The Missing Rings is a series looking at some of the best teams in NHL history to not win the Stanley Cup. Whether they lose in the first round or game seven of the finals, these great teams have been forgotten because they could not win the big one. For the next installment, the 1985-86 Edmonton Oilers are the focus.
The Missing Rings: 1985-86 Edmonton Oilers
1984-85 Season
As defending champions, the Oilers cruised to another Smyth division title. The Oilers were loaded with talent. Wayne Gretzky led the league in scoring with 73 goals and 208 points. Gretzky’s 135 assists set a new single-season record. He won his sixth straight Hart Trophy and fourth straight Lester B. Pearson Trophy to go along with the Art Ross Trophy. Teammate Jari Kurri finished second in league scoring with 73 goals and 135 points and won the Lady Byng Trophy. Paul Coffey would finish fifth in league scoring with 121 points. He would also win the Norris Trophy. The team also featured Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Kevin Lowe and the goaltending tandem of Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog.
The Oilers had a 49-20-11 record good for 109 points, 13 clear of second-place Winnipeg. In the playoffs, the Oilers continued their dominance, breezing through the playoffs, losing only three games. Gretzky would win the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Oilers repeated as Champions.
1985-86 Season
The Oilers were on their way to supplanting the New York Islanders as the next great NHL dynasty. Coming in as back-to-back champions with such a loaded roster, many figured the Oilers would breeze to another Cup. Once the games started, it seemed like that would be a reality. The Oilers dominated the NHL posting a 56-17-7 record for 119 points and their fourth straight Smyth division title. The Oilers won the newly created Presidents Trophy as the team with the best record in the regular season.
Wayne Gretzky continued his assault on NHL goalies. He ran away with the league scoring title, setting NHL records for points in a season (215) and assists (163). It was the fourth and final time Gretzky would eclipse 200 points. Gretzky would win his seventh straight Hart Trophy. Not to be outdone, Paul Coffey continued his strong play as well. He finished third in league scoring (138 points) and captured his second straight Norris Trophy. Jari Kurri would finish fourth in league scoring with 131 points. As a team coming off back-to-back championships, the Oilers looked as unstoppable as ever. Heading into the playoffs, the Oilers were heavy favourites to with their third consecutive Stanley Cup.
What Went Wrong
Initially, nothing. The Oilers swept the Vancouver Canucks in three games, outscoring them 17-5. This set up a Smyth division Final showdown with provincial rival the Calgary Flames. This would be the third playoff meeting between the two Alberta teams. The Oilers won the previous two playoff meetings in the 1983 and 1984 playoffs.
The Flames finished second in the Smyth division with 89 points, 30 points behind the Oilers. Also, the Oilers dominated the Flames in the regular season posting a 6-1-1 record. The Flames for their part were hot heading into the playoffs posting a 22-12-5 record in the back half of the season.
The series got off to an ominous start. The Flames took game one 4-1 in Edmonton, snapping the Oilers 18 game home playoff winning streak. The Oilers needed overtime to even the series in game two. The teams would trade victories the rest of the series, to set up a game seven in Edmonton.
Steve Smith Went Wrong
The Flames jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. The Oilers battled back to tie the game heading into the third period. Then Perry Berezan scored the most unbelievable goal to break the tie. What was so unbelievable about it? He was on the bench. At the 5:14 mark of the third, rookie Oilers defenceman Steve Smith gave the hockey world one of the most memorable playoff moments ever. Starting from behind his net, Smith attempted to send a breakout pass up the ice, but disaster struck. His pass hit the back of Grant Fuhr‘s leg and went in, giving the Flames a 3-2 lead. The Oilers could not recover and lost their bid at winning their third consecutive Stanley Cup. As if the gaff wasn’t bad enough, it was also Steve Smith’s 23rd birthday.
Aftermath
The immediate aftermath saw the Flames ride the momentum to the Stanley Cup Final. Ultimately for the Flames, they would lose in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. For the Oilers, the loss did not dampen their resolve as they would win back to back Cups in 1987 and 1988 and a fifth in 1990. Their legacy as one of the dominant dynasties is securely intact. Still, 1985-86 was one of their best season’s and ended in bitter disappointment. It was a team at the peak of their powers and retrospectively, the Oilers had a real chance to match or break the record for consecutive title wins with five and probably been considered the greatest dynasty in league history. As for the Oilers and Flames, they would meet two more times in the postseason, in 1988 and 1991. The Oilers would win both those series.
