NHL Season by Season Capsules: An Index

I spent the summer of 2014 recapping every NHL season from 1917 through 1999. I will be adding the seasons of the new millennium soon, allowing for a complete archive. With the season just around the corner I look forward to returning my focus to player biographies and other hockey history projects. I have over 100 posts prepared already, guaranteeing a lot of new content for the upcoming season.

Here is a full index of the NHL season by season recaps -

1917-18 - The Birth Of The NHL
1918-19 - Flu Kills Player, Stanley Cup Cancelled
1919-20 - The Phantom Of Hockey
1920-21 - Ottawa Rules Land Of Hockey
1921-22 - Babe, Punch and Sprague
1922-23 - Montreal Canadiens Shock Hockey World Twice
1923-24 - NHL Gains It's Hart
1924-25 - NHL Hockey Heads To America
1925-26 - Hockey Takes Manhattan
1926-27 - The Original Six Are Set
1927-28 - Lester Patrick Saves The Day
1928-29 - The Year Of The Shutout

1929-30 - Goal Rush!
1930-31 - Smythe's Gamble Pays Off Royally
1931-32 - Gardens Party
1932-33 - Eddie Shore Is All Hart
1933-34 - Tragedies And Near Tragedies
1934-35 - Howie Morenz Traded!
1935-36 - Mud And The Longest Game
1936-37 - Howie Morenz Dies
1937-38 - Goalie Off Street Helps Chicago Win Stanley Cup
1938-39 - The Legend of Sudden Death Hill

1939-40 - Shore Leave
1940-41 - Bruins Streak To Stanley Cup
1941-42 - Hockey Stars Join World War II Efforts
1942-43 - Original Six Era Begins
1943-44 - The Rocket Arrives
1944-45 - Rocket Richard's 50 In 50
1945-46 - NHL Stars Return From War
1946-47 - Kid Named Gordie Howe Arrives
1947-48 - Toronto Gets Max Return In Big Trade
1948-49 - Maple Leafs Hat Trick

1949-50 - Gordie Howe Nearly Dies
1950-51 - Stanley Cup Hero Bill Barilko Vanishes
1951-52 - Bill Mosienko's 21 Second Hat Trick
1952-53 - Rocket Becomes NHL Scoring King
1953-54 - Canadiens Sign Jean Beliveau
1954-55 - Rocket Richard Riot Rocks Montreal
1955-56 - Hockey's Greatest Dynasty Begins
1956-57 - Player Uprising
1957-58 - Willie O'Ree Breaks Unofficial Colour Barrier
1958-59 - Leafs Pack Punch

1959-60 - Face Of Hockey Changes Forever
1960-61 - Season Of Change
1961-62 - Leafs Back on Top
1962-63 - Gordie Howe's Last Great NHL Season
1963-64 - Leafs Three-Peat On Bobby Baun's Broken Leg Goal
1964-65 - Change On The Horizon
1965-66 - Bobby Hull Tops 50 Goals
1966-67 - Bobby Orr Debuts
1967-68 - NHL Expansion
1968-69 - Habs Win Again, But Espo, Orr Lead Rising Bruins

1969-70 - Ted Green Nearly Dies In Stick Fight
1970-71 - Rookie Sensation Ken Dryden Stuns Boston Bruins
1971-72 - Goodbye Howe, Beliveau
1972-73 - A Whole New Hockey World
1973-74 - Flyers First Expansion Stanley Cup Champion
1974-75 - Orr, Espo's Last Hurrah; Howe, Hull Excite In WHA
1975-76 - Phil Esposito Traded
1976-77 - Guy Lafleur Leads Habs to 60 Wins And Stanley Cup
1977-78 - Who's The Boss?
1978-79 - Hello Gretzky, Goodbye WHA

1979-80 - Miracle On Ice
1980-81 - Gretzky Smashes Records; Bossy's 50 in 50
1981-82 - Gretzky Obliterates NHL Record Book
1982-83 - Islanders Stop Gretzky For 4th Straight Stanley Cup
1983-84 - Gretzky, Oilers Win First Stanley Cup
1984-85 - Super Mario Arrives
1985-86 - Unbeatable Oilers Beat Themselves
1986-87 - Oilers Back On Top
1987-88 - Canada Cup Magic
1988-89 - Gretzky Trade Shocks The World

