1986–87 Detroit Red Wings season


The 1986–87 Detroit Red Wings season saw the Red Wings finish in second place in the Norris Division with a record of 34 wins, 36 losses, and 10 ties for 78 points, a 38-point improvement from the previous season. They swept the Chicago Blackhawks in four games in the opening round, then rallied from a 3-1 deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the division final, before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in five games in the conference final. This season would mark a turning point for the franchise. After making the playoffs just four times between 1967 and 1986, the Red Wings would miss the playoffs only once between 1987 and 2016.

Offseason

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

The Red Wings finished the season 34-36-10, a major improvement over the disastrous 1985-86 campaign. Just missing out on first place
in the Norris Division, the Wings faced rival Chicago in Round One. Detroit stunned the favored Blackhawks in a 4-game sweep, the franchise's first series victory since 1977-78. In the Norris Finals, Detroit faced another archrival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, but Detroit stormed back, winning the series in seven games, including a 3-0 win in the deciding game.
The Red Wings would then face the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. Detroit took Game One, but the
Oilers would eventually take the series in five games. Edmonton would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
C8031599043-1912
LW80383472216-51704
D771345585214712
W7730235342-9605
LW/C802225471072121
C76153247210401
LW391228406-2411
LW3515163122-3313
D775263170-25310
D5762127163-23402
RW37131326497405
RW77121426124-2011
LW63131124221-6200
RW779918276-10202
C336121863101
D54113141297000
RW/C74381149-4000
D3436970-4101
D582576612000
D2423533-1000
D4514573-7000
D4414559-6000
C13224191011
LW36224193-3101
G43044240000
C2221380000
C311236-9001
D11033194000
RW501102000
G501170000
RW501120000
D301120000
RW20002-2000
G36000200000
RW600001000
LW80000-2000
G600000000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
235143201731353.4511082947.875
196336111651043.181975871.893
2195210123.29011199.892
3426122162.810135119.881
Team:4875803436102673.29223032036.884

Playoffs

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIMPPGSHGGWG
C16513188100
LW16861443200
LW1649136200
C1647116001
LW/C1672920002
C1652728011
LW1634763101
D123478201
D1616731001
RW1623571102
D1614514000
D1404410000
W131234000
D1602214000
D1102218000
G90220000
RW1310114000
RW1201116000
D70119000
D200019000
G80002000
RW80004000
C1100011000
RW/C70005000
D20002000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
467852131.672227214.943
508945242.830252228.905
Team:9751697372.282479442.923

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

Transactions

Roster

Draft picks

Detroit's draft picks at the 1986 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
11Joe MurphyMichigan State University
222Adam GravesWindsor Compuware Spitfires
343Derek MayerUniversity of Denver
464Tim CheveldaeSaskatoon Blades
585Johan GarpenlovNacka HK
6106Jay StarkPortland Winter Hawks
7127Par DjoosMora IK
8148Dean MortonOshawa Generals
9169Marc PotvinStratford Cullitons
10190Scott KingVernon Lakers
11211Tom BissettMichigan Technological University
12232Peter EkrothSodertalje SK
S6Rob DoyleColorado College
S25Ian KiddUniversity of North Dakota

Farm teams