# 1968–69 Detroit Red Wings season

The 1968–69 Detroit Red Wings season was the franchise's 43rd season of competition, 37th season as the Red Wings.

## Regular season
### Final standings

East Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 76 | 46 | 19 | 11 | 271 | 202 | +69 | 103 |
| 2 | Boston Bruins | 76 | 42 | 18 | 16 | 303 | 221 | +82 | 100 |
| 3 | New York Rangers | 76 | 41 | 26 | 9 | 231 | 196 | +35 | 91 |
| 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 76 | 35 | 26 | 15 | 234 | 217 | +17 | 85 |
| 5 | Detroit Red Wings | 76 | 33 | 31 | 12 | 239 | 221 | +18 | 78 |
| 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 76 | 34 | 33 | 9 | 280 | 246 | +34 | 77 |

### Record vs. opponents
## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 11, 1968 | 2–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | L | October 13, 1968 | 1–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 0–2–0 |
| 3 | W | October 17, 1968 | 7–2 | New York Rangers (1968–69) | 1–2–0 |
| 4 | L | October 20, 1968 | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 1–3–0 |
| 5 | W | October 27, 1968 | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 2–3–0 |
| 6 | W | October 31, 1968 | 7–5 | Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 3–3–0 |
| 7 | L | November 2, 1968 | 1–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 3–4–0 |
| 8 | T | November 3, 1968 | 4–4 | St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 3–4–1 |
| 9 | W | November 6, 1968 | 6–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 4–4–1 |
| 10 | W | November 7, 1968 | 5–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 5–4–1 |
| 11 | L | November 9, 1968 | 4–6 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 5–5–1 |
| 12 | T | November 10, 1968 | 4–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 5–5–2 |
| 13 | L | November 13, 1968 | 1–2 | @ Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 5–6–2 |
| 14 | W | November 14, 1968 | 5–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 6–6–2 |
| 15 | T | November 16, 1968 | 1–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 6–6–3 |
| 16 | L | November 20, 1968 | 2–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 6–7–3 |
| 17 | W | November 23, 1968 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 7–7–3 |
| 18 | W | November 27, 1968 | 5–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 8–7–3 |
| 19 | L | November 28, 1968 | 1–3 | St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 8–8–3 |
| 20 | T | December 1, 1968 | 3–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 8–8–4 |
| 21 | W | December 4, 1968 | 7–2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 9–8–4 |
| 22 | W | December 5, 1968 | 4–2 | New York Rangers (1968–69) | 10–8–4 |
| 23 | L | December 7, 1968 | 1–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 10–9–4 |
| 24 | W | December 8, 1968 | 5–2 | @ New York Rangers (1968–69) | 11–9–4 |
| 25 | L | December 11, 1968 | 3–6 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 11–10–4 |
| 26 | L | December 12, 1968 | 0–6 | @ Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 11–11–4 |
| 27 | W | December 14, 1968 | 3–1 | Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 12–11–4 |
| 28 | W | December 15, 1968 | 5–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 13–11–4 |
| 29 | L | December 19, 1968 | 0–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 13–12–4 |
| 30 | L | December 21, 1968 | 3–8 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 13–13–4 |
| 31 | W | December 22, 1968 | 3–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 14–13–4 |
| 32 | L | December 25, 1968 | 3–6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 14–14–4 |
| 33 | T | December 27, 1968 | 3–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 14–14–5 |
| 34 | T | December 29, 1968 | 3–3 | Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 14–14–6 |
| 35 | W | December 31, 1968 | 6–3 | Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 15–14–6 |
| 36 | L | January 1, 1969 | 1–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 15–15–6 |
| 37 | L | January 4, 1969 | 1–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 15–16–6 |
| 38 | W | January 5, 1969 | 2–1 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 16–16–6 |
| 39 | W | January 9, 1969 | 6–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 17–16–6 |
| 40 | W | January 11, 1969 | 3–2 | New York Rangers (1968–69) | 18–16–6 |
| 41 | W | January 12, 1969 | 5–1 | Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 19–16–6 |
| 42 | W | January 15, 1969 | 4–0 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 20–16–6 |
| 43 | W | January 16, 1969 | 3–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 21–16–6 |
| 44 | T | January 18, 1969 | 1–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 21–16–7 |
| 45 | L | January 19, 1969 | 1–3 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 21–17–7 |
| 46 | T | January 23, 1969 | 2–2 | Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 21–17–8 |
| 47 | W | January 25, 1969 | 5–3 | Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 22–17–8 |
| 48 | W | January 26, 1969 | 3–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 23–17–8 |
| 49 | L | January 29, 1969 | 0–2 | @ New York Rangers (1968–69) | 23–18–8 |
| 50 | L | February 1, 1969 | 0–2 | St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 23–19–8 |
| 51 | L | February 2, 1969 | 2–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 23–20–8 |
| 52 | W | February 4, 1969 | 2–0 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 24–20–8 |
| 53 | W | February 6, 1969 | 6–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 25–20–8 |
| 54 | W | February 8, 1969 | 3–1 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 26–20–8 |
| 55 | W | February 9, 1969 | 5–0 | Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 27–20–8 |
| 56 | L | February 13, 1969 | 1–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 27–21–8 |
| 57 | L | February 15, 1969 | 2–6 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 27–22–8 |
| 58 | W | February 16, 1969 | 6–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 28–22–8 |
| 59 | T | February 19, 1969 | 1–1 | @ New York Rangers (1968–69) | 28–22–9 |
| 60 | W | February 20, 1969 | 3–0 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 29–22–9 |
| 61 | L | February 22, 1969 | 2–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1968–69) | 29–23–9 |
| 62 | W | February 23, 1969 | 9–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1968–69) | 30–23–9 |
| 63 | L | February 26, 1969 | 2–7 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 30–24–9 |
| 64 | W | March 1, 1969 | 4–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1968–69) | 31–24–9 |
| 65 | W | March 2, 1969 | 4–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1968–69) | 32–24–9 |
| 66 | T | March 5, 1969 | 2–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 32–24–10 |
| 67 | L | March 6, 1969 | 1–4 | New York Rangers (1968–69) | 32–25–10 |
| 68 | W | March 8, 1969 | 7–4 | Boston Bruins (1968–69) | 33–25–10 |
| 69 | L | March 15, 1969 | 2–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1968–69) | 33–26–10 |
| 70 | L | March 16, 1969 | 4–6 | @ New York Rangers (1968–69) | 33–27–10 |
| 71 | T | March 19, 1969 | 4–4 | @ Oakland Seals (1968–69) | 33–27–11 |
| 72 | L | March 20, 1969 | 2–4 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1968–69) | 33–28–11 |
| 73 | L | March 22, 1969 | 1–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 33–29–11 |
| 74 | L | March 27, 1969 | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1968–69) | 33–30–11 |
| 75 | T | March 29, 1969 | 1–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 33–30–12 |
| 76 | L | March 30, 1969 | 5–9 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1968–69) | 33–31–12 |

