in the American Civil War. The Flames selected yellow and red as their primary colors.

The Flames played their games out of the Omni, a combination arena and shopping mall and took to the ice in 1972.

Initially the Flames were the more successful franchise. They made the playoffs in 6 of their 8 seasons in Atlanta accumulating a 268-260-108 record. But they could never get over the hump in the playoffs as the Flames never won an opening round, winning a total of 2 playoff games in 8 years.

In their time in Atlanta though they were never a financially successful team. They had averaged about 10,000 fans in a 15,000 arena. They couldn’t draw a large TV deal and were broadcast locally. By the 1979-80 season the Flames were in deep financial trouble and Cousins was facing bankruptcy. He initially tried to keep the Flames in Atlanta by finding new local ownership, but nobody was interested, so Cousins was receptive to a offer from former Oilers owner Nelson Skalbania who had built an ownership group that included Ralph Scurfield, Norman Green, Doc and Bryon Seaman, Normie Kwong and Harley Hotchkiss. Skelbania bought the team for a record $16 million dollars US and announced at the end of the 1979-80 NHL season that he would be moving the team to Calgary.

Of course there were problems, the Flames didn’t have a modern facility and the Flames would have to play in the venerable Calgary Corral. A aged building that had been built in the 1950’s and had a seating capacity of 7475, a new building would come later. The Flames were embraced right away as Calgary caught NHL fever and they quickly sold 10,000 full time and part time season tickets.

With the Flames, Calgary was getting a solid hockey team. A good mix of scoring and toughness. Lead by Kent Nilsson and Gut Chouinard and Eric Vail up front, with bruising Willi Plett providing a spark, and offensively gifted defensemen like Paul Reinhart, Ken Houston on the back end while Phill Russell and Brad March clearing the front of the net. The Flames featured Pat Riggins and Reggie Lemelin in net.

The Flames would spend their first year in the Patrick Division with the Islanders, Rangers, Flyers and Capitals.

The Flames opened their first season with a home game in front of a raucous Calgary Crowd as they played to a 5-5 tie against the Nordiques. NHL hockey had arrived.

The Flames had a good regular season finishing third in the Patrick Division with a 39-17-14 record. Lead by Kent Nilson’s 48 goals and 131 points and bolster by two 30 goal scorers in Willi Plett and Gut Chouinard, the Flames featured 6 20 goal + scorers.

However, the Flames were heading into the playoffs, where they had never had any success. The Flames shook off their playoff curse as they stomped on the Black Hawks sweeping them 3-0, scoring 15 goals and allowing 9.
The Flames second round opponent were the vaunted Flyers, and The Flyers stomped all over the Flames 4-0 in game 1, but the Flames rebounded to win the next 3 games to take a 3-1 lead. However, it’s never easy with the Flames and they got drubbed 9-4 in game 5 and lost 3-2 in game 6, forcing a game 7 on the road in Philadelphia. The Flames shocked the Flyers and skated to a 4-1 win to book their tickets to the semi-finals.

Their opponents the North Stars had finished 3rd in the Adams division with 87 points and had upset the Bruins and Buffalo. The Flames and Stars spit the first two games in Calgary, and Calgary dropped the two games in Minnesota before forcing a game 6 with a 3-1 win on Corral ice, but it wasn’t met to be as the Stars finished off the Flames in game 6 skating off with a 5-3 win.

But for Flames fans, the NHL had arrived, they had a good team with a lot of upside that had clawed their way to the Stanley Cup Semifinals. There were all kinds of reasons to be excited about the future.

