1987–88 Toronto Maple Leafs season
The 1987–88 Toronto Maple Leafs season saw the Maple Leafs finish in fourth place in the Norris Division with a record of 21 wins, 49 losses, and 10 ties for 52 points. Despite posting the second-worst record in the league, they qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs on the last day of the season in part due to playing in an extremely weak Norris Division; the division champion Detroit Red Wings were the only team in the division with a winning record. Their.325 winning percentage is the third-worst in franchise history, and one of the lowest ever for a playoff qualifier. For an NHL team, their.325 percentage is the worst mark to qualify for the playoffs for a team that played at least 70 games. They lost to the Red Wings in six games in the Division Semifinals.Off-season
Regular season
The Maple Leafs finished last in power-play goals scored, power-play opportunities and power-play percentage.Final standings
Schedule and results
Playoffs
The Toronto Maple Leafs were defeated 4 games to 2 against the Norris Division winning Detroit Red Wings.Player statistics
Regular season
;Scoring
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | PPG | SHG | GWG |
| C | 80 | 42 | 33 | 75 | 55 | -22 | 14 | 4 | 3 |
| RW | 80 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 62 | -6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 79 | 23 | 37 | 60 | 102 | -3 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| D | 77 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 80 | -21 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| C | 63 | 19 | 31 | 50 | 81 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 65 | 23 | 26 | 49 | 47 | -16 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| C | 75 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| LW | 74 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 221 | -21 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 38 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| C | 68 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 41 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 75 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 65 | -12 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 66 | 2 | 24 | 26 | 82 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 65 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 131 | -20 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| D | 56 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 63 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| LW/D | 28 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 80 | -13 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| LW | 59 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 65 | -6 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| C | 67 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 57 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| RW | 40 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 | -11 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| D | 78 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 90 | -25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 16 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 18 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | -5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| LW | 70 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 107 | -8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G | 56 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 21 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 19 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 15 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G | 30 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
;Goaltending
| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO | SA | SV | SV% |
| 3000 | 56 | 12 | 35 | 4 | 222 | 4.44 | 2 | 1712 | 1490 | .870 |
| 1607 | 30 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 102 | 3.81 | 2 | 879 | 777 | .884 |
| 249 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4.10 | 0 | 128 | 111 | .867 |
| Team: | 4856 | 80 | 21 | 49 | 10 | 341 | 4.21 | 4 | 2719 | 2378 | .875 |
Playoffs
;Scoring
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | PPG | SHG | GWG |
| C | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| D | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| D | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| D | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LW | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
;Goaltending
| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | SO | SA | SV | SV% |
| 253 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 4.98 | 0 | 135 | 114 | .844 |
| 108 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6.11 | 0 | 62 | 51 | .823 |
| Team: | 360 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 5.32 | 0 | 197 | 165 | .838 |
Awards and records
Transactions
The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1987-88 season.Trades
Waivers
Free agents
Roster
Draft picks
Toronto's draft picks at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft held at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club Team |
| 1 | 7 | Luke Richardson | | Peterborough Petes |
| 2 | 28 | Daniel Marois | | Verdun Junior Canadiens |
| 3 | 49 | John McIntyre | | Guelph Platers |
| 4 | 71 | Joe Sacco | | Medford High School |
| 5 | 91 | Mike Eastwood | | Pembroke Lumber Kings |
| 6 | 112 | Damian Rhodes | | Richfield High School |
| 7 | 133 | Trevor Jobe | | Moose Jaw Warriors |
| 8 | 154 | Chris Jensen | | Northwood School |
| 9 | 175 | Brian Blad | | Belleville Bulls |
| 10 | 196 | Ron Bernacci | | Hamilton Steelhawks |
| 11 | 217 | Ken Alexander | | Hamilton Steelhawks |
| 12 | 238 | Alex Weinrich | | North Yarmouth Academy |
