1987–88 Minnesota North Stars season

1987–88 Minnesota North Stars
Division5th Norris
Conference10th Campbell
1987–88 record19–48–13
Goals for242
Goals against349
Team information
General managerLou Nanne (Oct-Jan)
Jack Ferreira (Jan-Apr)
CoachHerb Brooks
CaptainCraig Hartsburg
ArenaMet Center
Team leaders
GoalsDino Ciccarelli (41)
AssistsDino Ciccarelli (45)
PointsDino Ciccarelli (86)
Penalty minutesBasil McRae (382)
Plus/minusScott Bjugstad and Pat Micheletti (+2)
WinsDon Beaupre (10)
Goals against averageJon Casey (3.71)

The 1987–88 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' 21st season. It saw the North Stars finish fifth in the Norris Division with a record of 19 wins, 48 losses, and 13 ties for 51 points — the worst record in the league. They failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second consecutive season. Despite finishing with the third-lowest winning percentage (at .319) and second-fewest wins in franchise history, they were still in contention for a playoff spot going into the last game of the season due to playing in an extremely weak Norris Division; the division champion Detroit Red Wings were the only team with a winning record. The Stars lost to the Calgary Flames on the season's final day and finished last in scoring (242 goals in favor) and penalty-killing percentage (75.23%).[1] The day before, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were trailing the Stars for the fourth spot in the Norris as the day began, beat the Red Wings. This not only eliminated the Stars out of the playoffs but also assured them of the worst record in the league.[2][3][4]

The leading scorer for the North Stars in 1987–88 was Dino Ciccarelli. However, he became involved in controversy when, on January 6, 1988, he struck Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Luke Richardson with his stick in a game at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Ciccarelli was arrested and charged with assault; he was eventually fined $1000 and sentenced to one day in jail.

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round # Player Nationality College/junior/club team
1 6 Dave Archibald (RW)  Canada Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
2 35 Scott McCrady (D)  Canada Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
3 48 Kevin Kaminski (C)  Canada Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
4 73 John Weisbrod (C)  United States Choate Rosemary Hall (USHS-CT)
5 88 Teppo Kivela (C)  Finland HPK (Finland)
6 109 Darcy Norton (LW)  Canada Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
7 130 Timo Kulonen (D)  Finland KalPa (Finland)
8 151 Don Schmidt (D)  Canada Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
9 172 Jarmo Myllys (G)  Finland Lukko (Finland)
10 193 Larry Olimb (C)  United States Warroad High School (USHS-MN)
11 214 Marc Felicio (G)  United States Northwood School (USHS-NY)
12 235 Dave Shields (C)  Canada University of Denver (WCHA)
S1 4 Shawn Chambers (D)  United States University of Alaska Fairbanks (CCHA)
S2 8 Rick Boh (C)  Canada Colorado College (WCHA)

Regular season

Final standings

Norris Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Detroit Red Wings 80 41 28 11 322 269 93
St. Louis Blues 80 34 38 8 278 294 76
Chicago Blackhawks 80 30 41 9 284 328 69
Toronto Maple Leafs 80 21 49 10 273 345 52
Minnesota North Stars 80 19 48 13 242 349 51

