1996–97 Edmonton Oilers season

1996–97 Edmonton Oilers
Division	3rd Pacific
Conference	7th Western
1996–97 record	36–37–9
Home record	21–16–4
Road record	15–21–5
Goals for	252 (T-7th)
Goals against	247 (T-16th)
Team information
General manager	Glen Sather
Coach	Ron Low
Captain	Kelly Buchberger
Alternate captains	Luke Richardson Doug Weight
Arena	Edmonton Coliseum
Average attendance	16,044 (93.8%)
Team leaders
Goals	Ryan Smyth (39)
Assists	Doug Weight (61)
Points	Doug Weight (82)
Penalty minutes	Kelly Buchberger (159)
Plus/minus	Bryan Marchment (+13)
Wins	Curtis Joseph (32)
Goals against average	Bob Essensa (2.83)

The 1996–97 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' 18th season in the NHL, and they were coming off a 30–44–8 record, earning 68 points, in the 1995–96 season, failing to qualify for the post-season for the 4th straight season.

The Oilers would have their best season since 1991–92, as they would win 36 games, and earn 81 points, finishing in third place in the Pacific Division, and seventh in the Western Conference, earning their first playoff berth in five years. The main reason for the Oilers' turn-around was their solid goaltending and defensive hockey, allowing 247 goals, which was 57 fewer goals than the previous season.

Regular season

Offensively, Doug Weight who lead the club once again in points, earning 82, and a club high 61 assists, while Ryan Smyth would have a breakout season, scoring a team high 39 goals and leading the team in power-play goals with 20. Andrei Kovalenko, acquired in the off-season, would score 32 goals and 59 points, while Jason Arnott would earn 57 points in 67 games. Rookie Mike Grier had 32 points in 79 games and Mariusz Czerkawski finished third on the team in goals with 26. Boris Mironov would anchor the defense, earning 32 points in only 55 games. Todd Marchant led the team in shorthanded goals with 4 and team captain Kelly Buchberger provided the team toughness, earning a club high 159 penalty minutes.

In goal, Curtis Joseph would get the majority of playing time, winning 32 games, while posting a 2.93 GAA and a .907 save percentage, and set a team record with 6 shutouts. Bob Essensa, and despite a strong GAA of 2.83, he would win only 4 games.

Season standings

Pacific Division

No.	CR		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
1	1	Colorado Avalanche	82	49	24	9	277	205	107
2	4	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	82	36	33	13	243	231	85
3	7	Edmonton Oilers	82	36	37	9	252	247	81
4	9	Vancouver Canucks	82	35	40	7	257	273	77
5	10	Calgary Flames	82	32	41	9	214	239	73
6	12	Los Angeles Kings	82	28	43	11	214	268	67
7	13	San Jose Sharks	82	27	47	8	211	278	62