1989-90 - Soviet Invasion
1990-91 - Mario Lifts Stanley Cup
1991-92 - Labour Wars Begin
1992-93 - Roy's Habs Beat Gretzky's Kings
1993-94 - Drought Ended
1994-95 - Dead Puck Era Begins
1995-96 - NHL Goes Mile High; Canada Loses Franchises
1996-97 - Triumph And Tragedy
1997-98 - Olympic Proportions
1998-99 - Goodbye Gretzky

1999-00 -
2000-01 -
2001-02 -
2002-03 -
2003-04 -
2004-05 -
2005-06 -
2006-07 -
2007-08 -
2008-09 -

2009-10 -
2010-11 -
2011-12 -
2012-13 -
2013-14 -

1998-99: Goodbye Gretzky

The Three Stars:

Wayne Gretzky Retires - After weeks of speculation Wayne Gretzky acknowledges he is retiring from the NHL. He plays his final game for the Rangers at Madison Square Gardens in New York. Before the puck is dropped NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman declares No. 99 will be retired across the league. Gretzky picks up one final point - an assist on Brian Leetch's goal in a 2-1 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the final minute of regulation Rangers coach John Muckler calls a timeout and the fans give Gretzky a rousing ovation. Gretzky finished his career with an amazing 894 goals, 1963 assists and 2857 points, just three of the 61 NHL records he set.



Hull's Controversial Goal Wins Cup - The Dallas Stars win their first Stanley Cup amid much controversy. The NHL had a strict rule against players in the goaltender's crease, allowing for many disallowed goals all season long. Brett Hull scores the triple-overtime winning goal and the Stars Stanley Cup party begins when replays reveal Hull's foot was in the crease. The NHL officially said the goal was properly reviewed and because Hull control of the puck prior to the blue-paint violation it was a legal goal. Two days later the NHL announced crease violations would again be left to the on-ice officials.

Chiasson Killed In Car Crash - Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Steve Chiasson is killed on May 3rd when he loses control of his truck following a season-ending party. The 32 year old Chiasson had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal driving limit, was not wearing a seat belt and was speeding at the time of the single vehicle accident.

Season Highlights:

• Jaromir Jagr, who scored the game winning goal in Gretzky's final game, wins his first Hart Trophy and third Art Ross Trophy with 127 points. In the post Gretzky era he would lead the NHL in scoring the next three seasons.
• The Nashville Predators begin play.
• The NHL introduces the Maurice Richard Trophy to honor the leading goal scorer each season. Teemu Selanne won the inaugural award with 47 goals. Ironically this was the first non-lockout season since 1969-70 that the NHL did not have a single 50 goal scorer.
• On February 13th, 1999, Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens hosts it's last NHL game, a 6-2 win by Chicago.
• Eric Lindros had another excellent season interrupted by serious injury. He scored 93 points in 71 games when he suffered a collapsed lung that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the year, and seriously dashed the Flyers strong Stanley Cup hopes.
• Patrick Roy passes Terry Sawchuk and Jacques Plante as the winningest goalie in NHL history - regular season and playoffs combined.
• Luc Robitaille scores his 500th career goal and Mark Messier scores his 600th. Phil Housley becomes the highest scoring American born player of all time. 

1997-98: Olympic Proportions

The Three Stars:

NHLers Head To Olympics; Hasek Dominates - In a battle of NHL dream teams the Czech Republic blanks Russia 1-0 to win the Olympic Gold medal in Nagano, Japan, thanks to the spectacular goaltending of Domink Hasek. The Czechs reach the final after shocking Canada in the semi-final. Tied 1-1 after a scoreless 10 minute overtime, the Czechs win in a shootout when Hasek tones all five Canadian shooters (none of which were Wayne Gretzky, hockey's all time leading scorer). Robert Reichal beats Patrick Roy to end the game. Finland then upsets a disinterested Canada in the bronze medal game, while Team USA goes home in shame, trashing rooms in the Olympic village after losing in the quarterfinal.