Trivia

Four men join the Hall of Fame as Harry Lumley, Lynn Patrick and Gump Worsley are inducted.
Using the first round pick the Montreal Canadians pick up Doug Wikenheiser.
Gordie Howe hangs up the blades after 32 years of pro hockey. He leaves with NHL records in seasons (26) games (1,767), goals (801) assists (1,049) and points (1,850).
Quebec becomes involved in a hockey-based spy story as they sign Czech defectors Peter and Anton Stastny.
After 41 games Phil Esposito abruptly retires.
On Jan 7th Marcel Dionne joins the 1000-point club.
On Jan 24th Mike Bossy of the Islanders becomes the second player in history to score 50 goals and 50 games when he scores with a 1.29 left against Quebec.
On Feb 22, The Stasny brothers Peter and Anton combine for 7 goals and 16 points in a route of the Capitals.
On Feb 26th the North Stars and Bruins brawl to an NHL record 406 penalty minutes.
On March 4th Guy LaFleur joins the 1000 point club, Bobby Clarke joins 2 weeks later.
On March 19th Buffalo scored a record 9 goals in one period in a 14-4 beatdown of the Leafs.
The Islanders finish first in the NHL with a 48-18-14 record lead by Mike Bossy’s 68 goals.
Calgary gets 49 goals from Kent Nilsson and a surprising 38 goals from Willi Plett as the Flames finish 3rd in the Patrick.
St Louis wins the Smythe Division.
Darryl Sutter one of the six Sutter brothers who will play in the NHL leads the Hawks with 40 goals.
The Oilers add Finish sensation Jari Kurri to Wayne Gretzky’s line.
Gretzky sets an NHL record 164 points.
Winnipeg sets an NHL record going winless in 30 games and finishes with a 9-57-14 record.
The Canadians finishes first in the Norris Division, but Guy LaFleur’s streak of 6 50 goal season ends as he scores just 27.
Montreal goalie Richard Sevigny leads the league with a sparkling 2.40 gaa.
The Kings finish send in the Norris as NHL rookie Larry Murphy sets and NHL record 76 points as a rookie blueliner.
Mark Howe of the Whalers narrowly avoids a career-ending injury as he’s checked into the net and the spike holding the cage spears him in the buttocks missing his spine by a half inch. He misses 17 games.
Buffalo powers it way to the Adams division title.
Mike Bossy leads the league in goals with 68.
Wayne Gretzky wins the scoring title with 164 points.
Tiger Williams of the Canucks leads the league with 343 pim.
The first round of the players see’s 5 sweeps as Buffalo sweeps Vancouver, the Stars beat the Bruins, Calgary brooms Chicago, the Oilers shock the Canadians and the Isles murder the Leafs.
St Louis sneaks by Pittsburgh in 5 games, Philly outlasts Quebec in 5, and the Rangers beat LA in 4 games.
In the quarterfinals Minnesota upsets the Sabres 4-1, The Islanders beat Edmonton 4-2, The Rangers skate past St Lousi 4-2 and Calgary edges the Flyers in 7 games.
In the semi finals the Stars stun Calgary 4-2 and the Islanders brutalize the Rangers 4-0 outscoring them 22-8.
The Islanders walk past the Stars in 5 games in the finals to win their second straight cup.
Butch Goring wins the Conn Smythe trophy.
Wayne Gretzky wins his second straight Hart Trophy.
Rick Kehoe of the Pens wins the Lady Byng.
Pet Stastny wins the Calder Trophy.
The Pens Randy Carlyle wins hens the Norris.
Mike Liut of the blues wins the Lester B, Pearson, while his coach Red Berenson wins the Jack Adams.
Montreal’s Bob Gainey wins his 4th and last Selke.
Blue’s Forward Blake Dunlop carries off the Masterton.
Dale Hawerchik wins the SMJ player of the year and helps the Cornwall Royals to their second straight Memorial Cup.
Wisconsin wins the NCAA title beating Minnesota in the finals.
Neal Broten on Minnesota wins the first Hobey Baker award.

Debuts

Barry Pederson, Boston Bruins
Steve Kasper, Boston Bruins
Denis Savard, Chicago Black Hawks
Steve Larmer, Chicago Black Hawks
Andy Moog, Edmonton Oilers
Charlie Huddy, Edmonton Oilers
Glenn Anderson, Edmonton Oilers
Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers
Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers
Larry Murphy, Los Angeles Kings
Dino Ciccarelli, Minnesota North Stars
Don Beaupre, Minnesota North Stars
Neal Broten, Minnesota North Stars
Doug Wickenheiser, Montreal Canadiens
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
Rick Wamsley, Montreal Canadiens
Brent Sutter, New York Islanders
Rollie Melanson, New York Islanders
Tim Kerr, Philadelphia Flyers
Mike Bullard, Pittsburgh Penguins
Anton Stastny, Quebec Nordiques
Peter Stastny, Quebec Nordiques
Dale Hunter, Quebec Nordiques
Paul MacLean, St. Louis Blues
Dave Babych, Winnipeg Jets

Last games

Jean Ratelle, Boston Bruins
Terry Harper, Colorado Rockies
Pete Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings
Tom Bladon, Detroit Red Wings
Phil Esposito, New York Rangers
Walt Tkaczuk, New York Rangers
Ron Ellis, Toronto Maple Leafs
Dennis Kearns, Vancouver Canucks
Bobby Schmautz, Vancouver Canucks
Dennis Ververgaert, Washington Capitals
Guy Charron, Washington Capitals
Wayne Stephenson, Washington Capitals
Jude Drouin, Winnipeg Jets

