# 1985–86 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1985–86 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' 19th season.
Coached by Lorne Henning, the team compiled a record of 38–33–9 for 85 points, to finish the regular season 2nd in the Norris Division. In the playoffs they lost the division semi-finals 3–2 to the St. Louis Blues.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Norris Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 80 | 39 | 33 | 8 | 351 | 349 | 86 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 38 | 33 | 9 | 327 | 305 | 85 |
| St. Louis Blues | 80 | 37 | 34 | 9 | 302 | 291 | 83 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 25 | 48 | 7 | 311 | 386 | 57 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 17 | 57 | 6 | 266 | 415 | 40 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Norris Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
CHI
DET
MIN
STL
TOR
Total
Chicago
—6−23−3−25−32−616−14−2
Detroit
2−6—1−6−12−5−13−4−18−21−3
Minnesota
3−3−26−1−1—4−3−17−0−120−7−5
St. Louis
3−55−2−13−4−1—3−3−214−14−4
Toronto
6−24−3−10−7−13−3−2—13−15−4
Vs. Smythe Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
CGY
EDM
LAK
VAN
WIN
Total
Chicago
2−10−31−0−23−02−18−5−2
Detroit
0−2−10−32−10−30−32−12−1
Minnesota
2−0−11−21−21−21−26−8−1
St. Louis
2−11−1−11−1−13−02−19−4−2
Toronto
1−21−21−20−2−11−1−14−9−2
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
HFD
MTL
QUE
Total
Chicago
2−12−12−10−2−11−27−7−1
Detroit
1−21−1−11−20−31−24−10−1
Minnesota
0−31−22−11−1−11−25−9−1
St. Louis
2−11−21−1−12−12−18−6−1
Toronto
0−2−12−10−31−20−33−11−1
Vs. Patrick Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
NJD
NYI
NYR
PHI
PIT
WSH
Total
Chicago
1−22−0−13−00−2−11−1−11−28−7−3
Detroit
0−2−10−30−31−21−21−23−14−1
Minnesota
2−12−0−12−10−2−10−31−27−9−2
St. Louis
2−11−1−11−1−11−21−20−36−10−2
Toronto
2−10−31−21−20−31−25−13−0 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | T | October 10, 1985 | 6–6 OT | @ Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 0–0–1 |
| 2 | L | October 12, 1985 | 2–6 | Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) | 0–1–1 |
| 3 | L | October 15, 1985 | 2–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) | 0–2–1 |
| 4 | W | October 17, 1985 | 10–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | L | October 19, 1985 | 3–7 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) | 1–3–1 |
| 6 | W | October 22, 1985 | 5–4 | St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | T | October 23, 1985 | 4–4 OT | @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 2–3–2 |
| 8 | W | October 26, 1985 | 7–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 3–3–2 |
| 9 | L | October 27, 1985 | 2–3 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) | 3–4–2 |
| 10 | L | October 30, 1985 | 5–6 | Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 3–5–2 |
| 11 | L | November 2, 1985 | 1–3 | Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) | 3–6–2 |
| 12 | T | November 6, 1985 | 3–3 OT | Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) | 3–6–3 |
| 13 | W | November 9, 1985 | 4–3 OT | New York Rangers (1985–86) | 4–6–3 |
| 14 | L | November 10, 1985 | 1–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1985–86) | 4–7–3 |
| 15 | L | November 13, 1985 | 2–5 | @ Hartford Whalers (1985–86) | 4–8–3 |
| 16 | L | November 16, 1985 | 2–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 4–9–3 |
| 17 | T | November 17, 1985 | 5–5 OT | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 4–9–4 |
| 18 | T | November 19, 1985 | 3–3 OT | @ Calgary Flames (1985–86) | 4–9–5 |
| 19 | L | November 21, 1985 | 2–4 | St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 4–10–5 |
| 20 | W | November 23, 1985 | 4–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) | 5–10–5 |
| 21 | W | November 25, 1985 | 4–3 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) | 6–10–5 |
| 22 | T | November 27, 1985 | 4–4 OT | New York Islanders (1985–86) | 6–10–6 |
| 23 | L | November 29, 1985 | 1–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) | 6–11–6 |
| 24 | L | November 30, 1985 | 3–4 | @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 6–12–6 |
| 25 | W | December 3, 1985 | 9–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 7–12–6 |
| 26 | L | December 7, 1985 | 4–8 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) | 7–13–6 |
| 27 | L | December 9, 1985 | 4–6 | New Jersey Devils (1985–86) | 7–14–6 |
| 28 | W | December 11, 1985 | 10–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 8–14–6 |
| 29 | T | December 14, 1985 | 6–6 OT | Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 8–14–7 |
| 30 | W | December 17, 1985 | 6–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 9–14–7 |
| 31 | L | December 19, 1985 | 3–4 OT | Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) | 9–15–7 |
| 32 | L | December 21, 1985 | 2–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1985–86) | 9–16–7 |
| 33 | W | December 22, 1985 | 8–3 | @ New Jersey Devils (1985–86) | 10–16–7 |
