# 1985–86 Hartford Whalers season

The 1985–86 Hartford Whalers season saw the Whalers finish in fourth place in the Adams Division with a record of 40 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties for 84 points. They beat the Quebec Nordiques in the Adams Division Semifinals in three games, for their first and only playoff series victory in franchise history. They lost the Adams Division Finals in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens. Because the Whalers made it to the Adams Division Finals, the 1985–86 season is considered by many to be the most successful in Whalers history.

## Offseason

At the 1985 NHL Entry Draft held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Hartford Whalers selected defenseman Dana Murzyn from the Calgary Wranglers of the WHL with their first round, fifth overall draft pick. In 72 games with the Wranglers, Murzyn scored 32 goals, 92 points and accumulated 233 penalty minutes during the 1984–85 season. In eight playoff games, Murzyn had a goal and 12 points. Some other notable picks by the Whalers included goaltender Kay Whitmore from the Peterborough Petes in the second round, and right winger Shane Churla from the Medicine Hat Tigers in the sixth round.
On September 19, the Whalers signed free agent center John Newberry. In 16 games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 1984–85 season, Newberry had four assists. With the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL, Newberry scored 23 goals and 63 points in 58 games.
Hartford acquired defenseman Tim Bothwell in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on October 4, as the Whalers sent cash to the Blues to complete the trade. Bothwell scored four goals and 26 points in 79 with the Blues during the 1984–85 season. He also had a +27 rating, and over the past two seasons, Bothwell was a +49.
Three days later, on October 7, Hartford traded defenseman Chris Kotsopoulos to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for left winger Stew Gavin. Gavin scored 12 goals and 25 points in 73 games with Toronto in 1984–85. In 268 career games to date, Gavin scored 34 goals and 82 points since beginning his career in the 1980–81 season.

## Draft picks

Below are the Hartford Whalers' selections at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, which were held on June 15, 1985. It was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.
| Round | # | Player | Pos. | Nationality | College/junior/club team (League) |
| 1 | 5 | Dana Murzyn | D | Canada | Calgary Wranglers (WHL) |
| 2 | 26 | Kay Whitmore | G | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHL) |
| 4 | 68 | Gary Callaghan | C | Canada | Belleville Bulls (OHL) |
| 6 | 110 | Shane Churla | RW | Canada | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) |
| 7 | 131 | Chris Brant | LW | Canada | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) |
| 8 | 152 | Brian Puhalski | LW | Canada | Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) |
| 9 | 173 | Greg Dornbach | C | United States | Miami University (CCHA) |
| 10 | 194 | Paul Tory | RW | Canada | University of Illinois at Chicago (CCHA) |
| 11 | 215 | Jerry Pawloski | D | United States | Harvard University (ECAC) |
| 12 | 236 | Bruce Hill | LW | Canada | University of Denver (WCHA) |

## Roster

1985–86 Hartford Whalers :
| Roster ||||||||
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
| 20 | | John Anderson | LW | L/– | 28 | 1986 | Toronto |
| 44 | | Dave Babych | D | L/– | 24 | 1985 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 17 | | Wayne Babych | RW | R/– | 27 | 1986 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 24 | | Tim Bothwell | D | L/– | 30 | 1985 | Vancouver |
| 34 | | Jack Brownschidle | D | L/– | 30 | 1983 | Buffalo, New York |
| 21 | | Sylvain Côté | D | R/– | 20 | 1984 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 25 | | Bob Crawford | RW | R/– | 26 | 1983 | Belleville, Ontario |
| 11 | | Kevin Dineen | RW | R/– | 22 | 1984 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 12 | | Dean Evason | C | R/– | 21 | 1984 | Flin Flon, Manitoba |
| 29 | | Paul Fenton | LW | L/– | 26 | 1984 | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| 26 | | Ray Ferraro | C | L/– | 21 | 1982 | Trail, British Columbia |
| 10 | | Ron Francis (C) | C | L/– | 22 | 1981 | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
| 14 | | Bill Gardner | C | L/– | 25 | 1985 | Toronto |
| 7 | | Stew Gavin | RW | R/– | 25 | 1985 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 20 | | Mike Hoffman | LW | L/– | 22 | 1981 | Cambridge, Ontario |
| 27 | | Doug Jarvis | C | L/– | 30 | 1985 | Peterborough, Ontario |
| 18 | | Scot Kleinendorst | D | L/– | 26 | 1984 | Grand Rapids, Minnesota |
| 28 | | Paul Lawless | LW | L/– | 21 | 1982 | Scarborough, Ontario |
| 1 | | Mike Liut | G | –/L | 30 | 1985 | Weston, Ontario |
| 23 | | Paul MacDermid | RW | R/– | 22 | 1981 | Chesley, Ontario |
| 14 | | Greg Malone | C | L/– | 29 | 1985 | Fredericton, New Brunswick |
| 25 | | Mike McEwen | D | L/– | 29 | 1985 | Hornepayne, Ontario |
| 4 | | Dana Murzyn | D | L/– | 19 | 1985 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 17 | | Ray Neufeld | RW | R/– | 26 | 1979 | Saint Boniface, Manitoba |
| 33 | | John Newberry | C | L/– | 23 | 1985 | Port Alberni, British Columbia |
| 6 | | Mark Paterson | D | L/– | 21 | 1982 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 22 | | Jörgen Pettersson | LW | L/– | 29 | 1985 | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 3 | | Joel Quenneville | D | L/– | 27 | 1983 | Windsor, Ontario |
| 32 | | Torrie Robertson | LW | L/– | 24 | 1983 | Victoria, British Columbia |
| 5 | | Ulf Samuelsson | D | L/– | 21 | 1982 | Fagerstad, Sweden |
| 38 | | Brad Shaw | D | R/– | 21 | 1985 | Cambridge, Ontario |
| 8 | | Risto Siltanen | D | R/– | 27 | 1982 | Tampere, Finland |
| 15 | | Dave Tippett | LW | L/– | 24 | 1983 | Moosomin, Saskatchewan |
| 16 | | Sylvain Turgeon | LW | L/– | 21 | 1983 | Noranda, Quebec |
| 31 | | Steve Weeks | G | –/L | 27 | 1984 | Scarborough, Ontario |
| 20 | | Mike Zuke | C | R/– | 31 | 1983 | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
| Head Coach ||||||||
| Jack Evans ||||||||
| Assistant Coach ||||||||
| Claude Larose ||||||||
| Head Trainer ||||||||
| Tom Woodcock ||||||||
| Assistant Trainer Equipment Manager ||||||||
| Skip Cunningham ||||||||

