The 1986–87 Detroit Red Wings season saw the Red Wings finish in second place in the Norris Division (NHL) with a record of 34 wins, 36 losses, and 10 draws for 78 points, a 38-point improvement from the previous season.
They swept the Chicago Blackhawks in four games in the opening round, then rallied from a 3–1 deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the division final, before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in five games in the Campbell Conference final.
The Red Wings finished the season 34–36–10, a major improvement over the disastrous 1985–86 campaign.
Just missing out on first place in the Norris Division, the Wings faced rival, Chicago in Round One.
The Red Wings then faced the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals.