What if Oates hadn't missed 19 games in 1990-91?

[Passchendaele]

Would it bump his all-time ranking much?

He had 90 assists in 61 games, on pace for 118 over 80 (also 33ish goals so 150+ points).

Meaning, more assists in a season than anyone not named Gretzky.

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[wintersej]

I think Oates is so underrated. His 92-93 season was even better. With Neely out for the season lead the team in scoring by 40 points(!). And by 60 points(!) over the #3 scorer on the team, Ray Bourque.

 

[JackSlater]

It's probably a stretch, but maybe Hull could have passed Gretzky's goal record.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

to really quickly account for this, which i think we've done many times in the past,

november 6 to dec 15 (i.e., the big patch of games oates missed) = 16 g, 9 a, 25 pts in 18 games

hull pace without oates/80 = 71 g, 111 pts

hull production with oates = 70 g, 106 pts in 60 games

hull pace with oates = 93 g, 141 pts

oates pace/80 = 118 a, 151 pts

and small sample size but oates in the two games hull missed = 1 g, 4 assists



idk, if oates his 150 points and hull reaches or breaks gretzky's 92 goal record (does hull play those two games he missed?), it's hard to say who wins the hart. i don't know that they don't split the vote and it goes to gretzky, though otoh it's hard to imagine gretzky winning a hart while "only" outscoring a mortal by eleven points.



game logs

the two games hull missed

56	1991-01-29	STL		BUF	1	15:38	EV	Goal by Rod Brind'Amour, assisted by Adam Oates and Mario Marois
57	1991-01-29	STL		BUF	2	02:34	EV	Goal by Paul MacLean, assisted by Paul Cavallini and Adam Oates
58	1991-01-29	STL		BUF	2	14:31	PP	Goal by Paul Cavallini, assisted by Adam Oates and Rod Brind'Amour
59	1991-01-31	STL		HAR	3	06:38	EV	Goal by Rod Brind'Amour, assisted by Adam Oates and Steve Tuttle
60	1991-01-31	STL		HAR	3	10:03	EV	Goal by Adam Oates, assisted by Steve Tuttle and Paul Cavallini

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

the 18 straight games oates missed

22	1990-11-06	STL		EDM	1	09:50	PP	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Scott Stevens and Paul MacLean
23	1990-11-08	STL	@	PIT	3	04:41	PP	Goal by Gino Cavallini, assisted by Jeff Brown and Brett Hull
24	1990-11-10	STL		DET	1	16:00	PP	Goal by Geoff Courtnall, assisted by Scott Stevens and Brett Hull
25	1990-11-13	STL		QUE	1	07:21	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Paul Cavallini and Scott Stevens
26	1990-11-13	STL		QUE	3	18:46	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Rod Brind'Amour and Gino Cavallini
27	1990-11-18	STL	@	WIN	1	01:22	PP	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Scott Stevens and Jeff Brown
28	1990-11-18	STL	@	WIN	1	09:37	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Gino Cavallini and Rod Brind'Amour
29	1990-11-23	STL	@	DET	2	07:18	PP	Goal by Rod Brind'Amour, assisted by Brett Hull and Scott Stevens
30	1990-11-24	STL		VAN	2	02:25	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Bob Bassen
31	1990-11-24	STL		VAN	2	09:29	PP	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Gino Cavallini and Rod Brind'Amour
32	1990-11-27	STL		TOR	2	05:26	EV	Goal by Jeff Brown, assisted by Rod Brind'Amour and Brett Hull
33	1990-11-27	STL		TOR	2	15:35	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Nelson Emerson and Geoff Courtnall
34	1990-11-29	STL		LAK	2	01:46	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Gino Cavallini
35	1990-11-29	STL		LAK	2	10:50	EV	Goal by Gino Cavallini, assisted by Rod Brind'Amour and Brett Hull
36	1990-11-29	STL		LAK	2	11:22	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Gino Cavallini
37	1990-12-02	STL	@	CHI	3	00:27	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Rod Brind'Amour and Paul Cavallini
38	1990-12-07	STL	@	DET	1	08:00	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Cliff Ronning
39	1990-12-07	STL	@	DET	1	10:59	PP	Goal by Glen Featherstone, assisted by Brett Hull and Jeff Brown
40	1990-12-07	STL	@	DET	1	15:34	PP	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Cliff Ronning and Paul MacLean
Rk	Date	Tm	Opp	P	Time	Description
41	1990-12-08	STL		DET	1	03:14	EV	Goal by Cliff Ronning, assisted by Brett Hull and Gino Cavallini
42	1990-12-11	STL		WIN	1	14:39	EV	Goal by Geoff Courtnall, assisted by Brett Hull and Scott Stevens
43	1990-12-13	STL		MNS	2	10:54	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Bob Bassen and Paul Cavallini
44	1990-12-13	STL		MNS	3	04:49	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Bob Bassen and Paul Cavallini
45	1990-12-13	STL		MNS	3	10:14	EV	Goal by Cliff Ronning, assisted by Brett Hull and Scott Stevens
46	1990-12-15	STL	@	TOR	3	00:44	EV	Goal by Brett Hull