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Game log

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record	Pts
1	October 4	Buffalo Sabres	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	1–0–0	2
2	October 6	Vancouver Canucks	0–2	Edmonton Oilers	2–0–0	4
3	October 8	Edmonton Oilers	4–2	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–0–0	6
4	October 9	Edmonton Oilers	0–2	Detroit Red Wings	3–1–0	6
5	October 11	St. Louis Blues	3–1	Edmonton Oilers	3–2–0	6
6	October 14	Edmonton Oilers	6–3	Phoenix Coyotes	4–2–0	8
7	October 15	Edmonton Oilers	2–7	Colorado Avalanche	4–3–0	8
8	October 20	Edmonton Oilers	3–6	Calgary Flames	4–4–0	8
9	October 22	Pittsburgh Penguins	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	5–4–0	10
10	October 24	Edmonton Oilers	8–2	Los Angeles Kings	6–4–0	12
11	October 26	Colorado Avalanche	4–2	Edmonton Oilers	6–5–0	12
12	October 30	Phoenix Coyotes	1–4	Edmonton Oilers	7–5–0	14
13	November 1	Vancouver Canucks	5–4	Edmonton Oilers	7–6–0	14
14	November 3	Edmonton Oilers	2–4	Chicago Blackhawks	7–7–0	14
15	November 6	Edmonton Oilers	2–5	Pittsburgh Penguins	7–8–0	14
16	November 7	Edmonton Oilers	6–0	Boston Bruins	8–8–0	16
17	November 9	Edmonton Oilers	3–7	Toronto Maple Leafs	8–9–0	16
18	November 11	Edmonton Oilers	2–3	Montreal Canadiens	8–10–0	16
19	November 13	Edmonton Oilers	4–0	Ottawa Senators	9–10–0	18
20	November 17	Dallas Stars	7–3	Edmonton Oilers	9–11–0	18
21	November 19	Chicago Blackhawks	4–4	Edmonton Oilers	9–11–1	19
22	November 21	New York Rangers	2–3	Edmonton Oilers	10–11–1	21
23	November 23	Calgary Flames	2–3	Edmonton Oilers	11–11–1	23
24	November 26	Edmonton Oilers	10–1	Calgary Flames	12–11–1	25
25	November 27	Los Angeles Kings	5–1	Edmonton Oilers	12–12–1	25
26	November 29	Edmonton Oilers	4–2	San Jose Sharks	13–12–1	27
27	December 1	Edmonton Oilers	2–4	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	13–13–1	27
28	December 4	Edmonton Oilers	0–2	Colorado Avalanche	13–14–1	27
29	December 6	Ottawa Senators	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	14–14–1	29
30	December 8	St. Louis Blues	3–2	Edmonton Oilers	14–15–1	29
31	December 10	Edmonton Oilers	0–0	Detroit Red Wings	14–15–2	30
32	December 12	Edmonton Oilers	2–2	Tampa Bay Lightning	14–15–3	31
33	December 15	Edmonton Oilers	3–6	Florida Panthers	14–16–3	31
34	December 18	Colorado Avalanche	4–4	Edmonton Oilers	14–16–4	32
35	December 20	New Jersey Devils	3–2	Edmonton Oilers	14–17–4	32
36	December 22	Detroit Red Wings	6–2	Edmonton Oilers	14–18–4	32
37	December 23	Edmonton Oilers	7–0	Vancouver Canucks	15–18–4	34
38	December 27	Philadelphia Flyers	6–4	Edmonton Oilers	15–19–4	34
39	December 28	San Jose Sharks	3–5	Edmonton Oilers	16–19–4	36
40	December 30	Los Angeles Kings	1–2	Edmonton Oilers	17–19–4	38
41	January 3	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	18–19–4	40
42	January 7	Edmonton Oilers	5–2	St. Louis Blues	19–19–4	42
43	January 8	Edmonton Oilers	1–4	Chicago Blackhawks	19–20–4	42
44	January 11	San Jose Sharks	2–1	Edmonton Oilers	19–21–4	42
45	January 12	Hartford Whalers	1–2	Edmonton Oilers	20–21–4	44
46	January 15	Florida Panthers	0–4	Edmonton Oilers	21–21–4	46
47	January 21	Edmonton Oilers	4–4	New York Rangers	21–21–5	47
48	January 22	Edmonton Oilers	1–8	New York Islanders	21–22–5	47
49	January 24	Edmonton Oilers	3–1	Buffalo Sabres	22–22–5	49
50	January 26	Edmonton Oilers	3–1	Washington Capitals	23–22–5	51
51	January 29	San Jose Sharks	1–3	Edmonton Oilers	24–22–5	53
52	January 31	New York Islanders	0–1	Edmonton Oilers	25–22–5	55
53	February 5	Calgary Flames	2–5	Edmonton Oilers	26–22–5	57
54	February 8	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	2–1	Edmonton Oilers	26–23–5	57
55	February 9	Washington Capitals	1–4	Edmonton Oilers	27–23–5	59
56	February 12	Boston Bruins	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	28–23–5	61
57	February 13	Edmonton Oilers	2–3	Calgary Flames	28–24–5	61
58	February 15	Edmonton Oilers	2–2	Los Angeles Kings	28–24–6	62
59	February 17	Edmonton Oilers	1–5	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	28–25–6	62
60	February 19	Toronto Maple Leafs	5–6	Edmonton Oilers	29–25–6	64
61	February 21	Colorado Avalanche	4–3	Edmonton Oilers	29–26–6	64
62	February 23	Edmonton Oilers	1–6	Dallas Stars	29–27–6	64
63	February 26	Edmonton Oilers	3–3	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	29–27–7	65
64	February 27	Edmonton Oilers	3–6	Los Angeles Kings	29–28–7	65
65	March 1	Montreal Canadiens	5–4	Edmonton Oilers	29–29–7	65
66	March 4	Los Angeles Kings	1–4	Edmonton Oilers	30–29–7	67
67	March 7	Edmonton Oilers	1–2	Dallas Stars	30–30–7	67
68	March 9	Edmonton Oilers	4–1	St. Louis Blues	31–30–7	69
69	March 11	Edmonton Oilers	1–6	New Jersey Devils	31–31–7	69
70	March 13	Edmonton Oilers	4–5	Philadelphia Flyers	31–32–7	69
71	March 15	Edmonton Oilers	4–2	Hartford Whalers	32–32–7	71
72	March 19	Tampa Bay Lightning	1–3	Edmonton Oilers	33–32–7	73
73	March 23	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	4–1	Edmonton Oilers	33–33–7	73
74	March 24	Edmonton Oilers	5–1	San Jose Sharks	34–33–7	75
75	March 28	Edmonton Oilers	3–4	San Jose Sharks	34–34–7	75
76	March 29	Edmonton Oilers	3–1	Phoenix Coyotes	35–34–7	77
77	March 31	Dallas Stars	3–1	Edmonton Oilers	35–35–7	77
78	April 3	Chicago Blackhawks	2–4	Edmonton Oilers	36–35–7	79
79	April 5	Vancouver Canucks	2–2	Edmonton Oilers	36–35–8	80
80	April 9	Detroit Red Wings	3–3	Edmonton Oilers	36–35–9	81
81	April 11	Phoenix Coyotes	6–2	Edmonton Oilers	36–36–9	81
82	April 12	Edmonton Oilers	4–5	Vancouver Canucks	36–37–9	81

