The 1985–86 season was the team's 60th season, their 54th season as the Red Wings. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1982–83 season by finishing dead last in the Norris Division, the Clarence Campbell Conference, and in the entire National Hockey League for the first time since the 1976–77 season with a record of 17 wins, 57 losses and 6 ties, for a total of 40 points, the worst record in franchise history In addition, they finished the season with the fewest goals scored of all NHL teams, the most goals against, and the most penalty minutes.

Offseason Former Vancouver Canucks head coach Harry Neale was hired as the team's new head coach on June 24, 1985. Previous head coach Nick Polano was named assistant general manager.

Regular season After starting the season with a league worst 8–23–4 record, Detroit fired head coach Neale on December 30 and replaced him with recently retired defenseman Brad Park.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||T||October 10, 1985||6–6 OT|| align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||0–0–1

|2||L||October 12, 1985||2–9 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1985–86) ||0–1–1

|3||L||October 14, 1985||1–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) ||0–2–1

|4||L||October 16, 1985||3–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) ||0–3–1

|5||L||October 17, 1985||1–10 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||0–4–1

|6||L||October 19, 1985||2–6 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||0–5–1

|7||L||October 23, 1985||0–5 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) ||0–6–1

|8||L||October 26, 1985||4–7 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1985–86) ||0–7–1

|9||L||October 27, 1985||3–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) ||0–8–1

|10||W||October 30, 1985||6–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) ||1–8–1

|11||T||October 31, 1985||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1985–86) ||1–8–2

|12||T||November 2, 1985||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||1–8–3

|13||W||November 6, 1985||4–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||2–8–3

|14||T||November 8, 1985||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||2–8–4

|15||L||November 11, 1985||0–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) ||2–9–4

|16||W||November 13, 1985||7–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) ||3–9–4

|17||W||November 16, 1985||4–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||4–9–4

|18||L||November 19, 1985||5–7 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1985–86) ||4–10–4

|19||L||November 21, 1985||4–5 OT|| align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) ||4–11–4

|20||L||November 23, 1985||3–9 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||4–12–4

|21||W||November 27, 1985||4–1 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) ||5–12–4

|22||W||November 29, 1985||5–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||6–12–4

|23||L||November 30, 1985||1–10 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) ||6–13–4

|24||W||December 3, 1985||4–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) ||7–13–4

|25||L||December 4, 1985||2–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) ||7–14–4

|26||L||December 7, 1985||4–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||7–15–4

|27||L||December 11, 1985||2–10 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||7–16–4

|28||L||December 14, 1985||4–6 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) ||7–17–4

|29||L||December 15, 1985||4–6 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||7–18–4

|30||L||December 17, 1985||3–6 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||7–19–4

|31||L||December 21, 1985||3–6 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||7–20–4

|32||L||December 23, 1985||2–10 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1985–86) ||7–21–4

|33||L||December 26, 1985||4–5 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||7–22–4

|34||W||December 28, 1985||5–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) ||8–22–4

|35||L||December 29, 1985||2–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1985–86) ||8–23–4

|36||L||December 31, 1985||4–5 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (1985–86) ||8–24–4

|37||T||January 2, 1986||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1985–86) ||8–24–5

|38||L||January 4, 1986||2–7 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) ||8–25–5

|39||W||January 5, 1986||6–5 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||9–25–5

|40||L||January 7, 1986||3–4 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1985–86) ||9–26–5

|41||L||January 10, 1986||4–9 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||9–27–5

|42||L||January 11, 1986||2–8 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1985–86) ||9–28–5

|43||L||January 13, 1986||4–7 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||9–29–5

|44||L||January 15, 1986||3–4 OT|| align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1985–86) ||9–30–5

|45||L||January 18, 1986||4–7 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1985–86) ||9–31–5

|46||L||January 19, 1986||4–6 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||9–32–5

|47||W||January 22, 1986||6–5 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1985–86) ||10–32–5

|48||L||January 23, 1986||2–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1985–86) ||10–33–5

|49||L||January 25, 1986||3–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1985–86) ||10–34–5

|50||W||January 28, 1986||7–0 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1985–86) ||11–34–5

|51||L||January 31, 1986||4–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||11–35–5

|52||L||February 1, 1986||3–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||11–36–5

|53||W||February 6, 1986||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1985–86) ||12–36–5

|54||L||February 8, 1986||3–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) ||12–37–5

|55||L||February 11, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) ||12–38–5

|56||L||February 14, 1986||5–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1985–86) ||12–39–5

|57||L||February 16, 1986||1–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1985–86) ||12–40–5

