Looking back, how good was Edmonton's 1990 Stanley Cup team?

Cloned

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Besides every other reason already mentioned, it should be noted that Andy Moog was very bad in net. There's an argument to be made that Moog is responsible for multiple Oilers' series wins both as an Oiler and as an opponent.
 

The Panther

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Besides every other reason already mentioned, it should be noted that Andy Moog was very bad in net. There's an argument to be made that Moog is responsible for multiple Oilers' series wins both as an Oiler and as an opponent.
Moog's performance in game two, 1990, is certainly the worst such by any goalie I've seen in the Finals. When you get pulled in the second period with a .250 on the night, it's bad.
 
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Oheao

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Besides every other reason already mentioned, it should be noted that Andy Moog was very bad in net. There's an argument to be made that Moog is responsible for multiple Oilers' series wins both as an Oiler and as an opponent.
Didn't he leave Edmonton because he wanted to be a starter and was unhappy as a backup? Pretty ironic considering he'd then lose to those same Oilers in the Finals twice!
 

popo

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They had 5th best record in the regular season that year (Boston, Calgary, Montreal and Buffalo were better as I recall).
They had were the champions two years ago, and knew had to win; as well as having done some psychological healing after Gretzky beat them in '89*.
They had no trouble with the President trophy winning Bruins in the finals.
*Oilers would revenge this by beating Kings in the playoffs in 90, 91, 92!

The team had grit, depth everywhere, Ranford playing incredible in goal.
Possible holes were a true 2nd line centre (Mark Lamb played this role), or an elite offensive Dman (rental Ruotsalainen played this role, but Steve Smith was their top dman).
 

FerrisRox

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Okay, but back to Edmonton in 1990. Yeah, a good team. Heck, they had the Hart winner in his best season ever. They were missing the firepower of Gretzky and Coffey so I think they had a more reserved team than before.

No question without Gretzky there were less lethal, but Craig Simpson - acquired for Coffey - scored 31 points that spring, filling the void of Coffey.
 

Dennis Bonvie

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Even without Ranford, there's no way that Tikk would have been ahead of Messier and Simpson. Craig Simpson was an absolute monster in the playoffs.

When Goring won the Smythe there was a much bigger discrepancy between his numbers and Bossy's than there was between Tikkanen and Simpson. 13 goals on the second line as well as being the agitator and shutdown forward. I'd have voted for him.
 
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The Panther

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Even without Ranford, there's no way that Tikk would have been ahead of Messier and Simpson. Craig Simpson was an absolute monster in the playoffs.
Simpson was incredible in 1990, and certainly had a Conn Smythe argument.

I've never seen a player make more of their shots on goal than Simpson. Here's a stat to chew on: In the 1990 playoffs, Simpson had a 100 shooting-percentage in five of the last nine games of the playoffs.

(Simpson was also really good in the '88 Cup run -- esp. against Winnipeg and Detroit -- but that tends to get overlooked.)

Tikkanen's best playoff hockey in Edmonton was probably 1991.
 

voyageur

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Didn't he leave Edmonton because he wanted to be a starter and was unhappy as a backup? Pretty ironic considering he'd then lose to those same Oilers in the Finals twice!
And again in 1997 with the Stars.
 

FerrisRox

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When Goring won the Smythe there was a much bigger discrepancy between his numbers and Bossy's than there was between Tikkanen and Simpson. 13 goals on the second line as well as being the agitator and shutdown forward. I'd have voted for him.

I'd have voted for Mark Messier. In fact, even with Ranford, I'd have voted for Mark Messier.
 

voyageur

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That was a tough loss for Winnipeg. It was the hump they could not get over. I'm sure it played into Hawerchuk being traded subsequently. I don't remember it well anymore, just that Kurri and Tikkanen were outstanding in the Oilers comeback.
 

FerrisRox

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Simpson was incredible in 1990, and certainly had a Conn Smythe argument.

I've never seen a player make more of their shots on goal than Simpson. Here's a stat to chew on: In the 1990 playoffs, Simpson had a 100 shooting-percentage in five of the last nine games of the playoffs.

(Simpson was also really good in the '88 Cup run -- esp. against Winnipeg and Detroit -- but that tends to get overlooked.)

In my opinion, Craig Simpson is one of the most underrated players of his era.

His career shooting percentage in both the regular season and the playoffs is ridiculous. The guy was lethal.
 

The Panther

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In my opinion, Craig Simpson is one of the most underrated players of his era.

His career shooting percentage in both the regular season and the playoffs is ridiculous. The guy was lethal.
Well, most of his shot attempts were within 3 feet of the net, but yes he made the most of them. He is the best player one-on-one with the goaltender I have ever seen (incl. Mario).

Simpson had incredible hand-eye coordination.

In terms of passing/playmaking, he was about average for a top-line player, nothing special. And his skating was very average. It wasn't really a factor when he was on the PP with Mario or Gretzky, or skating on a line with speedsters like Messier & Anderson, but I don't think he would have been as effective with other slower guys.

