The 1985 NHL entry draft was the 23rd draft for the National Hockey League. It was the first draft outside Montreal. The event was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, and attended by 7,000 fans. The NHL teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1984–85 NHL season and playoff standings.
Toronto hosted and made the first overall pick; this coincidence would not occur again until Montreal hosted and drafted first in 2022.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Sean Burke and Joe Nieuwendyk, who both played their last NHL games in the 2006–07 season.
Selections by round Below are listed the selections in the 1985 NHL entry draft.
Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1Wendel Clark (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 2 Craig Simpson (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins Michigan State University (CCHA) 3 Craig Wolanin (D) New Jersey Devils Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 4 Jim Sandlak (RW) Vancouver Canucks London Knights (OHL) 5 Dana Murzyn (D) Hartford Whalers Calgary Wranglers (WHL) 6 Brad Dalgarno (RW) New York Islanders (from Minnesota)1 Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) 7 Ulf Dahlen (RW) New York Rangers Ostersunds IK (Sweden) 8 Brent Fedyk (RW) Detroit Red Wings Regina Pats (WHL) 9 Craig Duncanson (LW) Los Angeles Kings Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 10 Dan Gratton (C) Los Angeles Kings (from Boston)2 Oshawa Generals (OHL) 11Dave Manson (D) Chicago Black Hawks Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 12 Jose Charbonneau (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis)3 Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 13 Derek King (LW) New York Islanders Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 14 Calle Johansson (D) Buffalo Sabres Vastra Frolunda HC (Sweden) 15 David Latta (LW) Quebec Nordiques Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 16 Tom Chorske (LW) Montreal Canadiens Minneapolis Southwest High School (USHS–MN) 17 Chris Biotti (D) Calgary Flames Belmont Hill School (USHS–MA) 18 Ryan Stewart (C) Winnipeg Jets Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 19 Yvon Corriveau (LW) Washington Capitals Toronto Marlboros (OHL) 20 Scott Metcalfe (C) Edmonton Oilers Kingston Canadians (OHL) 21 Glen Seabrooke (C) Philadelphia Flyers Peterborough Petes (OHL) Reference: The Minnesota North Stars' first-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on November 19, 1984 that sent Roland Melanson to Minnesota in exchange for an optional 1st-rd pick in 1985 NHL Entry Draft (this pick) or 1986 NHL entry draft. The Boston Bruins' first-round pick went to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on October 24, 1984 that sent Charlie Simmer to Boston in exchange for this pick. The St. Louis Blues' first-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent Mike Dark, Mark Hunter, Montreal's second-round, third-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to St. Louis in exchange for St. Louis' second-round, fourth-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft and this pick.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 22 Ken Spangler (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Calgary Wranglers (WHL) 23 Lee Giffin (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins Oshawa Generals (OHL) 24Sean Burke (G) New Jersey Devils Toronto Marlboros (OHL) 25 Troy Gamble (G) Vancouver Canucks Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 26 Kay Whitmore (G) Hartford Whalers Peterborough Petes (OHL) 27Joe Nieuwendyk (C) Calgary Flames (from Minnesota)1 Cornell University (ECAC) 28Mike Richter (G) New York Rangers Northwood School (USHS–NY) 29 Jeff Sharples (D) Detroit Red Wings Kelowna Wings (WHL) 30 Par Edlund (LW) Los Angeles Kings IF Bjorkloven (Sweden) 31 Alain Cote (D) Boston Bruins Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 32Eric Weinrich (D) New Jersey Devils (from Chicago)2 North Yarmouth Academy (USHS–ME) 33 Todd Richards (D) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis)3 Plymouth Armstrong High School (USHS–MN) 34 Brad Lauer (LW) New York Islanders Regina Pats (WHL) 35 Benoit Hogue (LW) Buffalo Sabres Saint-Jean Castors (QMJHL) 36 Jason Lafreniere (C) Quebec Nordiques Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) 37 Herb Raglan (RW) St. Louis Blues (from Montreal)4 Kingston Canadians (OHL) 38 Jeff Wenaas (C) Calgary Flames Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 39 Roger Ohman (D) Winnipeg Jets Leksands IF (Sweden) 40 John Druce (RW) Washington Capitals Peterborough Petes (OHL) 41 Todd Carnelley (D) Edmonton Oilers Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 42 Bruce Rendall (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Chatham Maroons (OPJHL) Reference: The Minnesota North Stars' second-round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent Kent Nilsson and an optional third-round picks in 1986 NHL entry draft or 1987 NHL entry draft to Calgary in exchange for Minnesota' second-round pick in 1987 NHL entry draft and this pick. The Chicago Black Hawks' second-round pick went to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on June 19, 1984 that sent Bob MacMillan and New Jersey's fifth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to Chicago in exchange for Don Dietrich, Rich Preston and this pick. The St. Louis Blues' second-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent Mike Dark, Mark Hunter, Montreal's second-round, third-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to St. Louis in exchange for St. Louis' first-round, fourth-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft and this pick. The Montreal Canadiens' second-round pick went to the St. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent St. Louis' first-round, second-round, fourth-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to Montreal in exchange for Mike Dark, Mark Hunter, Montreal's third-round, fifth-round, sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft and this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 43 Dave Tomlinson (LW) Toronto Maple Leafs Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 44 Nelson Emerson (RW) St. Louis Blues (from Pittsburgh via Montreal)1 Stratford Cullitons (OPJHL) 45 Myles O'Connor (D) New Jersey Devils Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) 46 Shane Doyle (D) Vancouver Canucks Belleville Bulls (OHL) 47 Rocky Dundas (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from Hartford)2 Kelowna Wings (WHL) 48 Darryl Gilmour (G) Philadelphia Flyers (from Minnesota)3 Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 49 Sam Lindstahl (G) New York Rangers Sodertalje SK (Sweden) 50 Steve Chiasson (D) Detroit Red Wings Guelph Platers (OHL) 51 Stephane Roy (C) Minnesota North Stars (from Los Angeles)4 Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 52Bill Ranford (G) Boston Bruins New Westminster Bruins (WHL) 53 Andy Helmuth (G) Chicago Black Hawks Ottawa 67's (OHL) 54 Ned Desmond (D) St. Louis Blues Hotchkiss School (USHS–CT) 55 Jeff Finley (D) New York Islanders Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 56 Keith Gretzky (F) Buffalo Sabres Windsor Spitfires (OHL) 57 Max Middendorf (C) Quebec Nordiques Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 58 Bruce Racine (G) Pittsburgh Penguins (from Montreal via Hartford)5 Northeastern University (Hockey East) 59 Lane MacDonald (LW) Calgary Flames Harvard University (ECAC) 60 Daniel Berthiaume (G) Winnipeg Jets Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) 61 Rob Murray (C) Washington Capitals Peterborough Petes (OHL) 62 Mike Ware (RW) Edmonton Oilers Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) 63 Shane Whelan (C) Philadelphia Flyers Oshawa Generals (OHL) Reference: The Montreal Canadiens' third-round pick went to the St. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent St. Louis' first-round, second-round, fourth-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to Montreal in exchange for Mike Dark, Mark Hunter, Montreal's second-round, fifth-round, sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft and this pick. Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on September 15, 1982 that sent that sent Denis Herron to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick. The Hartford Whalers' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on December 21, 1981 that sent Pierre Larouche, Montreal's first-round pick in 1984 NHL entry draft and third-round pick in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to Hartford in exchange for Hartford's first-round and second-round pick in 1984 NHL Entry Draft along with this pick. The Minnesota North Stars' third-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on February 23, 1984 that sent Paul Holmgren to Minnesota in exchange for the rights to Paul Guay and this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on February 1, 1983 that sent Markus Mattsson to Los Angeles in exchange for this pick. The Hartford Whalers' third-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as the result of a trade on September 30, 1983 that sent Greg Malone to Hartford in exchange for this pick. Hartford previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on December 21, 1981 that sent that sent Hartford's first-round and second-round picks in 1984 NHL entry draft with a third-round pick in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to Montreal in exchange for Pierre Larouche, Montreal's first-round pick in 1984 NHL entry draft and this pick.
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 64 Greg Vey (LW) Toronto Maple Leafs Peterborough Petes (OHL) 65 Peter Massey (LW) Quebec Nordiques (from Pittsburgh via Boston)1 New Hampton School (USHS–NH)) 66 Greg Polak (LW) New Jersey Devils Lincoln High School (USHS–MN) 67 Randy Siska (C) Vancouver Canucks Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 68 Gary Callaghan (C) Hartford Whalers Belleville Bulls (OHL) 69 Mike Berger (D) Minnesota North Stars Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) 70 Pat Janostin (D) New York Rangers Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) 71 Mark Gowans (G) Detroit Red Wings Windsor Compuware Spitfires (OHL) 72 Perry Florio (D) Los Angeles Kings Kent School (USHS–CT) 73 Jamie Kelly (RW) Boston Bruins Scituate High School (USHS–MA) 74 Dan Vincelette (LW) Chicago Black Hawks Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 75 Martin Desjardins (C) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis)2 Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 76 Kevin Herom (LW) New York Islanders Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 77 Dave Moylan (D) Buffalo Sabres Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 78 David Espe (D) Quebec Nordiques White Bear Lake Area High School (USHS–MN) 79 Brent Gilchrist (C) Montreal Canadiens Kelowna Wings (WHL) 80 Roger Johansson (D) Calgary Flames Troja (Sweden) 81 Fredrik Olausson (D) Winnipeg Jets Farjestad BK (Sweden) 82 Bill Houlder (D) Washington Capitals North Bay Centennials (OHL) 83 Larry Shaw (D) Washington Capitals (from Edmonton)3 Peterborough Petes (OHL) 84 Paul Marshall (D) Philadelphia Flyers Quincy High School (USHS–NY) Reference: The Boston Bruins' fourth-round pick went to the Quebec Nordiques as the result of a trade on October 25, 1984 that sent Louis Sleigher to Boston in exchange for Luc Dufour and this pick. Boston previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on October 15, 1984 that sent that sent Randy Hillier to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick. The St. Louis Blues' fourth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent Mike Dark, Mark Hunter, Montreal's second-round, third-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft to St. Louis in exchange for St. Louis' first-round, second-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks in 1985 NHL Entry Draft and this pick. The Edmonton Oilers' fourth-round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on March 6, 1984 that sent the rights to Risto Jalo to Edmonton in exchange for this pick.
Round five