1984–85 NHL season | |
---|---|
League | National Hockey League |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | October 11, 1984 – May 30, 1985 |
Number of games | 80 |
Number of teams | 21 |
Regular season | |
Season champions | Philadelphia Flyers |
Season MVP | Wayne Gretzky, (Edmonton) |
Top scorer | Wayne Gretzky, (Edmonton) |
Playoffs | |
Playoffs Playoffs MVP | Wayne Gretzky, (Edmonton) |
Stanley Cup | |
Champions | Edmonton Oilers |
Runners-up | Philadelphia Flyers |
The 1984–85 NHL season was the 68th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers won their second straight Stanley Cup by beating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to one in the final series.
This was the first year since they began broadcasting that CBC was not the lone network broadcaster in Canada. While Molson continued to present Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights, rival brewery Carling O'Keefe began airing Friday night games on CTV. The two networks split the playoffs and finals.
Referee Andy Van Hellemond becomes the first on ice official in league history to wear a helmet. Soon, several officials would follow his lead and wear helmets before it became mandatory for all officials for the 2006–07 season.
The Philadelphia Flyers had the best record in the NHL, a mere four points ahead of second place Edmonton Oilers. Flyers goaltender Pelle Lindbergh went on to become the first European to win the Vezina Trophy. Oilers' star Wayne Gretzky once again won the Art Ross Trophy by reaching the 200 plateau for the third time in four years. He also set a new record for assists in a season with 135 and won his sixth straight Hart Trophy. Mario Lemieux made his NHL debut by scoring 100 points and winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. On October 26, 1984, Paul Coffey of the Edmonton Oilers would be the last defenceman in the 20th century to score four goals in one game. It occurred in a game versus the Detroit Red Wings.