The 1988 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 6, 1988. 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 12, 1988, with the Hershey Bears defeating the Fredericton Express four games to zero to win the Calder Cup for the seventh time in team history. Hershey went an unprecedented 12-0 during their Calder Cup run, which also set an AHL record for most consecutive games won in one playoff. Hershey's Wendell Young won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.
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Playoff seeds
After the 1987–88 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
- Maine Mariners - 99 points
- Fredericton Express - 95 points
- Sherbrooke Canadiens - 89 points
- Nova Scotia Oilers - 81 points
Southern Division
- Hershey Bears - 105 points
- Rochester Americans - 100 points
- Adirondack Red Wings - 99 points
- Binghamton Whalers - 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.