The 1987–88 Vancouver Canucks season was the team's 18th in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Canucks missed the playoffs for the second season in a row.

Regular season The Canucks had a very disappointing season, they were not capable of winning 3 games in a row during the season. However, after the season they were able to draft future captain Trevor Linden.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||W||October 8, 1987||8–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1987–88) ||1–0–0

|2||L||October 10, 1987||1–7 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1987–88) ||1–1–0

|3||L||October 12, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) ||1–2–0

|4||W||October 18, 1987||4–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||2–2–0

|5||L||October 21, 1987||4–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1987–88) ||2–3–0

|6||L||October 23, 1987||4–5 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||2–4–0

|7||L||October 24, 1987||5–9 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||2–5–0

|8||L||October 27, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1987–88) ||2–6–0

|9||T||October 30, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||2–6–1

|10||L||November 1, 1987||3–7 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||2–7–1

|11||L||November 3, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1987–88) ||2–8–1

|12||W||November 5, 1987||4–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) ||3–8–1

|13||W||November 7, 1987||4–1 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1987–88) ||4–8–1

|14||L||November 8, 1987||1–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||4–9–1

|15||T||November 11, 1987||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) ||4–9–2

|16||W||November 13, 1987||6–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) ||5–9–2

|17||L||November 15, 1987||4–8 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||5–10–2

|18||W||November 17, 1987||6–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) ||6–10–2

|19||W||November 19, 1987||4–1 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) ||7–10–2

|20||L||November 21, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) ||7–11–2

|21||L||November 22, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) ||7–12–2

|22||L||November 25, 1987||2–4 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||7–13–2

|23||W||November 27, 1987||4–2 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1987–88) ||8–13–2

|24||W||December 1, 1987||3–1 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) ||9–13–2

|25||T||December 2, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) ||9–13–3

|26||L||December 5, 1987||3–6 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) ||9–14–3

|27||W||December 6, 1987||5–1 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) ||10–14–3

|28||L||December 8, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1987–88) ||10–15–3

|29||L||December 11, 1987||1–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||10–16–3

|30||L||December 12, 1987||3–6 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||10–17–3

|31||T||December 15, 1987||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1987–88) ||10–17–4

|32||L||December 17, 1987||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1987–88) ||10–18–4

|33||T||December 20, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1987–88) ||10–18–5

|34||W||December 23, 1987||5–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||11–18–5

|35||L||December 26, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||11–19–5

|36||L||December 28, 1987||3–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||11–20–5

|37||L||December 29, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) ||11–21–5

|38||W||December 31, 1987||2–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||12–21–5

|39||L||January 2, 1988||1–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) ||12–22–5

|40||T||January 4, 1988||7–7 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) ||12–22–6

|41||L||January 6, 1988||2–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1987–88) ||12–23–6

|42||W||January 7, 1988||6–3 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1987–88) ||13–23–6

|43||W||January 9, 1988||3–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) ||14–23–6

|44||L||January 12, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||14–24–6

|45||W||January 13, 1988||8–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||15–24–6

|46||T||January 15, 1988||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||15–24–7

|47||W||January 17, 1988||6–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||16–24–7

|48||L||January 19, 1988||5–7 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||16–25–7

|49||L||January 22, 1988||3–6 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1987–88) ||16–26–7

|50||L||January 24, 1988||1–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) ||16–27–7

|51||L||January 26, 1988||6–7 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) ||16–28–7

|52||L||January 29, 1988||2–4 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1987–88) ||16–29–7

|53||L||January 30, 1988||3–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||16–30–7

|54||W||February 2, 1988||5–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||17–30–7

|55||L||February 3, 1988||2–7 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||17–31–7

|56||W||February 5, 1988||5–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1987–88) ||18–31–7

|57||L||February 11, 1988||2–7 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||18–32–7

|58||W||February 13, 1988||6–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1987–88) ||19–32–7

|59||L||February 14, 1988||6–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||19–33–7

|60||W||February 17, 1988||5–0 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) ||20–33–7

|61||L||February 19, 1988||0–5 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) ||20–34–7

|62||W||February 21, 1988||6–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1987–88) ||21–34–7

|63||L||February 23, 1988||1–6 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1987–88) ||21–35–7

|64||L||February 24, 1988||4–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) ||21–36–7

|65||L||February 26, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||21–37–7

|66||L||February 28, 1988||0–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||21–38–7

|67||L||March 1, 1988||3–7 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) ||21–39–7

|68||L||March 3, 1988||3–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||21–40–7

|69||L||March 6, 1988||2–7 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1987–88) ||21–41–7

|70||L||March 8, 1988||4–7 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1987–88) ||21–42–7

|71||L||March 10, 1988||2–5 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) ||21–43–7

|72||T||March 12, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) ||21–43–8

|73||L||March 13, 1988||5–7 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) ||21–44–8

|74||T||March 16, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||21–44–9

|75||W||March 18, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) ||22–44–9

|76||W||March 22, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) ||23–44–9

|77||W||March 25, 1988||3–2 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) ||24–44–9

|78||L||March 26, 1988||1–6 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) ||24–45–9

|79||L||March 29, 1988||2–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) ||24–46–9

|80||W||April 1, 1988||6–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1987–88) ||25–46–9

Legend:

Player statistics

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM Tony Tanti 73 40 37 77 -1 90 Greg Adams 80 36 40 76 -24 30 Barry Pederson 76 19 52 71 2 92 Petri Skriko 73 30 34 64 -12 32 Stan Smyl 57 12 25 37 -5 110 Draft picks Vancouver's draft picks at the 1987 NHL entry draft held at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Canucks attempted to select Chris Gillies in the second round of the 1987 NHL supplemental draft, but the claim was ruled invalid since Gillies entered school after age 20 and therefore did not meet eligibility requirements.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)224Rob MurphyLaval Titan (QMJHL)345Steve VeilleuxTrois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)466Doug TorrelHibbing High School (USHS-MN)587Sean FabianHill-Murray School (USHS-MN)6108Garry ValkSherwood Park Crusaders (AJHL)7129Todd FanningOhio State University (CCHA)8150Viktor TyumenevSpartak Moscow (USSR)9171Craig DalyNew Hampton School (USHS-NH)10192John FletcherClarkson University (ECAC)11213Roger HanssonRögle BK (Sweden)12233Neil EisenhutLangley Eagles (BCJHL)12234Matt EvoCountry Day School (USHS-MA)S13Steve JohnsonUniversity of North Dakota (WCHA)

See also 1987–88 NHL season

References