1987-88_Edmonton_Oilers_season

1987–88 Edmonton Oilers season

1987–88 Edmonton Oilers season

NHL team season

The 1987–88 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' ninth season in the NHL, and they were coming off a Stanley Cup championship against the Philadelphia Flyers the previous season, which was their third Stanley Cup in the past 4 seasons. This was the first time since 1980–81 that the Oilers did not win the division, break the 100 point barrier, or lead the NHL in goals.

Quick Facts Edmonton Oilers, Division ...

Wayne Gretzky led the team with 149 points (sitting out 16 games with a knee injury), his lowest point total since his rookie season in 1979–80, and the first time since then that he failed to lead the NHL in scoring. Jari Kurri and Craig Simpson, who the Oilers acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins during the season, led the team in goals with 43, and Mark Messier set a career high with 111 points. With Paul Coffey being traded during the season to the Penguins, Steve Smith stepped up and led Oilers defense with 55 points and have a team record 286 penalty minutes.

In goal, Grant Fuhr appeared in 75 of the 80 Oilers games, winning a career high 40 games and getting 4 shutouts, while posting a 3.43 GAA and becoming the first Oilers goalie to win the Vezina Trophy. Goalie Andy Moog demanded to be traded from the Oilers, and at the trading deadline, Edmonton dealt Moog and left wing Moe Lemay to the Boston Bruins for goaltender Bill Ranford, left wing Geoff Courtnall, right wing Alan May, and a second-round draft pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.

Season standings

More information GP, W ...

[1]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

More information Smythe Division record vs. opponents, NHL records ...

Schedule and results

More information #, Date ...

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

Main article: 1988 Stanley Cup Finals

In the playoffs, the Oilers started off by defeating the Winnipeg Jets in 5 games, and faced their Battle of Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames in the Smythe Division finals. The Flames ended the Oilers' streak of six straight division titles by finishing six points ahead of Edmonton during the regular season and were favoured to win the series, however, the Oilers quickly swept Calgary to advance to the Campbell Conference finals, against the Detroit Red Wings. Edmonton had no problem getting past Detroit, winning the series in five games, and faced the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers continued to dominate, sweeping Boston despite having to play 5 games (game 4 was cancelled midway through the third period with the score tied at 3 due to a power failure at the Boston Garden) to win their fourth Stanley Cup in 5 years. Grant Fuhr set an NHL record by winning 16 playoff games, while Wayne Gretzky took home the Conn Smythe Trophy after earning a league high 43 playoff points.

More information 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs, # ...

Season stats

Scoring leaders

More information Player, GP ...

Goaltending

PlayerGPTOIWLTGASOSave %GAA
Bill Ranford6325302160.8992.95
Grant Fuhr754304402492464.8813.43
Daryl Reaugh6176110140.8774.77
Warren Skorodenski36100070.7206.89

Playoff stats

Scoring leaders

More information Player, GP ...

Goaltending

PlayerGPTOIWLGASOSave %GAA
Grant Fuhr191136162550.8832.90

Awards and records

Awards

Records

  • 1,050: A new NHL record for most assists in a career by Wayne Gretzky on Mar 1, 1988.
  • 286: An Oilers record for most penalty minutes in a single season by Steve Smith.
  • 266: A new Oilers record for most penalty minutes in a single season by a defenceman by Steve Smith on ???, 1988.
  • 51: A new NHL record for most career even strength goals in a playoffs by Jari Kurri on ???, 1988.
  • 40: An Oilers record for most wins in a single season by Grant Fuhr.
  • 34: A new Oilers record for most wins in a single season by Grant Fuhr on February 23, 1988.
  • 31: A new NHL record for most assists in a playoffs by Wayne Gretzky on May 26, 1988.

