# 1986–87 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1986–87 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' 20th season.
Coached by Lorne Henning (30–39–9) and Glen Sonmor (0–1–1), the team compiled a record of 30–40–10 for 70 points, to finish the regular season 5th in the Norris Division and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1979.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Norris Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| St. Louis Blues | 80 | 32 | 33 | 15 | 281 | 293 | 79 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 34 | 36 | 10 | 260 | 274 | 78 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 80 | 29 | 37 | 14 | 290 | 310 | 72 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 32 | 42 | 6 | 286 | 319 | 70 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 30 | 40 | 10 | 296 | 314 | 70 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Norris Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Norris Division
1986–87 NHL records
Team
CHI
DET
MIN
STL
TOR
Total
Chicago
—3–4–12–4–21–3–44–410–15–7
Detroit
4–3–1—7–0–13–4–12–5–116–12–4
Minnesota
4–2–20–7–1—2–5–16–212–16–4
St. Louis
3–1–44–3–15–2–1—5–2–117–8–7
Toronto
4–45–2–12–62–5–1—13–17–2
Vs. Smythe Division
1986–87 NHL records
Team
CGY
EDM
LAK
VAN
WIN
Total
Chicago
0–32–11–1–11–1–13–07–6–2
Detroit
2–10–30–32–11–1–15–9–1
Minnesota
1–1–10–2–12–0–13–01–27–5–3
St. Louis
2–10–31–1–10–2–10–1–23–8–4
Toronto
1–21–21–1–11–22–16–8–1
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1986–87 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
HFD
MTL
QUE
Total
Chicago
1–1–11–22–10–2–11–25–8–2
Detroit
2–0–10–2–11–1–11–1–12–16–5–4
Minnesota
0–33–02–11–20–2–16–8–1
St. Louis
1–22–11–21–23–08–7–0
Toronto
1–22–0–11–21–20–35–9–1
Vs. Patrick Division
1986–87 NHL records
Team
NJD
NYI
NYR
PHI
PIT
WSH
Total
Chicago
2–12–11–1–10–2–11–21–1–17–8–3
Detroit
1–21–22–11–22–10–2–17–10–1
Minnesota
2–10–31–1–12–10–30–2–15–11–2
St. Louis
1–21–1–12–10–30–1–20–2–14–10–4
Toronto
2–11–21–1–11–1–12–11–28–8–2 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | T | October 11, 1986 | 4–4 OT | @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) | 0–0–1 |
| 2 | L | October 13, 1986 | 4–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) | 0–1–1 |
| 3 | L | October 16, 1986 | 3–5 | Boston Bruins (1986–87) | 0–2–1 |
| 4 | W | October 18, 1986 | 4–1 | Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | W | October 19, 1986 | 8–5 | @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 2–2–1 |
| 6 | W | October 22, 1986 | 8–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 3–2–1 |
| 7 | L | October 24, 1986 | 2–8 | @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) | 3–3–1 |
| 8 | L | October 26, 1986 | 1–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) | 3–4–1 |
| 9 | W | October 28, 1986 | 7–4 | Calgary Flames (1986–87) | 4–4–1 |
| 10 | L | October 30, 1986 | 1–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 4–5–1 |
| 11 | L | November 1, 1986 | 5–6 | Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 4–6–1 |
| 12 | L | November 5, 1986 | 2–4 | @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 4–7–1 |
| 13 | W | November 6, 1986 | 4–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 5–7–1 |
| 14 | L | November 8, 1986 | 2–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) | 5–8–1 |
| 15 | T | November 11, 1986 | 2–2 OT | Washington Capitals (1986–87) | 5–8–2 |
| 16 | L | November 15, 1986 | 3–7 | New York Islanders (1986–87) | 5–9–2 |
| 17 | L | November 18, 1986 | 3–4 | St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 5–10–2 |
| 18 | L | November 19, 1986 | 5–7 | @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 5–11–2 |
| 19 | W | November 22, 1986 | 6–2 | New Jersey Devils (1986–87) | 6–11–2 |
| 20 | W | November 26, 1986 | 5–2 | Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 7–11–2 |
| 21 | W | November 28, 1986 | 6–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 8–11–2 |
| 22 | W | November 29, 1986 | 7–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 9–11–2 |
| 23 | W | December 2, 1986 | 5–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) | 10–11–2 |
| 24 | W | December 4, 1986 | 5–3 | @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) | 11–11–2 |
| 25 | L | December 6, 1986 | 2–5 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) | 11–12–2 |
| 26 | L | December 9, 1986 | 2–3 | Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) | 11–13–2 |
| 27 | T | December 11, 1986 | 6–6 OT | @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 11–13–3 |
| 28 | W | December 13, 1986 | 5–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) | 12–13–3 |
| 29 | W | December 15, 1986 | 4–3 | @ New York Rangers (1986–87) | 13–13–3 |
| 30 | L | December 16, 1986 | 2–4 | @ New York Islanders (1986–87) | 13–14–3 |
| 31 | W | December 18, 1986 | 6–5 OT | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 14–14–3 |
| 32 | L | December 20, 1986 | 1–4 | Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) | 14–15–3 |
| 33 | L | December 23, 1986 | 3–4 OT | Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 14–16–3 |
| 34 | W | December 26, 1986 | 4–2 | Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) | 15–16–3 |
| 35 | L | December 28, 1986 | 4–5 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) | 15–17–3 |
| 36 | W | December 31, 1986 | 5–2 | Hartford Whalers (1986–87) | 16–17–3 |
