It was May 24, 1990. It was spring. I remember it as a rainy spring, we had just moved back to the city and I was thrilled to take in Edmonton during a playoff run. It’s a different city with the Oilers in the playoffs, ridiculous pride that can only come from being isolated, independent, day drunk and entrepreneurial. I loved this city in 1990, from the rat hole to Old Strathcona and everywhere in between. I can’t tell you why I’ll never forget the Kid Line, you had to be there. It was cold and windy and we had just celebrated our seventh anniversary 10 days before. It was the Stanley that came out of nowhere (a lot of pieces came together late), and it was secured in Boston. Craig Simpson: Sacrifice and then glory. Billy Ranford was beyond brilliant. What a wonderful team.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: How unique is Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins career season?
- DNB: Connor McDavid’s importance to the Oilers keeps showing no bounds
- Lowetide: Oilers finally commit to Evan Bouchard. How much will it cost?
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers prospect Tyler Tullio is outplaying the high picks
- DNB: Why more vintage Kailer Yamamoto outings could solve Oilers’ right wing woes
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers spring signing season preview
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto and the balance between value contract and injury risk
- DNB: Why Mattias Ekholm is a big addition for an Oilers team that needs to win now
- Lowetide: Oilers’ mediocre February shows importance of protecting the puck
- DNB: Inside Brad Holland’s scouting process
- DNB: Oilers captain Connor McDavid surpasses 800 career points
- Lowetide: Revisiting Oilers’ choice of Philip Broberg at the 2019 NHL Draft
- DNB: The Ben Stelter Fund is a legacy his family, Connor McDavid and the Oilers will proudly carry
- Lowetide: Will Oilers prospect Phil Kemp have an NHL career?
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie turns a corner, now NHL-ready
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
WHAT TO EXPECT IN FEBRUARY
- At home to: TOR, WPG (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: WPG, BUF, BOS, TOR (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 1-1-0)
- At home to: OTT, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: SJS, ARI, VGK (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: ARI, VGK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- March expected result: 9-6-0, 18 points in 15 games
- March actual result: 3-1-0, 6 points in four games
- February actual result: 4-3-4, 12 points in 11 games
- January actual result: 8-2-2, 18 points in 12 games
- December results: 7-6-2, 16 points in 15 games
- November results: 7-7-0, 14 points in 14 games
- October results: 6-3-0, 12 points in 9 games
- Oilers in 2022-23: 35-22-8, 78 points in 65 games
I have tomorrow night as a loss, but it’s worth reviewing the recent game between these two clubs. That game against Boston put the lid on a frustrating February for Edmonton, Stuart Skinner playing well and Connor McDavid scoring goal No. 50 of the season. The Oilers picked up Mattias Ekholm and Nick Bjugstadt at the deadline, and Mark Spector hinted Evander Kane might return in Boston tomorrow. Music! I’d like to see how this team looks healthy against the best team in the NHL. This is as close as we’ll get before the final.
THE KID LINE
It occurs to me that many of you may not know how the 1989-90 Oilers lined up, so since we have some time allow me to pass along the linemates by goals and assists they were included in during the season and playoffs.
Mark Messier was the No. 1 center and a mainstay on the power play. His most common linemates were Glenn Anderson (61 goals together in all game states) and Craig Simpson (41 goals). If you remember the team, that’s the trio you probably recall the best. Messier also played with Jari Kurri (37), Esa Tikkanen (21) and Petr Klima (21) often.
Another center, Craig MacTavish, was in on 11 goals that also involved Messier. He was the only center aside from Messier to score 20 goals that season. He played with Jari Kurri (9 goals), Joe Murphy (7), Esa Tikkanen (6), Martin Gelinas (5), Kelly Buchberger (5), Peter Eriksson (3), Norm Lacombe (2), Adam Graves (2) and Dave Brown (1). It would be easy to overlook his contributions, but MacT scored in all game states: 14 even strength, 6 shorthanded and a power-play marker. He was a strong contributor and an underrated member of this Stanley Cup team.
Mark Lamb was also a jack-of-all-trades for this team and a damn useful one. He scored 12 goals, 10 at evens and two on the power play. His most common linemates in all game states were Jari Kurri (23) and Esa Tikkanen (11), meaning the two Finns had three centers that season while also playing together often (46 goal matches). Petr Klima (7), Craig Simpson (6), Glenn Anderson (5), Martin Gelinas (3), Kelly Buchberger (2), Dave Brown (1) and Vladimir Ruzicka (1) all played with Lamb that season. Ask Bruce McCurdy about these names, the last three men listed here were truly unique. You could write a book.