## Player statistics
### Regular season
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | PPG | SHG | GWG |
| Gordie Howe | RW | 76 | 44 | 59 | 103 | 58 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| Alex Delvecchio | C/LW | 72 | 25 | 58 | 83 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Frank Mahovlich | LW | 76 | 49 | 29 | 78 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| Pete Stemkowski | C | 71 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 81 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Garry Unger | C | 76 | 24 | 20 | 44 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Bruce MacGregor | C | 69 | 18 | 23 | 41 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Gary Bergman | D | 76 | 7 | 30 | 37 | 80 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Dean Prentice | LW | 74 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Kent Douglas | D | 69 | 2 | 29 | 31 | 97 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Libett | LW | 75 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bob Baun | D | 76 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Harris | D | 73 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 91 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Poul Popiel | D | 62 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 82 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wayne Connelly | C | 19 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Danny Lawson | RW | 44 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hank Monteith | LW | 34 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rene Leclerc | RW | 43 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Mahovlich | C | 30 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ed Hatoum | RW | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jim Watson | D | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Anderson | RW | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bart Crashley | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roger Crozier | G | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roy Edwards | G | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bob Falkenberg | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gerry Hart | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rick McCann | C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terry Sawchuk | G | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sandy Snow | RW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fred Speck | C | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| Roy Edwards | 2099 | 40 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 89 | 2.54 | 4 |
| Roger Crozier | 1820 | 38 | 12 | 16 | 3 | 101 | 3.33 | 0 |
| Terry Sawchuk | 641 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 2.62 | 0 |
| Team: | 4560 | 76 | 33 | 31 | 12 | 218 | 2.87 | 4 |
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;

## Draft picks

Detroit's draft picks at the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 11 | Steve Andrascik | Canada | Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) |
| 2 | 17 | Herb Boxer | United States | Michigan Tech Huskies (NCAA) |