1986–87 WHL season

Junior ice hockey season August 2023 1986–87 WHL season Western Hockey League Ice hockey Playoffs Medicine Hat Tigers (2) Portland Winter Hawks 14 Regular season Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy Kamloops Blazers (2) Four Broncos Memorial Trophy Rob Brown (Kamloops Blazers) / Joe Sakic (Swift Current Broncos) Bob Clarke Trophy Rob Brown (Kamloops Blazers) WHL 1985–86 1987–88 1986–87 CHL season #4B489D #FFFFFF Canadian Hockey League Ice hockey 39 OHL QMJHL WHL Memorial Cup Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 1 Oshawa Generals (OHL) The 1986–87 WHL season was the 21st season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). While the Kamloops Blazers won their second Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions, the Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup as playoff champions before going on to win the 1987 Memorial Cup tournament. The season saw the return of the Swift Current Broncos, with the Lethbridge Broncos relocating prior to the start of the season. League notes On December 30, 1986, the Swift Current Broncos bus crash caused the deaths of four members of the Broncos: Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff. Despite the tragedy, the Broncos opted to continue playing for the remainder of the season. The WHL would later rename its Most Valuable Player award the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy in honour of the four players who were killed in the crash.2016-12-30 Memorial unveiled on 30th anniversary of crash that killed 4 Swift Current hockey players https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/30th-anniversary-crash-swift-current-broncos-dec30-1.3916452 live https://web.archive.org/web/20161231174453/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/30th-anniversary-crash-swift-current-broncos-dec30-1.3916452 2016-12-31 2024-05-12 CBC News On March 1, 1987, Regina Pats player Brad Hornung was paralyzed during a game by a body check. In 1988, the WHL renamed its Most Sportsmanlike Player award—previously the Frank Boucher Memorial Trophy—the Brad Hornung Trophy in his honor. The incident also led to a rule change, making body checking from behind illegal.Coleman Cory 2022-02-09 Former Regina Pat Brad Hornung remembered for perseverance, positive attitude after death from cancer https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/brad-hornung-attitude-perserverance-1.6345336 live https://web.archive.org/web/20220210010545/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/brad-hornung-attitude-perserverance-1.6345336 2022-02-10 2024-06-08 CBC News Rob Brown established a league record with a 212-point season for the Kamloops Blazers.2014-12-29 Highest scoring seasons in major junior hockey history https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/highest-point-scoring-seasons-in-major-junior-hockey-history/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20150730045027/https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/highest-point-scoring-seasons-in-major-junior-hockey-history/ 2015-07-30 2024-06-05 Sportsnet In a season where the league awarded Most Valuable Player honours to a player from each of the East and West Divisions, Brown shared the MVP title with the Broncos' Joe Sakic. Team changes The Lethbridge Broncos relocate to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, becoming the Swift Current Broncos. Regular season Final standings main WDL y n y 2 before qualified for playoffs East Division MED Medicine Hat Tigers SAS Saskatoon Blades PRI Prince Albert Raiders MOO Moose Jaw Warriors REG Regina Pats SWI Swift Current Broncos CAL Calgary Wranglers BRA Brandon Wheat Kings 48 19 5 383 264 x 44 26 2 369 282 x 43 26 3 346 264 x 38 31 3 366 321 x 31 37 4 332 356 x 28 40 4 331 393 x 23 46 3 304 390 19 49 4 282 443 complete main WDL y n y 2 before qualified for playoffs West Division KAM Kamloops Blazers POR Portland Winter Hawks SPO Spokane Chiefs VIC Victoria Cougars SEA Seattle Thunderbirds NEW New Westminster Bruins 55 14 3 496 292 x 47 23 2 439 355 x 37 33 2 374 350 x 30 41 1 334 412 x 21 47 4 328 430 18 50 4 300 432 complete Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Rob Brown Kamloops Blazers 63 76 136 212 101 Craig Endean Regina Pats 72 69 77 146 34 Len Nielsen Regina Pats 72 36 100 136 32 Joe Sakic Swift Current Broncos 72 60 73 133 31 Theoren Fleury Moose Jaw Warriors 66 61 68 129 110 Adam Morrison Victoria Cougars 65 55 70 125 57 Greg Hawgood Kamloops Blazers 61 30 93 123 139 Ron Shudra Kamloops Blazers 71 49 70 119 68 Robin Bawa Kamloops Blazers 62 57 62 113 91 Pat Elynuik Prince Albert Raiders 64 51 62 113 40 1987 WHL Playoffs First round Medicine Hat earned a bye Saskatoon earned a bye Prince Albert defeated Swift Current 3 games to 1 Moose Jaw defeated Regina 3 games to 0 Division semi-finals Medicine Hat defeated Moose Jaw 4 games to 2 Saskatoon defeated Prince Albert 4 games to 0 Kamloops defeated Victoria 5 games to 0 Portland defeated Spokane 5 games to 0 Division finals Medicine Hat defeated Saskatoon 4 games to 3 Portland defeated Kamloops 5 games to 3 WHL Championship Medicine Hat defeated Portland 4 games to 3 All-Star game On January 20, the East Division defeated the West Division 4–3 at Regina, Saskatchewan with a crowd of 3,652. WHL awards Note: For the 1986–87 season, the WHL handed out separate awards for the East and West Divisions. Most Valuable Player - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy: East: Joe Sakic, Swift Current Broncos; West: Rob Brown, Kamloops BlazersScholastic Player of the Year - Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy: Casey McMilan, Swift Current BroncosTop Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy: East: Craig Endean, Regina Pats; West: Rob Brown, Kamloops BlazersWHL Most Sportsmanlike Player: East: Len Nielson, Regina Pats; West: Dave Archibald, Portland Winter HawksTop Defenseman - Bill Hunter Trophy: East: Wayne McBean, Medicine Hat Tigers; West: Glen Wesley, Portland Winter HawksRookie of the Year - Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy: East: Joe Sakic, Swift Current Broncos; West: Dennis Holland, Portland Winter HawksTop Goaltender - Del Wilson Trophy: East: Kenton Rein, Prince Albert Raiders; West: Dean Cook, Kamloops BlazersCoach of the Year - Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy: East: Graham James, Swift Current Broncos; West: Ken Hitchcock, Kamloops BlazersRegular season champions - Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: Kamloops BlazersWHL Plus-Minus Award: Rob Brown, Kamloops Blazers All-Star teams East Division First Team Second Team Goal Kenton Rein Prince Albert Raiders Mark Reimer Saskatoon BladesDefense Wayne McBean Medicine Hat Tigers unknown Mark Tinordi Calgary Wranglers Dean Kolstad Prince Albert Raiders Center Theoren Fleury Moose Jaw Warriors Joe Sakic Swift Current Broncos Left Wing Mark Pederson Medicine Hat Tigers Craig Endean Regina Pats Right Wing Pat Elynuik Prince Albert Raiders unknownWest Division First Team Second Team Goal Drago Adam New Westminster Bruins Peter Fry Victoria CougarsDefense Greg Hawgood Kamloops Blazers Mike Berger Spokane Chiefs Glen Wesley Portland Winter Hawks Chris Joseph Seattle Thunderbirds Center Rob Brown Kamloops Blazers Glen Goodall Seattle Thunderbirds Left Wing Brent Hughes Victoria Cougars Ken Priestlay Victoria Cougars Right Wing Robin Bawa Kamloops Blazers Ron Shudra Kamloops Blazers See also 1987 NHL entry draft 1986 in sports 1987 in sports References 2005–06 WHL Guide 1985–86 WHL season 1987–88 WHL season WHL seasons Category:Western Hockey League seasons WHL WHL