1987–88 NHL season

The 1987–88 NHL season was the 71st season of the National Hockey League. It was an 80-game season with the top four teams in each division advancing to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The NHL introduced a new trophy, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which was to be awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution in his community.

Regular season
Final standings
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Prince of Wales Conference
 Adams Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Montreal Canadiens 80 45  22  13 103 298  238  1830 Boston Bruins  80 44  30  6  94 300  251  2443 Buffalo Sabres 80  37  32  11  85 283  305  2277 Hartford Whalers  80 35  38  7  77 249  267  2046 Quebec Nordiques 80  32  43  5 69  271  306  2042

 Patrick Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM New York Islanders  80 39  31  10 88 308  267  1732 Washington Capitals  80 38  33  9  85 281  249  1680 Philadelphia Flyers  80 38  33  9 85  292  292  2194 New Jersey Devils  80 38  36  6  82 295  296  2315 New York Rangers  80 36  34  10  82 300  283  1775 Pittsburgh Penguins  80 36  35  9 81  319  316  2211

Clarence Campbell Conference
 Norris Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Detroit Red Wings 80  41  28  11 93  322  269  2391 St. Louis Blues  80 34  38  8  76 278  294  1919 Chicago Blackhawks  80 30  41  9  69 284  328  2228 Toronto Maple Leafs  80 21  49  10  52 273  345  1782 Minnesota North Stars  80 19  48  13  51 242  349  2313

 Smythe Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Calgary Flames  80 48  23  9  105 397  305  2431 Edmonton Oilers  80 44  25  11  99 363  288  2173 Winnipeg Jets  80 33  36  11 77  292  310  2278 Los Angeles Kings  80 30  42  8  68 318  359  2124 Vancouver Canucks  80 25  46  9  59 272  320  2196

Scoring leaders
 Player Team GP G A PTS Mario Lemieux  Pittsburgh Penguins  77  70  98  168 Wayne Gretzky  Edmonton Oilers  64  40  109  149 Denis Savard  Chicago Blackhawks  80  44  87  131 Dale Hawerchuk  Winnipeg Jets  80  44  77  121 Luc Robitaille  Los Angeles Kings  80  53  58  111 Peter Stastny  Quebec Nordiques  76  46  65  111 Mark Messier  Edmonton Oilers  77  37  74  111 Jimmy Carson  Los Angeles Kings  80  55  52  107 Michel Goulet  Quebec Nordiques  80  48  58  106 Hakan Loob  Calgary Flames  80  50  56  106

Stanley Cup playoffs
Note: all dates in 1988
Adams Division semi-finals
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 6  Buffalo  3  Boston   7 April 7  Buffalo  1  Boston   4 April 9  Boston  2  Buffalo  6April 10 Boston  5  Buffalo   6 April 12 Buffalo  4  Boston   5 April 14  Boston  5  Buffalo  2 
Boston wins best-of-seven series 4–2

Hartford Whalers vs. Montreal Canadiens
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 6  Hartford  3  Montreal   4April 7  Hartford  3  Montreal   7 April 9  Montreal   4  Hartford  3 April 10  Montreal  5  Hartford   7 April 12  Hartford   5  Montreal  3April 14  Montreal   4  Hartford  2
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–2

Patrick Division semi-finals
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 6  Philadelphia   4  Washington  2 April 7  Philadelphia  4  Washington   5April 9  Washington  3  Philadelphia   4 April 10  Washington  4  Philadelphia   5  April 12  Philadelphia  2  Washington   5  April 14  Washington   7  Philadelphia  2April 16  Philadelphia  3  Washington   4 OT
Washington wins best-of-seven series 4–3

New Jersey Devils vs. New York Islanders
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 6  New Jersey   4  New York  3April 7  New Jersey  2  New York   3 April 9  New York  0  New Jersey   3 April 10  New York  5  New Jersey  4April 12  New Jersey   4  New York  2April 14  New York  5  New Jersey   6 
New Jersey wins best-of-seven series 4–2

Norris Division semi-finals
Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 6  Chicago  1  St. Louis   5April 7  Chicago  2  St. Louis   3 April 9  St. Louis  3  Chicago   6 April 10  St. Louis   6  Chicago  5April 12  Chicago  3  St. Louis   5 
St. Louis wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 6  Toronto  6  Detroit 2 April 7  Toronto  2  Detroit   6 April 9  Detroit   6  Toronto 3 April 10  Detroit  8  Toronto 0 April 12  Toronto   6  Detroit  5 April 14  Detroit   5  Toronto  3
Detroit wins best-of-seven series 4–2

