The 1986 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 9, 1986. The eight teams that qualified, four from each division, played best-of-seven series for Division Semifinals and Division Finals. The division champions played a best-of-seven series for the Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on May 21, 1986, with the Adirondack Red Wings defeating the Hershey Bears four games to two to win the Calder Cup for the second time in team history. Hershey's Tim Tookey won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP, becoming the first player from the losing finalist to win the award.
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Playoff seeds
After the 1985–86 AHL regular season, the top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The Hershey Bears finished the regular season with the best overall record.
Northern Division
- Adirondack Red Wings - 90 points
- Maine Mariners - 89 points
- Moncton Golden Flames - 80 points
- Fredericton Express - 78 points
Southern Division
- Hershey Bears - 99 points
- Binghamton Whalers - 87 points
- St. Catharines Saints - 81 points
- New Haven Nighthawks - 79 points
Bracket
In each round, the team that earned more points during the regular season receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.