The Edmonton Oilers glory years.
For myself, being a huge, Wayne Gretzky, Glen Anderson, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Mark Messier fan, the Edmonton true glory years span at least over the years from 83 to 91. In 1983, they faced the stacked team of Mike Bossy and Brian Trottier, of the famous New York Islanders. I think also, the New York Islanders are a highly ranked team, as the 76 Montreal Canadians also. Only in 1984, did the Oilers successfully beat the hardened Veterans of the Islanders.
And this team was only human. Losing in 86 to the Flames, even with the mistake in the 7 th game of that Calgary series, even some of the Oilers said, they should have won that series in 5, but the Flames were coming along with a high powered team of their own with Lanny MacDonald, Jim Peplinski, Gary Suter, Joel Otto and Dan Quinn.
Then losing to the Los Angeles Kings in 89, where Gretzky left and led the charge to beat the Oilers and end the chance for a three in a row cup sequence, that would have led to number a fourth in a row of championships, because the Oilers came back and won in 90 to end their reign.
In 1991, they went to the Division finals, just one step from the Stanley Cup in 91. They lost to Minnesota, in 5 games. This was a year that seen Esa Tikkanen score more, at 69 Points, most on the team, and maybe he was underrated in that regard, as he was always a shadow person, chasing the most talented player on the other team. That year, they did not have Jari Kurri.
What if they had Jari Kurri that year? A person who would have put up at least 60 points, maybe 90? Maybe they would have had a chance at the finals.
After 1991, the team traded most of their great players away. Mark Messier left the fold for New York, were a few Oilers came together in 94 to help New York win a cup.
Then when Gretzky and Messier Reunited with the Rangers in 97, but were eliminated by the Flyers in 5 games in the Conference finals. They at least made it, Gretzky, Messier, and some Oiler company, to the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Finals again, in 97.
So, in Retrospect, even after Gretzky left after 88 championship, the Oilers showed the depth they had by winning in 90 without their golden goal scorer. They proved they had gas in the tank, but after Jari Kurri left in 91, we wonder what could have been that year if he had stayed.
Then a few Oilers on a Rangers team, stacked with Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, led to another cup victory.
The last dance, was vs Eric Lindros and a heavier team of Flyers, that stopped them from going farther to the 97 cup. These games were nearly all won within 2 points, might I add.
So that covers it up for for myself. The Edmonton Oilers, the history of a great hockey team with a super crew of players, that even helped Hockey in the USA with Gretzky grow by leaps and bounds, even though the cups Edmonton could have won with him remaining until the end of his career with Edmonton, could have been 2 or 3 more, perhaps....
Adding the incredible records of the Oilers players, Paul Coffee, Wayne Gretzky, ect, ect, and the awards. Even the thought comes across when they played the Montreal Canadians where they defeated them 3-0 in playoff action in 1981, reason why they never played again perhaps... Montreal was a popular team back then, and they wanted them to go far into the playoffs...
Only in 2006 did the Oilers come close to Stanley Cup victory with an entirely new slate of players, but were beat by the Carolina Hurricanes in 7 games. No doubt today, with McDavid and Drysaitl, they can maybe hoist the cup again, but it will take a good supporting cast, good defense, and a little bit of luck...
Till next time.
And this team was only human. Losing in 86 to the Flames, even with the mistake in the 7 th game of that Calgary series, even some of the Oilers said, they should have won that series in 5, but the Flames were coming along with a high powered team of their own with Lanny MacDonald, Jim Peplinski, Gary Suter, Joel Otto and Dan Quinn.
Then losing to the Los Angeles Kings in 89, where Gretzky left and led the charge to beat the Oilers and end the chance for a three in a row cup sequence, that would have led to number a fourth in a row of championships, because the Oilers came back and won in 90 to end their reign.
In 1991, they went to the Division finals, just one step from the Stanley Cup in 91. They lost to Minnesota, in 5 games. This was a year that seen Esa Tikkanen score more, at 69 Points, most on the team, and maybe he was underrated in that regard, as he was always a shadow person, chasing the most talented player on the other team. That year, they did not have Jari Kurri.
What if they had Jari Kurri that year? A person who would have put up at least 60 points, maybe 90? Maybe they would have had a chance at the finals.
After 1991, the team traded most of their great players away. Mark Messier left the fold for New York, were a few Oilers came together in 94 to help New York win a cup.
Then when Gretzky and Messier Reunited with the Rangers in 97, but were eliminated by the Flyers in 5 games in the Conference finals. They at least made it, Gretzky, Messier, and some Oiler company, to the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Finals again, in 97.
So, in Retrospect, even after Gretzky left after 88 championship, the Oilers showed the depth they had by winning in 90 without their golden goal scorer. They proved they had gas in the tank, but after Jari Kurri left in 91, we wonder what could have been that year if he had stayed.
Then a few Oilers on a Rangers team, stacked with Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, led to another cup victory.
The last dance, was vs Eric Lindros and a heavier team of Flyers, that stopped them from going farther to the 97 cup. These games were nearly all won within 2 points, might I add.
So that covers it up for for myself. The Edmonton Oilers, the history of a great hockey team with a super crew of players, that even helped Hockey in the USA with Gretzky grow by leaps and bounds, even though the cups Edmonton could have won with him remaining until the end of his career with Edmonton, could have been 2 or 3 more, perhaps....
Adding the incredible records of the Oilers players, Paul Coffee, Wayne Gretzky, ect, ect, and the awards. Even the thought comes across when they played the Montreal Canadians where they defeated them 3-0 in playoff action in 1981, reason why they never played again perhaps... Montreal was a popular team back then, and they wanted them to go far into the playoffs...
Only in 2006 did the Oilers come close to Stanley Cup victory with an entirely new slate of players, but were beat by the Carolina Hurricanes in 7 games. No doubt today, with McDavid and Drysaitl, they can maybe hoist the cup again, but it will take a good supporting cast, good defense, and a little bit of luck...
Till next time.
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