The 1986–87 Calgary Flames season was the seventh National Hockey League season in Calgary and 15th for the Flames franchise. The Flames posted their best record in franchise history to that time, as Calgary's 95 points was the third best total in the league. The Flames' defence of their 1986 Campbell Conference championship was quickly snuffed out by the Winnipeg Jets, as the Flames were upset in the first round of the playoffs in six games by their Manitoba rivals.
Joe Mullen captured his first Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly conduct, while Al MacInnis was named a Second Team All-star.Award Winners, 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, p. 23. The Flames had no player representatives at Rendez-vous '87, which replaced the All-Star Game for this season, though head coach Bob Johnson served as an assistant coach for the NHL all-stars.
Tragedy struck the Flames in the summer of 1986, as their first round draft pick, George Pelawa, died in an automobile crash over the Labour Day weekend.Ulmer, Mike, Heat is on, canoe.ca, October 8, 2003. Pelawa's death is commonly rumoured to be an inspiration for the 1988 Tom Cochrane song "Big League", but this is untrue.
Following the season, the Flames released a music video to benefit charity. The "Red Hot" video featured many players, including Lanny McDonald, Gary Roberts, Mike Vernon, Al MacInnis and Joel Otto, among others, lipsynching and pretending to play instruments. It was released on VHS and on vinyl. It enjoyed popularity then but was forgotten until the video surfaced on the internet in 2005.
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
| 1 || October 9 || Calgary || 5 – 3 || Boston || || 1–0–0 || 2
| 2 || October 11 || Calgary || 5 – 6 || Hartford || || 1–1–0 || 2
| 3 || October 12 || Calgary || 4 – 2 || Buffalo || || 2–1–0 || 4
| 4 || October 16 || Quebec || 4 – 2 || Calgary || || 2–2–0 || 4
| 5 || October 18 || Detroit || 5 – 3 || Calgary || || 2–3–0 || 4
| 6 || October 22 || Edmonton || 3 – 6 || Calgary || || 3–3–0 || 6
| 7 || October 24 || Calgary || 2 – 5 || Winnipeg || || 3–4–0 || 6
| 8 || October 26 || Boston || 6 – 0 || Calgary || || 3–5–0 || 6
| 9 || October 28 || Calgary || 4 – 7 || Minnesota || || 3–6–0 || 6
| 10 || October 29 || Calgary || 2 – 6 || Winnipeg || || 3–7–0 || 6
| 11 || November 1 || Washington || 1 – 4 || Calgary || || 4–7–0 || 8
| 12 || November 3 || Los Angeles || 2 – 4 || Calgary || || 5–7–0 || 10
| 13 || November 5 || Calgary || 3 – 1 || Edmonton || || 6–7–0 || 12
| 14 || November 7 || Edmonton || 4 – 6 || Calgary || || 7–7–0 || 14
| 15 || November 9 || Montreal || 0 – 3 || Calgary || || 8–7–0 || 16
| 16 || November 11 || Vancouver || 3 – 5 || Calgary || || 9–7–0 || 18
| 17 || November 13 || Hartford || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || 10–7–0 || 20
| 18 || November 15 || Calgary || 1 – 4 || Los Angeles || || 10–8–0 || 20
| 19 || November 18 || Calgary || 0 – 5 || Vancouver || || 10–9–0 || 20
| 20 || November 20 || Pittsburgh || 5 – 2 || Calgary || || 10–10–0 || 20
| 21 || November 22 || NY Rangers || 5 – 8 || Calgary || || 11–10–0 || 22
| 22 || November 24 || Edmonton || 5 – 6 || Calgary || || 12–10–0 || 24
| 23 || November 27 || Winnipeg || 4 – 3 || Calgary || || 12–11–0 || 24
| 24 || November 29 || Chicago || 4 – 5 || Calgary || || 13–11–0 || 26
| 25 || December 2 || NY Islanders || 3 – 3 || Calgary || || 13–11–1 || 27
| 26 || December 4 || Chicago || 1 – 4 || Calgary || || 14–11–1 || 29
| 27 || December 6 || Calgary || 3 – 2 || Quebec || || 15–11–1 || 31
| 28 || December 8 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Montreal || || 15–12–1 || 31
