1986–87 Chicago Blackhawks season


The 1986–87 Chicago Blackhawks season was the 61st season of operation of the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League.

Offseason

The 1986–87 Chicago Blackhawks were coming off a year in which they won the Norris Division then somehow got swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
At the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, the Blackhawks selected forward Everett Sanipass with their first round, 14th overall pick. Sanipass played with the Verdun Junior Canadiens of the QMJHL in the 1985–86 season, scoring 28 goals and 94 points in 67 games, while amassing 320 penalty minutes, sixth highest total in the league. Other notable players selected by the team were defenseman Frantisek Kucera and center Mike Hudson.
On August 27, the Blackhawks signed defenseman Gary Nylund to a three-year contract worth approximately $620,000. Nylund, who would turn 23 years old early in the season, appeared in 79 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1985-86, scoring two goals and 18 points while accumulating 180 penalty minutes. In 10 playoff games, he had two assists. The Blackhawks then sent Ken Yaremchuk, Jerome Dupont and their fourth round draft pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft to the Maple Leafs as compensation for signing Nylund.
Due to a back injury, defenseman Behn Wilson would miss the entire 1986-87 season.
Forward Tom Lysiak, who had been with the club since 1979, announced his retirement during the off-season.

Regular season

The Hawks struggled to start off the season, posting a record of 4-12-5 in their first 21 games, as the club was fighting with the Minnesota North Stars for the fourth and final playoff position in the Norris Division. The Blackhawks would continue to slide to a record of 8-17-6 after 31 games, putting them in last place. The team broke out of their season long slump, winning nine of their next 12 games, putting their record to 17-20-6, and into a tie for first place in the Norris Division with 40 points. The Blackhawks would continue to hover just under the.500 mark, peaking at two games under with a 27-29-10 record following a four-game winning streak in March, sitting in second place in the division. A late season slump brought the Hawks final record to 29-37-14, earning 72 points and third place in the division, as they qualified for the post-season for the 18th consecutive season. Their 72 points was their lowest total since the 1983-84, when the Hawks finished with 68 points.
Offensively, Chicago was led by Denis Savard, who in 70 games, scored 40 goals and 90 points. Wayne Presley, in his first full NHL season, broke out with 32 goals, which was the second highest total on the team, while earning 61 points in 80 games. Steve Larmer had 28 goals, 84 points and a team high +20 rating in 80 games. Troy Murray scored 28 goals and 71 points in 77 games. Al Secord managed to score 29 goals and 58 points in 77 games while leading the Hawks with 196 penalty minutes, and Ed Olczyk had a disappointing season by his standards, scoring 16 goals and 51 points in 79 games.
On defence, Doug Wilson led the way with 16 goals and 48 points in 69 games. Bob Murray scored six goals and 44 points in 79 games, while newcomer, Gary Nylund had seven goals and 27 points, as well as 190 penalty minutes, in 80 games.
In goal, Bob Sauve played the majority of the minutes, going 19-19-5 with a 3.59 GAA and a.894 save percentage, while earning the only shutout the club had during the season in 46 games. Murray Bannerman backed him up, and had a 9-18-8 record with a 4.14 GAA and a.873 save percentage in 39 games.

Final standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Detroit Red Wings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 0

