1986–87 Montreal Canadiens season

1986–87 Montreal Canadiens
Division	2nd Adams
Conference	3rd Wales
1986–87 record	41–29–10
Home record	27–9–4
Road record	14–20–6
Goals for	277
Goals against	241
Team information
General manager	Serge Savard
Coach	Jean Perron
Captain	Bob Gainey
Alternate captains	Mats Naslund Larry Robinson
Arena	Montreal Forum
Team leaders
Goals	Bobby Smith (28)
Assists	Mats Naslund (55)
Points	Mats Naslund (80)
Penalty minutes	Chris Nilan (266)
Plus/minus	Larry Robinson (+24)
Wins	Patrick Roy (22)
Goals against average	Brian Hayward (2.81)
←  1985–86 1987–88  →

The 1986–87 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 78th season. The season involved being eliminated in the Prince of Wales Conference Final versus the Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2, in a series made famous by the pre-game brawl before game 6, after Ed Hospodar attacked Claude Lemieux for shooting a puck into the Flyers empty net at the end of the warmup

Offseason

NHL Draft

Montreal'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	15	Mark Pederson	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
2	27	Benoit Brunet	Canada	Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)
3	57	Jyrki Lumme	Finland	Ilves (Finland)
4	78	Brent Bobyck	Canada	Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)
5	94	Eric Aubertin	Canada	Granby Bisons (QMJHL)
5	99	Mario Milani	Canada	Verdun Junior Canadiens (QMJHL)
6	120	Steve Bisson	Canada	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
7	141	Lyle Odelein	Canada	Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
8	162	Rick Hayward	United States	Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)
9	183	Antonin Routa	Czechoslovakia	Poldi SONP Kladno (Czechoslovakia)
10	204	Eric Bohemier	Canada	Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)
11	225	Charlie Moore	Canada	Belleville Bulls (OHL)
12	246	Karel Svoboda	Czechoslovakia	CHZ Litvinov (Czechoslovakia)
S2	18	Randy Exelby	Canada	Lake Superior State University (CCHA)

Regular season

Final standings

Adams Division ^[1]

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Hartford Whalers	80	43	30	7	287	270	93
Montreal Canadiens	80	41	29	10	277	241	92
Boston Bruins	80	39	34	7	301	276	85
Quebec Nordiques	80	31	39	10	267	276	72
Buffalo Sabres	80	28	44	8	280	308	64

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

Adams Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Adams Division 1986–87 NHL records [2] Team BOS BUF HFD MTL QUE Total Boston — 3–4–1 2–6 2–5–1 6–2 13–17–2 Buffalo 4–3–1 — 4–4 1–5–2 3–4–1 12–16–4 Hartford 6–2 4–4 — 4–3–1 3–3–2 17–12–3 Montreal 5–2–1 5–1–2 3–4−1 — 5–3 18–10–4 Quebec 2–6 4–3–1 3–3–2 3–5 — 12–17–3 Vs. Patrick Division 1986–87 NHL records Team NJD NYI NYR PHI PIT WSH Total Boston 1–1–1 2–0–1 1–2 1–2 2–1 1–1–1 8–7–3 Buffalo 2–1 1–1–1 1–2 1–2 0–2–1 2–1 7–9–2 Hartford 1–1–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 3–0 2–1 13–4–1 Montreal 2–1 1–1–1 2–0–1 0–2–1 1–1–1 0–3 6–8–4 Quebec 1–0–2 1–2 1–2 0–2–1 0–3 2–0–1 5–9–4 Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Norris Division 1986–87 NHL records Team CHI DET MIN STL TOR Total Boston 1–1–1 0–2–1 3–0 2–1 2–1 8–5–2 Buffalo 2–1 2–0–1 0–3 1–2 0–2–1 5–8–2 Hartford 1–2 1–1–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 7–7–1 Montreal 2–0–1 1–1–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 9–4–2 Quebec 2–1 1–2 2–0–1 0–3 3–0 8–6–1 Vs. Smythe Division 1986–87 NHL records Team CGY EDM LAK VAN WIN Total Boston 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 10–5–0 Buffalo 0–3 1–2 2–1 0–3 1–2 4–11–0 Hartford 1–2 1–2 1–2 2–0–1 1–1–1 6–7–2 Montreal 2–1 0–3 3–0 1–2 2–1 8–7–0 Quebec 1–2 0–3 3–0 2–1 0–1–2 6–7–2

