More Devastating Oilers Playoff Defeat 1986 or 1989?

[Supreme King]

Which playoff defeat was more devastating to you as an Oilers fan, 1986 or 1989?

1986-The two-time defending cup champions continue their domination of the NHL posting a 56-17-7 mark and are heavy favorites to three-peat. Gretzky crushes his own assist record (from 135 to 163) and establishes the record for most points in a season (215). Paul Coffey breaks Bobby Orrs record for most goals by a defenseman (48) and comes within one point of Orrs record for points (138). The Oilers breeze by Vancouver in the first round only to be shockingly eliminated in 7 games (in bizarre fashion) by their arch-rival Calgary Flames ending their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup.

1989-The Oilers struggle through the regular season and more importantly struggle with the loss of Wayne Gretzky who was traded prior to the season in what was the biggest trade in the history of sports. The 4 time cup champions meet Gretzky's new team the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs and jump out to a 3-1 series lead. The Kings rally back and win the series in 7 games putting salt into the wounds of losing the great Gretzky and end the Oilers dreams of a third consecutive cup.

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[Senor Catface]

1998. We could have won that series against Dallas. Game 3 and Janne pulled out of his bonehead up the middle of the ice plays and bam, we lose in OT. 1986 was off-set by winning cups 3 of the next 4 years.

What did we get in 1998? No playoff series wins until 2006.

Beating Colorado and Dallas that year would have been a great F U to the league parity at the time...or lack there of.

 

[CornKicker]

86 for sure, we win that year and we have a 5peat for cups

 

[Everest]

86 for sure, we win that year and we have a 5peat for cups

Totally.

The Oilers got jobbed by the refs that spring. They called NOTHING in the entire series and everyone outside of Edmonton blamed it on the Oilers "refusal to dump and chase".

It was a gruesome thing to behold.

Don't get me wrong, that was a good Calgary squad...but...they stood on their own blueline chopping, holding and hacking and thats how they won it.

 

[Turrican*]

Ya I would have loved to have 2 more cups... 3, if 2006 went right.

 

[jukon]

'06 because I'm not that old.

 

[Oiler11]

'06 because I'm not that old.

I am that old, and I'm willing to agree with this. 86 and 89 hurt like hell, but 06 was right there for the taking. If Rolly doesn't get taken out, that's our cup. Honestly, I've been around since the beginning, and none of the previous playoff runs matched the magic of 06. Even 84, the first win, well, that cup was almost expected. In 06, every series seemed insurmountable, and every win was pure elation. It seemed destined in 06, didn't it? The final result was just a precipitous emotional drop, for fans, and it appears, for the organization as well.

 

[Stoneman89]

Which playoff defeat was more devastating to you as an Oilers fan, 1986 or 1989?

1986-The two-time defending cup champions continue their domination of the NHL posting a 56-17-7 mark and are heavy favorites to three-peat. Gretzky crushes his own assist record (from 135 to 163) and establishes the record for most points in a season (215). Paul Coffey breaks Bobby Orrs record for most goals by a defenseman (48) and comes within one point of Orrs record for points (138). The Oilers breeze by Vancouver in the first round only to be shockingly eliminated in 7 games (in bizarre fashion) by their arch-rival Calgary Flames ending their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup.

1989-The Oilers struggle through the regular season and more importantly struggle with the loss of Wayne Gretzky who was traded prior to the season in what was the biggest trade in the history of sports. The 4 time cup champions meet Gretzky's new team the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs and jump out to a 3-1 series lead. The Kings rally back and win the series in 7 games putting salt into the wounds of losing the great Gretzky and end the Oilers dreams of a third consecutive cup.

Duh..... why even ask? 1986 we had a stacked team that had won 2 cups in a row and all the key players were entering their prime. The team had rolled in the regular season and this was expected to be a long run. It would have been shocking if they won the whole thing in 1989 after the emotional devastation of losing the best hockey player on the planet. And as others in the younger crowd say, even 2006 would have more consideration than 1989 given the way Rollie was playing that year and the incidents leading up to the loss.

 

[ManByng]

1986 because we had to score the winning goal for them, then listen to them gloat like they had already won the cup! than goodness the Habs slapped them back into reality and beat them for the cup! sweet ending.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Without a doubt for me it was 1986 when Steve Smith's own goal killed us. Then I had to do my tax return. One of the worst nights of my life.

 

[Jumptheshark]

flames loss, me and my entire family spent ten minutes looking blankly at the tv and asking what the **** the just happened---everything after that point was sureal

 

[Brewster]

1986- Blew the dream of four straight.
1998- That team was a thorn in the side of the powerhouses in the west. I honestly believe they could've beaten the Stars.
2006- Obvious. So close to the ultimate cinderella story.

 

[Oi'll say!]

As far as Smith's own goal was concerned, the series really didn't come down to that. The Oilers were behind and fighting an uphill battle that whole series and they just weren't good enough. Flames up a game, Oilers tie it up, Flames go up a game, Oilers tie it up... In retrospect it seems as though the goal came in the final minute but the Oilers actually had 15 minutes left to tie it up. They just couldn't do enough and that's the way the whole series felt.



The miracle on Manchester was probably the most brutal loss because the vast majority of sports writers were saying that the Oilers weren't a playoff type team and that they'd never win anything, then the Oil pulled off what was by far the biggest choke job in the history of hockey. Up 5-0 in the 2nd intermission of the final game of the series and then they just ran around while the Kings poured it on. Complete train wreck and the Kings had some real clowns in their lineup that made losing to them intolerable. Jerry Korab, Jay Wells... not even tough, just huge dirtbags.