The Blackhawks opened the 1987 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings finished the 1986-87 season with a record of 34-36-10, earning 78 points and second place in the Norris Division, which was six more points than the third place Blackhawks.
The series opened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, as Bob Sauve got the nod in goal. The Red Wings opened the scoring early in the first period on a goal by Petr Klima, and they would extend their lead to 2-0 after a goal by Darren Veitch before the first intermission. After a scoreless second period, Bob Murray got the Blackhawks to within one after scoring midway through the third period. The Red Wings Shawn Burr then scored just a little over two minutes later, as Detroit held on for a 3-1 victory.
In the second game, the Red Wings again scored early, as Gerard Gallant scored only 37 seconds into the game, giving the Wings a 1-0 lead. Joey Kocur extended the Detroit lead to 2-0 midway through the period. In the second period, Steve Yzerman made it 3-0 for the Red Wings before Marc Bergevin replied for the Blackhawks, cutting the Wings lead to 3-1. Detroit restored their three-goal lead on a Shawn Burr goal, making it 4-1 for the Red Wings after two periods. In the third period, Adam Oates capped off the scoring for Detroit, as they cruised their way to a 5-1 victory and a 2-0 series lead. The Red Wings defence held the Blackhawks to only 15 shots in the game.
The series moved to Chicago Stadium for the third game of the series. In the first period, the Red Wings again opened the scoring, as Steve Yzerman beat goaltender Bob Sauve, giving Detroit a 1-0 lead 5:28 into the game. A minute later, the Red Wings Mel Bridgman made it 2-0. Bridgman added another goal in the final minute of the period, as the Wings took a 3-0 lead. The Blackhawks scored the only goal of the second period, as Denis Savard scored 2:23 into the period, cutting the Wings lead to 3-1 heading into the third. Only 21 seconds into the third period, the Hawks Curt Fraser scored, as the Hawks were within a goal, down 3-2. Late in the period, Ed Olczyk scored the tying goal, as the Hawks sent the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Wings Shawn Burr scored his third goal in three games, as Detroit defeated Chicago 4-3, and took a 3-0 series lead.
The Blackhawks stayed with Bob Sauve in goal for the fourth game, and for the fourth time in the series, the Wings scored first, as Brent Ashton scored midway through the first period for a 1-0 Red Wings lead. In the second period, Mel Bridgman scored only 35 seconds into the period, as Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the game. Wayne Presley got the Blackhawks on the board with a goal at 9:26 of the period, however, the Red Wings Dave Barr scored 41 seconds later, restoring Detroit's two-goal lead. In the third period, the Hawks fired 18 shots at Red Wings goaltender Greg Stefan, however, they could not score, and the game finished with the Wings winning 3-1, and sweeping the series 4 games to 0. Stefan was the star of the game for the Red Wings, making 46 saves.
No.RDateScoreOpponentGame Winning GoalRecord
1LApril 8, 19871-3@ Detroit Red Wings 0-1
2LApril 9, 19871-5@ Detroit Red Wings 0-2
3LApril 11, 19873–4 OTDetroit Red Wings 0-3
4LApril 12, 19871-3Detroit Red Wings 0-4

Player stats

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
C7040509010815707
RW8028568422201004
C772843715914423
RW80322961114-18704
LW77292958196-20503
C79163551119-4212
LW752525501825302
D691632483615711
D796384480-9401
RW51131932619000
D8072027190-9200
D7342327865200
RW58815233311000
C716121881-7000
RW73891719-8001
C525121734-3001
LW44861416-3100
D6641014664000
D48113145910100
C393696-9000
D63189146-2000
LW713423000
G4604460000
C2212361010
G3901140000
LW200000000
D20000-1000
RW100000000
G300000000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
266046191951593.59114971338.894
20593991881424.1401122980.873
155310172.7109083.922
Team:4874802937143083.79127092401.886

Playoffs

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
LW211210-1000
C411241000
D402211-1000
RW402242000
D31012-1000
D41014-2000
RW41019-2000
C410112-3000
D40116-1000
RW40110-1000
C100000000
RW40002-2000
C40000-1000
D300010-2000
C40005-3000
D200020000
G400000000
LW400021-2000
C400020000
LW200000000
LW30000-4000
D40000-2000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
245404153.670136121.890
Team:245404153.670136121.890

Note: Pos = Position; 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

Transactions

Roster

Draft picks

Chicago's draft picks at the 1986 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
114Everett SanipassVerdun Junior Canadiens
235Mark KurzawskiWindsor Compuware Spitfires
477Frantisek KuceraSparta Prague
598Lonnie LoachGuelph Platers
6119Mario DoyonDrummondville Voltigeurs
7140Mike HudsonSudbury Wolves
8161Marty NanneUniversity of Minnesota
9182Geoff BenicWindsor Compuware Spitfires
10203Glenn LowesToronto Marlboros
11224Chris ThayerKent School
12245Sean WilliamsOshawa Generals
S5Dave RandallNorthern Michigan University

Farm teams