1983–84 Edmonton Oilers season

1983–84 Edmonton Oilers
Division	1st Smythe
Conference	1st Campbell
1983–84 record	57–18–5
Home record	31–5–4
Road record	26–13–1
Goals for	446 (1st)
Goals against	314 (T-10th)
Team information
General manager	Glen Sather
Coach	Glen Sather
Captain	Wayne Gretzky
Alternate captains	none
Arena	Northlands Coliseum
Average attendance	17,353
Team leaders
Goals	Wayne Gretzky (87)
Assists	Wayne Gretzky (118)
Points	Wayne Gretzky (205)
Penalty minutes	Mark Messier (165)
Plus/minus	Wayne Gretzky (+76)
Wins	Grant Fuhr (30)
Goals against average	Andy Moog (3.77)

The 1983–84 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' 5th season in the NHL. After an outstanding regular season, the Oilers won their first Stanley Cup.

Regular Season

It was another record breaking season for the club. The Oilers would set club records in wins (57) and points (118), as they won the Smythe Division for the 3rd straight season. Edmonton would break the NHL record for goals in a season, previously set by the Oilers the previous season, by scoring 446 times.

On Sunday, February 12, 1984, the Oilers lost on the road, 11–0, to the Hartford Whalers. It was the first time in 230 consecutive regular-season games that the Oilers were shut out; the last time Edmonton had been shut out was on Thursday, March 12, 1981, when they lost at home, 5–0, to the New York Islanders.

Wayne Gretzky would break the 200 point barrier for the 2nd time in his career, as he won the Art Ross Trophy for the 4th straight year with 205 points. Gretzky scored an NHL high 87 goals and 118 assists. Paul Coffey would put up 126 points, the 2nd highest point total ever by a defenceman, while Jari Kurri (113) and Mark Messier (101) would each break the 100 point mark for the club. Glenn Anderson would have a solid season, getting 54 goals, behind only Gretzky, and just miss the 100—point club as he finished with 99.

Grant Fuhr would lead the club with 30 victories, while Andy Moog would put up a team best GAA of 3.77.

Final Standings

Smythe Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PTS
Edmonton Oilers	80	57	18	5	446	314	119
Calgary Flames	80	34	32	14	311	314	82
Vancouver Canucks	80	32	39	9	306	328	73
Winnipeg Jets	80	31	38	11	340	374	73
Los Angeles Kings	80	23	44	13	309	376	59

