1986–87 Buffalo Sabres season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1986–87 1986 Buffalo Sabres 28–44–8 18–18–4 10–26–4 Wales 10th Adams 5th 280 308 Scotty BowmanGerry Meehan Scotty BowmanCraig RamsayGerry Meehan Gilbert Perreault (Oct–Nov) Lindy Ruff (Nov–Apr) Mike FolignoMike RamseyLindy Ruff (Oct–Nov) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Mike Foligno (30) Dave Andreychuk (48) Dave Andreychuk (73) Mike Foligno (13) Steve Dykstra (179) Tom Barrasso (17) Tom Barrasso (3.34) The 1986–87 Buffalo Sabres season was the 17th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.National Hockey League The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011 2010 Triumph Books 27 978-1-60078-422-4 The team's first ever draft pick and franchise icon Gilbert Perrault played his final games for the team before retiring early in the season as the Sabres failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Regular season Final standings BUF Record vs. opponents BUF Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#003087 5px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 5px solid; 1986–87 regular season1986-87 Buffalo Sabres Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BUF/1987_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 25, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 9, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||0–1–0 |- |2||T||October 11, 1986||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||0–1–1 |- |3||L||October 12, 1986||2–4 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||0–2–1 |- |4||T||October 15, 1986||0–0 OT|| align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||0–2–2 |- |5||L||October 17, 1986||3–7 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||0–3–2 |- |6||W||October 18, 1986||4–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||1–3–2 |- |7||L||October 22, 1986||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||1–4–2 |- |8||L||October 24, 1986||4–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||1–5–2 |- |9||L||October 25, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||1–6–2 |- |10||L||October 29, 1986||2–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||1–7–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |11||W||November 1, 1986||3–1 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||2–7–2 |- |12||W||November 2, 1986||7–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||3–7–2 |- |13||W||November 5, 1986||8–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||4–7–2 |- |14||L||November 7, 1986||6–7 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||4–8–2 |- |15||L||November 9, 1986||3–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1986–87) ||4–9–2 |- |16||L||November 12, 1986||1–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||4–10–2 |- |17||L||November 15, 1986||2–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||4–11–2 |- |18||T||November 19, 1986||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||4–11–3 |- |19||L||November 21, 1986||1–6 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||4–12–3 |- |20||L||November 22, 1986||1–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||4–13–3 |- |21||L||November 26, 1986||0–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||4–14–3 |- |22||W||November 28, 1986||4–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||5–14–3 |- |23||L||November 29, 1986||2–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||5–15–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |24||L||December 2, 1986||4–5 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||5–16–3 |- |25||L||December 5, 1986||5–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||5–17–3 |- |26||L||December 6, 1986||3–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||5–18–3 |- |27||T||December 9, 1986||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||5–18–4 |- |28||L||December 10, 1986||3–6 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||5–19–4 |- |29||L||December 13, 1986||0–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||5–20–4 |- |30||W||December 14, 1986||4–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||6–20–4 |- |31||L||December 17, 1986||3–4 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||6–21–4 |- |32||W||December 19, 1986||3–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||7–21–4 |- |33||L||December 20, 1986||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||7–22–4 |- |34||W||December 23, 1986||2–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||8–22–4 |- |35||T||December 26, 1986||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||8–22–5 |- |36||L||December 28, 1986||1–4 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||8–23–5 |- |37||W||December 31, 1986||5–2 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||9–23–5 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |38||L||January 2, 1987||3–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||9–24–5 |- |39||W||January 4, 1987||7–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||10–24–5 |- |40||W||January 7, 1987||4–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||11–24–5 |- |41||L||January 8, 1987||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||11–25–5 |- |42||W||January 10, 1987||8–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||12–25–5 |- |43||T||January 14, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||12–25–6 |- |44||L||January 17, 1987||2–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||12–26–6 |- |45||W||January 18, 1987||6–5 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||13–26–6 |- |46||L||January 20, 1987||0–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||13–27–6 |- |47||L||January 23, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||13–28–6 |- |48||W||January 24, 1987||6–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||14–28–6 |- |49||L||January 26, 1987||2–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||14–29–6 |- |50||L||January 28, 1987||4–7 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||14–30–6 |- |51||W||January 30, 1987||3–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||15–30–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |52||W||February 1, 1987||6–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||16–30–6 |- |53||W||February 4, 1987||3–1 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||17–30–6 |- |54||L||February 7, 1987||2–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||17–31–6 |- |55||W||February 8, 1987||7–4 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||18–31–6 |- |56||W||February 14, 1987||5–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1986–87) ||19–31–6 |- |57||W||February 18, 1987||4–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||20–31–6 |- |58||W||February 20, 1987||6–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||21–31–6 |- |59||W||February 22, 1987||5–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||22–31–6 |- |60||L||February 24, 1987||3–6 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||22–32–6 |- |61||W||February 26, 1987||4–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||23–32–6 |- |62||L||February 28, 1987||1–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||23–33–6 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |63||L||March 1, 1987||2–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||23–34–6 |- |64||L||March 3, 1987||2–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||23–35–6 |- |65||W||March 5, 1987||6–4 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||24–35–6 |- |66||T||March 7, 1987||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||24–35–7 |- |67||W||March 8, 1987||5–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||25–35–7 |- |68||W||March 11, 1987||3–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||26–35–7 |- |69||L||March 13, 1987||4–6 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||26–36–7 |- |70||L||March 14, 1987||3–5 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||26–37–7 |- |71||L||March 17, 1987||2–6 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||26–38–7 |- |72||L||March 20, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||26–39–7 |- |73||W||March 22, 1987||3–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||27–39–7 |- |74||L||March 24, 1987||5–6 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||27–40–7 |- |75||L||March 26, 1987||3–5 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||27–41–7 |- |76||L||March 28, 1987||3–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||27–42–7 |- |77||L||March 29, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||27–43–7 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#003087 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFB81C 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |78||L||April 2, 1987||3–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||27–44–7 |- |79||T||April 4, 1987||6–6 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1986–87) ||27–44–8 |- |80||W||April 5, 1987||6–0 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||28–44–8 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Draft picks Buffalo's draft picks at the 1986 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal. Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)15Shawn AndersonCanadaCanadian National Development Team226Greg BrownUnited StatesSt. Mark's School (ISL)347Bob CorkumUnited StatesUniversity of Maine (Hockey East)356Kevin KerrCanadaWindsor Compuware Spitfires (OHL)468David BaseggioCanadaYale University (ECAC)589Larry RooneyUnited StatesThayer Academy (ISL)6110Miguel BaldrisCanadaShawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)7131Mike HartmanUnited StatesNorth Bay Centennials (OHL)8152Francois GuayCanadaLaval Titan (QMJHL)9173Sean WhithamCanadaProvidence College (Hockey East)10194Kenton ReinCanadaPrince Albert Raiders (WHL)11215Troy ArndtCanadaPortland Winter Hawks (WHL)S14Jeff CapelloCanadaUniversity of Vermont (Hockey East)S28John CullenCanadaBoston University (Hockey East) See also 1986–87 NHL season References Buffalo Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons Buffalo Buffalo