05-16-2024, 06:13 PM	#184
CaptainCrunch Norm! Join Date: Jun 2002 Exp:	1980-81 With the dawn of the 80’s, the advent of pastel, the decade of consumption, big shoulder pads, bigger hair, and tight jeans and the Hair Metal evolution, I could talk about Mike Bossy’s 50 goals in 50 games. I could talk about the 2nd straight cup by the awesome Islanders. Or I could talk about what was important to us that season. The 1972 expansion was a direct response to the WHA, the NHL wanted to block the WHA from establishing itself in the New York market and quickly granted Long Island a expansion franchise. The Islanders immediately had the screws to them by the Rangers, but persevered, the WHA still tried and failed in New York. The other expansion franchise, the Atlanta Flames were a bolt on, the NHL wanted to keep a balanced schedule and hastily granted a team to Atlanta despite all of the red flags. The NBA’s Atlanta Hawks ownership group stepped up to take ownership lead by Tom Cousins a local real estate developer. The owners immediately showed their sense of humor as they named the team after the fire resulting from General William Sherman’s march to the sea in the American Civil War. The Flames selected yellow and red as their primary colors. The Flames played their games out of the Omni, a combination arena and shopping mall and took to the ice in 1972. Initially the Flames were the more successful franchise. They made the playoffs in 6 of their 8 seasons in Atlanta accumulating a 268-260-108 record. But they could never get over the hump in the playoffs as the Flames never won an opening round, winning a total of 2 playoff games in 8 years. In their time in Atlanta though they were never a financially successful team. They had averaged about 10,000 fans in a 15,000 arena. They couldn’t draw a large TV deal and were broadcast locally. By the 1979-80 season the Flames were in deep financial trouble and Cousins was facing bankruptcy. He initially tried to keep the Flames in Atlanta by finding new local ownership, but nobody was interested, so Cousins was receptive to a offer from former Oilers owner Nelson Skalbania who had built an ownership group that included Ralph Scurfield, Norman Green, Doc and Bryon Seaman, Normie Kwong and Harley Hotchkiss. Skelbania bought the team for a record $16 million dollars US and announced at the end of the 1979-80 NHL season that he would be moving the team to Calgary. Of course there were problems, the Flames didn’t have a modern facility and the Flames would have to play in the venerable Calgary Corral. A aged building that had been built in the 1950’s and had a seating capacity of 7475, a new building would come later. The Flames were embraced right away as Calgary caught NHL fever and they quickly sold 10,000 full time and part time season tickets. With the Flames, Calgary was getting a solid hockey team. A good mix of scoring and toughness. Lead by Kent Nilsson and Gut Chouinard and Eric Vail up front, with bruising Willi Plett providing a spark, and offensively gifted defensemen like Paul Reinhart, Ken Houston on the back end while Phill Russell and Brad March clearing the front of the net. The Flames featured Pat Riggins and Reggie Lemelin in net. The Flames would spend their first year in the Patrick Division with the Islanders, Rangers, Flyers and Capitals. The Flames opened their first season with a home game in front of a raucous Calgary Crowd as they played to a 5-5 tie against the Nordiques. NHL hockey had arrived. The Flames had a good regular season finishing third in the Patrick Division with a 39-17-14 record. Lead by Kent Nilson’s 48 goals and 131 points and bolster by two 30 goal scorers in Willi Plett and Gut Chouinard, the Flames featured 6 20 goal + scorers. However, the Flames were heading into the playoffs, where they had never had any success. The Flames shook off their playoff curse as they stomped on the Black Hawks sweeping them 3-0, scoring 15 goals and allowing 9. The Flames second round opponent were the vaunted Flyers, and The Flyers stomped all over the Flames 4-0 in game 1, but the Flames rebounded to win the next 3 games to take a 3-1 lead. However, it’s never easy with the Flames and they got drubbed 9-4 in game 5 and lost 3-2 in game 6, forcing a game 7 on the road in Philadelphia. The Flames shocked the Flyers and skated to a 4-1 win to book their tickets to the semi-finals. Their opponents the North Stars had finished 3rd in the Adams division with 87 points and had upset the Bruins and Buffalo. The Flames and Stars spit the first two games in Calgary, and Calgary dropped the two games in Minnesota before forcing a game 6 with a 3-1 win on Corral ice, but it wasn’t met to be as the Stars finished off the Flames in game 6 skating off with a 5-3 win. But for Flames fans, the NHL had arrived, they had a good team with a lot of upside that had clawed their way to the Stanley Cup Semifinals. There were all kinds of reasons to be excited about the future. Trivia Four men join the Hall of Fame