The 1985–86 Calgary Flames season was the sixth season in Calgary and 14th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was a banner season for the Flames, who overcame a franchise record eleven game losing streak to finish 2nd in the Smythe Division and captured the franchise's first Clarence S. Campbell Bowl as Campbell Conference champions. In doing so, they became the first Calgary team to reach the Stanley Cup Finals since the Calgary Tigers in 1923–24. The Flames season ended at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens, who defeated Calgary in five games in the final.
The season began with the departure of franchise leading scorer Kent Nilsson who was sent to the Minnesota North Stars in a trade. Rookie goaltender Mike Vernon emerged as the team's top goaltender and Joe Mullen was acquired in a major trade midway through the season. Gary Suter captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie while also being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Additionally, Suter was the team's lone representative at the 1986 All-Star Game. Hakan Loob captured the Molson Cup.
The Flames upset the heavily favoured Edmonton Oilers in the Smythe Division final to end the Oilers' hopes of winning a third consecutive championship. The series winning goal was scored into his own net by Oilers rookie Steve Smith. As Smith collapsed to the ice, Flames players celebrated the difference maker in what would finish as a 3–2 Calgary win. Smith's error remains one of the most legendary blunders in hockey history.
Regular season The Flames began the year with a similar roster as finished the 1984–85 season,Mummery, 1989, p. 68 with one major exception. Kent Nilsson, the franchise's all-time leading scorer, was dealt to the Minnesota North Stars for two draft picks. Nilsson was viewed as a player with immense talent who ended each season as a perennial disappointment in the playoffs. Though he scored 99 points the season before, the Flames received few offers before agreeing to send him to Minnesota.Duhatschek, 1986, pp. 55–56 As the deal provided no immediate help for the team, co-captain Doug Risebrough anticipated that 1985–86 would be a transitional year for the Flames and the loss of Nilsson might force the team to play a more defensive style when compared to the team that finished second in league scoring the year previous.
The season opened in Calgary with a game against the Winnipeg Jets, the team that eliminated the Flames in the first round of the previous spring's playoffs. It ended with an 8–3 victory for the Flames, but not before a bench-clearing brawl resulted in the ejection of five players. Calgary was one of the top teams in the league in the early going, standing third overall on December 10 with a 15–8–3 record.
Four nights later, they were defeated by the Vancouver Canucks, 4–3, and continued losing for nearly a month. After the Hartford Whalers handily defeated the Flames 9–1 on January 7, 1986, to send Calgary to its 11th consecutive defeat, a franchise record,Duhatschek, 1986, p. 52 coach Bob Johnson promised changes. Among them was the recall of goaltender Mike Vernon from the Moncton Golden Flames, who was given the start ahead of Rejean Lemelin in their next game, against Vancouver. He held the Flames in the game long enough for Jim Peplinski to score in the first minute of overtime for a 5–4 victory that ended the eighth-longest losing streak in NHL history.Duhatschek, 1986, p. 53
During the losing streak, on December 29, the Flames hosted Soviet team Dynamo Moscow in an exhibition game as part of the 1986 Super Series. Vernon was given the start for the game to let Lemelin rest and led Calgary to a 4–3 victory over Dynamo. It was the Flames' second victory in three years against a Soviet league club, and came despite what the team considered biased officiating by the Russian referee working the game.
