1982–83 NHL season

The 1982–83 NHL season was the 66th season of the National Hockey League. The New York Islanders won their fourth Stanley Cup in a row with their second consecutive finals sweep by beating the Edmonton Oilers four games to none. No team in any major professional North American sport has won four consecutive playoff championships since.

1982–83 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 5, 1982 – May 17, 1983
Number of games80
Number of teams21
Draft
Top draft pickGord Kluzak
Picked byBoston Bruins
Regular season
Season championsBoston Bruins
Season MVPWayne Gretzky (Oilers)
Top scorerWayne Gretzky (Oilers)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPBilly Smith (Islanders)
Stanley Cup
ChampionsNew York Islanders
  Runners-upEdmonton Oilers

League business

Prior the start of the season, the Colorado Rockies moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey where they were renamed New Jersey Devils, leaving Denver without an NHL franchise until 1995. They were also moved to the Patrick Division, forcing the reluctant Winnipeg Jets to leave the Norris Division and take Colorado's place in the Smythe Division. This would be the last relocation of an NHL team and the last time a team would be transferred to a new division, until 1993. After the season, a last-minute sale of the St. Louis Blues to Harry Ornest prevented Wild Bill Hunter from purchasing that team and moving it to Saskatoon.

The Calgary Flames played their final season at the 7,000-plus seat Stampede Corral before moving into the Olympic Saddledome, which had a capacity of 16,605.

At the end of the season, the long pants worn by the Philadelphia Flyers and Hartford Whalers were banned, due to player safety concerns.[1]

Regular season

The last remaining players from the Original Six era (prior to the Expansion Era)–Carol Vadnais, Serge Savard and Wayne Cashman–all retired after this season. Cashman was the last to play, losing in the Wales Conference Finals as a member of the Bruins.

The Boston Bruins led the league in overall points with 110. The defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders fell from first overall and finished tied for 6th overall and the high-powered, high offence, Edmonton Oilers tied for second overall. The Oilers set a new record, which they had set the previous year, for most goals in a season with 424 and were led by Wayne Gretzky's 196 points. The Oilers also tied the Boston Bruins' 1970–71 record for most 100-point players in one season as Wayne Gretzky, Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, and Mark Messier all scored more than 100 points.

The Washington Capitals qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Final standings

Prince of Wales Conference
Adams Division
  GP W L T GF GA PTS
Boston Bruins80502010327228110
Montreal Canadiens8042241435028698
Buffalo Sabres8038291331828589
Quebec Nordiques8034341234333680
Hartford Whalers801954726140345

[2]

Patrick Division
  GP W L T GF GA PTS
Philadelphia Flyers8049238326240106
New York Islanders8042261230222696
Washington Capitals8039251630628394
New York Rangers8035351030628780
New Jersey Devils8017491423033848
Pittsburgh Penguins801853925039445

[2]

Clarence Campbell Conference
Norris Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Chicago Black Hawks80472310338268104
Minnesota North Stars8040241632129096
Toronto Maple Leafs8028401229333068
St. Louis Blues8025401528531665
Detroit Red Wings8021441526334457

[2]

Smythe Division
GP W L T GF GA PTS
Edmonton Oilers80472112424315106
Calgary Flames8032341432131678
Vancouver Canucks8030351530330975
Winnipeg Jets803339831133374
Los Angeles Kings8027411230836566

[2]

Playoffs
Main article: 1983 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 1983 Playoffs marked the first time that 7 NHL teams based in Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Quebec, Winnipeg, and Calgary) had qualified. Since the 1967–68 expansion, all the Canadian teams qualified for the playoffs on five other occasions – 1969 (Montreal and Toronto), 1975, 1976 and 1979 (Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver), and 1986 (the same seven as in 1983), the last time to date (as of 2019) that all active Canadian teams qualified.