Adam Graves came over during the season and played some in the middle. Notable scoring partners included Joe Murphy (13 goals) and Martin Gelinas (9), this trio often referred to as “The Kid Line” during the run. I think to a man the individuals on that 1990 team, and all observers, believe Edmonton doesn’t win Stanley without that trio. Graves also spent time with Jari Kurri (3), Glenn Anderson (2), Esa Tikkanen (2), Petr Klima (2), Mark Lamb (1) and Mark Messier (1). One of the things Oilers fans of the time will never forget is losing Graves to the New York Rangers so soon after his arrival. It was clear he was a fairly complete player even as a new NHL entry.
Kevin McClelland played just a few games before being traded, Dave Brown was in on one of his goals. Jimmy Carson was in even fewer games than McClelland, but did post offense with Anderson and Simpson (2) plus Kurri and Messier (1). It isn’t perfect, and there are outliers (Tikkanen seemed to be involved in several goals with other wingers but I don’t recall him at center) but for someone who didn’t see the 1990 Oilers this is a nice look.
- Connor McDavid: Leon Draisaitl (60); Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (44); Zach Hyman (40); Evander Kane (7)
- Leon Draisaitl: Connor McDavid (60); Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (30); Zach Hyman (31); Evander Kane (11)
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Connor McDavid (44); Leon Draisaitl (30); Zach Hyman (21); Mattias Janmark (9); Klim Kostin (5)
- Ryan McLeod: Warren Foegele (6); Dylan Holloway (4); Derek Ryan (3)
- Derek Ryan: Klim Kostin (6); Devin Shore (5); Evander Kane (4); Ryan McLeod (3)
The current lines have stronger connections, but it’s basically five men (one injured) over three lines. McLeod and Ryan have been productive, mostly away from the elites. McDavid-Draisaitl are about equal in goals with Messier-Anderson. Cool. The fact there are still 17 games left to play? Even cooler!
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
A bust day on TSN1260, 10-2 and we’ll rock hard on the Oilers-Bruins, plus NFL franchise tags and Lamar Jackson, MLB and more! 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!
Details are still scant, but I guess this is positive (the suspension to Wanner and the other MJ Warriors was/is not criminal in nature).
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6772387
What the hell is this lol?
Logan tackles Kaprizov with his arm wrapped around him, then accidentally on purpose lands on top of him and injures him.
The official is looking right at at. Good hockey play?
Apparently the Jets don’t even have a tunnel for the visitors.
If Stanley did this to Connor…
As he took the puck, KK turned his back on LS. He had to know he was being covered. He went against the grain and towards the hit. There is also the element of 5’10” guy who’s hunched over gets hit by 6’7″ guy.
That’s not to say blindside hits or hitting from behind should be condoned. But I think the element of Kirill putting himself into the line of fire and Logan being so much bigger is really what makes the play stand out to the eye. I definitely didn’t see any intent to injure on the play.
Jets are filthy filthy team.
They’re not the Flames or even the Canucks, but man I hate the Jets.
Condors give up 2 in the last 10 minutes to lose the lead. The 3rd goal against, a bobbled puck handle by Nimeo that shouldn’t have happened.
Condors get a PP with 3 minutes left and take advantage – Griffith walks in to the high slot and is shot goes off Justin Bailey and in.
Dineen with his second assist (had an assist on the Benson goal with the transition rush and dish).
Great work by Lavoie and Bourgault on the side boards, Bourgault wins a battle, goes cross-ice by the the point, Kielb shorts and its deflected in by Philp.
5-3 in the 3rd.
Philp and Lavoie are really pushing, that’s so good to see. If we weren’t a playoff team, they’d probably be getting a call up.
And then there’s another generation right behind those two looking like it might produce another couple of useful forwards, Gord willing.
Missed the 3rd goal but the 4th goal was literally one-second after the puck was dropped for an offensive zone face-off. Philp wins it back to Lavoie at the top of the circles and he takes no time to snap it home.
I moved to Edmonton in July 1990, not speaking a lick of english and not knowing a think about hockey.
The town was buzzing and every kid was playing hockey.
It didn’t take long to become a life long hockey fan.
I know work with a colleague that went to UofA after that win.
He remembers being on the bus and everyone hooting and hollering almost tipping the bus over 🙂 His words ” they were crazy!”
Dream scenario, Calgary supplants Wpg for the last wildcard, gets thru 2 rounds in the central and dies at the hand of Connor in the WC final
I’ll be just fine with the flames finishing 9th in the west.
Or worse.
Summarizing!
Petrov led the way with a troika of helpers and was named 2nd star in NB’s win.