The team enjoyed greater success in the second half of the season, finishing the final 40 games with a record of 22–12–5. Vernon established himself as the starting goaltender by mid February and finished the regular season with only three losses in 15 decisions. The Flames ended the season in second place in the Smythe Division, sixth overall in the NHL, with 89 points.Mummery, 1989, p. 69 Seeking to upgrade the team's offence as the playoffs approached, general manager Cliff Fletcher completed a six-player trade with the St. Louis Blues that brought Joe Mullen, a player who had scored at least 40 goals each of his previous two seasons, to Calgary. A second deal in March had the Flames acquire four-time Stanley Cup champion John Tonelli from the New York Islanders and initiated a war of words with Edmonton Oilers general manager and coach Glen Sather, who accused Islanders general manager Bill Torrey of trying to help Fletcher eliminate the Oilers in the upcoming playoffs.Duhatschek, 1986, p. 62
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
| 1 || October 11 || Winnipeg || 3 – 8 || Calgary || || 1–0–0 || 2
| 2 || October 13 || Calgary || 9 – 2 || Los Angeles || || 2–0–0 || 4
| 3 || October 16 || St. Louis || 2 – 1 || Calgary || || 2–1–0 || 4
| 4 || October 19 || Boston || 6 – 3 || Calgary || || 2–2–0 || 4
| 5 || October 20 || Calgary || 5 – 8 || Winnipeg || || 2–3–0 || 4
| 6 || October 23 || Washington || 2 – 4 || Calgary || || 3–3–0 || 6
| 7 || October 25 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Edmonton || || 3–4–0 || 6
| 8 || October 26 || Detroit || 4 – 7 || Calgary || || 4–4–0 || 8
| 9 || October 28 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Edmonton || || 4–5–0 || 8
| 10 || October 30 || Buffalo || 2 – 4 || Calgary || || 5–5–0 || 10
| 11 || November 2 || Toronto || 2 – 4 || Calgary || || 6–5–0 || 12
| 12 || November 5 || Calgary || 4 – 4 || NY Islanders || OT || 6–5–1 || 13
| 13 || November 6 || Calgary || 5 – 2 || New Jersey || || 7–5–1 || 15
| 14 || November 9 || Calgary || 5 – 4 || Washington || || 8–5–1 || 17
| 15 || November 10 || Calgary || 1 – 5 || Buffalo || || 8–6–1 || 17
| 16 || November 13 || Winnipeg || 3 – 3 || Calgary || OT || 8–6–2 || 18
| 17 || November 16 || New Jersey || 2 – 7 || Calgary || || 9–6–2 || 20
| 18 || November 17 || Calgary || 5 – 4 || Winnipeg || || 10–6–2 || 22
| 19 || November 19 || Minnesota || 3 – 3 || Calgary || OT || 10–6–3 || 23
| 20 || November 23 || Calgary || 3 – 4 || Montreal || || 10–7–3 || 23
| 21 || November 26 || Calgary || 3 – 1 || Quebec || || 11–7–3 || 25
| 22 || November 27 || Calgary || 5 – 2 || NY Rangers || || 12–7–3 || 27
| 23 || November 30 || NY Islanders || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || 13–7–3 || 29
| 24 || December 1 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Edmonton || || 13–8–3 || 29
| 25 || December 4 || Hartford || 5 – 8 || Calgary || || 14–8–3 || 31
| 26 || December 6 || Chicago || 2 – 5 || Calgary || || 15–8–3 || 33
| 27 || December 10 || Los Angeles || 5 – 6 || Calgary || || 16–8–3 || 35
| 28 || December 12 || Los Angeles || 0 – 5 || Calgary || || 17–8–3 || 37
| 29 || December 14 || Calgary || 3 – 4 || Vancouver || || 17–9–3 || 37
| 30 || December 17 || Calgary || 3 – 4 || Pittsburgh || || 17–10–3 || 37
| 31 || December 18 || Calgary || 3 – 4 || Hartford || || 17–11–3 || 37
| 32 || December 20 || Calgary || 2 – 5 || St. Louis || || 17–12–3 || 37
| 33 || December 22 || Calgary || 4 – 5 || Chicago || OT || 17–13–3 || 37
| 34 || December 28 || Philadelphia || 6 – 5 || Calgary || || 17–14–3 || 37
| – || December 29 || Dynamo Moscow || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || colspan="2"|Exhibition
| 35 || December 31 || Calgary || 3 – 6 || Minnesota || || 17–15–3 || 37
| 36 || January 2 || Edmonton || 4 – 3 || Calgary || || 17–16–3 || 37
