1995–96 Detroit Red Wings season


The 1995–96 Detroit Red Wings season was the 70th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on September 25, 1926.
With their 62 wins, they eclipsed the all-time record of most regular-season wins, which had been set at 60 by the 1976–77 Montreal Canadiens. Their 131 points during the regular season were the most since the 1976–77 Montreal Canadiens accumulated 132 points. They surpassed most of that year's NBA season win records, the 64–18 Seattle SuperSonics and the 72–10 Chicago Bulls being the only teams. The Red Wings had two winning streaks of nine games and had a 13–game unbeaten streak from Sunday, March 3, 1996, to Sunday, March 31, going 12–0–1 during that stretch.
Having the best record in the league, the Red Wings were awarded the Presidents' Trophy. During the 1995–96 regular season, the Red Wings were the only team to score at least one goal in all 82 of its games. While the team is remembered for its record-breaking regular season, it ended in heartbreaking fashion in the playoffs. Detroit has lost five games to Winnipeg and St. Louis, both teams that failed to get above 80 points in the regular season, including having to go to a decisive game 7 against St. Louis. They were ultimately upset by the Colorado Avalanche, winning only two of the six games in the series, and failed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. They won 72 combined victories that season, tying the same 1976–77 Canadiens.

Off-season

In September 1995, the former 1974 draft pick and attorney Bill Evo was appointed president the Detroit Red Wings.

Regular season

The Red Wings finished first in wins, points, tied the Washington Capitals for most shutouts, allowed the fewest goals, the fewest even-strength goals, the fewest power-play goals and had the best penalty-kill percentage.

Season standings

Schedule and results

October

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
1October 6Detroit2 – 3ColoradoVernon16,0610–1–00
2October 8Detroit3 – 1EdmontonOsgood13,3021–1–02
3October 9Detroit5 – 3VancouverVernon19,0242–1–04
4October 13Edmonton0 – 9DetroitOsgood19,8753–1–06
5October 15Detroit5 – 5Winnipeg*Vernon9,3993–1–17
6October 17Calgary3 – 3Detroit*Osgood19,6383–1–28
7October 19Detroit2 – 4New JerseyVernon16,1473–2–28
8October 21Boston2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,8754–2–210
9October 24Ottawa2 – 1DetroitVernon19,5124–3–210
10October 27Detroit3 – 0CalgaryOsgood19,0015–3–212
11October 30Detroit2 – 3WinnipegOsgood7,9055–4–212

November

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
12November 1Detroit1 – 2BuffaloOsgood12,6535–5–212
13November 2Detroit6 – 5Boston*Osgood17,5656–5–214
14November 4Dallas1 – 5DetroitOsgood19,8527–5–216
15November 7Edmonton2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,7768–5–218
16November 11Detroit5 – 2San JoseVernon17,1909–5–220
17November 14Detroit6 – 5Los AngelesOsgood14,15410–5–222
18November 17Detroit5 – 4EdmontonVernon10,80311–5–224
19November 22San Jose2 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98312–5–226
20November 24Detroit1 – 4PhiladelphiaVernon17,38012–6–226
21November 25NY Rangers0 – 2DetroitOsgood19,98313–6–228
22November 28Montreal2 – 3DetroitOsgood19,94514–6–230

December

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
23December 1Anaheim2 – 5DetroitVernon19,88115–6–232
24December 2Detroit11 – 1MontrealVernon17,80316–6–234
25December 5Philadelphia3 – 5DetroitOsgood19,91817–6–236
26December 7Dallas1 – 3DetroitVernon19,64018–6–238
27December 8Detroit1 – 2NY Rangers*Osgood18,20018–7–238
28December 12Detroit5 – 2St. LouisVernon17,96519–7–240
29December 13Chicago1 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98320–7–242
30December 15New Jersey1 – 3DetroitVernon19,98321–7–244
31December 20Detroit6 – 1AnaheimVernon17,17422–7–246
32December 22Detroit5 – 1CalgaryOsgood17,30223–7–248
33December 23Detroit1 – 0VancouverVernon18,42224–7–250
34December 26St. Louis2 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98325–7–252
35December 29Detroit2 – 1DallasOsgood16,92426–7–254
36December 31Hartford2 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98327–7–256

January

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
37January 3Dallas3 – 3Detroit*Osgood19,94427–7–357
38January 5Detroit2 – 5PittsburghOsgood17,18127–8–357
39January 6Chicago0 – 3DetroitHodson19,98328–8–359
40January 8Winnipeg6 – 4DetroitOsgood19,82528–9–359
41January 10Detroit4 – 0DallasOsgood15,62129–9–361
42January 12Los Angeles2 – 3DetroitHodson19,98330–9–363
43January 13Detroit4 – 2WashingtonOsgood18,13031–9–365
44January 17Colorado2 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98332–9–367
45January 24San Jose2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,94633–9–369
46January 25Detroit4 – 2OttawaOsgood16,88234–9–371
47January 27Detroit5 – 5Chicago*Osgood22,64034–9–472
48January 30Toronto2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98335–9–474

February

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
49February 3Pittsburgh0 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98336–9–476
50February 6Florida2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98337–9–478
51February 8Detroit1 – 3FloridaVernon14,70337–10–478
52February 10Detroit3 – 2Tampa Bay*Osgood22,63638–10–480
53February 13Los Angeles4 – 9DetroitVernon19,98339–10–482
54February 15Washington3 – 4DetroitOsgood19,95240–10–484
55February 16Detroit3 – 4St. LouisVernon20,15640–11–484
56February 18Detroit3 – 2TorontoOsgood15,74641–11–486
57February 19Vancouver3 – 4DetroitVernon19,98342–11–488
58February 22Toronto3 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98343–11–490
59February 24Tampa Bay0 – 2DetroitVernon19,98344–11–492
60February 27Detroit6 – 2NY IslandersOsgood11,76245–11–494
61February 29NY Islanders1 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98346–11–496

March

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
62March 2Vancouver3 – 2DetroitVernon19,98346–12–496
63March 3Detroit6 – 2ChicagoVernon22,54047–12–498
64March 6Detroit4 – 2HartfordOsgood11,25248–12–4100
65March 8Detroit4 – 2ColoradoVernon16,06149–12–4102
66March 10Detroit5 – 2WinnipegOsgood14,75750–12–4104
67March 12Winnipeg2 – 5DetroitVernon19,98351–12–4106
68March 17Calgary2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98352–12–4108
69March 19Toronto5 – 6DetroitVernon19,98353–12–4110
70March 20Detroit4 – 3Toronto*Osgood15,74654–12–4112
71March 22Colorado0 – 7DetroitVernon19,98355–12–4114
72March 24Detroit2 – 2St. Louis*Osgood20,70855–12–5115
73March 25Anaheim1 – 5DetroitVernon19,98356–12–5117
74March 27Buffalo2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98357–12–5119
75March 31St. Louis1 – 8DetroitVernon19,98358–12–5121

April

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
76April 2Detroit3 – 6San JoseOsgood17,19058–13–5121
77April 3Detroit2 – 2Los Angeles*Vernon14,66358–13–6122
78April 5Detroit2 – 2Anaheim*Osgood17,17458–13–7123
79April 7Detroit4 – 1ChicagoVernon21,98659–13–7125
80April 10Winnipeg2 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98360–13–7127
81April 12Chicago3 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98361–13–7129
82April 14Detroit5 – 1DallasOsgood16,92462–13–7131

Player statistics

Regular season

;Forwards
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
Sergei Fedorov78396810748
Steve Yzerman8036599564
Vyacheslav Kozlov8236377370
Igor Larionov6921507134
Keith Primeau74272552168
Dino Ciccarelli6422214399
Greg Johnson6018224030
Bob Errey7111213266
Darren McCarty63151429158
Doug Brown621215274
Tim Taylor7211142539
Kris Draper52791632
Martin Lapointe5863993
Ray Sheppard52242
Stu Grimson56011128
Kirk Maltby61016
Wes Walz20000

