The 1987 NHL entry draft was the 25th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, and was the first draft held in the United States. The NHL teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1986–87 NHL season and playoff standings.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Mathieu Schneider, who retired after the 2009–10 season.
Selections by round Below are listed the selections in the 1987 NHL entry draft. Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Pierre Turgeon (C) Buffalo Sabres Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 2 Brendan Shanahan (LW) New Jersey Devils London Knights (OHL) 3 Glen Wesley (D) Boston Bruins (from Vancouver)1 Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 4 Wayne McBean (D) Los Angeles Kings (from Minnesota)2 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 5 Chris Joseph (D) Pittsburgh Penguins Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 6 Dave Archibald (RW) Minnesota North Stars (from Los Angeles)3 Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 7 Luke Richardson (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Peterborough Petes (OHL) 8 Jimmy Waite (G) Chicago Blackhawks Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) 9 Bryan Fogarty (D) Quebec Nordiques Kingston Canadians (OHL) 10 Jayson More (D) New York Rangers New Westminster Bruins (WHL) 11 Yves Racine (D) Detroit Red Wings Longueuil Chevaliers (QMJHL) 12 Keith Osborne (RW) St. Louis Blues North Bay Centennials (OHL) 13 Dean Chynoweth (D) New York Islanders Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 14 Stephane Quintal (D) Boston Bruins Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 15 Joe Sakic (C) Quebec Nordiques (from Washington)4 Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 16 Bryan Marchment (D) Winnipeg Jets Belleville Bulls (OHL) 17 Andrew Cassels (C) Montreal Canadiens Ottawa 67's (OHL) 18 Jody Hull (RW) Hartford Whalers Peterborough Petes (OHL) 19 Bryan Deasley (LW) Calgary Flames University of Michigan (CCHA) 20 Darren Rumble (D) Philadelphia Flyers Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 21 Peter Soberlak (LW) Edmonton Oilers Swift Current Broncos (WHL) Reference: Vancouver's first-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on June 6, 1986 that sent Barry Pederson to Vancouver in exchange for Cam Neely and this pick. Minnesota's first-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Los Angeles' first-round (# 6) and third-round picks in the 1987 Entry Draft in exchange for this pick. Los Angeles' first-round pick went to Minnesota as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Minnesota's first-round (# 4) to Los Angeles in exchange for a third-round pick in the 1987 Entry Draft and this pick. Washington's first-round pick went to Quebec as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Dale Hunter and Clint Malarchuk to Washington in exchange for Gaetan Duchesne, Alan Haworth and this pick.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 22 Brad Miller (D) Buffalo Sabres Regina Pats (WHL) 23 Ricard Persson (D) New Jersey Devils Ostersunds IK (Sweden) 24 Rob Murphy (C) Vancouver Canucks Laval Titan (QMJHL) 25 Stephane Matteau (LW) Calgary Flames (from Minnesota)1 Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 26 Rick Tabaracci (G) Pittsburgh Penguins Cornwall Royals (OHL) 27 Mark Fitzpatrick (G) Los Angeles Kings Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 28 Daniel Marois (RW) Toronto Maple Leafs Verdun Junior Canadiens (QMJHL) 29 Ryan McGill (D) Chicago Blackhawks Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 30 Jeff Harding (RW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Quebec)2 St. Michael's Buzzers (MetJHL) 31 Daniel Lacroix (LW) New York Rangers Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 32 Gord Kruppke (D) Detroit Red Wings Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 33 John LeClair (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis)3 Bellows Free Academy (USHS–VT) 34 Jeff Hackett (G) New York Islanders Oshawa Generals (OHL) 35 Scott McCrady (D) Minnesota North Stars (from Boston)4 