## Regular season
### October

Hartford began the 1985–86 season on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on October 10. The Whalers, led by two goals by Kevin Dineen, overcame a 3–0 deficit to defeat the Sabres 5–4. Two nights later, on October 12, the Whalers hosted the New York Rangers for their home opener, and were led by two goals by Ron Francis and Ray Ferraro, as well as 33 saves by Mike Liut, as Hartford defeated New York 8–2 in front of 15,142 fans at the Civic Center.
The Whalers dropped their next game to the Quebec Nordiques, however, they would win their following two games, including a wild 11–6 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, to open the season 4–1–0. Hartford then began a four-game road trip, in which they dropped their first three games before salvaging a victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, bringing their record to 5–4–0.
In their final game of the month, Hartford defeated the Quebec Nordiques on home ice, finishing October with a 6–4–0 record, as they earned 12 points. The Whalers sat in third place in the Adams Division, five points behind the first place Quebec Nordiques.

### November

Hartford got off to a tough start in November, losing their first three games, including blowout losses of 8–1 to the Los Angeles Kings and 8–3 to the Montreal Canadiens. The Whalers ended their losing streak with a 4–3 win over the Quebec Nordiques as they stormed back from a 3–0 third period deficit to take the victory.
The Whalers won their next game against the Minnesota North Stars, however, this followed by another three game losing skid, dropping the Whalers to a record of 8–10–0 and falling into last place in the Adams Division. On November 21, the Whalers acquired defenseman Dave Babych from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for right winger Ray Neufeld. Babych had four goals and 16 points in 19 games with the Jets at the time of the trade. A high-scoring defenseman, Babych had recorded at least 60 points in three of his four previous seasons, including 74 points in 79 games with Winnipeg in 1982–83.
The trade sparked the Whalers to a huge 8–1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on November 23, as Ron Francis led the way with a hat trick. In their next game, the Whalers shutout the Los Angeles Kings 9–0, as Mike Liut earned the shutout with 30 saves.
The Whalers won their third game in row on November 29, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5–4, however, the Edmonton Oilers snapped the Whalers winning streak the next night, as they defeated Hartford 8–5.
Hartford struggled to a 5–7–0 record in November, dropping their overall record to 11–11–0 through their first 22 games. The Whalers were in last place in the Adams Division, three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot.

### December

The Whalers opened December the same way they closed November, as Hartford lost by a score of 8–5, this time to the Calgary Flames, on December 4. Two days later, Hartford acquired center Doug Jarvis from the Washington Capitals for left winger Jörgen Pettersson. Jarvis, who began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1975–76 season, had never missed a game in his career, as he had played in 825 games in a row at the time of the trade. Jarvis was a four time Stanley Cup champion with the Canadiens, winning the Cup in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. He was traded to the Washington Capitals prior to the 1982–83 season, and won the Selke Trophy in 1984. Jarvis had a goal and three points in 25 games with Washington to begin the 1985–86 season.
In their next six games after the trade, the Whalers posted a record of 4–1–1 to climb over the .500 mark with an overall record of 15–13–1, pulling the Whalers within one point of the Buffalo Sabres for the fourth and final playoff position in the Adams Division.
Hartford dropped two of their final three games before Christmas, however, the Whalers rebounded by winning their first three games after the Christmas break, before dropping their final game of December.
The Whalers posted a record of 8–5–1 record during December, bringing their overall record to 19–16–1 through 36 games. The Whalers were tied with the Buffalo Sabres for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Adams Division. They were also only three points behind the first place Montreal Canadiens, as three points separated first and last place in the division.

### January

Hartford dropped their first two games on January, losing to the Quebec Nordiques and Edmonton Oilers, bringing their overall losing streak to three games. The Whalers ended their losing skid with a 9–1 win over the Calgary Flames, as Dean Evason and Kevin Dineen each scored hat tricks in the victory. Hartford won their next game against the Vancouver Canucks, before dropping two in a row.
On January 17, the Whalers acquired Wayne Babych, the older brother of Whalers defenseman Dave Babych, from the Quebec Nordiques, in exchange for Greg Malone. Babych, who was acquired by Quebec from the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the season, had six goals and 11 points in 15 games with the Nordiques. His best season came in 1980–81, while as a member of the St. Louis Blues, Babych scored 54 goals and 96 points in 78 games. During that season, he led the NHL with 40 even strength goals.
The trade marked the beginning of a five-game winning streak, as that evening, the Whalers defeated the Quebec Nordiques 11–6. On January 21, the Whalers shutout the New York Rangers 5–0, as Steve Weeks stopped all 19 shots he faced.
The Whalers winning streak came to an end on January 27, as the Boston Bruins defeated Hartford 6–3. Two nights later, in the Whalers final game of the month, the club lost to the Boston Bruins 5–4 in overtime.
Hartford earned a record of 7–6–0 during January, which was their second consecutive winning month of the season. Their overall record at the end of January was 26–22–1, as the club had 53 points and sat in the fourth and final playoff spot in the Adams Division, two points ahead of the fifth place Buffalo Sabres.

