The 1987 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 8, 1987. 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 23, 1987, with the Rochester Americans defeating the Sherbrooke Canadiens four games to three to win the Calder Cup for the fifth time in team history. Rochester's Dave Fenyves won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.
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Sherbrooke set an AHL record for goals scored in one playoff with 85. The Cape Breton Oilers tied this record in 1993.
Playoff seeds
After the 1986–87 AHL regular season, the top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The Sherbrooke Canadiens finished the regular season with the best overall record.
Northern Division
- Sherbrooke Canadiens - 102 points
- Adirondack Red Wings - 93 points
- Moncton Golden Flames - 92 points
- Nova Scotia Oilers - 79 points
Southern Division
- Rochester Americans - 101 points
- Binghamton Whalers - 101 points
- New Haven Nighthawks - 99 points
- Hershey Bears - 87 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.