| 34 | W | December 26, 1985 | 6–5 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) | 11–16–7 |
| 35 | W | December 28, 1985 | 3–1 | New York Rangers (1985–86) | 12–16–7 |
| 36 | W | December 31, 1985 | 6–3 | Calgary Flames (1985–86) | 13–16–7 |
| 37 | W | January 2, 1986 | 3–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) | 14–16–7 |
| 38 | L | January 5, 1986 | 2–6 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 14–17–7 |
| 39 | W | January 7, 1986 | 3–2 | @ New York Islanders (1985–86) | 15–17–7 |
| 40 | L | January 10, 1986 | 3–4 | Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) | 15–18–7 |
| 41 | W | January 11, 1986 | 5–3 | Washington Capitals (1985–86) | 16–18–7 |
| 42 | T | January 14, 1986 | 3–3 OT | Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 16–18–8 |
| 43 | W | January 16, 1986 | 4–3 | St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 17–18–8 |
| 44 | W | January 18, 1986 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 18–18–8 |
| 45 | L | January 19, 1986 | 2–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) | 18–19–8 |
| 46 | L | January 21, 1986 | 5–7 | @ Washington Capitals (1985–86) | 18–20–8 |
| 47 | L | January 23, 1986 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) | 18–21–8 |
| 48 | L | January 25, 1986 | 3–6 | Washington Capitals (1985–86) | 18–22–8 |
| 49 | W | January 27, 1986 | 6–2 | New Jersey Devils (1985–86) | 19–22–8 |
| 50 | L | January 29, 1986 | 3–4 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) | 19–23–8 |
| 51 | L | January 31, 1986 | 5–10 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) | 19–24–8 |
| 52 | W | February 6, 1986 | 8–7 OT | Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 20–24–8 |
| 53 | T | February 8, 1986 | 3–3 OT | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) | 20–24–9 |
| 54 | W | February 10, 1986 | 4–3 OT | @ Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) | 21–24–9 |
| 55 | W | February 11, 1986 | 4–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 22–24–9 |
| 56 | L | February 13, 1986 | 3–5 | @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 22–25–9 |
| 57 | W | February 15, 1986 | 4–1 | Hartford Whalers (1985–86) | 23–25–9 |
| 58 | L | February 16, 1986 | 3–5 | Boston Bruins (1985–86) | 23–26–9 |
| 59 | W | February 19, 1986 | 6–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 24–26–9 |
| 60 | W | February 21, 1986 | 5–2 | Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) | 25–26–9 |
| 61 | W | February 23, 1986 | 4–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 26–26–9 |
| 62 | L | February 24, 1986 | 1–5 | @ New York Rangers (1985–86) | 26–27–9 |
| 63 | W | February 26, 1986 | 5–2 | @ Hartford Whalers (1985–86) | 27–27–9 |
| 64 | W | March 1, 1986 | 5–4 | New York Islanders (1985–86) | 28–27–9 |
| 65 | W | March 3, 1986 | 8–5 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 29–27–9 |
| 66 | W | March 5, 1986 | 5–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 30–27–9 |
| 67 | L | March 8, 1986 | 2–4 | Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) | 30–28–9 |
| 68 | W | March 11, 1986 | 4–0 | Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) | 31–28–9 |
| 69 | W | March 13, 1986 | 3–2 | @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 32–28–9 |
| 70 | L | March 15, 1986 | 2–3 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) | 32–29–9 |
| 71 | W | March 17, 1986 | 6–5 OT | St. Louis Blues (1985–86) | 33–29–9 |
| 72 | W | March 19, 1986 | 6–5 | @ Calgary Flames (1985–86) | 34–29–9 |
| 73 | L | March 21, 1986 | 4–5 OT | @ Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) | 34–30–9 |
| 74 | L | March 22, 1986 | 2–6 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) | 34–31–9 |
| 75 | L | March 24, 1986 | 0–1 | Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) | 34–32–9 |
| 76 | W | March 26, 1986 | 6–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) | 35–32–9 |
| 77 | W | March 29, 1986 | 5–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 36–32–9 |
| 78 | L | April 1, 1986 | 1–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 36–33–9 |
| 79 | W | April 2, 1986 | 7–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) | 37–33–9 |
| 80 | W | April 5, 1986 | 5–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1985–86) | 38–33–9 |

## Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 3 | 51 | Stephane Roy | Canada | Granby Bisons (QMJHL) |
| 4 | 69 | Mike Berger | Canada | Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) |
| 5 | 90 | Dwight Mullins | Canada | Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) |
| 6 | 111 | Mike Mullowney | United States | Deerfield Academy (USHS-MA) |
| 7 | 132 | Mike Kelfer | United States | St. John's School (USHS-MA) |
| 8 | 153 | Ross Johnson | Canada | Rochester Mayo High School (USHS-MA) |
| 9 | 174 | Tim Helmer | Canada | Ottawa 67's (OHL) |
| 10 | 195 | Gordie Ernst | United States | Cranston East High School (USHS-RI) |
| 11 | 216 | Ladislav Lubina | Czechoslovakia | LTC Pardubice (Czechoslovakia) |
| 12 | 237 | Tommy Sjödin | Sweden | Timra IK (Sweden) |