### February

The Whalers continued their winless skid into February, as Hartford began February with a 0–7–1 record in their first eight games, bringing their overall winless skid to 10 games (0–9–1). During this slump, the club acquired center Bill Gardner from the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for a third round draft pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Gardner scored three goals and 13 points in 46 games with Chicago during the 1985–86 season.
The winless skid dropped the Whalers overall record to 26–29–2 following their 4–1 loss to the Minnesota North Stars on February 15. This dropped the club into last place in the Adams Division, six points behind the fourth place Buffalo Sabres.
On February 18, the Whalers earned their first win of February, a 5–4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The next night, the Whalers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 6–4, bringing their winning streak to two games. This came to an abrupt end, as Hartford lost their remaining three games of February.
The Whalers posted a record of 2–10–1 during February, dropping their overall record to 28–32–2. The club had earned 59 points and sat in last place, six points behind the Buffalo Sabres for the final playoff position in the Adams Division.

### March/April

Hartford opened March with another loss, as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated Hartford 8–2 on March 1, extending their losing streak to four games. Hartford broke out of their slump, by winning their next three games, including two over the Buffalo Sabres, to improve their record to 31–33–2, cutting the Sabres lead to four points.
On March 8, the Whalers acquired right winger John Anderson from the Quebec Nordiques for defenseman Risto Siltanen. Anderson had 21 goals and 49 points in 65 games with the Nordiques in 1985–86, his first season with the club. He previously appeared in 534 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1977 to 1985, scoring 189 goals and 393 points with the Maple Leafs. That evening, the Whalers, despite an assist from Anderson, lost to the Nordiques 6–3, ending their winning streak at three games.
Following a 5–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 10, the Whalers acquired defenseman Mike McEwen from the New York Rangers for right winger Bob Crawford. McEwen was acquired by New York from the Detroit Red Wings earlier in the season, and between the two clubs, he two goals and 17 points in 45 games. McEwen was a member of the New York Islanders from 1980 to 1984, winning three Stanley Cup championships in 1981, 1982, and 1983.
On March 13, the New York Islanders defeated Hartford 5–2, dropping the Whalers record to 32–35–2, as Hartford was now six points behind the Buffalo Sabres for the final playoff position. On March 15, the Whalers crushed the Chicago Black Hawks 11–4, which began an eight-game unbeaten streak in which the Whalers earned a record of 6–0–2. On April 1, the Whalers met the Buffalo Sabres, with both teams tied for fourth place in the Adams Division. After Ray Ferraro gave the Whalers a 1–0 lead, the Sabres scored three in a row, taking a 3–1 lead in the second period. Hartford, clinging onto their playoff hopes, scored four goals in a row, including two goals by Kevin Dineen, to defeat the Sabres 5–3 and take over fourth place.
The Whalers ended the season with two wins in their final three games to clinch the fourth and final playoff position in the Adams Division. The club earned a record of 12–4–2 in their final 18 games, bringing their overall record to 40–36–4. The 40 victories and 84 points were franchise records, breaking the previous record of 30 wins set in 1984–85, and 73 points set in their inaugural season in 1979–80. This ended the Whalers five year playoff drought, as the club clinched their first playoff berth since 1980.

### Season standings

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

Adams Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
HFD
MTL
QUE
Total
Boston
—3–3–24–3–13–4–11–5–211–15–6
Buffalo
3–3–2—2–63–54–412–18–2
Hartford
3–4–16–2—3–4–14–416–14–2
Montreal
4–3–15–34–3−1—2–615–15–2
Quebec
5–1–24–44–46–2—19–11–2
Vs. Patrick Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
NJD
NYI
NYR
PHI
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
3–00–1–21–21–22–10–2–17–8–3
Buffalo
2–12–13–02–10–2–11–1–110–6–2
Hartford
2–11–22–10–32–10–2–17–10–1
Montreal
2–12–10–2–11–22–0–10–2–17–8–3
Quebec
1–22–12–0–11–1–11–1–10–37–8–3
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
CHI
DET
MIN
STL
TOR
Total
Boston
1–22–13–01–22–0–19–5–1
Buffalo
1–21–1–12–12–11–27–7–1
Hartford
1–22–11–21–1–13–08–6–1
Montreal
2–0–13–01–1–11–22–19–4–2
Quebec
2–12–12–11–23–010–5–0
Vs. Smythe Division
1985–86 NHL records
Team
CGY
EDM
LAK
VAN
WIN
Total
Boston
2–11–23–01–0–23–010–3–2
Buffalo
1–1–12–11–22–12–18–6–1
Hartford
2–10–32–13–02–19–6–0
Montreal
2–10–32–13–02–19–6–0
Quebec
2–11–22–11–1–11–27–7–1 :