Münzenberger and Määttä (14/25, 56.0 FO%) were held off the scoresheet, but will play another day as Vermont pulled off an upset of Maine and will face BU (Shane Lachance’s future school) on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking of Lachance, he and Chiasson too will not be recipients of soup this day, and so the scoreless quartet will have to content themselves with soda crackers and stale cola.
I’m thinking of running another Season in a Season for the last 16 games, starting after the Boston scheduled beat down/gallant loss.
Oilers find themselves right now in 6th place in a race where all they need to do is win 10 of their last 16 games and they stand a decent shot of gaining playoff standings advantage later in the playoffs.
Do you think Oilers can/will win 10 of their last 16 games?
If yes, press Thumbs Up
If no, press Thumbs Down
Benson robbed at the end of a PP.
Next shift, finds a reound in front, stopped, gets his own rebound and buries it.
2-2
Bourgault starting to heat up.
Condors get a PP (a 4-min), some good work. Lavoie with some nice work going down the boards to open up a gap back to the line, back to Kaldis at the line, back to Lavoie on the side boards, feeds Bourgault in the slot who buries.
2 quick one’s scored on Pickard early, on 3 shots.
Cal in a slump now (let in 9 games last weekend).
Pickard vs. D. Wells tonight.
Condors going with the same lineup which means Demers is still out and, frankly, I don’t think he’s close (reading between the lines from Chaulk’s verbal on Monday).
Tullio-Hamblin-Griffith
Savoie-McKegg-Bailey
Lavoie-Philp-Bourgault
Benson-Esposito-Kambeitz
Niemelainen-Kemp
Kaldis-Dineen
Kielb-Gildon
Pickard
Petrov already has two apples tonight. Was he listed in my post this morning? Negatory! However, he has graciously accepted my apology in absentia and is indeed performing tonight. Whoops!
I was so choked the Oil traded Gretzky, cannot express it using mere words.
Ended up going to that Winnipeg playoff game that game in question because a buddy asked me to go so we got the cheapest seats in the building way up in the nosebleeds, the only tickets we could afford.
As the game progressed and the Oil were losing I was sitting there stewing and I looked over at my friend and said something to the effect that Oiler fans only cheered when the team was winning and crushing their opponents.
The coliseum was quiet and my friend proceeds to let out the loudest “GOOOOO OILERSSS!!!” scream I ever heard. It blew out his voice for 3 days.
From all the way up in AA, in the 3rd last row. I swear that even the players noticed the screech and looked up.
Shortly after the Oilers scored, then tied the game, the rest is history.
And no, I am still not over that trade.
Gretz wasn’t traded, he was sold. I remember around our office we were brushing off and laughing about the rumours of him being ‘sold’. But the media in Toronto and everywhere else had it right.
Awesome
Discussing the deadline moves today, Stauffer did mention that the Oilers will re-sign Cam Dineen. I’m wondering if Stauff knows that he won’t actually be an RFA after this season but a Group VI UFA. He very well could re-sign, and I hope he does, but he will have the option to go to market and, if he’s looking at competition for NHL jobs, right now, he’s got Nurse, Ekholm, Kulak and Broberg ahead of him, and maybe Niemo as well.
At the same time, the Oilers owner has been willing to sign-off on contracts that have big guaranteed minimums, and big AHL portions, which could help in this type of negotiation.
Yes, that’s how he may be seen as an experienced guy for the A and pay him the gtee to entice him.
Discussing the deadline moves today, Stauffer did mention that the Oilers will re-sign Cam Dineen. I’m wondering if Stauff knows that he won’t actually be an RFA after this season but a Group VI UFA. He very well could re-sign, and I hope he does, but he will have the option to go to market and, if he’s looking at competition for NHL jobs, right now, he’s got Nurse, Ekholm, Kulak and Broberg ahead of him, and maybe Niemo as well.
At the same time, Katz has been willing to sign-off on contracts that have big guaranteed minimums, and big AHL portions, which could help in this type of negotiation.
Ah, 1990, the icing on the dynasty… acid-wash jeans, Barry-T’s and pre-angry Sinead.
Deep in postgrad training at U of A, alongside a few too many Falmes fans (they were the reigning champs) and having to erase rude blackboard drawings that substituted the Oil drop for various body fluids… but, last laugh to us.
Always thought Gene Wilder could play Klima in the movie version.
With respect, I would submit that Sinead was plenty angry right from The Lion and the Cobra.
True, true… it seemed confined to her music, though at the time – her pope-ripping and audience-debasing era of the mid-nineties mirrored the mighty Oil’s derailing.
