Team Stats

1980–81 Regular Season

Coach: Roger Neilson
Total Players: 27
Related1980–81 game results1980–81 standingsRound 1 vs VAN breakdownRound 2 vs MNS breakdown
Season Summary

39-20-21, 99 points, a +77 goal differential.

Team Totals
327
250
+77
23.4%
83.6%
3.13
GF
GA
DIFF
PP%
PK%
GAA
NHL
7th
3rd
3rd
10th
1st
3rd
CONF
3rd
2nd
2nd
6th
1st
2nd
DIV
1st
1st
1st
4th
1st
1st
ALL-TIME
75th pct
90th pct
88th pct
91st pct
70th pct

All-time is where 1980–81 ranks among Sabres regular seasons, as a percentile: GF, GA and DIFF since 1970–71 (55 seasons), PP% and PK% since 1977–78 (48). GF, GA and DIFF are relative to each season's league scoring. Higher is better, GA included.

Goal differential
LEAGUE MED -4BUF +77-154+100
One dot per NHL team.
Team Leaders
85
POINTS
46
GOALS
+40
PLUS/MINUS

Skater Scatter

Any two stats, one dot per skater. What is xG?

Dot size is ice time per game. Above the dashed line: more Goals than xG.

X axis:
Y axis:

No skaters match these filters. Lower the games-played floor or widen the position filter.

More cuts on the Stats Playground scatter.

Win DNA

Yes-or-no box-score traits, and how often the Sabres won with and without each. Correlation, not cause.

How this is measured

Every counting stat runs higher in a win (you score more when you win), so each game gets a yes-or-no question instead, and the win rate when yes is set against the win rate when no. The gap is the lift, in percentage points. A trait can be a symptom of a good night as much as a reason for one. Shot-attempt share (CF%) is left out: in a single game the trailing team piles up attempts, so out-attempting the opponent has gone with a lower win rate.

39-20 in 59 decided games, 1980–81 regular season.
Wins (39)Losses (20)
3+ scorersD combined 3+ ptsScored firstDepth goal50%100%

The wider the gap on an axis, the more that trait separates a win from a loss.

The raw split, wins vs losses

The totals the table above deliberately doesn't lead with. Goals and points from both positions climb in wins, but the defense's share of the offense barely moves, which is why the question is who else scored, not whether the D did.

PER GAMEWINS (39)LOSSES (20)
Forward goals4.822.50
Defense goals0.620.20
Forward points11.315.35
Defense points3.181.60
Different goal scorers4.262.35
D share of points22%23%
D share of shots27%32%

Skaters

PlayerNo.GPGAPTS+/-PIMPPSHGWGSOGS%
Danny Gare1873463985+12109150724918.5%
Andre Savard1279314374+336322414920.8%
Tony McKegney2580373269+112490423615.7%
John Van Boxmeer480185169-2696122587.0%
Derek Smith1969214364+1412110216612.7%
Gilbert Perreault1156203959+25650315013.3%
Craig Ramsay1080243559+401211311021.8%
Ric Seiling1674302757+218021414021.4%
Richie Dunn37974249+21344011744.0%
Alan Haworth1549162036-7344017222.2%
Jim Schoenfeld67182533+271103001017.9%
Don Luce1461151328+14190429416.0%
Lindy Ruff446581826+2121102978.2%
Rick Dudley1738101323+7102004920.4%
Bill Hajt246821921+3642000583.4%
Rick Martin72371421+4202015712.3%
Gilles Hamel95110919-8532005617.9%
Mike Ramsey57231417+356001724.2%
Rob McClanahan95331215-1938101674.5%
Jean-Francois Sauve15205914-2123002619.2%
Larry Playfair27753912+5169001545.6%
Steve Patrick1130178+125000352.9%
Mike Moller145224+30000728.6%
Randy Cunneyworth1910000200010.0%
Robert Mongrain254000-2200020.0%
Total327535862117273939248013.2%

Goalies

PlayerNo.GPWLTGAASV%SO
Don Edwards1452310122.96.8983
Bob Sauve1835161093.18.8802
Total3920215

A goalie is credited a game played for any appearance, relief included, so GP sums above the team's own games played by the number of relief outings. The Total row leaves GP out for that reason.