1985–86 NHL season

The 1985–86 NHL season was the 69th season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-one teams each played 80 games. This season saw the league's Board of Governors introduce the Presidents' Trophy, which would go to the team with the best overall record in the NHL regular season. The Edmonton Oilers would be the first winners of this award.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Calgary Flames four games to one in the final series to win the Stanley Cup.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalty Minutes

Prince of Wales Conference

Adams Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Quebec Nordiques	80	43	31	6	92	330	289	1847
Montreal Canadiens	80	40	33	7	87	330	280	1372
Boston Bruins	80	37	31	12	86	311	288	1919
Hartford Whalers	80	40	36	4	84	332	302	1759
Buffalo Sabres	80	37	37	6	80	296	291	1608

Patrick Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Philadelphia Flyers	80	53	23	4	110	335	241	2025
Washington Capitals	80	50	23	7	107	315	272	1418
New York Islanders	80	39	29	12	90	327	284	1343
New York Rangers	80	36	38	6	78	280	276	1496
Pittsburgh Penguins	80	34	38	8	76	313	305	1538
New Jersey Devils	80	28	49	3	59	300	374	1424

Clarence Campbell Conference

Norris Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Chicago Black Hawks	80	39	33	8	86	351	349	1537
Minnesota North Stars	80	38	33	9	85	327	305	1672
St. Louis Blues	80	37	34	9	83	302	291	1478
Toronto Maple Leafs	80	25	48	7	57	311	386	1716
Detroit Red Wings	80	17	57	6	40	266	415	2393

Smythe Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Edmonton Oilers	80	56	17	7	119	426	310	1928
Calgary Flames	80	40	31	9	89	354	315	2297
Winnipeg Jets	80	26	47	7	59	295	372	1774
Vancouver Canucks	80	23	44	13	59	282	333	1813
Los Angeles Kings	80	23	49	8	54	284	389	2004

Scoring leaders

Player	Team	GP	G	A	PTS
Wayne Gretzky	Edmonton Oilers	80	52	163	215
Mario Lemieux	Pittsburgh Penguins	79	48	93	141
Paul Coffey	Edmonton Oilers	79	48	90	138
Jari Kurri	Edmonton Oilers	78	68	63	131
Mike Bossy	New York Islanders	80	61	62	123
Peter Stastny	Quebec Nordiques	76	41	81	122
Denis Savard	Chicago Black Hawks	80	47	69	116
Mats Naslund	Montreal Canadiens	80	43	67	110
Dale Hawerchuk	Winnipeg Jets	80	46	59	105
Neal Broten	Minnesota North Stars	80	29	76	105

Leading Goaltenders

Player	Team	GP	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
Bob Froese	Philadelphia Flyers	51	2728	116	5	2.55
Al Jensen	Washington Capitals	44	2437	129	2	3.18
Clint Malarchuk	Quebec Nordiques	46	2657	142	4	3.21
Kelly Hrudey	New York Islanders	45	2563	137	1	3.21
John Vanbiesbrouck	New York Rangers	61	3326	184	3	3.32
Patrick Roy	Montreal Canadiens	47	2651	148	1	3.35
Pat Riggin	Washington Capitals / Boston Bruins	46	2641	150	1	3.41
Rick Wamsley	St. Louis Blues	42	2517	144	1	3.43
Pete Peeters	Boston Bruins / Washington Capitals	42	2506	144	1	3.45
Don Beaupre	Minnesota North Stars	52	3073	182	1	3.55

Stanley Cup playoffs

Note: all dates in 1986

The Stanley Cup

Adams Division Semi-Finals

Hartford Whalers vs. Quebec Nordiques

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	Hartford	3	Quebec	2	(OT)
April 10	Hartford	4	Quebec	1
April 12	Quebec	4	Hartford	9

Hartford wins best-of-five series 3–0

Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	Boston	1	Montreal	3
April 10	Boston	2	Montreal	3
April 12	Montreal	4	Boston	3

Montreal wins best-of-five series 3–0

Patrick Division Semi-Finals

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	New York	6	Philadelphia	2
April 10	New York	1	Philadelphia	2
April 12	Philadelphia	2	New York	5
April 13	Philadelphia	7	New York	1
April 15	New York	5	Philadelphia	2

New York Rangers wins best-of-five series 3–2

New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	New York	1	Washington	3
April 10	New York	2	Washington	5
April 12	Washington	3	New York	1

Washington wins best-of-five series 3–0

Norris Division Semi-Finals

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Chicago Black Hawks

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	Toronto	5	Chicago	3
April 10	Toronto	6	Chicago	4
April 12	Chicago	2	Toronto	7

Toronto wins best-of-five series 3–0

St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota North Stars

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	St. Louis	2	Minnesota	1
April 10	St. Louis	2	Minnesota	6
April 12	Minnesota	3	St. Louis	4
April 13	Minnesota	7	St. Louis	4
April 15	St. Louis	6	Minnesota	3

St. Louis wins best-of-five series 3–2

Smythe Division Semi-Finals

Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	Vancouver	3	Edmonton	7
April 10	Vancouver	1	Edmonton	5
April 12	Edmonton	5	Vancouver	1

Edmonton wins best-of-five series 3–0

Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 9	Winnipeg	1	Calgary	5
April 10	Winnipeg	4	Calgary	6
April 12	Calgary	4	Winnipeg	3	(OT)

Calgary wins best-of-five series 3–0

Divisional Finals

Hartford Whalers vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 17	Hartford	4	Montreal	1
April 19	Hartford	1	Montreal	3
April 21	Montreal	4	Hartford	1
April 23	Montreal	1	Hartford	2	(OT)
April 25	Hartford	3	Montreal	5
April 27	Montreal	0	Hartford	1
April 29	Hartford	1	Montreal	2	(OT)

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–3

New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 17	New York	4	Washington	3	(OT)
April 19	New York	1	Washington	8
April 21	Washington	6	New York	3
April 23	Washington	5	New York	6	(OT)
April 25	New York	4	Washington	2
April 27	Washington	1	New York	2

New York Rangers wins best-of-seven series 4–2

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 18	Toronto	1	St. Louis	6
April 20	Toronto	3	St. Louis	0
April 22	St. Louis	2	Toronto	5
April 24	St. Louis	7	Toronto	4
April 26	Toronto	3	St. Louis	4	(OT)
April 28	St. Louis	3	Toronto	5
April 30	Toronto	1	St. Louis	2

St. Louis wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 18	Calgary	4	Edmonton	1
April 20	Calgary	5	Edmonton	6	(OT)
April 22	Edmonton	2	Calgary	3
April 24	Edmonton	7	Calgary	4
April 26	Calgary	4	Edmonton	1
April 28	Edmonton	5	Calgary	2
April 30	Calgary	3	Edmonton	2

Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Conference Finals

New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
May 1	New York	1	Montreal	2
May 3	New York	2	Montreal	6
May 5	Montreal	4	New York	3	(OT)
May 7	Montreal	0	New York	2
May 9	New York	1	Montreal	3

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1

St. Louis Blues vs. Calgary Flames

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
May 2	St. Louis	3	Calgary	2
May 4	St. Louis	2	Calgary	8
May 6	Calgary	5	St. Louis	3
May 8	Calgary	2	St. Louis	5
May 10	St. Louis	2	Calgary	4
May 12	Calgary	5	St. Louis	6	(OT)
May 14	St. Louis	1	Calgary	2

Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Finals

Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary Flames

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
May 16	Montreal	2	Calgary	5
May 18	Montreal	3	Calgary	2	(OT)
May 20	Calgary	3	Montreal	5
May 22	Calgary	0	Montreal	1
May 24	Montreal	4	Calgary	3

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1

NHL awards

Presidents' Trophy:	Edmonton Oilers
Prince of Wales Trophy:	Montreal Canadiens
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:	Calgary Flames
Art Ross Memorial Trophy:	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:	Charlie Simmer, Boston Bruins
Calder Memorial Trophy:	Gary Suter, Calgary Flames
Conn Smythe Trophy:	Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens
Frank J. Selke Trophy:	Troy Murray, Chicago Black Hawks
Hart Memorial Trophy:	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Jack Adams Award:	Glen Sather, Edmonton Oilers
James Norris Memorial Trophy:	Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:	Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
Lester B. Pearson Award:	Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Plus/Minus Award:	Mark Howe, Philadelphia Flyers,
William M. Jennings Trophy:	Bob Froese/Darren Jensen, Philadelphia Flyers
Vezina Trophy:	John Vanbiesbrouck, New York Rangers
Lester Patrick Trophy:	Jack MacInnes, Jack Riley

All-Star teams

First Team	Position	Second Team
John Vanbiesbrouck, New York Rangers	G	Bob Froese, Philadelphia Flyers
Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers	D	Larry Robinson, Montreal Canadiens
Mark Howe, Philadelphia Flyers	D	Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins
Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers	C	Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Bossy, New York Islanders	RW	Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers
Michel Goulet, Quebec Nordiques	LW	Mats Naslund, Montreal Canadiens

First games

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1985–86 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):

• Bill Ranford, Boston Bruins
• Daren Puppa, Buffalo Sabres
• Brian Bradley, Calgary Flames
• Gary Suter, Calgary Flames
• Brett Hull*, Calgary Flames
• Adam Oates, Detroit Red Wings
• Petr Klima, Detroit Red Wings
• Bob Probert, Detroit Red Wings
• Shayne Corson, Montreal Canadiens
• Kirk McLean, New Jersey Devils
• Scott Mellanby, Philadelphia Flyers
• Craig Simpson, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Jeff Brown, Quebec Nordiques
• Cliff Ronning*, St. Louis Blues
• Wendel Clark, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Dave Lowry, Vancouver Canucks
• Jim Sandlak, Vancouver Canucks

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1985–86 (listed with their last team):

• Tom Lysiak, Chicago Black Hawks
• Mike Rogers, Edmonton Oilers
• Mario Tremblay, Montreal Canadiens
• Bob Nystrom, New York Islanders
• Pelle Lindbergh, Philadelphia Flyers
• Denis Herron, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Don Edwards, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Marian Stastny, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Jiri Bubla, Vancouver Canucks
• Dan Bouchard, Winnipeg Jets