Schedule and results

1986–87 regular season [3]
October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 1 L October 9, 1986 4–7 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 0–1–0 2 L October 11, 1986 4–5 OT Edmonton Oilers 0–2–0 3 W October 13, 1986 6–4 Minnesota North Stars 1–2–0 4 T October 15, 1986 0–0 OT @ Buffalo Sabres 1–2–1 5 W October 18, 1986 5–3 Winnipeg Jets 2–2–1 6 L October 20, 1986 4–5 Washington Capitals 2–3–1 7 W October 22, 1986 4–3 @ Detroit Red Wings 3–3–1 8 T October 25, 1986 3–3 OT New York Rangers 3–3–2 9 W October 27, 1986 6–5 Los Angeles Kings 4–3–2 10 W October 29, 1986 5–2 Buffalo Sabres 5–3–2 11 T October 30, 1986 3–3 OT @ Boston Bruins 5–3–3
November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 12 W November 2, 1986 5–3 @ Vancouver Canucks 6–3–3 13 W November 6, 1986 6–4 @ Los Angeles Kings 7–3–3 14 L November 8, 1986 3–4 @ Edmonton Oilers 7–4–3 15 L November 9, 1986 0–3 @ Calgary Flames 7–5–3 16 W November 12, 1986 4–3 Quebec Nordiques 8–5–3 17 W November 15, 1986 4–2 Buffalo Sabres 9–5–3 18 W November 17, 1986 3–2 OT Boston Bruins 10–5–3 19 W November 19, 1986 4–1 @ Hartford Whalers 11–5–3 20 W November 20, 1986 3–1 @ Boston Bruins 12–5–3 21 L November 22, 1986 3–4 Detroit Red Wings 12–6–3 22 L November 25, 1986 1–2 @ Quebec Nordiques 12–7–3 23 L November 26, 1986 2–4 @ Philadelphia Flyers 12–8–3 24 L November 29, 1986 5–7 Hartford Whalers 12–9–3
December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 25 L December 1, 1986 1–2 OT Washington Capitals 12–10–3 26 W December 3, 1986 4–3 OT St. Louis Blues 13–10–3 27 T December 5, 1986 3–3 OT @ Detroit Red Wings 13–10–4 28 L December 6, 1986 1–3 @ Washington Capitals 13–11–4 29 W December 8, 1986 5–3 Calgary Flames 14–11–4 30 W December 11, 1986 6–2 New York Rangers 15–11–4 31 L December 13, 1986 2–4 Boston Bruins 15–12–4 32 L December 14, 1986 2–4 @ New Jersey Devils 15–13–4 33 W December 16, 1986 4–2 @ St. Louis Blues 16–13–4 34 L December 19, 1986 2–3 @ Buffalo Sabres 16–14–4 35 W December 20, 1986 5–2 New Jersey Devils 17–14–4 36 T December 22, 1986 4–4 OT Pittsburgh Penguins 17–14–5 37 T December 26, 1986 1–1 OT @ Hartford Whalers 17–14–6 38 W December 27, 1986 6–2 Hartford Whalers 18–14–6 39 L December 30, 1986 3–6 @ Quebec Nordiques 18–15–6 40 W December 31, 1986 4–1 Quebec Nordiques 19–15–6
January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 41 L January 3, 1987 3–6 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 19–16–6 42 W January 5, 1987 2–1 @ Boston Bruins 20–16–6 43 L January 7, 1987 2–3 OT Vancouver Canucks 20–17–6 44 W January 10, 1987 5–2 Quebec Nordiques 21–17–6 45 W January 12, 1987 2–1 Toronto Maple Leafs 22–17–6 46 T January 14, 1987 3–3 OT @ Buffalo Sabres 22–17–7 47 L January 15, 1987 3–6 @ Philadelphia Flyers 22–18–7 48 W January 17, 1987 4–2 Buffalo Sabres 23–18–7 49 L January 19, 1987 4–5 OT Hartford Whalers 23–19–7 50 L January 21, 1987 1–3 @ Hartford Whalers 23–20–7 51 L January 22, 1987 3–7 @ Boston Bruins 23–21–7 52 W January 24, 1987 3–1 Chicago Blackhawks 24–21–7 53 W January 26, 1987 3–2 @ Chicago Blackhawks 25–21–7 54 L January 27, 1987 1–2 @ St. Louis Blues 25–22–7 55 W January 31, 1987 5–3 Los Angeles Kings 26–22–7
February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 56 L February 3, 1987 1–4 @ Quebec Nordiques 26–23–7 57 W February 4, 1987 4–3 Quebec Nordiques 27–23–7 58 L February 7, 1987 1–3 @ Hartford Whalers 27–24–7 59 W February 14, 1987 5–2 Winnipeg Jets 28–24–7 60 W February 16, 1987 7–3 Boston Bruins 29–24–7 61 T February 18, 1987 1–1 OT New York Islanders 29–24–8 62 L February 21, 1987 5–6 @ New York Islanders 29–25–8 63 L February 23, 1987 3–4 Minnesota North Stars 29–26–8 64 T February 25, 1987 3–3 OT @ Chicago Blackhawks 29–26–9 65 W February 28, 1987 3–2 New Jersey Devils 30–26–9
March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 66 W March 3, 1987 4–2 @ Calgary Flames 31–26–9 67 L March 6, 1987 1–4 @ Vancouver Canucks 31–27–9 68 L March 7, 1987 3–5 @ Edmonton Oilers 31–28–9 69 W March 9, 1987 5–4 @ Minnesota North Stars 32–28–9 70 L March 11, 1987 1–2 @ Winnipeg Jets 32–29–9 71 T March 14, 1987 3–3 OT Philadelphia Flyers 32–29–10 72 W March 16, 1987 3–0 New York Islanders 33–29–10 73 W March 20, 1987 3–2 @ Buffalo Sabres 34–29–10 74 W March 21, 1987 9–4 Toronto Maple Leafs 35–29–10 75 W March 24, 1987 4–3 @ Quebec Nordiques 36–29–10 76 W March 28, 1987 6–3 Buffalo Sabres 37–29–10 77 W March 29, 1987 4–1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 38–29–10
April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 78 W April 1, 1987 3–2 Hartford Whalers 39–29–10 79 W April 4, 1987 3–1 Boston Bruins 40–29–10 80 W April 5, 1987 8–2 @ New York Rangers 41–29–10
Legend:   Win (2 points)  Loss (0 points)  Tie (1 point)