What really impressed me about Simpson, though, was that he was a battler! Some guys who got traded to the dynasty Oilers couldn't handle it, but Simpson was AN OILER! He got his nose dirty and came up big in the big games. What a shame his career was basically over by his mid-20s.
 

frisco

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The 1992 team was very underrated. Sans Messier and after losing Simpson in game one of the playoffs they still knocked off Gretzky and the Kings in the opening round and Vancouver in the second.

My Best-Carey
 
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The Panther

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The 1992 team was very underrated. Sans Messier and after losing Simpson in game one of the playoffs they still knocked off Gretzky and the Kings in the opening round and Vancouver in the second.

My Best-Carey
The 1991-92 Edmonton team was a bizarre one-off, with basically no precedent and never to be repeated.

Having been gutted of a bunch of Hall of Famers, All-Stars, and their Head Coach over the summer, the Oilers entered the 1991-92 season looking like an AHL club with Ranford, Tikkanen, and Simpson. (Tikkanen said to the Edmonton papers that fall: "What happened to my team?")

They began the season with a 9-2 loss to Calgary (Tikkanen went minus 4). By late November, they were 7-13-3 and vying for last place in the Smythe division. They started getting it going after that, including a big 7-0 win over a good Canucks' team, and finally Bernie Nicholls joined them in December which at last gave them a top line, of Nicholls - Damphousse - Murphy. And a very good line it was!

I think Bernie Nicholls having the chance to stick it to L.A. in the '92 playoffs (he was still pissed about being traded in 1990) really helped Edmonton's cause. Nicholls scored 13 points in the first five games of that series, which the Oilers would win in six. I don't remember thinking they'd lose to Vancouver -- I don't know why -- and indeed they won that series, too. Fell pretty hard against a hot Chicago team, though.
 
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ozzie

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They definitely won it a different way. They basically did what the 93/94 Bulls couldn't do, win without the leagues best player.

A large part beyond the play of Ranford, was their depth. The Kid line really came together and provided a big boost and ridiculous depth. Graves and Murphy were good players, Lamb had a good playoff run. They still had top tier old talent like Messier, Anderson and one of the best shut down wingers in the game. Good shut down center. Their defenders as a group also is very underrated, any team today would kill to have those 6 or 7 guys. We haven't even gotten to Kurri and Simpson yet, unbelievable talent, playing their own version of the last dance.

Just look at that roster - so much depth that performed when it counted. However if Ranford went down, they may have been in trouble.

Next season the team was torn apart just like the Bulls in 99.

The team was extremely solid and capable of knocking anyone off that year, but not in an over powering way. I suspect if they had played the 85/87 Flyers, the would have lost. Can never give to much credit to Messier as well. The Oilers were also in the Bruins heads, the mind of champions. That confidence and experience combined with all the youth is very similar to the recent Penguin teams who won. A spring in their steps.
 

The Panther

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They definitely won it a different way. They basically did what the 93/94 Bulls couldn't do, win without the leagues best player.
Right, well it's harder in basketball -- the best player is on the court for maybe 90% or more of each match (could be 95 or 100% in a big game), but in hockey the best player is on for only 33-40% of the match. Just as you suggest, depth players can make the difference.

I think one difference between the 1983/84/85 Oilers and the 1987/88/90 Oilers is that the former was stronger at high-end offence while the latter was stronger in the third and fourth lines.
The Oilers were also in the Bruins heads, the mind of champions.
I remember Ray Bourque saying that he basically knew the Bruins were toast during the player-introductions in game one in 1988 (Ranford... Fuhr... Lowe... Smith... MacTavish... Courtnall... Simpson... Tikkanen... Anderson... Kurri... Messier... Gretzky). However, in 1990 he really thought the Bruins would win. It just goes to show that championship confidence and attitude are factors.
 

Dennis Bonvie

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Simpson was incredible in 1990, and certainly had a Conn Smythe argument.

I've never seen a player make more of their shots on goal than Simpson. Here's a stat to chew on: In the 1990 playoffs, Simpson had a 100 shooting-percentage in five of the last nine games of the playoffs.

(Simpson was also really good in the '88 Cup run -- esp. against Winnipeg and Detroit -- but that tends to get overlooked.)

Tikkanen's best playoff hockey in Edmonton was probably 1991.

His numbers were better in 1990.
 

Cloned

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Not really.

The Oilers had far less firepower in 1991 than in 1990. Tikk was much more team-dominant in 1991. I mean, he single-handedly beat Calgary in game 7.

No love for Anatoli Semenov? :sarcasm:

Or one of the other Oiler goalie punching bags, Mike Vernon?
 

The Panther

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That turned out to be the end of Moog in Dallas as well.

Edmonton did a real number on him throughout his career, I guess.
yeah, I think Hitchcock thought, in 1997, that 'Moog vs. his ex-team' would be a motivating factor. I mean, Moog was the #1 guy that season in Dallas, I guess, but I think playing Moog against Edmonton was a mistake (see Moog's .250 vs. Edmonton in game two of the 1990 Finals). I think Dallas made a mistake in not upgrading goalies in spring 1997. Moog was kinda old, and Irbe was coming off rough seasons in San Jose and wasn't really a legit #1, I think (he did have one great season later for Carolina).

23 years later, and I can still smell that Ryan Smyth OT goal that Moog allowed...
 

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