“I do not want what I haven’t got’ holds up well to this day – what a yearning voice
LAST GAME OF THE SEASON
Oilers now 16 8 6 in this Season in a Season that saw them first struggle, then start to climb the standings only to resume struggling slightly recently.
Tonight’s game is the biggest of the season as Boston provide the ultimate test.
Do Oilers still have a shot at the Regular Season Division Title?
If you think Yes: Press Thumbs Up
If you think No: Press Thumbs Down
There’s no way the Oilers get two points tonight! 😉
ha ha yeah I sort of forgot there was no game tonight
What if the Boston Bruins had an “accident” and had to forfeit their game. Wink-wink nudge-nudge, say no more!
I’m old enough to remember the WHA Oilers, so I definitely remember all of their Stanley Cups and the subsequent dismantling of those teams. I know life doesn’t work this way, but had they kept the bones of those great teams together, how many more Cups could they have won? I think about the ’94 Rangers Cup team that had 6 or 7 key ex-Oilers. Add Gretzky to that. Could we have won 4 or 5 more? A fool’s errand tp be sure, but interesting to think about.
absolutely agree
If Sather was able to keep Sather-ing the with Gretzky and crew at the core – they challenge the run of the Richard Canadiens.
Landsberg asked Gretzky that same question on the golf course once, and to my surprise Wayne actually paused for a moment and considered his answer before replying at least four more Cups would have been likely.
Does anyone know if VPN works to stream ESPN+ (I subscribe) in Australia? I am heading there for almost 4 weeks. If not, how about other ways to stream NHL down under?
I was there for a month in Nov / Dec of last year and used NHL66.ir and watched all the games. Weird watching games at my desk during the day but at least I could see some. GOG
Thanks – good to know that if I can’t VPN doesn’t work there, there is an alternative.
If you use a VPN, it should be no problem.
Back in the day with Centerice, I watched games in Moscow with no problems.
I tried to find a way above table and it is just impossible. Nhl 66 uses espn+ feeds and sometimes you need a vpn with it still. Also the games stay up on the website for around 24hrs so you can watch it in the afternoon if the 11am starts don’t work for you.
If the VPN/ESPN+ doesn’t work, onhockey.tv is my go-to.
NHL66.ir was great but it hasn’t worked for me at all this season (just checked the Ducks-Canucks game now and still not working, for me).
Ask a Winnipeg Jets fan about the decision to start Beauregard over Essensa as starter in Game 7.
Probably worse than MacT dressing his 3rd string goaltender as the backup in Game 1 of the finals in 2006.
Annual reminder (coming from a defenceman) that it was Jason Smith’s fault.
Paddock and Murdock were the worst coaches. Our family tv took alot of verbal abuse over coaching choices.
LT and some posters (Reja, Redbird, etc.) allude to it, but I don’t think it’s been explicitly said yet…the Gretzky trade/sale tree led to Jimmy Carson which led to Graves, Murphy, and Klima, who were instrumental in the Cup run. So indirectly, Gretzky helped us win the Cup in 1990. If you had asked me if I would prefer keeping Gretzky but not winning the Cup or trading him and winning it in 1990, I’d be torn but I would have gone with the latter.
I sure hope we win Stanley with McDavid and not have to “settle” for trading him someday for multiple assets and then win it all without him.
you are forgetting that there is a GOOD CHANCE the Oilers would have won 1 or 2 more Cups if Gretzky stayed …
1 or 2?
Pretty sure Wayne said 4 or 5 more
Yes, great point.
I guess I was thinking that once the dirty deed was done, all could have been lost and we had nothing to show for the Gretzky trade. But at least the Oilers squeezed one last Cup out of it. I think most of us fans, if not all, did not expect the team to win Stanley that year.
I vividly remember one thing about that Cup run. I was in Australia on a work visa so missed the whole playoffs. Being no internet and no games to see Down Under that I could find, I would get USA Today when I could and check on things
Becoming more and more hopeful after they started coming back on the Jets. Then one day I found a USA Today box and pulled out the paper, and there on the front cover was a grin that could rival Jesse’s, Messier hoisting the Cup!
I was so pumped (can’t remember if I was also making a scene whooping and wooting away as I walked), on my way to work slinging beer, telling anyone that would listen when I got there the good news! And trying to impart how big a deal it was! And trying to get my work pals to up for a big night out to celebrate!
Which nobody would, pikers. So I made my way home, and did the same routine with my ‘flatmates’. I think I managed to drag some unenthusiastic participants out that evening, but no one was taking a shine off my jubilation that night!
