The 1986–87 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques eighth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). An aspect of the Quebec Nordiques season was that it hosted Rendez-vous '87, a series of two matches consisting of NHL All-Stars versus Soviet All-Stars.
Offseason Quebec had a very quiet off-season, as the only notable player movement was Alain Lemieux leaving the club as a free agent, as he signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lemieux only appeared in seven regular season games with the Nordiques, getting no points, however, Lemieux did play in a playoff game, earning a goal and three points. He finished second in scoring on the Fredericton Express, earning 74 points.
Regular season Quebec started the season off hot, going 6–2–2 in their first ten games, however, a 7–11–2 record over their next twenty games saw the Nordiques fall to 13–13–4. The club continued to struggle, going 6–13–3, to fall to 19–26–7, and battling the Buffalo Sabres for the final playoff spot in the Adams Division. Quebec would finish the season with a 31–39–10 record, earning 72 points, which was the team's worst point total since their first season in 1979–80. The Nordiques finished in fourth place, and earned a playoff spot for the seventh straight season.
Offensively, Michel Goulet led the way, scoring 49 goals and 96 points to lead the Nordiques. Peter Stastny had an injury plagued season, missing 18 games, however, he still scored 24 goals and 77 points to finish in second in team scoring. Anton Stastny and Brent Ashton each cleared the 20 goal plateau, as they had 27 and 25 respectively.
On the blueline, Risto Siltanen had 10 goals and 39 points to lead the defence, while Jeff Brown had seven goals and 29 points in only 44 games played with Quebec.
In goal, Clint Malarchuk played the majority of the games, as his 18 wins were a team high. Mario Gosselin had 13 wins, and posted a team best 3.18 GAA in 30 games.
Rendez-vous '87 Rendez-vous '87 was an ice hockey exhibition series between the Soviet Union men's national ice hockey team and a team of All-Stars from the National Hockey League, held in Quebec City. It replaced the NHL's All-Star festivities for the 1986–87 NHL season. The Soviet team was paid $80,000 for their appearance in Rendez-vous '87, while the NHLers raised $350,000 for the players' pension fund.
Rendez-vous '87 was designed as a follow-up to the Challenge Cup series in 1979, hoping that the team of NHL All-Stars could beat the Soviet team, unlike before. To this end, the series was a two-game affair instead of a three-game affair in 1979. The two-game series took place during five days of festivities starting on February 9, 1987, and finishing on February 13. The series was very successful, with some, including Wayne Gretzky, calling for more international hockey, especially between Canada and the Soviet Union, the two top powers of hockey at the time.
Final standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|1||W||October 9, 1986||6–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||1–0–0
|2||T||October 11, 1986||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||1–0–1
|3||W||October 13, 1986||7–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||2–0–1
|4||L||October 15, 1986||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||2–1–1
|5||W||October 16, 1986||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||3–1–1
|6||L||October 18, 1986||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||3–2–1
|7||T||October 21, 1986||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||3–2–2
|8||W||October 22, 1986||7–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||4–2–2
|9||W||October 25, 1986||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||5–2–2
|10||W||October 28, 1986||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||6–2–2
|11||L||October 30, 1986||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||6–3–2
|12||T||November 1, 1986||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||6–3–3
|13||T||November 2, 1986||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||6–3–4
|14||L||November 4, 1986||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||6–4–4
|15||L||November 8, 1986||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||6–5–4
|16||W||November 9, 1986||6–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||7–5–4
|17||L||November 12, 1986||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||7–6–4
|18||W||November 14, 1986||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||8–6–4
|19||L||November 15, 1986||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||8–7–4
|20||L||November 18, 1986||3–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1986–87) ||8–8–4
|21||W||November 21, 1986||6–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||9–8–4
|22||W||November 22, 1986||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||10–8–4
|23||W||November 25, 1986||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||11–8–4
|24||L||November 26, 1986||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||11–9–4
|25||W||November 29, 1986||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||12–9–4
|26||W||December 1, 1986||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||13–9–4
|27||L||December 3, 1986||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||13–10–4
|28||L||December 4, 1986||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||13–11–4
|29||L||December 6, 1986||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||13–12–4