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Game Log

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record	Pts
1	October 5	Toronto Maple Leafs	4–5	Edmonton Oilers	1–0–0	2
2	October 7	Edmonton Oilers	8–6	Winnipeg Jets	2–0–0	4
3	October 9	Minnesota North Stars	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	3–0–0	6
4	October 12	Detroit Red Wings	3–8	Edmonton Oilers	4–0–0	8
5	October 15	Edmonton Oilers	4–3	Calgary Flames	5–0–0	10
6	October 16	Calgary Flames	1–5	Edmonton Oilers	6–0–0	12
7	October 19	Edmonton Oilers	10–7	Vancouver Canucks	7–0–0	14
8	October 20	Edmonton Oilers	2–7	Los Angeles Kings	7–1–0	14
9	October 22	Vancouver Canucks	5–5	Edmonton Oilers	7–1–1	15
10	October 26	Edmonton Oilers	3–8	Toronto Maple Leafs	7–2–1	15
11	October 29	Edmonton Oilers	3–1	Montreal Canadiens	8–2–1	17
12	October 30	Edmonton Oilers	5–4	New York Rangers	9–2–1	19
13	November 2	Washington Capitals	3–11	Edmonton Oilers	10–2–1	21
14	November 5	Pittsburgh Penguins	3–7	Edmonton Oilers	11–2–1	23
15	November 6	Edmonton Oilers	8–5	Winnipeg Jets	12–2–1	25
16	November 8	Edmonton Oilers	7–4	Quebec Nordiques	13–2–1	27
17	November 9	Edmonton Oilers	7–4	Washington Capitals	14–2–1	29
18	November 12	Edmonton Oilers	7–3	Detroit Red Wings	15–2–1	31
19	November 13	Edmonton Oilers	3–5	Chicago Black Hawks	15–3–1	31
20	November 18	Buffalo Sabres	0–7	Edmonton Oilers	16–3–1	33
21	November 19	New Jersey Devils	4–13	Edmonton Oilers	17–3–1	35
22	November 21	Winnipeg Jets	6–7	Edmonton Oilers	18–3–1	37
23	November 23	Edmonton Oilers	7–3	Los Angeles Kings	19–3–1	39
24	November 25	Edmonton Oilers	2–2	Minnesota North Stars	19–3–2	40
25	November 26	Edmonton Oilers	6–8	St. Louis Blues	19–4–2	40
26	November 30	Philadelphia Flyers	3–3	Edmonton Oilers	19–4–3	41
27	December 3	Los Angeles Kings	3–7	Edmonton Oilers	20–4–3	43
28	December 4	New York Islanders	4–2	Edmonton Oilers	20–5–3	43
29	December 7	Vancouver Canucks	4–5	Edmonton Oilers	21–5–3	45
30	December 10	Edmonton Oilers	2–3	Vancouver Canucks	21–6–3	45
31	December 13	Edmonton Oilers	5–8	New York Islanders	21–7–3	45
32	December 14	Edmonton Oilers	9–4	New York Rangers	22–7–3	47
33	December 17	Quebec Nordiques	1–8	Edmonton Oilers	23–7–3	49
34	December 18	Edmonton Oilers	7–5	Winnipeg Jets	24–7–3	51
35	December 21	Winnipeg Jets	4–7	Edmonton Oilers	25–7–3	53
36	December 23	Calgary Flames	5–5	Edmonton Oilers	25–7–4	54
37	December 26	Edmonton Oilers	6–3	Calgary Flames	26–7–4	56
38	December 28	Edmonton Oilers	4–2	Vancouver Canucks	27–7–4	58
39	December 30	Boston Bruins	0–2	Edmonton Oilers	28–7–4	60
40	January 3	Edmonton Oilers	9–6	Calgary Flames	29–7–4	62
41	January 4	Minnesota North Stars	8–12	Edmonton Oilers	30–7–4	64
42	January 7	Hartford Whalers	3–5	Edmonton Oilers	31–7–4	66
43	January 9	Edmonton Oilers	7–3	Detroit Red Wings	32–7–4	68
44	January 11	Edmonton Oilers	5–3	Chicago Black Hawks	33–7–4	70
45	January 13	Edmonton Oilers	1–3	Buffalo Sabres	33–8–4	70
46	January 15	Edmonton Oilers	5–4	New Jersey Devils	34–8–4	72
47	January 18	Vancouver Canucks	5–7	Edmonton Oilers	35–8–4	74
48	January 20	Los Angeles Kings	5–7	Edmonton Oilers	36–8–4	76
49	January 21	Edmonton Oilers	6–3	Los Angeles Kings	37–8–4	78
50	January 25	Edmonton Oilers	6–4	Vancouver Canucks	38–8–4	80
51	January 27	New Jersey Devils	3–3	Edmonton Oilers	38–8–5	81
52	January 28	Los Angeles Kings	4–2	Edmonton Oilers	38–9–5	81
53	February 3	Calgary Flames	5–10	Edmonton Oilers	39–9–5	83
54	February 5	Edmonton Oilers	2–9	Washington Capitals	39–10–5	83
55	February 7	Edmonton Oilers	3–5	New York Islanders	39–11–5	83
56	February 9	Edmonton Oilers	3–4	Philadelphia Flyers	39–12–5	83
57	February 11	Edmonton Oilers	1–4	Boston Bruins	39–13–5	83
58	February 12	Edmonton Oilers	0–11	Hartford Whalers	39–14–5	83
59	February 15	Winnipeg Jets	4–7	Edmonton Oilers	40–14–5	85
60	February 17	Boston Bruins	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	41–14–5	87
61	February 19	Pittsburgh Penguins	3–7	Edmonton Oilers	42–14–5	89
62	February 21	Edmonton Oilers	6–5	St. Louis Blues	43–14–5	91
63	February 22	Edmonton Oilers	9–2	Pittsburgh Penguins	44–14–5	93
64	February 24	Calgary Flames	3–5	Edmonton Oilers	45–14–5	95
65	February 25	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–8	Edmonton Oilers	46–14–5	97
66	February 27	Edmonton Oilers	6–5	Winnipeg Jets	47–14–5	99
67	February 29	Philadelphia Flyers	5–3	Edmonton Oilers	47–15–5	99
68	March 4	Montreal Canadiens	1–5	Edmonton Oilers	48–15–5	101
69	March 7	Chicago Black Hawks	4–7	Edmonton Oilers	49–15–5	103
70	March 10	New York Rangers	3–2	Edmonton Oilers	49–16–5	103
71	March 11	Vancouver Canucks	2–12	Edmonton Oilers	50–16–5	105
72	March 13	Edmonton Oilers	6–5	Quebec Nordiques	51–16–5	107
73	March 15	Edmonton Oilers	2–3	Montreal Canadiens	51–17–5	107
74	March 17	Los Angeles Kings	1–9	Edmonton Oilers	52–17–5	109
75	March 18	Buffalo Sabres	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	53–17–5	111
76	March 21	Hartford Whalers	3–5	Edmonton Oilers	54–17–5	113
77	March 24	St. Louis Blues	7–1	Edmonton Oilers	54–18–5	113
78	March 25	Winnipeg Jets	2–3	Edmonton Oilers	55–18–5	115
79	March 27	Edmonton Oilers	9–2	Calgary Flames	56–18–5	117
80	March 31	Edmonton Oilers	4–3	Los Angeles Kings	57–18–5	119