## Schedule and results
### Regular season

1985–86 regular season: 40–36–4 (home: 21–17–2; road: 19–19–2) :
October: 6–4–0 (home: 3–0–0; road: 3–4–0)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
1October 10, 1985@ Buffalo Sabres5–4LiutBuffalo Memorial Auditorium12,2781–0–02
2October 12, 1985New York Rangers8–2LiutHartford Civic Center15,1422–0–04
3October 15, 1985@ Quebec Nordiques1–4LiutQuebec Coliseum12,6662–1–04
4October 17, 1985@ New Jersey Devils4–3OTWeeksBrendan Byrne Arena7,9623–1–06
5October 19, 1985Montreal Canadiens11–6LiutHartford Civic Center13,0484–1–08
6October 23, 1985@ Chicago Black Hawks2–9LiutChicago Stadium14,9714–2–08
7October 24, 1985@ Philadelphia Flyers0–3WeeksThe Spectrum17,0534–3–08
8October 26, 1985@ Montreal Canadiens3–5LiutMontreal Forum16,7354–4–08
9October 29, 1985@ Pittsburgh Penguins4–3LiutPittsburgh Civic Arena6,7935–4–010
10October 30, 1985Quebec Nordiques6–4WeeksHartford Civic Center11,0146–4–012 :
November: 5–7–0 (home: 2–4–0; road: 3–3–0)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
11November 2, 1985Los Angeles Kings1–8WeeksHartford Civic Center12,0246–5–012
12November 5, 1985Montreal Canadiens3–8LiutHartford Civic Center10,8206–6–012
13November 7, 1985@ Boston Bruins1–2WeeksBoston Garden12,7876–7–012
14November 9, 1985@ Quebec Nordiques4–3LiutQuebec Coliseum14,5527–7–014
15November 13, 1985Minnesota North Stars5–2LiutHartford Civic Center9,7328–7–016
16November 16, 1985Philadelphia Flyers2–5WeeksHartford Civic Center15,1428–8–016
17November 19, 1985Buffalo Sabres0–2LiutHartford Civic Center10,0278–9–016
18November 21, 1985@ Philadelphia Flyers0–3LiutThe Spectrum17,2118–10–016
19November 23, 1985Winnipeg Jets8–1LiutHartford Civic Center11,9579–10–018
20November 27, 1985@ Los Angeles Kings9–0LiutThe Forum8,88810–10–020
21November 29, 1985@ Vancouver Canucks5–4LiutPacific Coliseum9,27611–10–022
22November 30, 1985@ Edmonton Oilers5–8WeeksNorthlands Coliseum17,30411–11–022 :
December: 8–5–1 (home: 5–2–0; road: 3–3–1)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
23December 4, 1985@ Calgary Flames5–8LiutOlympic Saddledome16,67211–12–022
24December 7, 1985Boston Bruins7–2LiutHartford Civic Center15,12612–12–024
25December 11, 1985Montreal Canadiens1–3LiutHartford Civic Center11,26212–13–024
26December 13, 1985@ Buffalo Sabres6–4LiutBuffalo Memorial Auditorium11,51913–13–026
27December 14, 1985Pittsburgh Penguins5–4LiutHartford Civic Center10,93814–13–028
28December 16, 1985@ Montreal Canadiens4–4OTLiutMontreal Forum16,29614–13–129
29December 18, 1985Calgary Flames4–3WeeksHartford Civic Center9,92915–13–131
30December 19, 1985@ Boston Bruins1–2LiutBoston Garden10,24415–14–131
31December 21, 1985New Jersey Devils7–6LiutHartford Civic Center11,22916–14–133
32December 23, 1985New York Islanders3–6LiutHartford Civic Center14,26316–15–133
33December 26, 1985@ New York Islanders4–3WeeksNassau Coliseum16,15217–15–135
34December 28, 1985@ Toronto Maple Leafs6–3WeeksMaple Leaf Gardens16,28518–15–137
35December 29, 1985Detroit Red Wings5–2LiutHartford Civic Center12,76219–15–139
36December 31, 1985@ Quebec Nordiques1–5WeeksQuebec Coliseum13,64419–16–139 :
January: 7–6–0 (home: 3–3–0; road: 4–3–0)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
37January 2, 1986Quebec Nordiques2–3LiutHartford Civic Center11,66419–17–139
38January 4, 1986@ Edmonton Oilers3–4LiutNorthlands Coliseum17,28219–18–139
39January 7, 1986@ Calgary Flames9–1WeeksOlympic Saddledome16,76220–18–141
40January 10, 1986@ Vancouver Canucks4–3LiutPacific Coliseum9,53921–18–143
41January 12, 1986@ Chicago Black Hawks2–4WeeksChicago Stadium17,30121–19–143
42January 15, 1986Edmonton Oilers1–4LiutHartford Civic Center15,12621–20–143
43January 17, 1986Quebec Nordiques11–6WeeksHartford Civic Center12,48622–20–145
44January 18, 1986@ Quebec Nordiques11–6LiutQuebec Coliseum15,01223–20–147
45January 20, 1986@ New York Rangers5–0WeeksMadison Square Garden17,41924–20–149
46January 23, 1986Toronto Maple Leafs4–1LiutHartford Civic Center12,03525–20–151
47January 25, 1986Winnipeg Jets7–2WeeksHartford Civic Center12,47126–20–153
48January 27, 1986@ Boston Bruins3–6LiutBoston Garden10,49626–21–153
49January 29, 1986Boston Bruins4–5OTWeeksHartford Civic Center14,75626–22–153 :
February: 2–10–1 (home: 1–6–0; road: 1–4–1)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
50February 1, 1986New York Rangers1–3LiutHartford Civic Center15,12626–23–153
51February 2, 1986Washington Capitals4–5LiutHartford Civic Center12,47326–24–153
38th All-Star Game in Hartford, Connecticut
52February 6, 1986@ Detroit Red Wings3–4OTLiutJoe Louis Arena16,75826–25–153
53February 8, 1986Buffalo Sabres2–4LiutHartford Civic Center14,08826–26–153
54February 9, 1986New Jersey Devils3–6WeeksHartford Civic Center10,60926–27–153
55February 11, 1986@ St. Louis Blues4–4OTLiutSt. Louis Arena10,87726–27–254
56February 14, 1986@ Winnipeg Jets4–5WeeksWinnipeg Arena14,62026–28–254
57February 15, 1986@ Minnesota North Stars1–4WeeksMet Center12,72626–29–254
58February 18, 1986Vancouver Canucks5–4WeeksHartford Civic Center10,81227–29–256
59February 19, 1986@ Buffalo Sabres6–4LiutBuffalo Memorial Auditorium15,62428–29–258
60February 22, 1986@ Montreal Canadiens3–6LiutMontreal Forum17,67128–30–258
61February 23, 1986St. Louis Blues2–8LiutHartford Civic Center12,11728–31–258
62February 26, 1986Minnesota North Stars2–5LiutHartford Civic Center11,04228–32–258 :
March: 9–3–2 (home: 5–2–2; road: 4–1–0)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
63March 1, 1986@ Pittsburgh Penguins1–5WeeksPittsburgh Civic Arena16,03328–33–258 L4
64March 2, 1986Boston Bruins4–1LiutHartford Civic Center13,80629–33–260
65March 5, 1986Buffalo Sabres5–1LiutHartford Civic Center13,01930–33–262
66March 7, 1986@ Buffalo Sabres6–2LiutBuffalo Memorial Auditorium15,76431–33–264
67March 8, 1986Quebec Nordiques3–6LiutHartford Civic Center13,61631–34–264
68March 10, 1986@ Montreal Canadiens5–2LiutMontreal Forum16,61632–34–266
69March 13, 1986New York Islanders2–3LiutHartford Civic Center13,14032–35–266
70March 15, 1986Chicago Black Hawks11–4LiutHartford Civic Center12,23333–35–268
71March 18, 1986@ Detroit Red Wings6–4LiutJoe Louis Arena15,64034–35–270
72March 19, 1986@ St. Louis Blues5–2LiutSt. Louis Arena8,37735–35–272
73March 22, 1986Los Angeles Kings6–3LiutHartford Civic Center12,19836–35–274
74March 23, 1986Boston Bruins5–5OTLiutHartford Civic Center15,12636–35–375
75March 26, 1986Montreal Canadiens3–0LiutHartford Civic Center13,87737–35–377
76March 29, 1986Washington Capitals6–6OTLiutHartford Civic Center14,26637–35–478 :
April: 3–1–0 (home: 2–0–0; road: 1–1–0)
GameDateOpponentScoreOTDecisionLocationAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
77April 1, 1986Buffalo Sabres5–3LiutHartford Civic Center15,12638–35–480
78April 3, 1986@ Washington Capitals2–4LiutCapital Centre14,15538–36–480
79April 5, 1986Toronto Maple Leafs7–1LiutHartford Civic Center15,12639–36–482
80April 6, 1986@ Boston Bruins4–3WeeksBoston Garden12,78740–36–484 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