|30||L||December 9, 1986||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||13–13–4
|31||W||December 13, 1986||7–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||14–13–4
|32||L||December 14, 1986||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||14–14–4
|33||L||December 17, 1986||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||14–15–4
|34||L||December 18, 1986||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||14–16–4
|35||W||December 20, 1986||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||15–16–4
|36||T||December 21, 1986||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||15–16–5
|37||T||December 27, 1986||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||15–16–6
|38||W||December 30, 1986||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||16–16–6
|39||L||December 31, 1986||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||16–17–6
|40||L||January 3, 1987||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||16–18–6
|41||L||January 4, 1987||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||16–19–6
|42||W||January 6, 1987||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||17–19–6
|43||T||January 8, 1987||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||17–19–7
|44||L||January 10, 1987||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||17–20–7
|45||L||January 15, 1987||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||17–21–7
|46||L||January 17, 1987||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||17–22–7
|47||W||January 18, 1987||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||18–22–7
|48||L||January 20, 1987||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||18–23–7
|49||L||January 23, 1987||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||18–24–7
|50||L||January 24, 1987||1–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1986–87) ||18–25–7
|51||W||January 27, 1987||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||19–25–7
|52||L||January 30, 1987||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||19–26–7
|53||W||February 1, 1987||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||20–26–7
|54||W||February 3, 1987||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||21–26–7
|55||L||February 4, 1987||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||21–27–7
|56||W||February 7, 1987||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||22–27–7
|57||W||February 8, 1987||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||23–27–7
|58||L||February 15, 1987||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||23–28–7
|59||T||February 17, 1987||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||23–28–8
|60||L||February 20, 1987||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||23–29–8
|61||L||February 21, 1987||3–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||23–30–8
|62||W||February 24, 1987||5–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||24–30–8
|63||L||February 26, 1987||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||24–31–8
|64||L||February 28, 1987||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||24–32–8
|65||L||March 3, 1987||1–8 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||24–33–8
|66||T||March 7, 1987||5–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||24–33–9
|67||L||March 8, 1987||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||24–34–9
|68||W||March 10, 1987||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||25–34–9
|69||L||March 12, 1987||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||25–35–9
|70||W||March 14, 1987||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||26–35–9
|71||L||March 17, 1987||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||26–36–9
|72||W||March 20, 1987||5–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||27–36–9
|73||T||March 21, 1987||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||27–36–10
|74||L||March 24, 1987||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||27–37–10
|75||L||March 26, 1987||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||27–38–10
|76||W||March 28, 1987||5–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||28–38–10
|77||L||March 31, 1987||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||28–39–10
|78||W||April 2, 1987||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1986–87) ||29–39–10
|79||W||April 4, 1987||8–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||30–39–10
|80||W||April 5, 1987||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||31–39–10
Legend:
Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG LW 75 49 47 96 61−121706 C 64 24 53 77 43−211204 LW 77 27 35 62 83605 LW 46 25 19 44 17−121221 C 76 13 26 39 267−5003 C 46 10 29 39 1354000 D 66 10 29 39 32−2801 LW 80 12 24 36 38−4021 C/LW 73 13 19 32 55−15022 D 44 7 22 29 1611300 C 56 13 15 28 8−3701 D 78 8 20 28 71−17113 LW 32 11 16 27 4−6201 D 75 0 19 19 69−35000 D 70 6 9 15 462000 LW 33 9 5 14 1491301 LW 56 6 8 14 79−8110 D 71 5 9 14 144−11101 RW 15 5 5 10 18−1000 RW 25 2 7 9 162100 RW 40 1 8 9 16−12000 C 18 3 5 8 6−4000 D 36 2 5 7 40−8000 D 47 0 6 6 81−7000 C 14 2 3 5 4−4200 RW 6 1 4 5 4−2000 G 30 0 3 3 200000 D 19 2 0 2 14−1000 D 38 0 2 2 143−3000 G 54 0 2 2 370000 C 16 0 2 2 8−5000 RW 20 0 2 2 470000 RW 6 1 0 1 120001 C 6 0 1 1 00000 RW 1 0 0 0 00000 D 6 0 0 0 0−2000 G 4 0 0 0 140000 D/LW 3 0 0 0 7−1000Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO SA SV SV% 3092 54 18 26 9 175 3.40 115121337.884 1625 30 13 11 1 86 3.18 0758672.887 144 4 0 2 0 11 4.58 05645.804 Team: 4861 80 31 39 10 272 3.36 123262054.883