|58||L||February 18, 1986||0–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||12–41–5

|59||L||February 21, 1986||3–7 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1985–86) ||12–42–5

|60||L||February 22, 1986||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1985–86) ||12–43–5

|61||L||February 25, 1986||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1985–86) ||12–44–5

|62||L||February 28, 1986||3–7 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||12–45–5

|63||W||March 1, 1986||6–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||13–45–5

|64||L||March 3, 1986||5–8 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||13–46–5

|65||W||March 5, 1986||8–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||14–46–5

|66||L||March 6, 1986||2–7 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1985–86) ||14–47–5

|67||T||March 9, 1986||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1985–86) ||14–47–6

|68||W||March 12, 1986||3–0 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1985–86) ||15–47–6

|69||L||March 14, 1986||3–12 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) ||15–48–6

|70||L||March 16, 1986||0–6 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1985–86) ||15–49–6

|71||L||March 18, 1986||4–6 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1985–86) ||15–50–6

|72||L||March 20, 1986||2–3 OT|| align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1985–86) ||15–51–6

|73||W||March 22, 1986||8–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||16–51–6

|74||L||March 25, 1986||2–7 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1985–86) ||16–52–6

|75||L||March 26, 1986||3–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1985–86) ||16–53–6

|76||L||March 29, 1986||4–5 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||16–54–6

|77||L||April 1, 1986||0–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1985–86) ||16–55–6

|78||L||April 2, 1986||3–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1985–86) ||16–56–6

|79||L||April 5, 1986||3–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1985–86) ||16–57–6

|80||W||April 6, 1986||4–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1985–86) ||17–57–6

Legend:

Player statistics

Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/− PPG SHG GWG LW 76 38 32 70 18−301512 C 76 21 48 69 85−21730 D 67 19 41 60 109−361100 W 74 32 24 56 16−39804 C/RW 67 19 29 48 26−30802 C 79 22 24 46 161−34901 C 51 14 28 42 16−24303 LW 52 20 19 39 106−10312 D 62 5 19 24 84−14000 C 48 7 15 22 142−27201 RW 59 10 11 21 21−8110 LW 44 8 13 21 186−14300 C 38 9 11 20 10−24101 RW 55 6 12 18 48−13110 D 78 5 13 18 196−54001 RW 57 7 9 16 102−19100 RW 59 9 6 15 377−24200 D 65 2 12 14 125−29000 D 37 2 11 13 26−23100 D 29 0 10 10 16−8000 D 13 1 7 8 16−6010 C 21 2 4 6 11−8000 D 35 0 6 6 75−7000 RW 34 2 3 5 130−11000 C 11 2 3 5 2−1200 D 13 0 5 5 2−9000 D 29 1 2 3 82−18000 D 23 0 3 3 6−9000 RW 4 1 1 2 02000 C 17 0 2 2 0−12000 G 37 0 2 2 230000 LW/C 5 1 0 1 41100 RW 3 1 0 1 20000 C 4 0 1 1 0−4000 G 18 0 1 1 170000 RW 4 0 1 1 7−3000 D 14 0 1 1 16−10000 D 6 0 0 0 4−7000 G 28 0 0 0 230000 LW 4 0 0 0 5−4000 D 14 0 0 0 70−6000 G 11 0 0 0 80000 G 1 0 0 0 00000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SOSASVSV% 2068 37 10 20 5 155 4.50 11080925.856 1383 28 4 21 0 114 4.95 1742628.846 788 18 2 7 0 83 6.32 0453370.817 565 11 1 9 1 52 5.52 0342290.848 40 1 0 0 0 3 4.50 0129.750 Team: 4844 80 17 57 6 407 5.04 226292222.845

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; SA=Shots against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records This team set the NHL record for most fighting majors in a season with 154. 415 goals against is also the most by a team in a single season.

Draft picks Detroit'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)18Brent FedykRegina Pats (WHL)229Jeff SharplesKelowna Wings (WHL)350Steve ChiassonGuelph Platers (OHL)471Mark GowansWindsor Compuware Spitfires (OHL)592Chris LuongoSt. Clair Shores Falcons (NAHL)6113Randy McKayMichigan Technological University (WCHA)7134Thomas BjuhrAIK IF (Sweden)8155Mike LuckraftBurnsville High School (USHS-MN)9176Rob SchenaSt. John's School (USHS-MA)10197Erik HamalainenLukko (Finland)11218Bo SvanbergFärjestad BK (Sweden)12239Mikael LindmanAIK IF (Sweden)

See also 1985–86 NHL season

References