Smythe Division semi-finals
Winnipeg Jets vs. Edmonton Oilers
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 6  Winnipeg  4  Edmonton   7  April 7  Winnipeg  2  Edmonton   3  April 9  Edmonton  4  Winnipeg   6  April 10  Edmonton   5  Winnipeg  3  April 12  Winnipeg  2  Edmonton   6 
Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 6  Los Angeles  2  Calgary   9 April 7  Los Angeles  4  Calgary   6  April 9  Calgary  2  Los Angeles   5  April 10  Calgary   7  Los Angeles  3 April 12  Los Angeles  4  Calgary   6 
Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Divisional finals
Adams Division
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 18  Boston  1  Montreal  5  April 20  Boston   4  Montreal  3  April 22  Montreal  1  Boston   3  April 24  Montreal  0  Boston   2  April 26  Boston   4  Montreal  1 
Boston wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Patrick Division
New Jersey Devils vs. Washington Capitals
 Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 18  New Jersey  1  Washington   3  April 20  New Jersey   5  Washington  2  April 22  Washington  4  New Jersey  10  April 24  Washington   4  New Jersey  1  April 26  New Jersey   3  Washington  1  April 28  Washington   7 New Jersey  2  April 30  New Jersey  3  Washington  2 
New Jersey wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Norris Division
St. Louis Blues vs. Detroit Red Wings
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 19  St. Louis  4  Detroit   5  April 21  St. Louis 0  Detroit   6  April 23  Detroit  3  St. Louis   6  April 25  Detroit   3  St. Louis  1  April 27  St. Louis  3  Detroit   4 
Detroit wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Smythe Division
Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes April 19  Edmonton   3  Calgary  1  April 21  Edmonton   5  Calgary  4  OT April 23  Calgary  2  Edmonton   4  April 25  Calgary  4  Edmonton   6 
Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–0

Conference finals
Prince of Wales Conference 
New Jersey Devils vs. Boston Bruins
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes May 2  New Jersey  3  Boston   5  May 4  New Jersey   3  Boston  2 (OT) May 6  Boston   6  New Jersey  1  May 8  Boston  1  New Jersey   3  May 10  New Jersey  1  Boston   7  May 12  Boston  3  New Jersey   6  May 14  New Jersey  2  Boston   6 
Boston wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Clarence Campbell Conference
Detroit Red Wings vs. Edmonton Oilers
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes May 3  Detroit  1 Edmonton   4  May 5  Detroit  3 Edmonton   5  May 7  Edmonton  2 Detroit   5  May 9  Edmonton   4Detroit  3 (OT) May 11  Detroit  4 Edmonton   8 
Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–1

Finals
Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers
 Date Away Score Home Score Notes May 18  Boston  1  Edmonton  2 May 20  Boston  2  Edmonton   4  May 22  Edmonton   6  Boston  3  May 24  Edmonton   3  Boston  3 Game terminated at 16:37 of 2nd period due to power failure. May 26  Boston  3  Edmonton  6 
Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–0

NHL awards
 Presidents' Trophy:  Calgary Flames Prince of Wales Trophy:  Boston Bruins Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:  Edmonton Oilers Art Ross Memorial Trophy:  Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:  Bob Bourne, Los Angeles Kings Calder Memorial Trophy:  Joe Nieuwendyk, Calgary Flames Conn Smythe Trophy:  Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers Frank J. Selke Trophy:  Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens Hart Memorial Trophy:  Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins Jack Adams Award:  Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings James Norris Memorial Trophy:  Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins King Clancy Memorial Trophy:  Lanny McDonald, Calgary Flames Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:  Mats Naslund, Montreal Canadiens Lester B. Pearson Award:  Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Plus/Minus Award:  Brad McCrimmon, Calgary Flames, William M. Jennings Trophy:  Patrick Roy/Brian Hayward, Montreal Canadiens Vezina Trophy:  Grant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers Lester Patrick Trophy:  Keith Allen, Fred Cusick, Bob Johnson

All-Star teams
 First Team    Position    Second TeamGrant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers GPatrick Roy, Montreal CanadiensRay Bourque, Boston Bruins DGary Suter, Calgary FlamesScott Stevens, Washington Capitals DBrad McCrimmon, Calgary FlamesMario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins CWayne Gretzky, Edmonton OilersHakan Loob, Calgary Flames RWCam Neely, Boston BruinsLuc Robitaille, Los Angeles Kings LWMichel Goulet, Quebec Nordiques

First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1987–88:
Tommy Albelin, Quebec Nordiques
Rob Brown, Pittsburgh Penguins
Sean Burke, New Jersey Devils
Adam Graves, Detoit Red Wings
Craig Janney, Boston Bruins
Calle Johansson, Buffalo Sabres
Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
Jeff Norton, New York Islanders
Luke Richardson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Mathieu Schneider, Montreal Canadiens
Brendan Shanahan, New Jersey Devils
Ray Sheppard, Buffalo Sabres
Kevin Stevens, Pittsburgh Penguins
Ron Tugnutt, Quebec Nordiques
Pierre Turgeon, Buffalo Sabres
Glen Wesley, Boston Bruins
Scott Young, Hartford Whalers

Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1987–88:
Bob Bourne, Los Angeles Kings
Richard Brodeur, Hartford Whalers
Clark Gillies, Buffalo Sabres
Doug Jarvis, Hartford Whalers
Pierre Larouche, New York Rangers
Dave Lewis, Detroit Red Wings
Gilles Meloche, Pittsburgh Penguins
Rick Middleton, Boston Bruins
Wilf Paiement, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Payne, Minnesota North Stars
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Doug Risebrough, Calgary Flames
Dave Semenko, Toronto Maple Leafs
Charlie Simmer, Pittsburgh Penguins
Brian Sutter, St. Louis Blues
Perry Turnbull, St. Louis Blues
Tiger Williams, Hartford Whalers

References

Hockey Database
NHL.com
SI Flashback to '88 Finals 

NHL season, 1987-88
NHL season, 1987-88
Category:National Hockey League seasons