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
Mats Naslund	LW	79	25	55	80	16	-3	10	0	3
Bobby Smith	C	80	28	47	75	72	6	11	0	7
Claude Lemieux	RW	76	27	26	53	156	0	5	0	1
Larry Robinson	D	70	13	37	50	44	24	6	0	3
Ryan Walter	C/LW	76	23	23	46	34	-6	11	0	4
Guy Carbonneau	C	79	18	27	45	68	9	0	0	2
Gaston Gingras	D	66	11	34	45	21	-2	7	0	2
Chris Chelios	D	71	11	33	44	124	-5	6	0	2
Stephane Richer	RW	57	20	19	39	80	11	4	0	3
Mike McPhee	LW	79	18	21	39	58	7	0	2	2
Sergio Momesso	LW	59	14	17	31	96	0	3	0	4
Brian Skrudland	C	79	11	17	28	107	18	0	1	0
Shayne Corson	LW	55	12	11	23	144	10	0	1	3
Petr Svoboda	D	70	5	17	22	63	14	1	0	1
Kjell Dahlin	RW	41	12	8	20	0	-3	3	1	0
Chris Nilan	RW	44	4	16	20	266	2	0	0	1
David Maley	LW	48	6	12	18	55	-1	0	0	0
Bob Gainey	LW	47	8	8	16	19	0	0	1	3
Craig Ludwig	D	75	4	12	16	105	3	0	0	0
Rick Green	D	72	1	9	10	10	-1	0	0	0
Mike Lalor	D	57	0	10	10	47	5	0	0	0
John Kordic	RW	44	5	3	8	151	-7	0	0	0
Gilles Thibaudeau	C	9	1	3	4	0	5	0	0	0
Brian Hayward	G	37	0	2	2	2	0	0	0	0
Patrick Roy	G	46	0	1	1	8	0	0	0	0
Serge Boisvert	RW	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tom Kurvers	D	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Steve Rooney	LW	2	0	0	0	22	0	0	0	0
Scott Sandelin	D	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO	SA	SV	SV%
Patrick Roy	2686	46	22	16	6	131	2.93	1	1210	1079	.892
Brian Hayward	2178	37	19	13	4	102	2.81	1	959	857	.894
Team:	4864	80	41	29	10	233	2.87	2	2169	1936	.893

