1985 Oilers versus 1996 Penguins

[soulok*]

It be nice to see these teams in an all out offensive shootout eh? Crazy! a 446 goal team versus a 360 + Goal team ! The Penguins Boasted 5 100 Point players The Oilers 5 Point players and a few approaching 100

Pittsburgh Penguins

Mario Lemieux
Alexie Kovalev
Jaromir Jagr
Ron Francis
Petr Nedved
Tomas Sandstrom
Brian Smolinski

Sergie Zubov
Dmitri Mironov

Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky
Mark Messier
Jari Kurri
Glen Anderson
Esa Tikkanen
Mark Napier
Mike Krushelnyski

Paul Coffey
Kevin Lowe

Click to read more...

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

It be nice to see these teams in an all out offensive shootout eh? Crazy! a 446 goal team versus a 360 + Goal team ! The Penguins Boasted 5 100 Point players The Oilers 5 Point players and a few approaching 100

Pittsburgh Penguins

Mario Lemieux
Alexie Kovalev
Jaromir Jagr
Ron Francis
Petr Nedved
Tomas Sandstrom
Brian Smolinski

Sergie Zubov
Dmitri Mironov

Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky
Mark Messier
Jari Kurri
Glen Anderson
Esa Tikkanen
Mark Napier
Mike Krushelnyski

Paul Coffey
Kevin Lowe

I think you're a little mixed up. Kovalev was not on the '96 pens, and they did not have 5 hundred point players. they had a shot at 5, but nedved got 99 and sandstrom got hurt. Their top two lines for much of the season was Sandstrom-Lemieux-Naslund, and Nedved-Francis-Jagr.

 

[Kenadyan]

No disrespect to Mario, but I'd take the 1985 Oilers anyday. With Wayne Gretzky as your first line center and Messier as the #2 center (two of the top five players all-time in my opinion -- along with Mario, Gordie, and Orr), the Oilers would win probably something like 10-7.

However, to answer you question: ABSOLUTELY!!!! This would be a fun game to watch!!!

 

[God Bless Canada]

1985 Oilers won the Stanley Cup. 1996 Penguins lost in the conference finals to (snicker) the Florida Panthers, who, in turn, were swept by the Colorado Avalanche. Oilers win in a rout.

 

[#2eddieshore]

I would say the oilers even though I'm a pens fan.

 

[The Old Master]

all the games would end in 1-0

 

[Jag68Sid87]

This of the goaltending mismatch in this one! Barrasso wasn't anywhere near his best in '96, while Fuhr was in '85.

Still, I'd pay big money to see this clash!

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

What?

Why did you choose the 96 Pens?

The 91 and 92 teams were much better.

To answer the question though, the Oilers. Exciting game though, no doubt.

 

[soulok*]

dark metamorphosis:

I said potential .. not actual <<< theres a difference.

Personally i think the 96 team had more firepower then any other pittsburgh team.

Oilers top 5 i think must be the most intimidating ever assembled

 

[DJmastamind]

I'm a disgrace to my roots, but I have to say that the 85 Oilers would beat the 96 Pens.

Reasons being, first Edmonton won the cup in 85, as stated, the Penguins lost to Florida (and those damn rats, anyone remember the rats???) I would give the edge to Gretzky over Lemieux, face it Lemieux wasn't exactly at 100% in 96, if you talk 91 or 92 that is a different story.

I'm going to go cry in shame. Actually i'm gonna take it to Whatifsports.com, then cry in shame.


EDIT Per Whatifsports:

96 Pittsburgh Vs. 85 Edmonton

PIT 4, EDM 3

PIT: Jagr, Nedved-2 goals each
EDM: Lowe, Semenko, Anderson-1 goal each

PIT: Sandstrom, Zubov, Naslund-1 assist each
Mironov, Lemieux-2 assists each
EDM: Krushelnyski, Gretzky, Sherven-1 assist each

Goalies: PIT Barrasso
EDM Fuhr

here is the link
PITvsEDM

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Oilers were a much better team and would win easily. Penguins defense was absolutely pathetic. However, that Pens offense was probably one of the top 3 offenses of all time and easily the best pens offense. Had they beaten the panthers I think we would have seen one of the most exciting finals ever with avs and pens. Shortly after the '97 season began they played to a 6-6 tie. Imagine a full series of that.

 

[Ogopogo*]

I'm a disgrace to my roots, but I have to say that the 85 Oilers would beat the 96 Pens.

Reasons being, first Edmonton won the cup in 85, as stated, the Penguins lost to Florida (and those damn rats, anyone remember the rats???) I would give the edge to Gretzky over Lemieux, face it Lemieux wasn't exactly at 100% in 96, if you talk 91 or 92 that is a different story.

I'm going to go cry in shame. Actually i'm gonna take it to Whatifsports.com, then cry in shame.