| 29 || December 10 || Calgary || 6 – 4 || Pittsburgh || || 16–12–1 || 33
| 30 || December 11 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Philadelphia || || 16–13–1 || 33
| 31 || December 13 || Calgary || 6 – 3 || Los Angeles || || 17–13–1 || 35
| 32 || December 16 || Detroit || 3 – 8 || Calgary || || 18–13–1 || 37
| 33 || December 18 || Quebec || 2 – 6 || Calgary || || 19–13–1 || 39
| 34 || December 20 || Calgary || 5 – 3 || Vancouver || || 20–13–1 || 41
| 35 || December 22 || Los Angeles || 5 – 3 || Calgary || || 20–14–1 || 41
| 36 || December 28 || Calgary || 4 – 1 || Buffalo || || 21–14–1 || 43
| 37 || December 30 || Calgary || 4 – 3 || New Jersey || || 22–14–1 || 45
| 38 || December 31 || Calgary || 4 – 6 || Detroit || || 22–15–1 || 45
| 39 || January 3 || Calgary || 4 – 7 || St. Louis || || 22–16–1 || 45
| 40 || January 4 || Calgary || 4 – 1 || Chicago || || 23–16–1 || 47
| 41 || January 8 || Los Angeles || 4 – 5 || Calgary || || 24–16–1 || 49
| 42 || January 10 || St. Louis || 2 – 5 || Calgary || || 25–16–1 || 51
| 43 || January 11 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Edmonton || || 25–17–1 || 51
| 44 || January 14 || NY Rangers || 8 – 5 || Calgary || || 25–18–1 || 51
| 45 || January 16 || Calgary || 5 – 9 || Vancouver || || 25–19–1 || 51
| 46 || January 17 || Vancouver || 4 – 3 || Calgary || || 25–20–1 || 51
| 47 || January 20 || Calgary || 3 – 1 || NY Islanders || || 26–20–1 || 53
| 48 || January 22 || Calgary || 5 – 7 || New Jersey || || 26–21–1 || 53
| 49 || January 24 || Calgary || 3 – 5 || Boston || || 26–22–1 || 53
| 50 || January 26 || Calgary || 6 – 5 || Toronto || OT || 27–22–1 || 55
| 51 || January 29 || Minnesota || 3 – 3 || Calgary || OT || 27–22–2 || 56
| 52 || January 31 || New Jersey || 3 – 5 || Calgary || || 28–22–2 || 58
| 53 || February 3 || Vancouver || 4 – 2 || Calgary || || 28–23–2 || 58
| 54 || February 5 || St. Louis || 2 – 1 || Calgary || || 28–24–2 || 58
| 55 || February 7 || NY Islanders || 1 – 4 || Calgary || || 29–24–2 || 60
| 56 || February 8 || Calgary || 3 – 2 || Vancouver || || 30–24–2 || 62
| 57 || February 14 || Calgary || 3 – 2 || Minnesota || || 31–24–2 || 64
| 58 || February 16 || Calgary || 5 – 0 || Philadelphia || || 32–24–2 || 66
| 59 || February 17 || Calgary || 3 – 1 || Pittsburgh || || 33–24–2 || 68
| 60 || February 20 || Toronto || 2 – 7 || Calgary || || 34–24–2 || 70
| 61 || February 22 || Washington || 5 – 2 || Calgary || || 34–25–2 || 70
| 62 || February 24 || Vancouver || 0 – 2 || Calgary || || 35–25–2 || 72
| 63 || February 26 || Philadelphia || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || 36–25–2 || 74
| 64 || February 28 || Winnipeg || 3 – 5 || Calgary || || 37–25–2 || 76
| 65 || March 1 || Calgary || 3 – 6 || Winnipeg || || 37–26–2 || 76
| 66 || March 3 || Montreal || 4 – 2 || Calgary || || 37–27–2 || 76
| 67 || March 5 || Los Angeles || 2 – 7 || Calgary || || 38–27–2 || 78
| 68 || March 8 || Calgary || 7 – 4 || NY Rangers || || 39–27–2 || 80
| 69 || March 10 || Calgary || 6 – 3 || Washington || || 40–27–2 || 82
| 70 || March 11 || Calgary || 6 – 1 || Hartford || || 41–27–2 || 84
| 71 || March 14 || Calgary || 4 – 6 || Toronto || || 41–28–2 || 84
| 72 || March 17 || Buffalo || 2 – 6 || Calgary || || 42–28–2 || 86
| 73 || March 19 || Edmonton || 4 – 5 || Calgary || || 43–28–2 || 88
| 74 || March 20 || Calgary || 6 – 3 || Edmonton || || 44–28–2 || 90
| 75 || March 25 || Calgary || 1 – 10 || Winnipeg || || 44–29–2 || 90
| 76 || March 26 || Winnipeg || 1 – 3 || Calgary || || 45–29–2 || 92
| 77 || March 28 || Calgary || 4 – 3 || Los Angeles || || 46–29–2 || 94
| 78 || March 30 || Calgary || 4 – 5 || Los Angeles || || 46–30–2 || 94
