1986-87 Adams Division Championship

Lore & Background

Wayne Gretzky led the league with 183 points, earning his seventh consecutive Art Ross Trophy and his eighth straight Hart Trophy. Jari Kurri finished with 54 goals and 108 points, while Mark Messier had a career high 107 points. Esa Tikkanen had a break out season, getting 78 points, including 34 goals, along with 120 penalty minutes. Paul Coffey missed 21 games but still finished with 67 points to lead Oilers defencemen. In goal, Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog once again split time, with Moog leading the team with 28 wins, while Fuhr posted a team best 3.44 GAA. In the playoffs, the Oilers got a bit of a scare in their opening game against the Los Angeles Kings, losing 5–2, but Edmonton rebounded, winning game two by a 13–3 score and won eight games in a row to get past the Kings and sweep the Winnipeg Jets in the process. Edmonton had little trouble getting past the Detroit Red Wings in the Conference Finals, defeating them in five games and faced the only other 100-point team in the NHL in the Stanley Cup Final, the Philadelphia Flyers. The series went the full seven games, with Edmonton winning the seventh and deciding game by a 3–1 score to capture their third Stanley Cup in the past four years. No Oiler won the Conn Smythe Trophy, as Ron Hextall of the Flyers won it despite failing to win the Stanley Cup.

In Their Own Story

The Oilers opened the playoffs with a 5–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, a result that briefly raised questions. They answered emphatically in game two, winning 13–3, and then ripped off eight straight wins, sweeping the Kings and then the Winnipeg Jets. The Conference Finals against the Detroit Red Wings were handled in five games. That set up a Stanley Cup Final against the Philadelphia Flyers, the only other 100-point team in the NHL. The series went the full seven games. In the deciding game, Edmonton won 3–1 to capture their third Stanley Cup in four years. Ron Hextall of the Flyers won the Conn Smythe Trophy despite his team losing the Final.

Reader's Guide

The 1986–87 Oilers won the Presidents' Trophy with 106 points and their sixth-straight Smythe Division title. The season followed a playoff loss to the Calgary Flames the year before, which had ended their bid for a third-straight Stanley Cup. This year, there was no postseason upset. The Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final to win their third Stanley Cup in four years. As of 2026, this remains the Oilers' most recent regular season division title, the longest such active drought in the North American major professional sports leagues.

Did You Know?

• Wayne Gretzky led the league with 183 points, earning his seventh consecutive Art Ross Trophy and his eighth straight Hart Trophy.
• Mark Messier had a career high 107 points in the 1986-87 season.
• The Oilers won eight games in a row in the playoffs, sweeping the Kings and the Jets.
• Ron Hextall of the Flyers won the Conn Smythe Trophy despite his team losing the Stanley Cup Final.
• As of 2026, this is the Oilers' most recent regular season division title, the longest such active drought in the North American major professional sports leagues.

A Franchise-Best Regular Season

The source does not cover a franchise-best regular season for the Oilers in 1986-87. The Oilers won the Presidents' Trophy with 106 points and their sixth-straight Smythe Division title.

The Winnipeg Upset and a Bittersweet Playoff Exit

The source does not cover a Winnipeg upset or a bittersweet playoff exit for the Oilers in 1986-87. The Oilers swept the Winnipeg Jets in the playoffs.

Individual Honors and a Season of Recognition

Wayne Gretzky led the league with 183 points, earning his seventh consecutive Art Ross Trophy and his eighth straight Hart Trophy. No Oiler won the Conn Smythe Trophy, as Ron Hextall of the Flyers won it despite failing to win the Stanley Cup.

Tragedy, Myth, and the 'Red Hot' Legacy

The source does not cover tragedy, myth, or a 'Red Hot' legacy for the Oilers in 1986-87.