1980–81 Detroit Red Wings season
national Hockey League team season

The 1980–81 Detroit Red Wings season was the Red Wings' 49th season, the first full season at Joe Louis Arena, and 55th overall for the franchise.
The team missed the playoffs for the third year in a row since the 1974–75 season and the 1976–77 season it is also the first time since the 1978–79 season that they finished last in the conference.
Regular season
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals againstNote: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
Divisions: ADM – Adams, NRS – Norris, PTK – Patrick, SMY – Smythe
bold – The top 16 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division or conference.x – Won division; y – Won Conference (and division); p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and conference and division)
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
Player statistics
Regular season
Scoring
Goaltending
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals;
MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;
Transactions
The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 1980–81 season.
Trades
Waivers
Free agent signings
Draft picks
Detroit's draft picks at the 1980 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “1980–81 Detroit Red Wings season” is national Hockey League team season. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Detroit, Wings and season, not as a finished interpretation.
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