### Playoffs

1986 Stanley Cup playoffs :
Adams Division Semifinals vs. (A1) Quebec Nordiques – Whalers win 3–0
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeriesRecap
1April 9, 1986Hartford3–2QuebecOTLiut14,5041–0
2April 10, 1986Hartford4–1QuebecLiut14,5622–0
3April 12, 1986Quebec4–9HartfordLiut15,1263–0 :
Adams Division Finals vs. (A2) Montreal Canadiens – Canadiens win 4–3
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeriesRecap
1April 17, 1986Hartford4–1MontrealLiut17,1451–0
2April 19, 1986Hartford1–3MontrealLiut17,6571–1
3April 21, 1986Montreal4–1HartfordWeeks15,1261–2
4April 23, 1986Montreal1–2HartfordOTWeeks15,1262–2
5April 25, 1986Hartford3–5MontrealWeeks17,6602–3
6April 27, 1986Montreal0–1HartfordLiut15,1263–3
7April 29, 1986Hartford1–2MontrealOTLiut17,5463–4 :
Legend:
  Win
  Loss :

### Detailed records

Prince of Wales Conference :
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Adams Division ||||||||
| Boston Bruins | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0.438 | 29 | 26 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0.750 | 35 | 24 |
| Hartford Whalers | | | | | | | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0.438 | 33 | 34 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0.750 | 33 | 33 |
| Division Total | 16 | 14 | 2 | 34 | 0.531 | 130 | 117 |
| Patrick Division ||||||||
| New Jersey Devils | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 15 |
| New York Islanders | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 9 | 12 |
| New York Rangers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 5 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 2 | 11 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 10 | 12 |
| Washington Capitals | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.167 | 12 | 15 |
| Division Total | 7 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 0.417 | 61 | 70 |
| Conference Total | 23 | 24 | 3 | 49 | 0.490 | 191 | 187 |
Clarence Campbell Conference :
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Norris Division ||||||||
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 15 | 17 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 10 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 8 | 11 |
| St. Louis Blues | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.500 | 11 | 14 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | 17 | 5 |
| Division Total | 8 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 0.567 | 65 | 57 |
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Smythe Division ||||||||
| Calgary Flames | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 18 | 12 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 9 | 16 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 16 | 11 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | 14 | 11 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 19 | 8 |
| Division Total | 9 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 0.600 | 76 | 58 |
| Conference Total | 17 | 12 | 1 | 35 | 0.583 | 141 | 115 |
| NHL Total | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |
| Month | Games | Won | Lost | Tie | Points | Win % | GS | GA |
| October | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0.600 | 44 | 43 |
| November | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0.417 | 43 | 46 |
| December | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 0.607 | 59 | 55 |
| January | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0.538 | 60 | 41 |
| February | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0.192 | 40 | 62 |
| March | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 0.714 | 68 | 44 |
| April | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.750 | 18 | 11 |
| Total | 80 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |
| | Games | Won | Lost | Tie | Points | Win % | GS | GA |
| Home | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 44 | 0.550 | 181 | 153 |
| Away | 40 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 40 | 0.500 | 151 | 149 |
| Total | 80 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |

### Detailed records

Prince of Wales Conference :
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Adams Division ||||||||
| Boston Bruins | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0.438 | 29 | 26 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0.750 | 35 | 24 |
| Hartford Whalers | | | | | | | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0.438 | 33 | 34 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0.750 | 33 | 33 |
| Division Total | 16 | 14 | 2 | 34 | 0.531 | 130 | 117 |
| Patrick Division ||||||||
| New Jersey Devils | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 15 |
| New York Islanders | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 9 | 12 |
| New York Rangers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 5 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 2 | 11 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 10 | 12 |
| Washington Capitals | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.167 | 12 | 15 |
| Division Total | 7 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 0.417 | 61 | 70 |
| Conference Total | 23 | 24 | 3 | 49 | 0.490 | 191 | 187 |
Clarence Campbell Conference :
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Norris Division ||||||||
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 15 | 17 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 14 | 10 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 8 | 11 |
| St. Louis Blues | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.500 | 11 | 14 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | 17 | 5 |
| Division Total | 8 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 0.567 | 65 | 57 |
| Opponent | W | L | T | PTS | WP | GS | GA |
| Smythe Division ||||||||
| Calgary Flames | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 18 | 12 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 9 | 16 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 16 | 11 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | 14 | 11 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.667 | 19 | 8 |
| Division Total | 9 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 0.600 | 76 | 58 |
| Conference Total | 17 | 12 | 1 | 35 | 0.583 | 141 | 115 |
| NHL Total | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |
| Month | Games | Won | Lost | Tie | Points | Win % | GS | GA |
| October | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0.600 | 44 | 43 |
| November | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0.417 | 43 | 46 |
| December | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 0.607 | 59 | 55 |
| January | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0.538 | 60 | 41 |
| February | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0.192 | 40 | 62 |
| March | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 0.714 | 68 | 44 |
| April | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.750 | 18 | 11 |
| Total | 80 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |
| | Games | Won | Lost | Tie | Points | Win % | GS | GA |
| Home | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 44 | 0.550 | 181 | 153 |
| Away | 40 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 40 | 0.500 | 151 | 149 |
| Total | 80 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 0.525 | 332 | 302 |

## Playoffs
### Whalers 3, Nordiques 0

The Whalers opened the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Quebec Nordiques in a best-of-five series. Quebec finished the regular season with a 43-31-6 record, earning 92 points, and finishing in first place in the Adams Division. In 1985, the Nordiques reached the Wales Conference finals, where they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers. The 1986 post-season was the Whalers first playoff appearance since 1980.
The series opened on April 9 at Le Colisée in Quebec City. The Nordiques opened the scoring 2:44 into the game on a power play goal by Anton Stastny, however, the Whalers Dean Evason scored with 49 seconds remaining in the period to tie the game 1-1. The clubs played to a goalless second period, as the game remained tied heading into the third. In the third period, the Whalers John Anderson scored on the power play at 9:29, giving Hartford their first lead of the game at 2–1. Just over three minutes later, the Nordiques tied the game on a goal by Brent Ashton, as Quebec tied the game 2–2. The game would go into overtime, as the Whalers Sylvain Turgeon scored 2:36 into the extra period, as the Whalers defeated the Nordiques 3–2 to win their first ever post-season game, and take a 1–0 series lead. Mike Liut made 37 saves for the victory.
The second game of the series was played on April 10 in Quebec. The Whalers took an early 1–0 lead on a goal by Stew Gavin 3:53 into the game. At 8:51 of the first period, Paul MacDermid scored for Hartford, giving the club a 2–0 lead over Quebec after the first period. In the second period, MacDermid scored his second goal of the game, as Hartford took a 3–0 lead after two periods. In the third period, the Nordiques Alain Cote scored 1:39 into the period, cutting the Whalers lead to 3–1. With under five minutes remaining in the period, the Whalers Torrie Robertson scored, as Hartford won the game 4-1 and took a 2–0 series lead. Mike Liut was very solid in goal again for the Whalers, as he made 26 saves for the win.
The series shifted back to the Hartford Civic Center for the third game, as the Whalers pushed the Nordiques on the brink of elimination. The third game of the series was played on April 12. The Whalers opened the scoring 2:29 into the game on a power play goal by Kevin Dineen. Just under three minutes later, the Whalers Dave Tippett scored a shorthanded goal to give Hartford a 2–0 lead. The Nordiques Alain Lemieux cut the Whalers lead to 2–1 with a power play goal midway through the period. At 15:08, the Whalers Ron Francis restored the two goal lead with his first career playoff goal. Just 44 seconds later, the Nordiques Brent Ashton cut the Whalers lead down to one with a shorthanded goal, as Hartford held a 3–2 lead. With 40 seconds remaining in the period, the Whalers Ray Ferraro scored a power play, as Hartford took a 4–2 lead into the first intermission. Early in the second period, Ulf Samuelsson scored for Hartford, extending their lead to 5–2. At 11:06 of the second period, the Nordiques Michel Goulet scored a power play goal, cutting the Whalers lead to 5–3. Just over two minutes later, the Whalers Ray Ferraro scored his second power play goal of the game, as Hartford regained their three-goal lead. Twenty-six seconds after Ferraro's goal, the Whalers John Anderson scored on the power play, giving the Whales a commanding 7–3 lead. In the third period, Anderson scored his second goal of the game 7:00 into the period, as Hartford took a lead of 8–3. The Nordiques Mark Kumpel scored midway through the period, however, the Whalers Kevin Dineen scored his second goal of the game with under two minutes left, as the Whalers crushed the Nordiques 9–4 to sweep the series and complete the upset. This marked the first time in franchise history that the Whalers had won a series since moving to the NHL.