Milestones

Regular Season
PlayerMilestoneReached
Kelly Buchberger1st NHL GameOctober 9, 1987
Jim Ennis
Glenn Anderson16th NHL Hat-trickOctober 11, 1987
Jim Ennis1st NHL Goal
1st NHL Point
John Miner1st NHL Game
1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
Jari Kurri400th NHL AssistOctober 14, 1987
Craig Muni100th NHL Game
Glenn Anderson17th NHL Hat-trickOctober 16, 1987
John Miner1st NHL Goal
Normand Lacombe100th NHL GameOctober 17, 1987
Craig MacTavish200th NHL PIM
Charlie Huddy300th NHL PIMOctober 23, 1987
Wayne Gretzky300th NHL PIMOctober 24, 1987
Kevin McClelland1,000th NHL PIM
Grant Fuhr30th NHL AssistOctober 31, 1987
Steve Graves1st NHL AssistNovember 1, 1987
Craig MacTavish200th NHL Point
Daryl Reaugh1st NHL Win
Ron Shudra1st NHL Game
Esa Tikkanen100th NHL Point
Wayne Gretzky42nd NHL Hat-trick
1,000th NHL Assist		November 4, 1987
Mike Krushelnyski300th NHL PointNovember 5, 1987
Ron Shudra1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point		November 7, 1987
Craig Muni100th NHL PIMNovember 15, 1987
Steve Smith400th NHL PIMNovember 25, 1987
Mike Krushelnyski400th NHL GameNovember 29, 1987
Mark Messier800th NHL PIM
Esa Tikkanen200th NHL PIMDecember 5, 1987
Wayne Gretzky43rd NHL Hat-trick
4th Five-Goal NHL Game		December 6, 1987
Craig MacTavish400th NHL GameDecember 11, 1987
Marty McSorley700th NHL PIM
200th NHL Game		December 12, 1987
Mark Messier600th NHL Game
Mark Messier400th NHL AssistDecember 16, 1987
Craig Simpson2nd NHL Gordie Howe hat trick
Wayne Gretzky1,600th NHL PointDecember 22, 1987
Jeff Beukeboom200th NHL PIMDecember 30, 1987
Dave Hannan300th NHL Game
Jari Kurri800th NHL Point
Kevin McClelland1,100th NHL PIM
Scott Metcalfe1st NHL GameJanuary 4, 1988
Grant Fuhr300th NHL GameJanuary 15, 1988
Mark Messier700th NHL Point
Kelly Buchberger1st NHL Goal
1st NHL Point		January 19, 1988
Selmar Odelein1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
Dave Hannan1st NHL Hat-trickJanuary 25, 1988
Craig Simpson200th NHL GameJanuary 29, 1988
Steve Smith500th NHL PIMJanuary 30, 1988
Marty McSorley800th NHL PIMFebruary 3, 1988
Esa Tikkanen3rd NHL Hat-trick
Dave Hannan400th NHL PIMFebruary 12, 1988
Mark Messier9th NHL Hat-trickFebruary 14, 1988
Kevin Lowe700th NHL PIMFebruary 17, 1988
Jeff Beukeboom100th NHL GameFebruary 19, 1988
Steve Dykstra400th NHL PIM
Charlie Huddy200th NHL AssistFebruary 21, 1988
Glenn Anderson18th NHL Hat-trick
2nd Four-Goal NHL Game
2nd NHL Natural Hat-trick		March 4, 1988
Kevin McClelland1,200th NHL PIM
Jeff Beukeboom300th NHL PIMMarch 7, 1988
Kevin McClelland400th NHL Game
Glenn Anderson500th NHL PIMMarch 9, 1988
Geoff Courtnall ??? NHL Hat-trickMarch 15, 1988
Mark Messier300th NHL Goal
Craig Simpson50th Goal in 71 Games
Mike Krushelynski300th NHL PIMMarch 18, 1988
Craig MacTavish100th NHL Goal
Glenn Anderson700th NHL PointMarch 22, 1988
Steve Smith600th NHL PIMMarch 24, 1988
Keith Acton400th NHL PIMMarch 26, 1988
Glenn Anderson600th NHL GameMarch 30, 1988
Steve Smith100th NHL Point
Esa Tikkanen100th NHL Assist
Esa Tikkanen300th NHL PIMApril 1, 1988
Jari Kurri600th NHL GameApril 3, 1988
Playoffs
PlayerMilestoneReached
Glenn Anderson200th NHL PIM
2nd NHL Hat-trick		April 6, 1988
Dave Hannan1st NHL Game
1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
Normand Lacombe1st NHL Game
Kevin Lowe100th NHL Game
Craig Simpson1st NHL Game
1st NHL Goal
1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
Glenn Anderson100th NHL GameApril 7, 1988
Jari Kurri
Normand Lacombe1st NHL Goal
1st NHL Point		April 9, 1988
Marty McSorley150th NHL PIM
Grant Fuhr50th NHL WinApril 10, 1988
Kevin McClelland200th NHL PIM
Wayne Gretzky150th NHL AssistApril 12, 1988
Kevin Lowe100th NHL PIM
Jari Kurri150th NHL PointApril 21, 1988
Esa Tikkanen50th NHL PIM
Dave Hannan1st NHL GoalApril 25, 1988
Mark Messier50th NHL Goal
Steve Smith100th NHL PIM
Wayne Gretzky50th NHL PIMMay 7, 1988
Keith Acton50th NHL PIMMay 9, 1988
Mark Messier150th NHL Point
Grant Fuhr10th NHL AssistMay 11, 1988
Mike Krushelnyski50th NHL Point
Randy Gregg100th NHL GameMay 20, 1988
Kevin McClelland250th NHL PIM
Esa Tikkanen1st NHL Hat-trickMay 22, 1988
Esa Tikkanen100th NHL PIM
50th NHL Game		May 24, 1988
Wayne Gretzky250th NHL PointMay 26, 1988

Transactions

Trades

October 19, 1987 To Montreal Canadiens
Cash		 To Edmonton Oilers
Dave Donnelly
November 24, 1987 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul Coffey
Dave Hunter
Wayne Van Dorp		 To Edmonton Oilers
Moe Mantha
Dave Hannan
Craig Simpson
Chris Joseph
January 22, 1988 To Minnesota North Stars
Moe Mantha		 To Edmonton Oilers
Keith Acton
February 11, 1988 To Buffalo Sabres
Scott Metcalfe
9th round pick in 1989		 To Edmonton Oilers
Steve Dykstra
7th round pick in 1989
March 8, 1988 To Boston Bruins
Andy Moog
Moe Lemay		 To Edmonton Oilers
Bill Ranford
Geoff Courtnall
Alan May
2nd round pick in 1988

Players acquired

More information Date, Player ...

Players lost

More information Date, Player ...

Waivers

More information Date, Player ...

Draft picks

Edmonton's draft picks at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. The Oilers attempted to select Dave Wensley in the second round of the 1987 NHL Supplemental Draft, but the claim was ruled invalid since Wensley entered school after age 20 and therefore did not meet eligibility requirements.[83]

More information Round, # ...

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