EDIT Per Whatifsports:

96 Pittsburgh Vs. 85 Edmonton

PIT 4, EDM 3

PIT: Jagr, Nedved-2 goals each
EDM: Lowe, Semenko, Anderson-1 goal each

PIT: Sandstrom, Zubov, Naslund-1 assist each
Mironov, Lemieux-2 assists each
EDM: Krushelnyski, Gretzky, Sherven-1 assist each

Goalies: PIT Barrasso
EDM Fuhr

here is the link
PITvsEDM

Unfortunately, the guys that do the ratings at What if Sports are not quite hockey experts. They base goaltending purely on save %, meaning, goalies from 1995 onward are the best according to them. Is Martin Biron really better than Terry Sawchuk or Tony Esposito?

As a side note, I used What if Sports to play the 1983-84 Oilers against the 1970-71 California Golden Seals. 4-3 Oilers. Somehow, I just can't see it really playing out that way.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

As a side note, I used What if Sports to play the 1983-84 Oilers against the 1970-71 California Golden Seals. 4-3 Oilers. Somehow, I just can't see it really playing out that way.

You're right, the Seals would take that one, although I think Edmonton could steal a game at home . . .

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

I may be a bit of an Oilers homer, but in a best of seven I'd guess the 96 pens wouldn't get more than one..

 

[clefty]

dark metamorphosis:

I said potential .. not actual <<< theres a difference.

No you didn't.

The Penguins Boasted 5 100 Point players The Oilers 5 Point players and a few approaching 100

 

[Stephen]

The 1996 Penguins would get destroyed by the 1985 Oilers. Not only did they have their Hall of Fame players, the Oilers boasted an excellent cast of character players Tikkanen, Hunter, Krushelnyski, Napier and Charlie Huddy and a bunch of other guys. In goal, they basically had two number one quality goalies with Fuhr and Moog.

On the other hand, you have the 1996 Penguins, a team that featured a lot of offensive talent in Lemieux, Jagr, Nedved, Zubov and Francis, but they didn't have Kovalev at the time, Naslund was still young and inconsistent, and Sandstrom was obviously just riding the coat tails of his teammates. Defensively, the Penguins sucked: when Dimitri Mironov is your number two, you are going to have some problems.

I definitely think that the 1992 Penguins would have put up a much better fight. Just look at some of the names on that roster: Lemieux, Stevens, Jagr, Francis, Mullen, Murphy, Tocchet, Recchi, Samuelsson, Barrasso, etc.

 

[Habsfan 32]

The Oilers would destroy the Pens for sure.

 

[Big Phil]

What? Mario wasnt 100% in '96? The guy had 161 points in 70 games. He was far and away the best player on the planet at that time. I'll admit the '96 Pens wouldnt beat the '85 Oilers but Mario was still great at that time.

 

[Masao]

What? Mario wasnt 100% in '96? The guy had 161 points in 70 games. He was far and away the best player on the planet at that time. I'll admit the '96 Pens wouldnt beat the '85 Oilers but Mario was still great at that time.

Mario in 1996 wasn't even at 60%. If you'd watch him play regularly in his prime then watch him in 1996, you would have noticed a HUGE difference. There isn't even a comparison.

 

[tom_servo]

Well, I don't know about that. Lemieux was pretty refreshed during '96, having not played the previous season.

I'd say he was a solid 85%. He was as healthy as he'd ever been during the '90s.

 

[Big Phil]

Well, I don't know about that. Lemieux was pretty refreshed during '96, having not played the previous season.

I'd say he was a solid 85%. He was as healthy as he'd ever been during the '90s.

Yeah my point exactly. He may not have been the '89 Lemieux, or '91 or '93 but no one disputed he was still the best in the game. He got 5 goals in one game in the '95-96 season.

 

[Masao]

I'd say he was a solid 85%. He was as healthy as he'd ever been during the '90s.

During the first half of the season, maybe... but after the all star break that year he was really starting to lose a step. He was on pace to break Gretzky's 215 points record in like November or December that season IIRC. Then his body got tired as the season progressed.

In any case, Mario wasn't the same after the cancer in 1993... heck, he wasn't the same after his back surgery in 1990. His numbers were still good after that but the supporting cast he had in 1991-1997 was really that much better than what he was playing with from 1986-1990 so he was able to keep getting good numbers even though his health was deteriorating

 

[arnie]

The 1996 , and Sandstrom was obviously just riding the coat tails of his teammates.

You mean like Kurri and Anderson.

 

[Ogopogo*]

You mean like Kurri and Anderson.

LOL.

Kurri had 102 points the year after Gretzky left. Up from 96 his last year with Gretzky.

Anderson never played on Gretzky's line.

 

[clefty]

He didn't say anything about Wayne Gretzky playing with Anderson.