[5]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

Norris Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Campbell Conference

Vs. Wales Conference


Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1 T October 8, 1987 2–2 OT @ Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) 0–0–1
2 L October 10, 1987 4–5 Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) 0–1–1
3 L October 12, 1987 2–4 @ New York Rangers (1987–88) 0–2–1
4 W October 14, 1987 4–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 1–2–1
5 L October 17, 1987 2–5 Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) 1–3–1
6 L October 19, 1987 1–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) 1–4–1
7 W October 22, 1987 5–3 @ Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) 2–4–1
8 W October 24, 1987 7–4 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 3–4–1
9 W October 27, 1987 5–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 4–4–1
10 L October 29, 1987 2–3 St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 4–5–1
11 T October 31, 1987 3–3 OT Washington Capitals (1987–88) 4–5–2
12 T November 3, 1987 2–2 OT @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 4–5–3
13 W November 4, 1987 7–4 Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 5–5–3
14 L November 7, 1987 1–4 Vancouver Canucks (1987–88) 5–6–3
15 L November 8, 1987 5–8 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 5–7–3
16 L November 11, 1987 3–4 Calgary Flames (1987–88) 5–8–3
17 W November 13, 1987 5–4 @ Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) 6–8–3
18 L November 14, 1987 1–4 @ Washington Capitals (1987–88) 6–9–3
19 L November 18, 1987 2–5 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 6–10–3
20 W November 19, 1987 4–3 New York Rangers (1987–88) 7–10–3
21 L November 21, 1987 5–7 Boston Bruins (1987–88) 7–11–3
22 L November 25, 1987 3–4 OT St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 7–12–3
23 W November 27, 1987 4–2 Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) 8–12–3
24 W November 28, 1987 6–4 @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 9–12–3
25 W December 1, 1987 3–2 OT Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 10–12–3
26 T December 5, 1987 4–4 OT @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) 10–12–4
27 L December 6, 1987 4–10 @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) 10–13–4
28 W December 8, 1987 3–2 @ Vancouver Canucks (1987–88) 11–13–4
29 L December 10, 1987 4–5 St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 11–14–4
30 L December 12, 1987 0–5 Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) 11–15–4
31 L December 16, 1987 2–4 Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 11–16–4
32 L December 18, 1987 3–8 @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 11–17–4
33 L December 19, 1987 1–3 New Jersey Devils (1987–88) 11–18–4
34 T December 21, 1987 0–0 OT @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 11–18–5
35 L December 23, 1987 3–5 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) 11–19–5
36 L December 26, 1987 4–5 OT @ Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) 11–20–5
37 W December 27, 1987 5–4 Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 12–20–5
38 W December 30, 1987 6–4 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 13–20–5
39 L December 31, 1987 1–4 Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 13–21–5
40 L January 2, 1988 3–5 New York Rangers (1987–88) 13–22–5
41 T January 5, 1988 3–3 OT @ New York Islanders (1987–88) 13–22–6
42 T January 6, 1988 5–5 OT @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 13–22–7
43 L January 9, 1988 3–4 New Jersey Devils (1987–88) 13–23–7
44 L January 11, 1988 4–5 Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) 13–24–7
45 T January 13, 1988 3–3 OT Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 13–24–8
46 L January 15, 1988 1–2 @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 13–25–8
47 W January 16, 1988 4–2 Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 14–25–8
48 L January 19, 1988 3–6 Hartford Whalers (1987–88) 14–26–8
49 L January 21, 1988 1–6 @ Boston Bruins (1987–88) 14–27–8
50 L January 23, 1988 0–5 @ Hartford Whalers (1987–88) 14–28–8
51 W January 24, 1988 5–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1987–88) 15–28–8
52 W January 27, 1988 2–1 New York Islanders (1987–88) 16–28–8
53 L January 28, 1988 1–9 @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 16–29–8
54 L January 30, 1988 0–5 @ Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) 16–30–8
55 L February 3, 1988 0–2 St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 16–31–8
56 L February 4, 1988 0–1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) 16–32–8
57 T February 6, 1988 8–8 OT Winnipeg Jets (1987–88) 16–32–9
58 L February 13, 1988 3–7 Quebec Nordiques (1987–88) 16–33–9
59 L February 17, 1988 4–5 Los Angeles Kings (1987–88) 16–34–9
60 L February 20, 1988 0–3 Washington Capitals (1987–88) 16–35–9
61 W February 22, 1988 4–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 17–35–9
62 L February 24, 1988 2–4 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1987–88) 17–36–9
63 L February 27, 1988 4–7 @ Boston Bruins (1987–88) 17–37–9
64 L February 28, 1988 6–8 @ New Jersey Devils (1987–88) 17–38–9
65 L March 1, 1988 3–8 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) 17–39–9
66 L March 3, 1988 3–6 @ Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 17–40–9
67 L March 5, 1988 2–4 Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 17–41–9
68 L March 9, 1988 2–6 Buffalo Sabres (1987–88) 17–42–9
69 W March 12, 1988 6–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1987–88) 18–42–9
70 T March 14, 1988 2–2 OT Montreal Canadiens (1987–88) 18–42–10
71 L March 16, 1988 1–2 Detroit Red Wings (1987–88) 18–43–10
72 T March 17, 1988 2–2 OT @ St. Louis Blues (1987–88) 18–43–11
73 T March 20, 1988 5–5 OT Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) 18–43–12
74 L March 21, 1988 1–5 New York Islanders (1987–88) 18–44–12
75 W March 23, 1988 5–4 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 19–44–12
76 L March 26, 1988 1–8 @ Hartford Whalers (1987–88) 19–45–12
77 T March 28, 1988 7–7 OT Chicago Blackhawks (1987–88) 19–45–13
78 L March 30, 1988 3–6 @ Edmonton Oilers (1987–88) 19–46–13
79 L April 1, 1988 1–6 @ Vancouver Canucks (1987–88) 19–47–13
80 L April 3, 1988 1–4 @ Calgary Flames (1987–88) 19–48–13

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Dino Ciccarelli 67 41 45 86 79
Brian Bellows 77 40 41 81 81
Brian MacLellan 75 16 32 48 74
Brian Lawton 74 17 24 41 71
Neal Broten 54 9 30 39 32
Dave Archibald 78 13 20 33 26
Bob Brooke 77 5 20 25 108
Scott Bjugstad 33 10 12 22 15
Dave Gagner 51 8 11 19 55

Defencemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Player GP W L T SO GAA
Don Beaupre 43 10 22 3 0 4.22
Kari Takko 37 8 19 6 1 4.47
Jon Casey 14 1 7 4 0 3.71

Playoffs

  • The North Stars failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ "1987-88 NHL Summary".
  2. ^ "The Calgary Flames regained the lead in the NHL... – UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Archives, T. H. W. (December 6, 2023). "The Worst Teams in Stanley Cup Playoff History". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Hafner, Dan (April 4, 1988). "NHL Roundup : Devils Need Overtime to Make the Playoffs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 153. ISBN 9781894801225.
  6. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.