The 1981 NHL entry draft was the 19th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal. The NHL teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players selected.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Chris Chelios, who retired after the 2009–10 season.
Selections by round Below are listed the selections in the 1981 NHL entry draft. Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1Dale Hawerchuk (C) Winnipeg Jets Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 2 Doug Smith (C) Los Angeles Kings (from Detroit) Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 3Bobby Carpenter (C) Washington Capitals (from Colorado) St. John's School (USHS-MA) 4Ron Francis (C) Hartford Whalers Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 5 Joe Cirella (D) Colorado Rockies (from Washington) Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 6 Jim Benning (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 7 Mark Hunter (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from Pittsburgh) Brantford Alexanders (OMJHL) 8 Grant Fuhr (G) Edmonton Oilers Victoria Cougars (WHL) 9 James Patrick (D) New York Rangers Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) 10Garth Butcher (D) Vancouver Canucks Regina Pats (WHL) 11 Randy Moller (D) Quebec Nordiques Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) 12Tony Tanti (RW) Chicago Black Hawks Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 13 Ron Meighan (D) Minnesota North Stars Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) 14 Normand Leveille (LW) Boston Bruins Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) 15 Al MacInnis (D) Calgary Flames Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) 16 Steve Smith (D) Philadelphia Flyers Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 17 Jiri Dudacek (RW) Buffalo Sabres HC Kladno (Czechoslovakia) 18 Gilbert Delorme (D) Montreal Canadiens (from Los Angeles) Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) 19 Jan Ingman (LW) Montreal Canadiens Färjestad BK (Sweden) 20 Marty Ruff (D) St. Louis Blues Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) 21 Paul Boutilier (D) New York Islanders Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) Reference:
Notes (Round 1) 1.* The Detroit Red Wings' first round pick went to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on August 22, 1979 that sent the right to Dale McCourt to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Andre St. Laurent, 1st round pick in 1980 NHL entry draft and Kings' option of a 2nd round pick in 1980 NHL entry draft or 1st round pick in 1981 NHL entry draft. Kings optioned for this pick.
2.* The Colorado Rockies' first round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on June 10, 1981 that sent the 5th overall pick and 26th overall pick to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for the 45th overall pick and this pick.
3.* The Washington Capitals' first round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of a trade on June 10, 1981 that sent the 3rd overall pick and the 45th overall pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for 26th overall pick and this pick.
4.* The Pittsburgh Penguins' first round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on October 18, 1978 that sent Rod Schutt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for this pick.
5.* The Los Angeles Kings' first round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on October 5, 1978 that sent Murray Wilson and the 1st round pick in 1979 to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for this pick.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 22 Scott Arniel (C) Winnipeg Jets Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 23 Claude Loiselle (C) Detroit Red Wings Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 24 Gary Yaremchuk (C) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Colorado) Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 25 Kevin Griffin (LW) Chicago Black Hawks (from Hartford) Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 26 Rich Chernomaz (RW) Colorado Rockies (from Washington) Victoria Cougars (WHL) 27 Dave Donnelly (C) Minnesota North Stars (from Toronto) St. Albert Saints (AJHL) 28 Steve Gatzos (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 29 Todd Strueby (LW) Edmonton Oilers Regina Pats (WHL) 30 Jan Erixon (LW) New York Rangers Skellefteå AIK (Sweden) 31 Mike Sands (G) Minnesota North Stars (from Vancouver) Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 32 Lars Eriksson (G) Montreal Canadiens (from Quebec) Brynäs IF (Sweden) 33 Tom Hirsch (D) Minnesota North Stars (from Chicago) Patrick Henry High School (USHS-MN) 34 Dave Preuss (RW) Minnesota North Stars St. Thomas Academy (USHS-MN) 35 Luc Dufour (LW) Boston Bruins Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) 36 Hakan Nordin (D) St. Louis Blues (from Calgary) Färjestad BK (Sweden) 37 Rich Costello (C) Philadelphia Flyers Nantick High School (USHS-MA) 38 Hannu Virta (D) Buffalo Sabres TPS (Finland) 39 Dean Kennedy (D) Los Angeles Kings Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 40Chris Chelios (D) Montreal Canadiens Moose Jaw Canucks (SJHL) 41 Jali Wahlsten (C) Minnesota North Stars (from St. Louis) TPS (Finland) 42 Gord Dineen (D) New York Islanders Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) Reference:
Notes (Round 2) 1.* The Colorado Rockies' second round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on October 19, 1978 that sent Jack Valiquette to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for this pick.