Playoff bracket
  Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Stanley Cup Finals
                                     
A1 Boston 3  
A4 Quebec 1  
  A1 Boston 4  
 
  A3 Buffalo 3  
A2 Montreal 0
A3 Buffalo 3  
  A1 Boston 2  
Prince of Wales Conference
  P2 NY Islanders 4  
P1 Philadelphia 0  
P4 NY Rangers 3  
  P4 NY Rangers 2
 
  P2 NY Islanders 4  
P2 NY Islanders 3
P3 Washington 1  
  P2 NY Islanders 4
  S1 Edmonton 0
N1 Chicago 3  
N4 St. Louis 1  
  N1 Chicago 4
 
  N2 Minnesota 1  
N2 Minnesota 3
N3 Toronto 1  
  N1 Chicago 0
Clarence Campbell Conference
  S1 Edmonton 4  
S1 Edmonton 3  
S4 Winnipeg 0  
  S1 Edmonton 4
 
  S2 Calgary 1  
S2 Calgary 3
S3 Vancouver 1  

Stanley Cup Finals
Main article: 1983 Stanley Cup Finals
New York won series 4–0

Awards
1983 NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Wales Conference playoff champion)		New York Islanders
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:
(Campbell Conference playoff champion)		Edmonton Oilers
Art Ross Trophy:
(Top scorer, regular season)		Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:
(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication)		Lanny McDonald, Calgary Flames
Calder Memorial Trophy:
(Best first-year player)		Steve Larmer, Chicago Black Hawks
Conn Smythe Trophy:
(Most valuable player, playoffs)		Billy Smith, New York Islanders
Frank J. Selke Trophy:
(Best defensive forward)		Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
Hart Memorial Trophy:
(Most valuable player, regular season)		Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Jack Adams Award:
(Best coach)		Orval Tessier, Chicago Black Hawks
James Norris Memorial Trophy:
(Best defenceman)		Rod Langway, Washington Capitals
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
(Excellence and sportsmanship)		Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
Lester B. Pearson Award:
(Outstanding player, regular season)		Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
NHL Plus/Minus Award:
(Player with best plus/minus record)		Charlie Huddy, Edmonton Oilers
William M. Jennings Trophy:
(Goaltender(s) of team(s) with best goaltending record)		Roland Melanson/Billy Smith, New York Islanders
Vezina Trophy:
(Best goaltender)		Pete Peeters, Boston Bruins
Lester Patrick Trophy:
(Service to hockey in the U.S.)		Bill Torrey

All-Star teams
First Team  Position  Second Team
Pete Peeters, Boston Bruins G Roland Melanson, New York Islanders
Mark Howe, Philadelphia Flyers D Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins
Rod Langway, Washington Capitals D Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers
Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers C Denis Savard, Chicago Black Hawks
Mike Bossy, New York Islanders RW Lanny McDonald, Calgary Flames
Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers LW Michel Goulet, Quebec Nordiques

Source: NHL.[3]

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers807112519659
Peter StastnyQuebec Nordiques75477712478
Denis SavardChicago Black Hawks78358612199
Mike BossyNew York Islanders79605811820
Marcel DionneLos Angeles Kings80565110722
Barry PedersonBoston Bruins77466110747
Mark MessierEdmonton Oilers77485810672
Michel GouletQuebec Nordiques80574810551
Glenn AndersonEdmonton Oilers72485610470
Kent NilssonCalgary Flames80465810410
Jari KurriEdmonton Oilers80455910422

Source: NHL.[4]

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SO
Pete PeetersBoston Bruins6236111422.36401198
Bob FroesePhiladelphia Flyers251407592.5217424
Rollie MelansonN.Y. Islanders4424601092.66241251
Billy SmithN.Y. Islanders4123401122.87181471
Pelle LindberghPhiladelphia Flyers4023331162.98231333
Murray BannermanChicago Black Hawks4124601273.10241254
Richard SevignyMontreal Canadiens3821301223.44151181
Bob SauveBuffalo Sabres5231101793.45252071
Eddie MioN.Y. Rangers4123651363.45161862
Tony EspositoChicago Black Hawks3923401353.46231151

Coaches

Patrick Division

Adams Division

Norris Division

Smythe Division

Milestones

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1982–83 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1982–83 (listed with their last team):

1983 trade deadline

Trade deadline: March 8, 1983.[5]

See also

References
  • Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Kingston, New York: Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
  • Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
  • Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003). The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International Inc. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
Notes
  1. Weekes, Don (2003). The Best and Worst of Hockey's Firsts: The Unofficial Guide. Canada: Greystone Books. pp. 240. ISBN 9781550548600.
  2. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 152. ISBN 9781894801225.
  3. Dinger 2011, p. 229.
  4. Dinger 2011, p. 152.
  5. NHL trade deadline: Deals since 1980 | Habs Inside/Out Archived 2009-02-16 at the Wayback Machine
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