American Hockey League Wiki

The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league institutes awarding one point in the standings, for an overtime loss. The league experimented with a shootout to settle games tied after a scoreless overtime period; the format would not be used again until the 2004–05 season.

The Sherbrooke Canadiens finished first overall in the regular season. The Rochester Americans won their fifth Calder Cup championship.

Team Changes[]

Final Standings[]

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;

North GP W L OTL Pts GF GA
Sherbrooke Canadiens 80 50 28 2 102 328 257
Adirondack Red Wings 80 44 31 5 93 329 296
Moncton Golden Flames 80 43 31 6 92 338 315
Nova Scotia Oilers 80 38 39 3 79 318 315
Maine Mariners 80 35 40 5 75 272 298
Fredericton Express 80 32 43 5 69 292 357
South GP W L OTL Pts GF GA
Rochester Americans 80 47 26 7 101 315 263
Binghamton Whalers 80 47 26 7 101 309 259
New Haven Nighthawks 80 44 25 11 99 331 315
Hershey Bears 80 43 36 1 87 329 309
Baltimore Skipjacks 80 35 37 8 78 277 295
Springfield Indians 80 34 40 6 74 296 344
Newmarket Saints 80 28 48 4 60 226 337

Scoring Leaders[]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Tim Tookey Hershey Bears 80 51 73 124 45
Alain Lemieux Baltimore Skipjacks 72 41 56 97 62
Brett Hull Moncton Golden Flames 67 50 42 92 16
Mitch Lamoureux Hershey Bears 78 43 46 89 122
Ross Fitzpatrick Hershey Bears 66 45 40 85 34
Glenn Merkosky Adirondack Red Wings 77 54 31 85 66
Ray Allison Hershey Bears 78 29 55 84 57
Bruce Boudreau Nova Scotia Oilers 78 35 47 82 40
Serge Boisvert Sherbrooke Canadiens 78 27 54 81 29
Wes Jarvis Newmarket Saints 70 28 50 78 32

Calder Cup Playoffs[]

Main article: 1987 Calder Cup Playoffs
  Division Semifinals Division Finals Calder Cup Final
                           
  1  Sherbrooke 4  
4  Nova Scotia 1  
  1  Sherbrooke 4  
North Division
  2  Adirondack 1  
2  Adirondack 4
  3  Moncton 2  
    N1  Sherbrooke 3
  S1  Rochester 4
  1  Rochester 4  
4  Hershey 1  
  1  Rochester 4
South Division
  2  Binghamton 2  
2  Binghamton 4
  3  New Haven 3  

Trophy and Award Winners[]

Team Awards
Calder Cup
Playoff champions:
Rochester Americans
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy
Regular Season champions, North Division:
Sherbrooke Canadiens
John D. Chick Trophy
Regular Season champions, South Division:
Rochester Americans
Individual Awards
Les Cunningham Award
Most valuable player:
Tim Tookey - Hershey Bears
John B. Sollenberger Trophy
Top point scorer:
Tim Tookey - Hershey Bears
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award
Rookie of the year:
Brett Hull - Moncton Golden Flames
Eddie Shore Award
Defenceman of the year:
Brad Shaw - Binghamton Whalers
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award
Best Goaltender:
Mark Laforest - Adirondack Red Wings
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award
Lowest goals against average:
Vincent Riendeau - Sherbrooke Canadiens
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award
Coach of the year:
Larry Pleau - Binghamton Whalers
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award
Sportsmanship / Perseverance:
Glenn Merkosky - Adirondack Red Wings
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
MVP of the playoffs:
David Fenyves - Rochester Americans
Other Awards
James C. Hendy Memorial Award
Most outstanding executive:
Joel Schiavone
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards
Outstanding media coverage:
Joel Jacobson, Nova Scotia, (newspaper)
Dave Morrell, Fredericton, (radio)
Arnold Klinsky, Rochester, (television)
Ken McKenzie Award
Outstanding marketing executive:
Larry Haley, Moncton Golden Flames

See Also[]