| 79 || April 2 || Calgary || 4 – 4 || Edmonton || OT || 46–30–3 || 95
| 80 || April 5 || Winnipeg || 3 – 1 || Calgary || || 46–31–3 || 95
Legend:
Playoffs
| 1 || April 8 || Winnipeg || 4 – 2 || Calgary || || Winnipeg leads 1–0
| 2 || April 9 || Winnipeg || 3 – 2 || Calgary || || Winnipeg leads 2–0
| 3 || April 11 || Calgary || 3 – 2 || Winnipeg || OT || Winnipeg leads 2–1
| 4 || April 12 || Calgary || 3 – 4 || Winnipeg || || Winnipeg leads 3–1
| 5 || April 14 || Winnipeg || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || Winnipeg leads 3–2
| 6 || April 16 || Calgary || 1 – 6 || Winnipeg || || Winnipeg wins 4–2
Legend:
Player statistics
Skaters Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Regular season Playoffs Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM Joe Mullen 7794740871462130 Al MacInnis 2792056769741010 Paul Reinhart 26761553682240116 Carey Wilson 33 802036564261126 Mike Bullard† 25 572826543464372 John Tonelli 27782031517230002 Joel Otto 296819315018520226 Jim Peplinski 2480183250181610124 Gary Suter 20689404970603310 Håkan Loob 12681826442651230 Jamie Macoun 6797334011130118 Steve Bozek 26 711718352241012 Brian Bradley 14 4010182816 – – – – – Lanny McDonald 9581412265450002 Colin Patterson 11681313265460222 Tim Hunter 197361521361 – – – – – Gary Roberts 32/1032510158520004 Dale DeGray 28 27671329 – – – – – Neil Sheehy 5544610151600021 Dan Quinn‡ 10 1636914 – – – – – Perry Berezan 21245382420227 Nick Fotiu 22 42538145 – – – – – Kari Eloranta 3213167960220 Joe Nieuwendyk 189516060220 Doug Risebrough 82223566401123 Kevan Guy 3 2404419401123 Brian Engblom 6 3204428 – – – – – Paul Baxter 4 1802266200010 Mike Vernon 30540221450000 Brett Hull 165101042130 Doug Dadswell 3620000 – – – – – Rejean Lemelin 1340002020110
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary. Stats reflect time with the Flames only. ‡Traded mid-season.
Goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Regular season Playoffs Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA Rejean Lemelin 3134173516919413.15210101603.56 Mike Vernon 305429573021117813.615263231603.65 Doug Dadswell 3621250111004.80
Transactions The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 1986–87 season.
Trades October 3, 1986 To Calgary FlamesJim Korn To Toronto Maple Leafs Terry Johnson October 3, 1986 To Calgary FlamesBrian Engblom To Buffalo Sabres Jim Korn October 7, 1986 To Calgary FlamesMark Paterson To Hartford Whalers Yves Courteau November 12, 1986 To Calgary FlamesMike Bullard To Pittsburgh Penguins Dan Quinn
Free agents Player Former team G Doug Dadswell Cornell University (NCAA) C Marc Bureau Longueuil Chevaliers (QMJHL) Player New team D Robin Bartell Vancouver Canucks C Mark Lamb Detroit Red Wings
Draft picks
Calgary's picks at the 1986 NHL entry draft, held in Montreal.Calgary Flames draft history, hockeydb.com, accessed October 10, 2007.
RndPickPlayerNationalityPositionTeam (league)NHL statisticsGPGAPtsPIM 116George PelawaFBemidji (USHS) 237Brian GlynnDSaskatoon Blades (WHL)4312579104410 479Tom QuinlanRWN/A 5100Scott BloomLWN/A 6121John ParkerCN/A 7142Rick LessardDOttawa 67's (OHL)1504418 8163Mark OlsenDN/A 9184Scott SharplesGPenticton Knights (BCJHL)10–0–1, 3.69GAA 10205Doug PickelLWKamloops Blazers (WHL) 11226Anders LindstromCN/A 12247Antonin StavjanaDN/A S219Steve MacSwainRWN/A
See also 1986–87 NHL season
References
Player stats: 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, pg 125 Game log: 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, pg 141 Team standings: 1986–87 NHL standings @hockeydb.com Trades: Individual player pages at hockeydb.com