### Canadiens 4, Whalers 3

The Whalers faced the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-seven series to determine the champion of the Adams Division. Montreal finished the regular season with a 40–33–7 record, earning 87 points and second place in the Adams Division. In the first round of the post-season, the Canadiens swept the Boston Bruins in three games. The Whalers and Canadiens had previously met in the post-season during the 1979–80 season, as Montreal swept Hartford in the first round of the playoffs.
The series opened on April 17 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal. The two clubs skated to a scoreless first period, as Mike Liut shut the door for the Whalers, making 14 saves during the period. In the second period, Hartford opened the scoring with a goal by Stew Gavin at 4:24 to take a 1–0 lead. Just over two minutes later, the Whalers struck again, as Sylvain Turgeon scored to make it 2–0 for the Whalers. Late in the second period, John Anderson scored on the power play, as the Whalers took a 3–0 lead into the third period. Midway through the third period, the Canadiens Chris Nilan ended the shutout bid by Liut, as he scored to cut the Whalers lead to 3–1. The Whalers Stew Gavin scored his second goal of the game as he scored an empty net goal with 58 seconds left in the period, as Hartford won the game 4–1 and took a 1–0 series lead.
The second game of the series was played on April 19 in Montreal. In the first period, the Canadiens scored first, as Stephane Richer scored on the power play at 12:33 of the period. Just under five minutes later, Guy Carbonneau of the Canadiens scored to make it 2–0. The Canadiens dominated the Whalers in the first period, outshooting them 15–2. In the second period, the Canadiens Guy Carbonneau scored his second goal of the game 6:12 into the period, making it 3–0 for Montreal. The Whalers responded with a power play goal by Ray Ferraro just over a minute later, as Hartford cut the Canadiens lead to 3–1. This would be as close as Hartford would get, as the Canadiens shut down the Whalers for the rest of the game, winning the contest 3–1 and tying the series up at 1–1.
The series shifted to the Hartford Civic Center for game three, played on April 21. Montreal opened the scoring early in the first period on a goal by Kjell Dahlin to take a 1–0 lead. Late in the period, the Canadiens Stephane Richer scored on the power play, as Montreal took a 2–0 lead into the first intermission. The Canadiens struck again, as early in the second period, Claude Lemieux scored as Montreal took a 3–0 lead in the game. The Whalers Dave Tippett scored just 32 seconds after Lemieux, cutting the Canadiens lead to 3–1. In the third period, Montreal continued to hold off the Whalers, then Guy Carbonneau scored an empty net goal late in the period, as Montreal won the game 4–1 and took a 2–1 series lead over Hartford.
The fourth game of the series was played on April 23 in Hartford. The Whalers opened the scoring at 13:53 of the first period, as Stew Gavin scored against Patrick Roy of the Canadiens to give Hartford a 1–0 lead. The two clubs played very tight defensively, as after two periods, the score remained 1-0 Hartford, as the shot count was 12-11 for Montreal through two periods. In the third period, the Canadiens Mats Naslund scored a power play goal at 12:22, as Montreal tied the game 1-1, sending the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Whalers Kevin Dineen scored 1:07 into the period, leading Hartford to a 2–1 victory and tying the series at 2–2.
The series shifted back to Montreal for the fifth game, played on April 25. Only 2:05 into the game, the Canadiens Claude Lemieux scored a power play goal, giving the Canadiens a 1–0 lead. At 8:26 of the first period, Montreal's Guy Carbonneau scored a shorthanded goal, followed by a second power play goal by the Canadiens, this time by Mats Naslund, as Montreal took an early 3–0 in the game. With under five minutes remaining in the period, the Whalers Kevin Dineen scored, as Montreal took a 3–1 lead after the first period. In the second period, the Whalers Kevin Dineen scored his second goal of the game at 14:14, cutting the Canadiens lead down to 3–2. Just under two minutes later, Mike Lalor scored for the Canadiens, as Montreal took a 4–2 lead after two periods. Midway through the third period, the Whalers John Anderson scored, as Hartford trailed Montreal by a score of 4–3. The Canadiens managed to hold off the Whalers, as Guy Carbonneau scored a late goal, as Montreal won the game 5-3 and took a 3–2 series lead.
The series returned to Hartford for the sixth game, with the Whalers facing elimination. The game was played on April 27. In the first period, Montreal fired 14 shots at Mike Liut, however, Liut stopped them all as the game remained scoreless after the first period. In the second period, Dean Evason finally broke through for the Whalers, as he scored at the 7:30 mark of the period, giving the Whalers a 1–0 lead. The Whalers took this lead into the third period. In the third period, the Whalers were able to hold off the Canadiens, as Mike Liut made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout, as the Whalers defeated the Canadiens 1–0 and tied the series up at 3–3.
The seventh and final game of the series was played back in Montreal on April 29. With only 13 seconds left in the first period, the Canadiens Mike McPhee scored a shorthanded goal, giving the Canadiens a 1–0 lead. The game was played very tight defensively, as Montreal held on to their 1–0 lead late into the third period. The Whalers Dave Babych broke the shutout bid by Patrick Roy with under three minutes left in the game, as Hartford tied the game 1-1, sending the contest into overtime. In the extra period, the Canadiens Claude Lemieux scored on Mike Liut 5:55 into the extra period, as Montreal won the game 2–1 and won the series, eliminating the Whalers from the post-season.