 

[thadd]

You can't even bring 2006 into this one. I was praying for the sabers to get past the Hurricanes. I knew that the Hurricane's vets would pull through. I was surprised we got to game seven in that series.

I think you've gotta go with 1989. We'd just lost Wayne and we shoud've pulled that series off. You'd think it was rigged.

 

[I am the Liquor]

The one where we scored on ourselves.

 

[harpoon]

The miracle on Manchester was probably the most brutal loss because the vast majority of sports writers were saying that the Oilers weren't a playoff type team and that they'd never win anything, then the Oil pulled off what was by far the biggest choke job in the history of hockey. Up 5-0 in the 2nd intermission of the final game of the series and then they just ran around while the Kings poured it on. Complete train wreck and the Kings had some real clowns in their lineup that made losing to them intolerable. Jerry Korab, Jay Wells... not even tough, just huge dirtbags.

Don't forget Kris Kontos. Eight goals in seven games against the Oil.
Every time he touched the puck you just knew he was going to score. He could do no wrong in that series.

I've seen them all and I was most gutted in 2006.

 

[Jepprey]

Gotta add 2006 to this. Heartbreaking loss as well

With that said. 1986 was a little too much considering the oilers scored on themselves. Worst. ****. Ever.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

It's a tie between 86 and 2006 personally.

(Ino. copout amirite?)

86 Favorites who were let down.
06, Underdogs who didn't quite make it.

 

[I am the Liquor]

2006 was a free roll. Nobody expected us (including Oiler fans) to even get out of the first round, so the rest was gravy.

In 86 in particular, the Oilers were far and away the best team in the league. Everybody knew it, and the expectations were to roll over everyone and hoist the cup.

It hurts to lose much more when the expectations run contrary to losing, than it does when you are expected to lose.

The fact a player on our own team scored the winning goal for the other team, and the fact that other team was Calgary, in the middle of the BOA days, made it by far the worst. No contest. People who were there and were more than five yrs old at the time would agree Im sure.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

2006 was a free roll. Nobody expected us (including Oiler fans) to even get out of the first round, so the rest was gravy.

In 86 in particular, the Oilers were far and away the best team in the league. Everybody knew it, and the expectations were to roll over everyone and hoist the cup.

It hurts to lose much more when the expectations run contrary to losing, than it does when you are expected to lose.

The fact a player on our own team scored the winning goal for the other team, and the fact that other team was Calgary, in the middle of the BOA days, made it by far the worst. No contest. People who were there and were more than five yrs old at the time would agree Im sure.

I just think there were different emotions.

86' was anger, disgust, and rage.

06' was tears, heartbreak, and remorse.

 

[SHO NUFF*]

I just think there were different emotions.

86' was anger, disgust, and rage.

06' was tears, heartbreak, and remorse.

1986 was the only time in my life I've ever cried over a sporting event. I was a kid and had to go to bed before the game ended. Woke up for school and saw the score on the news - I'll never forget how it made me feel.

 

[Worraps]

I just think there were different emotions.

86' was anger, disgust, and rage.

06' was tears, heartbreak, and remorse.

There was plenty of heartbreak and remorse in 86 too.

 

[Gord]

Which playoff defeat was more devastating to you as an Oilers fan, 1986 or 1989?

1986-The two-time defending cup champions continue their domination of the NHL posting a 56-17-7 mark and are heavy favorites to three-peat. Gretzky crushes his own assist record (from 135 to 163) and establishes the record for most points in a season (215). Paul Coffey breaks Bobby Orrs record for most goals by a defenseman (48) and comes within one point of Orrs record for points (138). The Oilers breeze by Vancouver in the first round only to be shockingly eliminated in 7 games (in bizarre fashion) by their arch-rival Calgary Flames ending their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup.

1989-The Oilers struggle through the regular season and more importantly struggle with the loss of Wayne Gretzky who was traded prior to the season in what was the biggest trade in the history of sports. The 4 time cup champions meet Gretzky's new team the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs and jump out to a 3-1 series lead. The Kings rally back and win the series in 7 games putting salt into the wounds of losing the great Gretzky and end the Oilers dreams of a third consecutive cup.

86 was way worse out of the two, for me.
although the 1982 loss to the Kings would be next on my list of kicks to the stomach for Oiler playoff losses.

 

[Gord]

Gotta add 2006 to this. Heartbreaking loss as well

With that said. 1986 was a little too much considering the oilers scored on themselves. Worst. ****. Ever.

the part that hurts is the oilers still had most of the third period to score after the own goal. it's not like it was a last seocnd thing with no chance of a comeback.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I guess the emotions were vague for me in 86. I was only 8 at the time.

I just remembered a kid getting pummeled in school for wearing a Flames jersey the next day. Not like someone getting punched, but like 5-6 kids beating him, and everyone cheering them on. I remember my cousins friend broke his hand by punching a brick wall, and the graffiti of 'Steve Smith Sucks'.


I think over the years we've coped by laughing about it. We used to play 'Steve Smith' Foosball, and we see that goal on gag reels, and have won a few cups since (redeeming Smith).

But that 2006 one still hurts today. And we have only a series of last place finishes that have rubbed all kinds of salt in the wound.