First season of Ontario Hockey League
The 1980–81 OHL season was the first season of the newly established Ontario Hockey League , renaming itself from the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. The OMJHL formally severed ties with the Ontario Hockey Association over the summer, and affiliated with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association . The OHL inaugurated the Jack Ferguson Award 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 , defeating the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds .
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
[ 1]
Division quarter-finals
Leyden Division
(4) Oshawa Generals vs. (5) Peterborough Petes
Emms Division
(4) Niagara Falls Flyers vs. (5) Toronto Marlboros
Niagara Falls wins series 3 – 2
Division semi-finals
Leyden Division
(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Oshawa Generals
Sault Ste. Marie wins series 8 – 4
(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (3) Kingston Canadians
Kingston wins series 9 – 5
Emms Division
(1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (4) Niagara Falls Flyers
Kitchener wins series 9 – 5
(2) Brantford Alexanders vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
March 22
Brantford Alexanders
7 – 7
Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Arena
March 26
Brantford Alexanders
3 – 5
Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Arena
March 31
Brantford Alexanders
2 – 6
Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Arena
Windsor wins series 8 – 4
Division finals
Leyden Division
(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (3) Kingston Canadians
Sault Ste. Marie wins series 9 – 5
Emms Division
(1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
Kitchener wins series 9 – 1
J. Ross Robertson Cup
(L1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (E1) Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener wins series 9 – 3
Awards
J. Ross Robertson Cup :
Kitchener Rangers
Hamilton Spectator Trophy :
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Leyden Trophy :
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Emms Trophy :
Kitchener Rangers
Red Tilson Trophy :
Ernie Godden , Windsor Spitfires
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy :
John Goodwin , Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Matt Leyden Trophy :
Brian Kilrea , Ottawa 67's
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy :
Tony Tanti , Oshawa Generals
Max Kaminsky Trophy :
Randy Boyd , Ottawa 67's
Jack Ferguson Award :
Dan Quinn , Belleville Bulls
Dave Pinkney Trophy :
Jim Ralph , Ottawa 67's
Emms Family Award :
Tony Tanti , Oshawa Generals
F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy :
John Vanbiesbrouck , Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
William Hanley Trophy :
John Goodwin , Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Bobby Smith Trophy :
Doug Smith , Ottawa 67's
See also
References
East Division Central Division Midwest Division West Division Defunct teams