Playoffs

The Oilers would face the Central Division winning Dallas Stars in the opening round of the playoffs. After splitting the first 2 games in Dallas, the Oilers returned home for game 3 for their first home playoff game since 1992, and found themselves losing 3–0 with about 4 minutes remaining in the 3rd period. Edmonton would then strike for 3 goals to tie the game, and Kelly Buchberger would provide the overtime heroics, as the Oilers would win the game 4–3 and take a 2–1 series lead. Dallas would tie the series up again in game 4, however, the Oilers would shock the Stars, winning 1–0 in double overtime in the 5th game in Dallas, and return to Edmonton in a position to clinch the series. The Stars would spoil the Oilers party, winning the 6th game 3–2, setting up a game 7 at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The game would be a memorable one, as the score was tied up at 3 as the teams would head into overtime. Todd Marchant would turn out to be the hero, scoring for the Oilers in the 1st overtime, as Edmonton would complete the upset, defeating the Stars in 7 games.

In the 2nd round, Edmonton would face the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche, who won the Pacific Division and had 26 more points than the Oilers during the season. The Avalanche would win the opening 2 games easily in Denver, and while the Oilers would rebound to win the 3rd game, the Avs proved to be too much for Edmonton to handle, as they would win the series in 5 games, ending the Oilers season.

Edmonton Oilers 4, Dallas Stars 3

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 16	Edmonton Oilers	3–5	Dallas Stars	0–1
2	April 18	Edmonton Oilers	4–0	Dallas Stars	1–1
3	April 20	Dallas Stars	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	2–1
4	April 22	Dallas Stars	4–3	Edmonton Oilers	2–2
5	April 25	Edmonton Oilers	1–0	Dallas Stars	3–2
6	April 27	Dallas Stars	3–2	Edmonton Oilers	3–3
7	April 29	Edmonton Oilers	4–3	Dallas Stars	4–3 *

• Curtis Joseph's 30th Birthday and he played.

Colorado Avalanche 4, Edmonton Oilers 1

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	May 2	Edmonton Oilers	1–5	Colorado Avalanche	0–1
2	May 4	Edmonton Oilers	1–4	Colorado Avalanche	0–2
3	May 7	Colorado Avalanche	3–4	Edmonton Oilers	1–2
4	May 9	Colorado Avalanche	3–2	Edmonton Oilers	1–3
5	May 11	Edmonton Oilers	3–4	Colorado Avalanche	1–4

Season stats

Scoring leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Doug Weight	80	21	61	82	80
Ryan Smyth	82	39	22	61	76
Andrei Kovalenko	74	32	27	59	81
Jason Arnott	67	19	38	57	92
Mariusz Czerkawski	76	26	21	47	16

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Bob Essensa	19	868	4	8	0	41	1	.899	2.83
Curtis Joseph	72	4200	32	29	9	200	6	.907	2.93

Playoff stats

Scoring leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Doug Weight	12	3	8	11	8
Ryan Smyth	12	5	5	10	12
Boris Mironov	12	2	8	10	16
Jason Arnott	12	3	6	9	18
Kelly Buchberger	12	5	2	7	16

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Curtis Joseph	12	767	5	7	36	1	.911	2.82

Transactions

Trades

June 14, 1996	To Detroit Red Wings Future considerations	To Edmonton Oilers Bob Essensa
June 22, 1996	To Pittsburgh Penguins Tyler Wright	To Edmonton Oilers 7th round pick in 1996 - Brandon Lafrance
September 6, 1996	To Montreal Canadiens Scott Thornton	To Edmonton Oilers Andrei Kovalenko
March 18, 1997	To Buffalo Sabres Miroslav Satan	To Edmonton Oilers Barrie Moore Craig Millar
March 18, 1997	To Tampa Bay Lightning Jeff Norton	To Edmonton Oilers Drew Bannister 6th round pick in 1997 - Peter Sarno

Free agents

Player Former Team F Jesse Belanger Vancouver Canucks D Kevin Lowe New York Rangers D Michel Petit Tampa Bay Lightning F Petr Klima Pittsburgh Penguins

Player New Team F David Roberts Vancouver Canucks F Kent Manderville Hartford Whalers

Draft picks

Edmonton's draft picks at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1	6	Boyd Devereaux	Canada	Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
1	19	Matthieu Descoteaux	Canada	Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
2	32	Chris Hajt	Canada	Guelph Storm (OHL)
3	59	Tom Poti	United States	Cushing Academy (USHS)
5	114	Brian Urick	United States	Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NCAA)
6	141	Bryan Randall	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7	168	David Bernier	Canada	St-Hyacinthe Lasers (QMJHL)
7	170	Brandon Lafrance	Canada	Ohio State Buckeyes (NCAA)
8	195	Fernando Pisani	Canada	St. Albert Saints (AJHL)
9	221	John Hultberg	United States	Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)

References

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