The only Oiler ‘surprise’ that tops that is the day when I got home from work earlier than usual on a Friday afternoon one summer, to an empty house. Turned on TSN as there was no competition for the TV, and the draft was on which had slipped my mind
A half hour later I was jumping up and down, yelling my head off like a school-ager seeing their favourite pop star in person! 2015, and when the fam got back I was still extremely excited, much to their suspicion I am sure, trying to get them as hyped as I was about another historic moment in Oiler history and my complete amazement at such luck
This is great. And pikers only makes it perfect!
Thanks piker!
I was working in Bahrain in those pre – internet days. My office was across the road from the Hilton Hotel so mid morning I would slip out and scroll through yards of Reuters tele-tape paper hanging on the walls to get the scores.
Well that is being a hardcore fan!
I loved the spattering of klima jerseys that frequented rink following.
As a relatively “young” Oilers fan, the 1990 Cup was one of my earliest Oilers memory. I remember asking my dad to tape my stick like Klima.
During the decade of darkness, I customized an old CCM Oilers jersey with KLIMA #85, complete with 1990 Stanley Cup Finals patch on the front. I still wear it to the occasional game these days.
My memory of the 1990 series is rather, umm, lacking in detail.
In early May I flew to Kathmandu and began a trek in the Khumbu/Everest region. We were following the news in Kathmandu, but not very well – just the scores in whatever newspaper was available.
I think the Oilers were behind in an early series and everyone assumed that they had no hope without Gretzky. Then we flew to Lukla and started trekking. I shared a tent with someone from Edmonton (I’d left Edmonton in 1984). We would look around for scraps of newspaper on the trail and tried to follow the games, usually a few days behind at best.
After a while we realized that they kept winning. Both of us were shocked. As we came back towards Lukla from the mountains the newspapers became more and more available and we gradually caught up. At the end we flew from Lukla back to Kathmandu, bought an actual newspaper, and learned that they’d won the cup! After that I travelled for several months in Asia so I never really did figure out how this Stanley came to be.
I love this!
I watched highlights of that playoff series. it always amazes me how much better goalies are in the modern era
Ironic take given how Jack Campbell has played this season.
Yeah his .880 or whatever would be league average in the road warriors era
They have twice as much equipment so they don’t have to make a save as much as the puck is hitting them. Make the net 3 inches bigger on each side and add 3 inches of height and will see how good these modern Goalies are.
Absolutely. That was the tail end of the era when NHL goaltenders started in that position as kids because they were small, tired easily, or were the slowest skater on their team.
I’ll always remember the shot in the opening montage of HNIC where Gretzky took a slap-shot from the wing that went right over Mike Vernon’s shoulder. He was standing on his skates, and had skated out to cut down on the angle but he simply wasn’t tall enough to make the save.
There was far more net to shoot at, the goalies were inferior athletes compared to today — more so than in any other position — and they didn’t receive near the coaching they do now.
I would say that the caliber of goalie throughout the league wasn’t as good as now but the top end goalies then were still elite, especially considering much inferior equipment.
The Oilers won their fifth cup the night before I had an Economics final exam at the U of A. I was in year 10 of my 11 year undergraduate degree program (I kid you not) and was taking a spring course. Somehow despite being night-drunk (I was also day drunk a lot during those days – which explains why it took me almost 11 years to get a degree), I managed to pass my exam the next day and get an 8. Good times.
Also, LT, your mention of the rathole brings back memories. I lived in the south-west, so I didn’t use the rathole a lot, but I thought it was a neat little piece of Edmonton, despite all the complaints it got. I googled it and found out that it opened in 1928 and closed down in 2000 – I thought it was well before then. Anyways, here is the wiki link.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathole_(Edmonton)
I watched the Oilers win their first at RATT.
Loved RATT. Hung out there a lot.
During my years when you looked out toward the west from RATT you had a football field and track. Every year when exams rolled around in March someone would dutifully trek out a 110m long, 40m wide dong for everyone at RATT (and any other tall building on nearby) to enjoy.
I laughed every time I saw it and I’m laughing now thinking about it.
Great memories there
My brother was the manager there in the 70’s. I’da been 3? 4? 5?
On the nights that it was his turn to bbsit, he’d drag me along with him, plunk my ass on the bar, stick that finger in my face, “Don’t fukkin’ move!”.
The only thing I can really remember is the girl(s?) behind the bar being very pretty, and lifting my kegs out of the bar sink when they needed it… like a very simple game… that went on for many, many hours.
I didn’t start my time at the RATT until the 2000s, but good to hear the hygiene standards stayed consistent 😂
Lol… and I hope you have a busy day at TSN1260 and not a bust day. 😉
Practice around 11:45 this morning. Will be interested to see if Kane is skating on a real line (with McDavid, obviously) which would indicate a likely return for tomorrow.
