The 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, the
playoff tournament of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) began on April 9, after the conclusion of the
1985–86 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 24 with the champion
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
defeating the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
4–1 to win the Stanley Cup.
This was the last time to date that all active Canadian teams have qualified in the same season and also the second time that all seven active teams at the time qualified, the first occurring
three years earlier. The 1986 playoffs saw three first place teams eliminated in the opening round and the fourth, Edmonton, bowed out in the second. This was the last time that all six
Sutter brothers participated in the playoffs in the same year.
In the first round, six of the eight series ended in a three-game sweep. The only two first-round series that did not were the Rangers over the Flyers, and the Blues over the North Stars, both going the full five games.
The Montreal Canadiens decided to go with a rookie goaltender by the name of
Patrick Roy
Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...
. This decision proved to be a good one just like when the Canadiens rode rookie goalie
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liber ...
to a Stanley Cup championship in
1971. In the Final, the Canadiens beat the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, who were also riding a rookie netminder,
Mike Vernon. Patrick Roy won the
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
as the playoff MVP and had a sparkling 1.92 goals against average along with 15 wins. St. Louis forwards
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour (born June 25, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for seven different teams. Gilmour was a seventh round selection, 134th overall, of the St. ...
and
Bernie Federko
Bernard Allan Federko (born May 12, 1956) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre of Ukrainian ancestry who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1976 through 1990.
Playing career
Federko began playing hockey at ...
led the playoffs in scoring with 21 points despite missing the finals; this feat was not repeated until
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
.
The 1986 playoffs marked the first time that all four former
WHA teams made the playoffs in the same year. This would happen again
the following year and in 1999, by which time 3 of those teams had moved, the
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
to Denver, the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
to Phoenix, and the
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
to Raleigh.
Playoff seeds
The following teams qualified for the playoffs:
Prince of Wales Conference
Adams Division
#
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
, Adams Division champions – 92 points
#
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
– 87 points
#
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
– 86 points
#
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
– 84 points
Patrick Division
#
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
, Patrick Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 110 points
#
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
– 107 points
#
New York Islanders – 90 points
#
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
– 78 points
Clarence Campbell Conference
Norris Division
#
Chicago Black Hawks
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, Norris Division champions – 86 points
#
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
– 85 points
#
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
– 83 points
#
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
– 57 points
Smythe Division
#
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
, Smythe Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions,
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
winners – 119 points
#
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
– 89 points
#
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
– 59 points (26 wins)
#
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
– 59 points (23 wins)
Playoff bracket
Division Semifinals
Prince of Wales Conference
(A1) Quebec Nordiques vs. (A4) Hartford Whalers
This was the first playoff series between these two teams.
This was Hartford's lone playoff series victory in their NHL history prior to moving to
Carolina.
(A2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A3) Boston Bruins
This was the twenty-first playoff matchup and the third of nine consecutive playoff meetings between these two teams, with Montreal winning eighteen of the twenty previous series. Montreal won the
previous year in five games.
(P1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (P4) New York Rangers
This was the seventh playoff series meeting between these two teams. Both teams have split their previous six meetings. Philadelphia won
last year's Patrick Division Semifinals in a three-game sweep.
(P2) Washington Capitals vs. (P3) New York Islanders
This was the fourth playoff series between these two teams. New York Islanders won all three previous meetings over the past three seasons. New York won
last year's Patrick Division Semifinals 3–2.
Clarence Campbell Conference
(N1) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (N4) Toronto Maple Leafs
This was the seventh playoff series meeting between these two teams. Toronto won four of the previous six meetings. Their last meeting was in the
1967 Stanley Cup Semifinals, in which Toronto won in six games.
(N2) Minnesota North Stars vs. (N3) St. Louis Blues
This was the seventh playoff series meeting between these two teams. Both teams split their previous six series. Minnesota won
last year's Norris Division Semifinals in a three-game sweep.