| 37 | L | January 2, 1987 | 1–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 16–18–3 |
| 38 | L | January 3, 1987 | 2–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 16–19–3 |
| 39 | T | January 5, 1987 | 3–3 OT | @ New York Rangers (1986–87) | 16–19–4 |
| 40 | L | January 6, 1987 | 3–5 | @ New York Islanders (1986–87) | 16–20–4 |
| 41 | W | January 8, 1987 | 5–4 OT | Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) | 17–20–4 |
| 42 | W | January 10, 1987 | 4–3 | Hartford Whalers (1986–87) | 18–20–4 |
| 43 | T | January 12, 1987 | 4–4 OT | St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 18–20–5 |
| 44 | W | January 14, 1987 | 3–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 19–20–5 |
| 45 | W | January 17, 1987 | 3–2 | Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 20–20–5 |
| 46 | L | January 18, 1987 | 3–5 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) | 20–21–5 |
| 47 | W | January 20, 1987 | 5–0 | Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) | 21–21–5 |
| 48 | W | January 23, 1987 | 6–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) | 22–21–5 |
| 49 | T | January 29, 1987 | 3–3 OT | @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) | 22–21–6 |
| 50 | T | January 30, 1987 | 2–2 OT | @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) | 22–21–7 |
| 51 | W | February 1, 1987 | 4–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) | 23–21–7 |
| 52 | L | February 4, 1987 | 5–6 OT | Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) | 23–22–7 |
| 53 | L | February 6, 1987 | 4–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 23–23–7 |
| 54 | L | February 7, 1987 | 3–5 | Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 23–24–7 |
| 55 | L | February 14, 1987 | 2–3 | Calgary Flames (1986–87) | 23–25–7 |
| 56 | W | February 15, 1987 | 3–2 | St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 24–25–7 |
| 57 | W | February 18, 1987 | 7–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) | 25–25–7 |
| 58 | L | February 19, 1987 | 2–6 | @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 25–26–7 |
| 59 | L | February 21, 1987 | 0–1 | Boston Bruins (1986–87) | 25–27–7 |
| 60 | W | February 23, 1987 | 4–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) | 26–27–7 |
| 61 | L | February 24, 1987 | 4–5 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) | 26–28–7 |
| 62 | W | February 28, 1987 | 6–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) | 27–28–7 |
| 63 | W | March 1, 1987 | 5–4 | Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) | 28–28–7 |
| 64 | T | March 3, 1987 | 4–4 OT | @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) | 28–28–8 |
| 65 | L | March 5, 1987 | 3–9 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 28–29–8 |
| 66 | L | March 7, 1987 | 3–7 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) | 28–30–8 |
| 67 | L | March 9, 1987 | 4–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) | 28–31–8 |
| 68 | L | March 11, 1987 | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 28–32–8 |
| 69 | L | March 14, 1987 | 3–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) | 28–33–8 |
| 70 | W | March 15, 1987 | 4–2 | @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 29–33–8 |
| 71 | T | March 17, 1987 | 3–3 OT | Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 29–33–9 |
| 72 | L | March 19, 1987 | 2–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) | 29–34–9 |
| 73 | L | March 21, 1987 | 1–5 | @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) | 29–35–9 |
| 74 | L | March 23, 1987 | 5–8 | St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 29–36–9 |
| 75 | W | March 25, 1987 | 6–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) | 30–36–9 |
| 76 | L | March 27, 1987 | 2–5 | @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) | 30–37–9 |
| 77 | L | March 29, 1987 | 2–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) | 30–38–9 |
| 78 | L | March 30, 1987 | 5–6 | New York Rangers (1986–87) | 30–39–9 |
| 79 | T | April 1, 1987 | 4–4 OT | @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) | 30–39–10 |
| 80 | L | April 4, 1987 | 1–4 | @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) | 30–40–10 |

## Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1986 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 12 | Warren Babe | Canada | Lethbridge Broncos (WHL) |
| 2 | 30 | Neil Wilkinson | Canada | Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) |
| 2 | 33 | Dean Kolstad | Canada | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) |
| 3 | 54 | Rick Bennett | United States | Wilbraham & Monson Academy (ISL) |
| 3 | 55 | Rob Zettler | Canada | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) |
| 3 | 58 | Brad Turner | Canada | Calgary Canucks (AJHL) |
| 4 | 75 | Kirk Tomlinson | Canada | Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) |
| 5 | 96 | Jari Gronstrand | Finland | Tappara (Finland) |
| 8 | 159 | Scott Mathias | United States | University of Denver (WCHA) |
| 9 | 180 | Lance Pitlick | United States | Robbinsdale Cooper High School (USHS-MN) |
| 10 | 201 | Dan Keczmer | United States | Detroit Little Caesars (MWEHL) |
| 11 | 222 | Garth Joy | Canada | Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) |
| 12 | 243 | Kurt Stahura | United States | Williston Academy (ISL) |
| S2 | 15 | Brian McKee | Canada | Bowling Green State University (CCHA) |