2.* The Hartford Whalers' second round pick went to the Chicago Black Hawks as the result of a trade on June 19, 1980 that sent Mike Veisor to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for this pick.
3.* The Washington Capitals' second round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of a trade on June 10, 1981 that sent the 3rd overall pick and the 45th overall pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for 5th overall pick and this pick.
4.* The Toronto Maple Leafs' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on March 10, 1981 that sent Ron Zanussi and the 55th overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick.
5.* The Vancouver Canucks' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on December 10, 1979 that sent Olov Brasar to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for this pick.
6.* The Quebec Nordiques' second round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 9, 1979 that Quebec Nordiques promise to take Dan Geoffrion and/or Alain Cote, rather than Marc Tardif and/or Richard David in 1979 NHL expansion draft in exchange for the third round pick in 1980 and this pick.
7.* The Chicago Black Hawks' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on December 29, 1980 that sent Glen Sharpley to the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for Ken Solheim and this pick.
8.* The Calgary Flames' second round pick went to the St. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on October 10, 1979 that sent Garry Unger to the Atlanta Flames in exchange for Ed Kea, Don Laurence, and this pick. The Atlanta franchise relocated to Calgary for the 1980–81 NHL season.
9.* The St. Louis Blues' second round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 15, 1978 that sent Bob Stewart and future considerations (Harvey Bennett) to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 43 Jyrki Seppa (D) Winnipeg Jets Ilves (Finland) 44 Corrado Micalef (G) Detroit Red Wings Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 45 Eric Calder (D) Washington Capitals (from Colorado) Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 46 Dieter Hegen (C) Montreal Canadiens (from Hartford) EVS Kaufbeuren (West Germany) 47 Barry Tabobondung (LW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Washington) Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) 48 Uli Hiemer (D) Colorado Rockies (from Toronto) EV Fussen (West Germany) 49 Tom Thornbury (D) Pittsburgh Penguins Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) 50 Peter Sundstrom (LW) New York Rangers (from Edmonton) IF Björklöven (Sweden) 51 Mark Morrison (C) New York Rangers Victoria Cougars (WHL) 52 Jean-Marc Lanthier (RW) Vancouver Canucks Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL) 53 Jean-Marc Gaulin (RW) Quebec Nordiques Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL) 54 Darrel Anholt (D) Chicago Black Hawks Calgary Wranglers (WHL) 55 Ernie Godden (C) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Minnesota) Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 56 Mike Vernon (G) Calgary Flames (from Boston) Calgary Wranglers (WHL) 57 Ron Handy (LW) New York Islanders (from Calgary) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 58 Ken Strong (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 59 Jim Aldred (D) Buffalo Sabres Kingston Canadiens (OMJHL) 60 Colin Chisholm (D) Buffalo Sabres (from Los Angeles) Calgary Wranglers (WHL) 61 Paul MacDermid (RW) Hartford Whalers (from Montreal) Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 62 Gord Donnelly (D) St. Louis Blues Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) 63 Neal Coulter (RW) New York Islanders Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) Reference:
Notes (Round 3) 1.* The Colorado Rockies' third round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on June 10, 1981 that sent the 5th overall pick and the 26th overall pick to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for 3rd overall pick and this pick.
2.* The Hartford Whalers' third round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 5, 1980 that sent Rick Meagher, the 61st overall pick, and the 103rd overall pick to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for the 88th overall pick and this pick.
3.* The Washington Capitals' third round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on August 16, 1979 that sent Wayne Stephenson to the Washington Capitals in exchange for this pick.
4.* The Toronto Maple Leafs' third round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of a trade on June 30, 1981 that sent Rene Robert to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for this pick.
5.* The Edmonton Oilers' third round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on March 11, 1980 that sent Don Murdoch to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Cam Connor and this pick.
6.* The Minnesota North Stars' third round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on March 10, 1981 that sent the 27th overall pick to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Ron Zanussi and this pick.
7.* The Boston Bruins' third round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on June 2, 1980 that sent Jim Craig to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the second round pick in 1980 and this pick.
8.* The Calgary Flames' third round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on October 9, 1980 that sent Alex McKendry to the Calgary Flames in exchange for this pick.
9.* The Los Angeles Kings' third round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on March 10, 1981 that sent Rick Martin to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the first round pick in 1983 and this pick.
10.* The Montreal Canadiens' third round pick went to the Hartford Whalers as the result of a trade on June 5, 1980 that sent the 46th overall pick and the 88th overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Rick Meagher, the 103rd overall pick, and this pick.
Round four