## Player statistics
### Skaters

Regular season :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
| Sylvain Turgeon | 76 | 45 | 34 | 79 | +1 | 88 |
| Ron Francis | 53 | 24 | 53 | 77 | +8 | 24 |
| Ray Ferraro | 76 | 30 | 47 | 77 | +10 | 57 |
| Kevin Dineen | 57 | 33 | 35 | 68 | +16 | 124 |
| Stewart Gavin | 76 | 26 | 29 | 55 | +12 | 51 |
| Dave Babych$^†$ | 62 | 10 | 43 | 53 | +2 | 36 |
| Dean Evason | 55 | 20 | 28 | 48 | +12 | 65 |
| Paul Lawless | 64 | 17 | 21 | 38 | −3 | 20 |
| Torrie Robertson | 76 | 13 | 24 | 37 | −11 | 358 |
| Bob Crawford$^‡$ | 57 | 14 | 20 | 34 | −16 | 16 |
| Dave Tippett | 80 | 14 | 20 | 34 | +9 | 18 |
| Risto Siltanen$^‡$ | 52 | 8 | 22 | 30 | +2 | 30 |
| Wayne Babych$^†$ | 37 | 11 | 17 | 28 | +6 | 59 |
| Dana Murzyn | 78 | 3 | 23 | 26 | +1 | 125 |
| John Anderson$^†$ | 14 | 8 | 17 | 25 | +18 | 2 |
| Joel Quenneville | 80 | 5 | 19 | 24 | +21 | 83 |
| Doug Jarvis$^†$ | 57 | 8 | 16 | 24 | +7 | 20 |
| Ulf Samuelsson | 80 | 5 | 19 | 24 | +7 | 174 |
| Paul MacDermid | 74 | 13 | 10 | 23 | +1 | 160 |
| Ray Neufeld$^‡$ | 16 | 5 | 10 | 15 | −3 | 40 |
| Greg Malone$^‡$ | 22 | 6 | 7 | 13 | −5 | 24 |
| Jörgen Pettersson$^‡$ | 23 | 5 | 5 | 10 | −11 | 2 |
| Tim Bothwell | 62 | 2 | 8 | 10 | +11 | 53 |
| Bill Gardner$^†$ | 18 | 1 | 8 | 9 | −6 | 4 |
| Scot Kleinendorst | 41 | 2 | 7 | 9 | +8 | 62 |
| Mike McEwen$^†$ | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | +5 | 6 |
| Mike Hoffman | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 |
| Brad Shaw | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | −1 | 4 |
| Mike Zuke | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | −2 | 12 |
| Paul Fenton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| Sylvain Côté | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| John Newberry | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4 | 0 |
| Mark Paterson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −5 | 5 |
| Jack Brownschidle | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4 | 4 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
| Kevin Dineen | 10 | 6 | 7 | 13 | +2 | 18 |
| John Anderson | 10 | 5 | 8 | 13 | +3 | 0 |
| Ray Ferraro | 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −1 | 4 |
| Sylvain Turgeon | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | +2 | 4 |
| Stewart Gavin | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | +6 | 13 |
| Dean Evason | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +4 | 10 |
| Mike McEwen | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | −1 | 6 |
| Dave Babych | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 14 |
| Dave Tippett | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +3 | 4 |
| Ulf Samuelsson | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | +5 | 38 |
| Paul MacDermid | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 20 |
| Doug Jarvis | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| Ron Francis | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 4 |
| Joel Quenneville | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +7 | 12 |
| Torrie Robertson | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 67 |
| Scot Kleinendorst | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +6 | 18 |
| Wayne Babych | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −2 | 2 |
| Paul Lawless | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dana Murzyn | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 10 |
| Tim Bothwell | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 8 |

### Goaltenders

Regular season :
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
| Mike Liut | 57 | 56 | 3277:35 | 27 | 23 | 4 | 197 | 3.61 | 1,569 | .874 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steve Weeks | 27 | 24 | 1542:20 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 99 | 3.85 | 721 | .863 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
| Mike Liut | 8 | 8 | 439:29 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 1.91 | 212 | .938 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve Weeks | 3 | 2 | 167:33 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2.86 | 56 | .875 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
$^†$Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Whalers. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only. $^‡$Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

## Transactions

The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1985–86 season.

### Trades

| October 4, 1985 | To St. Louis BluesCash | To Hartford WhalersTim Bothwell |
| October 7, 1985 | To Toronto Maple LeafsChris Kotsopoulos | To Hartford WhalersStew Gavin |
| November 21, 1985 | To Winnipeg JetsRay Neufeld | To Hartford WhalersDave Babych |
| December 6, 1985 | To Washington CapitalsJorgen Pettersson | To Hartford WhalersDoug Jarvis |
| January 17, 1986 | To Quebec NordiquesGreg Malone | To Hartford WhalersWayne Babych |
| February 3, 1986 | To Chicago Black Hawks3rd round pick in 1987 – Mike Dagenais | To Hartford WhalersBill Gardner |
| March 8, 1986 | To Quebec NordiquesRisto Siltanen | To Hartford WhalersJohn Anderson |
| March 11, 1986 | To New York RangersBob Crawford | To Hartford WhalersMike McEwen |

### Free agents

| Player | Former Team |
| John Newberry | Montreal Canadiens |

## Media
### Television

Television :
| Channel | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) |
| SportsChannel New England | Rick Peckham | Gerry Cheevers and Don Blackburn |
| WVIT–TV 30 | Rick Peckham | Gerry Cheevers and Don Blackburn |

### Radio

Radio :
| Flagship Station | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) |
| WTIC–AM 1080 | Chuck Kaiton | Andre Lacroix |