I would like to get Broberg back in either today or Saturday at the latest. I would be OK with him replacing Vinny and see how he and Kulak do as a pairing but I doubt they do that and it will likely be 11/7 when he’s back (unless Vinny has a bad game tonight).
If they are just taking one forward out, I would like it to be Shore, as well as he’s been playing, as I think Kostin’s presence, energy and truculence should be in the game, but I would guess that its Kostin that comes out:
Kane/McDavid/Hyman
Nuge/Drai/Yamamoto
Janmark/McLeod/Bjugstad
Shore/Ryan/Foegele
I’d put Kostin in for Shore but I understand not doing it right now.
Per Spec:
Oilers practice lines:
Kane McDavid Hyman
RNH Draisaitl Yamamoto
Foegele Bjugstad Janmark
And McLeod at C with 3 wingers: Kostin, Shore and Ryan.
McLeod with 3 wingers? I know people don’t think Shore does much, but I think we’ll still get a too many men penalty. 😀
I sure hope they don’t sit Kostin. He somehow seems to make every line he plays on better.
Would be nice if this group read the complete post without skimming before disparaging our host.
My lasting memory of that 90 run was the comeback from 3-1 down against the Jets in the first round. Coming off the loss to Gretzky’s Kings the previous year than digging that hole against the Jets who’d always been first round fodder, the sense was sinking in that the Dynasty might be truly over and we were coming back to the pack. Fortunately, nobody told Billy Ranford.
Ranford’s performance in that series ranks alongside Cujo’s upset of the Stars & Avs, Moog’s upset of the Habs, and Roloson’s 06 run, as the best goalie play in Oilers history imo. Ranford absolutely put that team on his back and they collectively realized that they could win in an entirely new way without the Great One.
Cue clutch Mark Lamb, the insane forecheck of the Kid Line, the ascent of Messier to Hart Trophy worthiness, Muckler out from under Slat’s shadow as a master tactician in his own right, the lion hearts of Lowe and Simmer, and Kurri proving to all the doubters that he could do it very well indeed without Wayne.
Jim Matheson’s Dad Jack was a columnist for the Winnipeg paper at the time and here’s his quote with the team down 3-1. “The Oilers aren’t a hockey machine any more and they are having trouble hacking mediocrity. The glamour is gone. The Oilers never did learn how to lose and why would they? They’ve never had much practice.”
Yes, the jealousy and hatred around the league was palpable at the time. “Hey Jack, why were you so pissy?” They couldn’t wait for the Oilers to lose and dance on their graves. For competitive athletes, that has to be one of the best aspects of winning it all, shutting up the haters. The Cinderella Oilers 100% silenced their critics in 1990.
I think Don Cherry once told the story of running into Glen Sather in the second intermission of Game 5, and Slats told him “We’re gonna win this series, and we’re gonna win the cup.”
Classic Slats!
Boston is a good team without a doubt, but I feel like their record over sells them a bit. Since Christmas their 5v5 stats are decidedly pedestrian:
48.47 CF% (25th in the league)
49.64 FF% (20th)
50.25 SF% (18th)
65.52 GF% (1st)
50.97 xGF% (15th)
50.43 SCF% (18th)
51.89 HDCF% (15th)
1.051 PDO (1st – next team is 1.019)
10.92 SH% (1st)
94.19 SV% (1st)
Spot the anomaly here. They’re clearly getting results, but the process isn’t there. They’re riding one HELL of a PDO heater. Can it last? Well, it’s lasted up to now, so who knows.
Oh, and their PP: they’ve converted on just 14.8% of their opportunities (28th in the league) and have scored just 5.47 GF/60 (27th), so their shooting luck doesn’t port over to the man advantage. In fact their team shooting percentage is better at 5v5 than it is on the powerplay, 10.92 vs 9.49. Strange.
They do have the #1 PK in the league since Christmas though, so there’s that.
Honestly since looking at these numbers I think Carolina should be the favorite to come out of the East, not Boston.
Oh, Boston is 22-4-3 (.810) since Christmas. Decidedly NOT pedestrian.
I wonder if these numbers are partially “standing effects” (instead of score effects).
Playing a little loose because they are so far ahead. High level of confidence and less pressure. Shooters not holding their sticks so tight.
But yes, Carolina is definitely frightening.
Boston led the league in PDO pre-Christmas too, although not by as much. Their underlying number were in the 52-55% range at 5v5, yet they scored at 62%. So they weren’t dominating teams like their record suggests, even in the first third of the season.