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (S4) Vancouver Canucks
This was the first playoff series between these two teams.
(S2) Calgary Flames vs. (S3) Winnipeg Jets
This was the second playoff series between these two teams. This was a rematch of
last year's Smythe Division Semifinals, in which Winnipeg won 3–1.
Division Finals
Prince of Wales Conference
(A2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A4) Hartford Whalers
This was the second playoff series between these two teams. Montreal won the only previous meeting in a three-game sweep in the
1980 Preliminary Round.
The upstart Whalers pushed the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to the limit before falling.
Claude Lemieux
Claude Percy Lemieux (born July 16, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six teams between 1983 and 2009. Lemieux won four Stanley Cup championships during his care ...
scored the series-winning overtime goal for Montreal.
(P2) Washington Capitals vs. (P4) New York Rangers
This was the first playoff series between these two teams.
Clarence Campbell Conference
(N3) St. Louis Blues vs. (N4) Toronto Maple Leafs
This was the first playoff series between these two teams.
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (S2) Calgary Flames
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Edmonton won both previous meetings, including their most recent meeting in seven games in the
1984 Smythe Division Finals.
The deciding goal of game seven between the Oilers and Flames was scored five minutes into the third period when Edmonton's
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
attempted a cross-ice pass from the side of his own net and the puck struck goaltender
Grant Fuhr
Grant Scott Fuhr (born September 28, 1962) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and former goaltending coach for the Arizona Coyotes, who is best remembered for a decade of stellar play for the Edmonton Oilers i ...
's leg and went into the Edmonton goal. This goal is significant because it eliminated the Oilers from the playoffs and prevented them from possibly winning a third straight Stanley Cup. To
date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
this is the Flames' only playoff series victory over the Oilers.
Conference Finals
Prince of Wales Conference Final
(A2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (P4) New York Rangers
This series is best remembered for the third game, in which the Rangers badly outshot the Habs, but were stymied by Patrick Roy. Another Montreal rookie, Claude Lemieux, scored in overtime—his second overtime goal of the playoffs.
Clarence Campbell Conference Final
(S2) Calgary Flames vs. (N3) St. Louis Blues
In Game 6, the Flames led 4–1 after two periods and 5–2 early in the third, but the Blues came back to tie it and then won on an overtime goal by
Doug Wickenheiser
Douglas Peter Wickenheiser (March 30, 1961 – January 12, 1999) was a Canadian ice hockey player, who was drafted first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
Career
Wickenheiser was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. A supe ...
. In Game 7, the Flames were up 2–0 before the Blues scored in the third to cut the lead in half. There wouldn't be another comeback, though, as
Mike Vernon and the Flames withstood a late assault to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final.
Stanley Cup Finals
This was the first playoff series between these two teams. This was the Canadiens' thirty-second appearance in the Finals, while the Flames were making their first appearance in the Finals. Montreal had most recently won the Stanley Cup in
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...
. The Flames became the first team to represent Calgary in the Finals since the
1923–24 Calgary Tigers who were defeated by the same Montreal Canadiens.
In game two Montreal's
Brian Skrudland
Brian Norman Skrudland (born July 31, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars.
Playing career Junior
Skrudland playe ...
set an NHL and Stanley Cup Finals record for the quickest overtime goal in history, scoring just nine seconds into overtime to win the game for Montreal.
Player statistics
Skaters
These are the top ten skaters based on points.
Goaltenders
This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on
goals against average
Goals against average (GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending ...
and the top five goaltenders based on
save percentage
Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various goal-scoring sports that track saves as a statistic.
In ice hockey and lacrosse, it is a statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal ...
, with at least 420 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.
NHL.com - Goalie Stats
/ref>
See also
*List of Stanley Cup champions
The Stanley Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the playoff champion club of the National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey league. It was donated by the Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, and is the oldest professional sp ...
References
{{1985–86 NHL season by team
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
Stanley Cup playoffs