Playoffs

In the playoffs, the Oilers would make short work of the Winnipeg Jets, sweeping them in 3 games, and then face their Battle of Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames for the Smythe Division finals. The Flames would push the Oilers to 7 games before Edmonton would defeat them for the 2nd straight year. The Oilers would sweep the Minnesota North Stars in the Campbell Conference final, setting up a Stanley Cup rematch against the New York Islanders. The Islanders, who swept the Oilers the previous year, were looking to win their 5th straight Stanley Cup, however, Edmonton had other plans, and after the teams split the first 2 games in New York, the Oilers would win 3 in a row to win the series in 5 games, and win their first Stanley Cup, becoming the first team from the WHA to win the cup. Mark Messier won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

Edmonton Oilers 3, Winnipeg Jets 0

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 4	Winnipeg Jets	2–9	Edmonton Oilers	1–0
2	April 5	Winnipeg Jets	4–5	Edmonton Oilers	2–0
3	April 7	Edmonton Oilers	4–1	Winnipeg Jets	3–0

Edmonton Oilers 4, Calgary Flames 3

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 12	Calgary Flames	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	1–0
2	April 13	Calgary Flames	6–5	Edmonton Oilers	1–1
3	April 15	Edmonton Oilers	3–2	Calgary Flames	2–1
4	April 16	Edmonton Oilers	5–3	Calgary Flames	3–1
5	April 18	Calgary Flames	5–4	Edmonton Oilers	3–2
6	April 20	Edmonton Oilers	4–5	Calgary Flames	3–3
7	April 22	Calgary Flames	4–7	Edmonton Oilers	4–3

Edmonton Oilers 4, Minnesota North Stars 0

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 24	Minnesota North Stars	1–7	Edmonton Oilers	1–0
2	April 26	Minnesota North Stars	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	2–0
3	April 28	Edmonton Oilers	8–5	Minnesota North Stars	3–0
4	May 1	Edmonton Oilers	3–1	Minnesota North Stars	4–0

Edmonton Oilers 4, New York Islanders 1

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	May 10	Edmonton Oilers	1–0	New York Islanders	1–0
2	May 12	Edmonton Oilers	1–6	New York Islanders	1–1
3	May 15	New York Islanders	2–7	Edmonton Oilers	2–1
4	May 17	New York Islanders	2–7	Edmonton Oilers	3–1
5	May 19	New York Islanders	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	4–1

Player Stats

Regular Season

Scoring leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky	74	87	118	205	39
Paul Coffey	80	40	86	126	104
Jari Kurri	64	52	61	113	14
Mark Messier	73	37	64	101	165
Glenn Anderson	80	54	45	99	65

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Andy Moog	38	2212	27	8	1	139	1	.882	3.77
Grant Fuhr	45	2625	30	10	4	171	1	.883	3.91

Playoffs

Scoring leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky	19	13	22	35	12
Jari Kurri	19	14	14	28	13
Mark Messier	19	8	18	26	19
Paul Coffey	19	8	14	22	21
Glenn Anderson	19	6	11	17	33

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Andy Moog	7	263	4	0	12	0	.891	2.74
Grant Fuhr	16	883	11	4	44	1	.910	2.99

Awards and Records

• Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: Edmonton Oilers
• Art Ross Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
• Hart Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
• Conn Smythe Trophy: Mark Messier
• Lester B. Pearson Award: Wayne Gretzky
• Norris Trophy: Paul Coffey, Runner-up
• Wayne Gretzky, Center, NHL First Team All-Star
• Mark Messier, Left Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
• Jari Kurri, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
• Paul Coffey, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star

Transactions

Trades

December 5, 1983	To Pittsburgh Penguins Tom Roulston	To Edmonton Oilers Kevin McClelland 6th round pick in 1984 - Emanuel Viveiros
January 20, 1984	To New York Rangers 9th round pick in 1984 - Heinz Ehlers	To Edmonton Oilers Rick Chartraw
March 6, 1984	To Boston Bruins John Blum	To Edmonton Oilers Larry Melnyk
March 6, 1984	To Washington Capitals 4th round pick in 1985 - Larry Shaw	To Edmonton Oilers Risto Jalo

Free Agents

Player Former Team F Tom Rowe Detroit Red Wings F Pat Conacher New York Rangers F Tom Gorence Philadelphia Flyers D Reg Kerr Chicago Black Hawks F Kari Jalonen Calgary Flames

Draft Picks

Edmonton's draft picks at the 1983 NHL Entry Draft

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1	19	Jeff Beukeboom	Canada	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2	40	Mike Golden	United States	Reading High School (USHS)
3	60	Mike Flanagan	United States	Acton-Boxboro High School (USHS)
4	80	Esa Tikkanen	Finland	HIFK (SM-liiga)
6	120	Don Barber	Canada	Kelowna Buckaroos (BCJHL)
7	140	Dale Derkatch	Canada	Regina Pats (WHL)
8	160	Ralph Vos	Canada	Abbotsford Flyers (BCJHL)
9	180	Dave Roach	Canada	New Westminster Royals (BCJHL)
10	200	Warren Yadlowski	Canada	Calgary Wranglers (WHL)
11	220	John Miner	Canada	Regina Pats (WHL)
12	240	Steve Woodburn	Canada	Verdun Juniors (QMJHL)

Gallery

Ad in Prince George for Oilers' playoff tickets.

References

• SHRP Sports
• The Internet Hockey Database
• National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007