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

and the remaining game that oates missed

1	1990-10-04	STL	@	MNS	2	16:23	EV	Goal by Brett Hull, assisted by Cliff Ronning
2	1990-10-04	STL	@	MNS	3	11:40	EV	Goal by Brett Hull

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Big Phil]

It was a heck of a season regardless. There are those years where you say "Well, if he didn't lose those 20 or so games I wonder how great of a year he would have had." Then there are seasons like Oates in 1991 when you say "Wow, he had a great season regardless."

 

[The Panther]

Yeah, Oates (and Hull) went crazy that season in the latter half.

The top-two NHL scorers that season over their final 40 games:

1. Gretzky -- 93 points (+23)
2. Oates -- 81 points (+9)

Oates' total included 63 assists in the last 40 games of the season (Gretzky had 74 over the same duration). That's gotta be the most in a 1/2 season by anybody whose middle-name isn't Douglas...?

 

[bobholly39]

Would it bump his all-time ranking much?

He had 90 assists in 61 games, on pace for 118 over 80 (also 33ish goals so 150+ points).

Meaning, more assists in a season than anyone not named Gretzky.

I dont think it has any effect at all on his all time ranking. Biggest reason why is i think he almost already gets full credit for his playmaking and for being someone who could likely get so many asssists (he's given "too much" credit for Hull imo).

Would have been really great to see though.

It's probably a stretch, but maybe Hull could have passed Gretzky's goal record.

Not a stretch at all. I think the 3 biggest challengers to the 92 goals are:

Lemieux in 93 (60 games though)
Gretzky himself the year he scores 87 i think but missed games
Hull without Oates

My gut says - if Oates doesn't miss any games Hull would get 90+. So within margin of error of passing record or not.

 

[tony d]

Oates and Hull were quite the combo. Got to think Hull gets to at least 90 goals if Oates is there for the full year.

 

[Bluesguru]

Not only did Hull miss 2 games, but there was a game against Detroit where like in the first 7 minutes or so, Hull touched the puck twice and scored 2 goals. And then shortly thereafter in the first he had to leave the game and I can’t remember why. But that game it looked like Hull was going to put in 4 or 5. Even Hull said himself he owned Cheveldae. Always felt if Hull played that whole game plus the 2 he missed that he would of at least tied Gretzky.

 

[The Panther]

An odd thing about Hull's 86-goal season is that he didn't score more than three in any game.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

speaking of owning cheveldae,

 

[Jets]

Hull and Oates really do make my dreams come true.

 

[sr edler]

Perhaps he doesn't get traded for Craig Janney & Stephane Quintal.

On the other hand the Blues made a lot of suspect moves around this time so it's probably not a guarantee.

 

[member 83027]

Perhaps he doesn't get traded for Craig Janney & Stephane Quintal.

On the other hand the Blues made a lot of suspect moves around this time so it's probably not a guarantee.

He for sure doesn't get traded if he doesn't request to renegotiate his contract 3 different times.