The 1980–81 OHL season was the first season of the newly established
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
, renaming itself from the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. The OMJHL formally severed ties with the
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey As ...
over the summer, and affiliated with the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...
. The OHL inaugurated the
Jack Ferguson Award
The Jack Ferguson Award is awarded each year to the top draft pick in the Ontario Hockey League priority selection draft. The trophy is named in honour of Jack Ferguson, a former director of OHL Central Scouting.
Winners
List of OHL first overall ...
for the first overall draft pick in the OHL entry draft. Twelve teams each played 68 games. The
Kitchener Rangers won the
J. Ross Robertson Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
, defeating the
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in th ...
.
Regular season
Final standings
''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched first round bye; z = clinched division title & first round bye''
Leyden Division
Emms Division
Scoring leaders
Playoffs
Division quarter-finals
Leyden Division
=(4) Oshawa Generals vs. (5) Peterborough Petes
=
Emms Division
=(4) Niagara Falls Flyers vs. (5) Toronto Marlboros
=
Division semi-finals
Leyden Division
=(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Oshawa Generals
=
=(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (3) Kingston Canadians
=
Emms Division
=(1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (4) Niagara Falls Flyers
=
=(2) Brantford Alexanders vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
=
Division finals
Leyden Division
=(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (3) Kingston Canadians
=
Emms Division
=(1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
=
J. Ross Robertson Cup
(L1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (E1) Kitchener Rangers
Awards
See also
*
List of OHA Junior A standings
This is a list of OHA standings and season-by-season summaries of the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior A division from 1933 to 1972, and its Tier I division from 1972 to 1974.
;Legend
* GP = games played
* W = wins
* L = losses
* T = ties
* P ...
*
List of OHL seasons
This is a list of Ontario Hockey League seasons since inception of the league, as well as a list of seasons for its precursor leagues, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL), and the Ontario Hockey Association Junior A League (OHA).
OHA se ...
*
1981 Memorial Cup
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offe ...
*
1981 NHL Entry Draft
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
*
1980 in sports
1980 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing
* Alpine Skiing World Cup:
** Men's overall season champion: Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein
** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein
* January 12 †...
*
1981 in sports
1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing
* Alpine Skiing World Cup –
** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA
** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland
American football
* Ja ...
References
HockeyDB
{{DEFAULTSORT:1980-81 OHL season
Ontario Hockey League seasons
OHL