as Harry Lumley, Lynn Patrick and Gump Worsley are inducted. Using the first round pick the Montreal Canadians pick up Doug Wikenheiser. Gordie Howe hangs up the blades after 32 years of pro hockey. He leaves with NHL records in seasons (26) games (1,767), goals (801) assists (1,049) and points (1,850). Quebec becomes involved in a hockey-based spy story as they sign Czech defectors Peter and Anton Stastny. After 41 games Phil Esposito abruptly retires. On Jan 7th Marcel Dionne joins the 1000-point club. On Jan 24th Mike Bossy of the Islanders becomes the second player in history to score 50 goals and 50 games when he scores with a 1.29 left against Quebec. On Feb 22, The Stasny brothers Peter and Anton combine for 7 goals and 16 points in a route of the Capitals. On Feb 26th the North Stars and Bruins brawl to an NHL record 406 penalty minutes. On March 4th Guy LaFleur joins the 1000 point club, Bobby Clarke joins 2 weeks later. On March 19th Buffalo scored a record 9 goals in one period in a 14-4 beatdown of the Leafs. The Islanders finish first in the NHL with a 48-18-14 record lead by Mike Bossy’s 68 goals. Calgary gets 49 goals from Kent Nilsson and a surprising 38 goals from Willi Plett as the Flames finish 3rd in the Patrick. St Louis wins the Smythe Division. Darryl Sutter one of the six Sutter brothers who will play in the NHL leads the Hawks with 40 goals. The Oilers add Finish sensation Jari Kurri to Wayne Gretzky’s line. Gretzky sets an NHL record 164 points. Winnipeg sets an NHL record going winless in 30 games and finishes with a 9-57-14 record. The Canadians finishes first in the Norris Division, but Guy LaFleur’s streak of 6 50 goal season ends as he scores just 27. Montreal goalie Richard Sevigny leads the league with a sparkling 2.40 gaa. The Kings finish send in the Norris as NHL rookie Larry Murphy sets and NHL record 76 points as a rookie blueliner. Mark Howe of the Whalers narrowly avoids a career-ending injury as he’s checked into the net and the spike holding the cage spears him in the buttocks missing his spine by a half inch. He misses 17 games. Buffalo powers it way to the Adams division title. Mike Bossy leads the league in goals with 68. Wayne Gretzky wins the scoring title with 164 points. Tiger Williams of the Canucks leads the league with 343 pim. The first round of the players see’s 5 sweeps as Buffalo sweeps Vancouver, the Stars beat the Bruins, Calgary brooms Chicago, the Oilers shock the Canadians and the Isles murder the Leafs. St Louis sneaks by Pittsburgh in 5 games, Philly outlasts Quebec in 5, and the Rangers beat LA in 4 games. In the quarterfinals Minnesota upsets the Sabres 4-1, The Islanders beat Edmonton 4-2, The Rangers skate past St Lousi 4-2 and Calgary edges the Flyers in 7 games. In the semi finals the Stars stun Calgary 4-2 and the Islanders brutalize the Rangers 4-0 outscoring them 22-8. The Islanders walk past the Stars in 5 games in the finals to win their second straight cup. Butch Goring wins the Conn Smythe trophy. Wayne Gretzky wins his second straight Hart Trophy. Rick Kehoe of the Pens wins the Lady Byng. Pet Stastny wins the Calder Trophy. The Pens Randy Carlyle wins hens the Norris. Mike Liut of the blues wins the Lester B, Pearson, while his coach Red Berenson wins the Jack Adams. Montreal’s Bob Gainey wins his 4th and last Selke. Blue’s Forward Blake Dunlop carries off the Masterton. Dale Hawerchik wins the SMJ player of the year and helps the Cornwall Royals to their second straight Memorial Cup. Wisconsin wins the NCAA title beating Minnesota in the finals. Neal Broten on Minnesota wins the first Hobey Baker award. Debuts Barry Pederson, Boston Bruins Steve Kasper, Boston Bruins Denis Savard, Chicago Black Hawks Steve Larmer, Chicago Black Hawks Andy Moog, Edmonton Oilers Charlie Huddy, Edmonton Oilers Glenn Anderson, Edmonton Oilers Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers Larry Murphy, Los Angeles Kings Dino Ciccarelli, Minnesota North Stars Don Beaupre, Minnesota North Stars Neal Broten, Minnesota North Stars Doug Wickenheiser, Montreal Canadiens Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens Rick Wamsley, Montreal Canadiens Brent Sutter, New York Islanders Rollie Melanson, New York Islanders Tim Kerr, Philadelphia Flyers Mike Bullard, Pittsburgh Penguins Anton Stastny, Quebec Nordiques Peter Stastny, Quebec Nordiques Dale Hunter, Quebec Nordiques Paul MacLean, St. Louis Blues Dave Babych, Winnipeg Jets Last games Jean Ratelle, Boston Bruins Terry Harper, Colorado Rockies Pete Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings Tom Bladon, Detroit Red Wings Phil Esposito, New York Rangers Walt Tkaczuk, New York Rangers Ron Ellis, Toronto Maple Leafs Dennis Kearns, Vancouver Canucks Bobby Schmautz, Vancouver Canucks Dennis Ververgaert, Washington Capitals Guy Charron, Washington Capitals Wayne Stephenson, Washington Capitals Jude Drouin, Winnipeg Jets YouTube Video YouTube Video __________________ My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!