And yet no Bruin forward has an outrageously high shooting percentage.
Pavel Zacha is a bit high at over 16% but he has done that in a full season before.
There are 8 forwards shooting 12% or greater at 5v5… these are all either career highs or very close. Lady Luck is smiling on these Bruins…
Skilled forwards working together will engender a lot of luck.
unless they’re playing for the Oilers, right ?
I commented that the Bruins, at least pre-deadline, did not look on paper like a team that should dominate the league as it has. I think their process is a big part of it. A complete team playing well consistently helps the players do their best, and keeps the keel even. Bergeron, man!
Despite their historic season, I don’t see them as invincible as our Oilers were in the 80’s, over years. The years they missed were only because they dropped the ball one time, and Wiener traded Gretz the other, as opposed to being beat outright
2011 Bruins at 5v5
CF% – 14th
FF% – 16th
SF% – 16th
GF% – 1st
xGF% – 19th
SH% – 6th
SV% – 1st
PDO – 1st
Top tier goaltending & elite finishing can take you all the way to Stanley!
I was pretty young during the MacT Oiler player years, but IIRC, my memory tells me he was a sublime pk’er, like could stick handle in a phone booth, but super awkwardly, and if he got control of the puck he’d dipsey doodle up and down the ice playing keep away and killing precious time.
To this day I don’t understand why teams don’t try and adopt that strategy a little bit more rather than dump it down so the PP cam reset.
And I wonder why more goalies don’t try the old Roli to Peca chipout.
Its super tiring and when you finally turn it over, you can’t change up. Still, Hyman does a decent job of it.
If you were MacT, would you play without a helmet around Big Vince? Lol Yeah, Im sure he would.
If you want to see defensive domination, go back to the final game Rags vs Devils in ’94. Moose and McT completely dominated the faceoff circle and the final minutes of that game.
I remember seeing Peter Forsberg hold onto the puck for almost an entire PP. It was something else. He was my favourite player of that era and possibly my favourite all time.
Klima sat for soooo loooong that game! it was almost comical to see him out there. What a great memory!
Klima’s career highlight took place on a night when Muckler spent 98% of the night pissed off at him.
He was so rested he was an absolute speed demon compared to every other player — on either team — that it was almost like watching McDavid at the start of a game. Well, almost. Okay, not really.
But still.
Love the PrePrePreview title! Great recovery, LT. You know you’re really anticipating a game when…
After reading On the Clock, you can definitely see the foundation cracking from the poor drafts by 90. That team was a blessed by gord. We say how much the Oil love Fins but the Czech connection was mighty fine as well with Pouzar, Klima, and later Rucinsky and Hemsky. Not as much fanfare but some damn fine players mined from the Bohemian Crown.
Well, to be fair, if the Oilers weren’t selling players like lemonade on a street corner, the foundations would’ve cracked much later…
Nobody thought the Oilers would be able to win another cup without Gretzky. That must have been enough motivation right there. It was a wonderful complete team effort and a pleasure to watch. If we could have an Oiler / Bruin cup final this season, THAT would be truly special.
Ok, I know I have told these stories before but dammit, I’m telling them again because I am older than most of you.
During the 1990 finals series I was married and living in Montreal. On a whim, because with no kids at the time, the wife and I decided to drive to Boston for game 2. I figured we would just grab some scalper tickies. Mistake, prices were crazy and I could not afford it. So we ended up in some irish pub in downtown Boston to watch the game. The Oilers were running the Bruins and I was cheering like crazy. The locals were none too happy. Then it started to get violent. Then BANG! The bartender had just slammed a baseball bat on the bar and yelled out that I was paying for my drinks like everyone else so had the right to cheer for my team. And he said, if the Bruins were doing anything to cheer for, the rest of you would be cheering too. He said if anyone started anything with me, they would have to deal with him outside. No problems after that!
Game 5, we were back in Montreal and my wife had run into an old friend she had not seen for years. We get invited to the friends birthday party….. same night as the game. I did not want to go. But we agreed we would show up, sing happy birthday and when I gave the signal, we would leave. Well I was giving that signal like a madman and my wife was ignoring me. I was pissed. When we finally got out of there driving like crazy to get home, I turn on the car radio and hear, “and with 5 seconds left in the game, the Edmonton Oilers will win their fifth Stanley Cup. I turned to my wife and said, “it had better not be their last Stanley Cup”……… By the way, we never ever saw that friend again.
Ouch! I’m learning so much today about the handles/nicknames of the posters of this blog.