| 37 || January 4 || Montreal || 6 – 5 || Calgary || || 17–17–3 || 37
| 38 || January 5 || Calgary || 3 – 6 || Edmonton || || 17–18–3 || 37
| 39 || January 7 || Hartford || 9 – 1 || Calgary || || 17–19–3 || 37
| 40 || January 9 || Vancouver || 4 – 5 || Calgary || OT || 18–19–3 || 39
| 41 || January 12 || Calgary || 0 – 3 || Philadelphia || || 18–20–3 || 39
| 42 || January 14 || Calgary || 4 – 3 || Washington || || 19–20–3 || 41
| 43 || January 16 || Calgary || 2 – 3 || Boston || || 19–21–3 || 41
| 44 || January 18 || Calgary || 7 – 4 || Detroit || || 20–21–3 || 43
| 45 || January 19 || Calgary || 9 – 5 || Toronto || || 21–21–3 || 45
| 46 || January 22 || New Jersey || 6 – 6 || Calgary || OT || 21–21–4 || 46
| 47 || January 25 || Pittsburgh || 2 – 5 || Calgary || || 22–21–4 || 48
| 48 || January 27 || Los Angeles || 3 – 6 || Calgary || || 23–21–4 || 50
| 49 || January 29 || Calgary || 4 – 4 || Vancouver || OT || 23–21–5 || 51
| 50 || January 31 || Calgary || 4 – 7 || Edmonton || || 23–22–5 || 51
| 51 || February 1 || Edmonton || 4 – 4 || Calgary || OT || 23–22–6 || 52
| 52 || February 6 || Los Angeles || 2 – 7 || Calgary || || 24–22–6 || 54
| 53 || February 9 || Calgary || 7 – 3 || Los Angeles || || 25–22–6 || 56
| 54 || February 12 || Winnipeg || 2 – 4 || Calgary || || 26–22–6 || 58
| 55 || February 14 || Buffalo || 3 – 3 || Calgary || OT || 26–22–7 || 59
| 56 || February 16 || Quebec || 6 – 3 || Calgary || || 26–23–7 || 59
| 57 || February 18 || Boston || 4 – 7 || Calgary || || 27–23–7 || 61
| 58 || February 20 || Toronto || 7 – 6 || Calgary || OT || 27–24–7 || 61
| 59 || February 21 || Calgary || 4 – 0 || Vancouver || || 28–24–7 || 63
| 60 || February 23 || Calgary || 2 – 6 || Chicago || || 28–25–7 || 63
| 61 || February 25 || Calgary || 4 – 1 || St. Louis || || 29–25–7 || 65
| 62 || February 27 || Philadelphia || 4 – 7 || Calgary || || 30–25–7 || 67
| 63 || March 1 || Vancouver || 2 – 3 || Calgary || || 31–25–7 || 69
| 64 || March 2 || Calgary || 5 – 1 || Los Angeles || || 32–25–7 || 71
| 65 || March 4 || Pittsburgh || 3 – 6 || Calgary || || 33–25–7 || 73
| 66 || March 6 || NY Rangers || 5 – 2 || Calgary || || 33–26–7 || 73
| 67 || March 9 || Calgary || 3 – 3 || Detroit || OT || 33–26–8 || 74
| 68 || March 11 || Calgary || 4 – 8 || NY Islanders || || 33–27–8 || 74
| 69 || March 12 || Calgary || 3 – 2 || NY Rangers || || 34–27–8 || 76
| 70 || March 14 || Calgary || 2 – 6 || Quebec || || 34–28–8 || 76
| 71 || March 15 || Calgary || 5 – 3 || Montreal || || 35–28–8 || 78
| 72 || March 19 || Calgary || 5 – 6 || Minnesota || || 35–29–8 || 78
| 73 || March 21 || Vancouver || 5 – 5 || Calgary || OT || 35–29–9 || 79
| 74 || March 23 || Calgary || 7 – 4 || Winnipeg || || 36–29–9 || 81
| 75 || March 26 || Calgary || 3 – 7 || Los Angeles || || 36–30–9 || 81
| 76 || March 28 || Winnipeg || 3 – 6 || Calgary || || 37–30–9 || 83
| 77 || March 30 || Calgary || 2 – 4 || Vancouver || || 37–31–9 || 83
| 78 || April 1 || Vancouver || 5 – 6 || Calgary || || 38–31–9 || 85
| 79 || April 4 || Edmonton || 3 – 9 || Calgary || || 39–31–9 || 87
| 80 || April 6 || Calgary || 6 – 4 || Winnipeg || || 40–31–9 || 89
Legend:
Playoffs The Flames began the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs with a Smythe semi-final match-up against the Winnipeg Jets, the team that eliminated them in the first round the previous season. Calgary won the best-of-five series in three consecutive games, eliminating the Jets on a Lanny McDonald overtime goal in the third game.Mummery, 1989, p. 72 The victory set up a best-of-seven Smythe Division final against the two-time defending champion Edmonton Oilers who swept the Vancouver Canucks in the opening round. The Flames opened the series in Edmonton with a 4–1 victory, the first loss the Oilers had suffered on home ice in 18 playoff games.