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Mats Naslund	LW	17	7	15	22	11	4	0	3
Larry Robinson	D	17	3	17	20	6	2	0	0
Ryan Walter	C/LW	17	7	12	19	10	2	1	1
Bobby Smith	C	17	9	9	18	19	2	0	0
Chris Chelios	D	17	4	9	13	38	2	1	0
Claude Lemieux	RW	17	4	9	13	41	2	0	0
Shayne Corson	LW	17	6	5	11	30	1	1	1
Guy Carbonneau	C	17	3	8	11	20	0	0	0
Mike McPhee	LW	17	7	2	9	13	1	0	2
Kjell Dahlin	RW	8	2	4	6	0	0	0	0
Brian Skrudland	C	14	1	5	6	29	0	0	0
Stephane Richer	RW	5	3	2	5	0	0	0	1
Craig Ludwig	D	17	2	3	5	30	0	0	1
Petr Svoboda	D	14	0	5	5	10	0	0	0
Bob Gainey	LW	17	1	3	4	6	0	0	0
Sergio Momesso	LW	11	1	3	4	31	0	0	0
Rick Green	D	17	0	4	4	8	0	0	0
Chris Nilan	RW	17	3	0	3	75	0	0	0
Mike Lalor	D	13	2	1	3	29	0	0	0
John Kordic	RW	11	2	0	2	19	0	0	1
Gaston Gingras	D	5	0	2	2	0	0	0	0
Brian Hayward	G	13	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Patrick Roy	G	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO	SA	SV	SV%
Brian Hayward	708	13	6	5	32	2.71	0	308	276	.896
Patrick Roy	330	6	4	2	22	4.00	0	173	151	.873
Team:	1038	17	10	7	54	3.12	0	481	427	.888

^[4]

Note:

Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G =  Goals; A =  Assists; Pts =  Points; PIM =  Penalty minutes; +/- =  Plus/minus; PPG =  Power-play goals; SHG =  Short-handed goals; GWG =  Game-winning goals

Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA =  Goals-against average; SO =  Shutouts; SA =  Shots  against; SV = Shots  saved; SV% =  Save percentage;

References

• Canadiens on Hockey Database
• Canadiens on NHL Reference

1. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 153. ISBN   9781894801225.
2. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
3. "1986-87 Montreal Canadiens Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
4. "1986-87 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.