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 36 Jeff Ballantyne (D) Washington Capitals Ottawa 67's (OHL) 37 Patrik Erickson (D) Winnipeg Jets Brynas IF (Sweden) 38 Eric Desjardins (D) Montreal Canadiens Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 39 Adam Burt (D) Hartford Whalers North Bay Centennials (OHL) 40 Kevin Grant (LW) Calgary Flames Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 41 Bob Wilkie (D) Detroit Red Wings (from Philadelphia)5 Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 42 Brad Werenka (D) Edmonton Oilers Northern Michigan University (WCHA) Reference: Minnesota's second-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on June 15, 1985 that sent Kent Nilsson and an optional third-round picks in 1986 entry draft or 1987 Entry Draft to Calgary in exchange for Minnesota' second-round pick in 1985 entry draft and this pick. Quebec's second-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on June 21, 1986 that sent Philadelphia's second-round pick in 1986 Entry Draft to Quebec in exchange for this pick. St. Louis' second-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on June 12, 1987 that sent Montreal's third-round pick in 1987 Entry Draft and second-round pick in 1988 entry draft in exchange for St. Louis' fifth-round pick in 1988 Entry Draft and this pick. Boston's second-round pick went to Minnesota as the result of a trade on May 16, 1986 that sent Tom McCarthy to Boston in exchange for Boston's third-round pick in 1986 Entry Draft and this pick. Philadelphia's second-round pick went to Detroit as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Mark Laforest to Philadelphia in exchange this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 43 Ross Wilson (RW) Los Angeles Kings (from Buffalo)1 Peterborough Petes (OHL) 44 Mathieu Schneider (D) Montreal Canadiens (from New Jersey)2 Cornwall Royals (OHL) 45 Steve Veilleux (D) Vancouver Canucks Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 46 Simon Gagne (RW) New York Rangers (from Minnesota)3 Laval Titan (QMJHL) 47 Jamie Leach (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL) 48 Kevin Kaminski (C) Minnesota North Stars (from Los Angeles)4 Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 49 John McIntyre (C) Toronto Maple Leafs Guelph Platers (OHL) 50 Cam Russell (D) Chicago Blackhawks Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 51 Jim Sprott (D) Quebec Nordiques London Knights (OHL) 52 Dennis Holland (C) Detroit Red Wings (from the Rangers)5 Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 53 Andrew MacVicar (LW) Buffalo Sabres (from Detroit via New Jersey)6 Peterborough Petes (OHL) 54 Kevin Miehm (C) St. Louis Blues Oshawa Generals (OHL) 55 Dean Ewen (LW) New York Islanders Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 56 Todd Lalonde (LW) Boston Bruins Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 57 Steve Maltais (W) Washington Capitals Cornwall Royals (OHL) 58 Francois Gravel (G) Montreal Canadiens (from Winnipeg)7 Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 59 Robert Nordmark (D) St. Louis Blues (from Montreal)8 Lulea HF (Sweden) 60 Mike Dagenais (D) Chicago Blackhawks (from Hartford)9 Peterborough Petes (OHL) 61 Scott Mahoney (RW) Calgary Flames Oshawa Generals (OHL) 62 Martin Hostak (RW) Philadelphia Flyers Sparta Prague (Czechoslovakia) 63 Geoff Smith (D) Edmonton Oilers St. Albert Saints (AJHL) Reference: Buffalo's third-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on April 22, 1986 that sent Los Angeles' eighth-round pick in the 1987 Entry Draft and future considerations to Buffalo in exchange for this pick. New Jersey's third-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent David Maley to New Jersey in exchange for this pick. Minnesota's third-round pick went to the Rangers as the result of a trade on September 8, 1986 that sent Brian MacLellan to Minnesota in exchange for this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – the Rangers receives a 3rd-rd pick if MacLellan scores 25 or more goals in the 1986-87 season or a 4th-rd pick if less than 25 goals - was converted on March 3, 1987 scoring his 25th goal of the season. Los