Thanks for sharing…
Wow what a story. At the end there, when you started the sentence with “we never ever…” I thought you may have been referring to your wife! haha
Great story dude.
I have others but not for public consumption! Someday you and I will sit down again and I have some doozies!
I like the stories, young or old…
Pure Gold.
Going to be a fun stretch drive for the last 17 games. Oilers are in tough to move up the standings. Skinner is going to have to be good. I really like this Oiler team. Lots of useful toughness with Kane, Kostin, VD and Nurse. I wouldn’t mind seeing Broberg sent down to play a lot of minutes and expand his offensive game as he hasn’t scored a goal all season.
For me if Connor and Leon lead the way this team can go as far as their luck and health permits. Nurse too. Play smart and teams will be worrying as much about them as the Bruins or Canes
The 1990 team was the first and only Oilers Cup win I distinctly remembered, and was able to follow closely.
My family moved out to Vancouver in ’87, and I distinctly remember:
1: Intrepid Vancouver sports columnist Tony Gallagher giving the Canucks and edge over the Oilers in his season preview due to their greater depth at centre
2: The anger of Canuck fans when they learned I thought both Kurri and Tikkanen were better wingers than Petri Skriko
3: The degree to which all Canuck fans at the time had “second favourites” that they followed once the playoffs started. It was just normal to have another club you cheered for so you had something to due after the regular season ended
I loved the Kid Line, and the departure of Adam Graves really hurt. Even more than the Gretzky trade, the dismantling of that team made it clear that Edmonton would no longer be able to compete with the top teams long-term.
Oh, and I still treasure my Bill Ranford jersey — which I wore the absolute hell out of playing goal in street hockey.
last time we won a Cup Messier, Anderson and Kurri were all only 29 Lowe was 30 and MacTavish was 31. They seemed older in real time probably because they played a couple of extra seasons if you count Playoff games. The trade of Jimmy Carson won us the Cup. Craig Simpson would park his ass in front of the net and take cross check after cross check but would never relinquish the area in the paint.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the haul for Carson (and McClelland). Graves, Murphy and Klima (plus Sharple – who never played for the Oilers). In total, those 3 scored almost as many points in the 90 playoffs (30) as Carson did his entire career (32).
I’m not saying this is a direct quote from my father but
“Goddamn it, Klima!”
“Geez Louise, Klima, how many chances do you need?”
“Klima’s out there, what’s the point?”
“PETR KLIMA I NEVER DOUBTED YOU!!!!!”
Substitute “Klima” for “Yammo” in todays version of the squad and that’s where I’m at…
I’ll never forget that final, I was 14 years old and had become an Oiler fan the year before living on Vancouver Island. The kid line was fantastic and Bill Ranford is the reason I ended up switching over to playing goalie. I can only dream they pull off a run like that again! I remember my brother saying Ranford must be sitting on horseshoes before every game 🤣 Maybe Skinner will be our next ‘Ranford’ in the postseason.
I was 11-12 during this run and a HUGE Klima fan. He scored a hat trick in his debut if I recall correctly. My dad was pals with the much despised Peter Puck and I’d get to hear a little behind the scenes stuff. I remember hearing that Klima was in a slump and Slats bet him a couple hundred bucks he couldn’t score a hat trick and so he went and scored one that night and collected.
My dad had gotten me a signed Klima candy striped stick for Xmas. We got tons of signed sticks back then, Mess, Simpson, even Pokey Reddick. Destroyed them all playing street hockey.
Klima being benched for the majority of a game and scoring the multi-OT winner is a maybe one of my strongest hockey memories.
Klima will forever be my favorite, and weirdly I think it’s cuz he was lazy but brilliant.
The oilers are 1st in scoring, but also top 5 in XGA since Jan 1 I believe….If Skinner can hold up averagish goaltending…that’s a cup team.
Whoever makes it out of the East is going to be favourites. But it’s playoffs and we have two god-men, so bring it on 😀
It’ll be a blood bath and whoever makes it out of the East will probably be tired and banged up a bit. Quite a few amazing teams will be golfing early.
Roster Flexibility.
This may be one of the few teams in history to operate well as a fully functioning blender. Nice feature Jay Woodcroft created and has at his disposal.
and if Kane plays tomorrow, hooooboy.
Biggest game of the regular season for certain.
Time to repay those pretenders from Beantown as they lurch to yet another super non-cup season.
Stars, Kraken and Knights coming up in the next two weeks. Think those are bigger in terms of escaping the West brackets.
Going to be a tough battle in Boston. Be nice if whoever starts in goal for the Bruins has a bad game.
Lets hop we play them just as hard as last game with a few more goals.
Skinner will have to be at his best.