;Defencemen
Note: GP = Games played; G= Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
Paul Coffey7614607490
Nicklas Lidstrom8117506720
Viacheslav Fetisov697354296
Vladimir Konstantinov81142034139
Mathieu Dandenault3457126
Marc Bergevin70191033
Bob Rouse5806648
Mike Ramsey4724635
Jamie Pushor501117
Anders Eriksson10002

;Goaltending
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
PlayerGPWLTSOGAAGoals
Chris Osgood50396552.171
Mike Vernon32217232.260
Kevin Hodson420011.100

Playoffs

In the first round of the playoffs, the Red Wings defeated the eighth-place Winnipeg Jets marking the Jets' final games in Winnipeg as the franchise relocated to Phoenix following their playoff defeat. The Wings then defeated the fifth-place St. Louis Blues in the second round. In the Western Conference Finals, the Red Wings were ousted in six games by the Colorado Avalanche, who were in the first year after moving from Quebec. These two teams started the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry, which lasted nearly a decade.

Western Conference Quarter-finals: vs. (8) Winnipeg Jets">Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)">Winnipeg Jets

Detroit wins series 4–2
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1April 17Winnipeg1 – 4DetroitOsgood19,9831 – 0
2April 19Winnipeg0 – 4DetroitOsgood19,9832 – 0
3April 21Detroit1 – 4WinnipegVernon15,5442 – 1
4April 23Detroit6 – 1WinnipegVernon15,5573 – 1
5April 26Winnipeg3 – 1DetroitOsgood19,9833 – 2
6April 27Detroit4 – 1WinnipegVernon15,5674 – 2

Western Conference Semi-finals: vs. (5) [St. Louis Blues]

Detroit wins series 4–3
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1May 3St. Louis2 – 3DetroitOsgood19,9831 – 0
2May 5St. Louis3 – 8DetroitOsgood19,9832 – 0
3May 8Detroit4 – 5St. Louis*Vernon20,7962 – 1
4May 10Detroit0 – 1St. LouisOsgood20,7962 – 2
5May 12St. Louis3 – 2DetroitOsgood19,9832 – 3
6May 14Detroit4 – 2St. LouisOsgood20,7963 – 3
7May 16St. Louis0 – 1Detroit**Osgood19,9834 – 3

Western Conference Finals: vs. (2) [Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado wins series 4–2
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1May 19Colorado3 – 2Detroit*Osgood19,9570 – 1
2May 21Colorado3 – 0DetroitOsgood19,9830 – 2
3May 23Detroit6 – 4ColoradoOsgood16,0611 – 2
4May 25Detroit2 – 4ColoradoOsgood16,0611 – 3
5May 27Colorado2 – 5DetroitOsgood19,9832 – 3
6May 29Detroit1 – 4ColoradoOsgood16,0612 – 4

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIMPPGSHGGWG
C18812204401
C192182010002
D17591430321
D19591410100
C1967136302
LW19571210201
D1945928010
RW1762826601
C1842618010
RW133364010
RW1932520001
D1914534001
C1714528000
C133148000
LW140448000
D1504410000
C180444000
RW1112312000
D1710114100
RW80114000
D70114000
D30000000
LW20000000
G150004000
G40002000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
9361587332.122322289.898
243422112.7208170.864
Team:117919109442.242403359.891

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

August 17, 1995 Acquired Marc Bergevin & Ben Hankinson from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Shawn Burr & round 3 pick in the 1996 draft.
October 24, 1995 Acquired Igor Larionov and a conditional 1998 draft pick from the San Jose Sharks for Ray Sheppard.
March 20, 1996 Acquired Kirk Maltby from the Edmonton Oilers for Dan McGillis.

Roster

Draft picks

Detroit's draft picks at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
126Maxim KuznetsovDynamo Moscow
252Philippe AudetGranby Bisons
358Darryl LaplanteMoose Jaw Warriors
4104Anatoli UstyugovTorpedo Yaroslavl
5125Chad WilchynskiRegina Pats
5126Dave ArsenaultDrummondville Voltigeurs
6156Tyler PerrySeattle Thunderbirds
7182Per EklundDjurgardens IF
8208Andrei SamokhvalovTorpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk
9234David EngblomVallentuna