Angeles' third-round pick went to Minnesota as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Minnesota's first-round to Los Angeles in exchange for a first-round pick in the 1987 Entry Draft and this pick. The Rangers' third-round pick went to Detroit as the result of a trade on July 29, 1986 that sent Kelly Kisio, Lane Lambert, Jim Leavins and Detroit's fifth-round pick in 1988 entry draft to the Rangers in exchange for Glen Hanlon, the Rangers' third-round pick in 1988 entry draft and this pick. New Jersey's third-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on June 13, 1987 that sent Tom Kurvers to New Jersey in exchange for New Jersey's tenth-round pick in 1989 entry draft and this pick. New Jersey previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade with Detroit on March 9, 1987 that sent Mel Bridgman to Detroit in exchange for Chris Cichocki and this pick. Winnipeg's third-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on January 8, 1987 that sent Steve Rooney to Winnipeg in exchange for this pick. Montreal's third-round pick went to St. Louis as the result of a trade on June 12, 1987 that sent St. Louis' second-round pick in 1987 Entry Draft and fifth-round pick in 1988 entry draft in exchange for Montreal's second-round pick in 1988 entry draft and this pick. The Hartford Whalers' third-round pick went to the Chicago Black Hawks as the result of a trade on February 3, 1986 that sent Bill Gardner to Hartford in exchange for an optional third-round picks in 1986 NHL entry draft or 1987 NHL Entry Draft (this pick).
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 64 Peter Eriksson (LW) Edmonton Oilers (from Buffalo)1 HV71 (Sweden) 65 Brian Sullivan (RW) New Jersey Devils Springfield Olympics (NEJHL) 66 Doug Torrel (RW) Vancouver Canucks Hibbing High School (USHS–MN) 67 Darwin McPherson (D) Boston Bruins (from Minnesota)2 New Westminster Bruins (WHL) 68 Risto Kurkinen (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins JYP (Finland) 69 Mike Sullivan (C) New York Rangers (from Los Angeles)3 Boston University (Hockey East) 70 Tim Harris (RW) Calgary Flames (from Toronto)4 Pickering Panthers (OPJHL) 71 Joe Sacco (RW) Toronto Maple Leafs Medford High School (USHS–MA) 72 Kip Miller (C) Quebec Nordiques Michigan State University (CCHA) 73 John Weisbrod (C) Minnesota North Stars (from the Rangers)5 Choate Rosemary Hall (USHS–CT) 74 Mark Reimer (G) Detroit Red Wings Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 75 Darin Smith (LW) St. Louis Blues North Bay Centennials (OHL) 76 George Maneluk (G) New York Islanders Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 77 Matt DelGuidice (G) Boston Bruins Saint Anselm College (ECAC East) 78 Tyler Larter (C) Washington Capitals Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 79 Don McLennan (D) Winnipeg Jets University of Denver (WCHA) 80 Kris Miller (D) Montreal Canadiens Greenway High School (USHS–MN) 81 Terry Yake (C) Hartford Whalers Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 82 Andy Rymsha (RW) St. Louis Blues (from Calgary)6 Western Michigan University (CCHA) 83 Tomaz Eriksson (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 84 John Bradley (G) Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton)7 New Hampton School (USHS–NH) Reference: Buffalo's fourth-round pick went to Edmonton as the result of a trade on March 6, 1987 that sent Lee Fogolin Jr., Mark Napier and Edmonton's fourth-round pick in the 1987 Entry Draft to Buffalo in exchange for Normand Lacombe, Wayne Van Dorp and this pick. Minnesota's fourth-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on March 10, 1987 that sent Paul Boutilier to Minnesota in exchange for this pick. Los Angeles' fourth-round pick went to the Rangers as the result of a trade on December 9, 1985 that sent Grant Ledyard and Roland Melanson to Los Angeles in exchange for Brian MacLellan and this pick. Toronto's fourth-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on May 29, 1985 that sent Don Edwards to Toronto in exchange for future considerations. These considerations became an optional third-round or fourth-round pick (this pick) in the 1987 Entry Draft.