# 1986–87 AHL season

The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League. 13 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

* The St. Catharines Saints move to Newmarket, Ontario, becoming the Newmarket Saints.

## Final standings

* y– indicates team clinched division and a playoff spot
* x– indicates team clinched a playoff spot
* e– indicates team was eliminated from playoff contention
| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Sherbrooke Canadiens (MTL/WIN) | 80 | 50 | 28 | 2 | 102 | 328 | 257 |
| x–Adirondack Red Wings (DET) | 80 | 44 | 31 | 5 | 93 | 329 | 296 |
| x–Moncton Golden Flames (BOS/CGY) | 80 | 43 | 31 | 6 | 92 | 338 | 315 |
| x–Nova Scotia Oilers (CHI/EDM) | 80 | 38 | 39 | 3 | 79 | 318 | 315 |
| e–Maine Mariners (NJD) | 80 | 35 | 40 | 5 | 75 | 272 | 298 |
| e–Fredericton Express (QUE/VAN) | 80 | 32 | 43 | 5 | 69 | 292 | 357 |
| South Division | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Rochester Americans (BUF) | 80 | 47 | 26 | 7 | 101 | 315 | 263 |
| x–Binghamton Whalers (HFD/WSH) | 80 | 47 | 26 | 7 | 101 | 309 | 259 |
| x–New Haven Nighthawks (LAK/NYR) | 80 | 44 | 25 | 11 | 99 | 331 | 315 |
| x–Hershey Bears (PHI) | 80 | 43 | 36 | 1 | 87 | 329 | 309 |
| Baltimore Skipjacks (PIT) | 80 | 35 | 37 | 8 | 78 | 277 | 295 |
| e–Springfield Indians (MNS/NYI) | 80 | 34 | 40 | 6 | 74 | 296 | 344 |
| e–Newmarket Saints (TOR) | 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 |
* complete list

## Calder Cup playoffs

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final |
| 1 | Sherbrooke | 4 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Nova Scotia | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Nova Scotia | 1 | 1 | Sherbrooke | 4 | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | 1 | Sherbrooke | 4 | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | 2 | Adirondack | 1 | | | |
| 2 | Adirondack | 4 | 2 | Adirondack | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Moncton | 2 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Moncton | 2 | | | | N1 | Sherbrooke | 3 |
| | | | | | | S1 | Rochester | 4 |
| 1 | Rochester | 4 | | | | | | | S1 | Rochester | 4 |
| 4 | Hershey | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Hershey | 1 | 1 | Rochester | 4 | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | 1 | Rochester | 4 | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | 2 | Binghamton | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Binghamton | 4 | 2 | Binghamton | 2 | | | |
| 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 |