The 1981–82 Atlantic Coast Hockey League season was the first season of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. Seven teams participated in the regular season, and the Mohawk Valley Stars were the league champions. The Fitchburg Trappers and Schenectady Chiefs folded during the first month of the season and the Cape Cod Buccaneers, owned by World Wrestling Foundation mogul Vince McMahon, withdrew after 39 games. The four remaining clubs voted to cut short the regular season and move directly to the playoffs. The Salem Raiders had the best record in the league at the time at 32-15. The Raiders lost to the Mohawk Valley Stars of Utica, New York in the championship series.
| Semifinals
| | | Final
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 2
| Mohawk Valley Stars
| 4
| | |
|
| 3
| Baltimore Skipjacks
| 3
| |
| | 2
| Mohawk Valley Stars
| 4
| |
|
| |
| | | 1
| Salem Raiders
| 2
| |
| 1
| Salem Raiders
| 4
| |
| |
| 4
| Winston-Salem Thunderbirds
| 1
| |