Whalers Blow Out Of Hartford - After missing the playoffs five straight years the Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina and became known as the Hurricanes. The team originally played in Greensboro until the new rink in Raleigh was available.

Scoring Drought - Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr is the NHL's only 100 point scorer. His 102 points is the lowest Art Ross winning total in a non-lockout season since 1967-68 as teams employ the neutral zone trap. Scoring drops to a 40 year low of 5.28 goals per game on average. Player crease violations also become a serious issue as 304 reviews conducted by video goal judges result in 110 disallowed goals.

Season Highlights:

• Dominik Hasek wasn't just dominant at the Olympics. He became the first NHL goaltender to win back-to-back Hart Trophies as the league's MVP. He wins his fourth Vezina Trophy in five seasons as the league's top goalie, leading the league in save percentage a fifth straight time. His 13 shutouts are the most in a season since 1969-70.
• Wayne Gretzky records his 1851st career assist, giving him more assists than any other NHL player in history has total points.
• Mark Messier shocked many when he left the New York Rangers to sign a big contract with the Vancouver Canucks. It was an ill-advised move on behalf of the Canucks.
• Messier was a surprise omission from Team Canada's first all-NHL Olympic team.
• After a lengthy contract holdout, Paul Kariya returns only to be knocked out of the Olympics thanks to a concussion courtesy of a stick to the head from Gary Suter.
• Mike Gartner reaches the 700 goal mark. Jari Kurri and Dino Ciccarelli reach 600 goals. 
• Facing more than 30 charges of racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice, embezzlement and accepting kickbacks, hockey czar Alan Eagleson pleads guilty to three counts of fraud in a Boston court. He does the same the next day in a Toronto court and is sentenced to 18 months in jail and fine $1 million.
• Carolina tenders a multi-million dollar offer sheet to restricted free agent holdout Sergei Fedorov of Detroit. The Wings matched and kept the superstar.
• Olie "The Goalie" Kolzig was a brick wall during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He gave up just 13 goals in 6 games vs Boston, then seven more (including 2 shutouts) in a 5 game romp over Ottawa, and just 11 in a six game classic goalie battle vs Dominik Hasek and the Buffalo Sabres. Washington advanced to the Stanley Cup final for the first time in team history.
• However the mighty Detroit Red Wings sweep the Capitals in the final to repeat as Stanley Cup champion. Captain Steve Yzerman immediately hands the Stanley Cup to wheelchair-bound teammate Vladimir Konstantinov, who suffered severe brain injuries in a limousine crash just days after the 1997 Stanley Cup victory.

1996-97: Triumph And Tragedy

The Three Stars:

Triumph and Tragedy In Hockeytown - The Detroit Red Wings sweep Eric Lindros and the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1955. The joy is short-lived, however. Six days later a limousine accident leaves defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov with debilitating brain injuries. Defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov also suffers minor injuries.

Graham James Found Guilty - The Hockey world was shocked when Graham James, a notable Canadian junior coach, is convicted on charges of sexually assaulting two players. NHLer Sheldon Kennedy reveals he was one of the two victims. James is sentenced to 3 and 1/2 years in prison for committing 350 offenses against the two players.

Mario Lemieux Retires - Mario Lemieux scores 50 goals and leads the league with 122 points, winning his sixth Art Ross Trophy. At the age of 31 he promptly retires. He would return 3 years later and play parts of five more seasons.

Season Highlights:

• A year after the purchase and heartbreaking news, the Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix to become the Coyotes.
• Backed by the great goaltending of Mike Richter, Team USA downs Canada 2 games to 1 in the first ever World Cup of Hockey.
• Unrestricted Free Agent Wayne Gretzky chooses to sign with the New York Rangers, reuniting with Mark Messier. Gretzky later passes the 3000 career points mark (including playoffs).
• Patrick Lalime of Pittsburgh starts his NHL career with an undefeated record in his first 16 games. (14-0-2)
• Brett Hull joins his father Bobby Hull in the 500 goal club.
• Pat Lafontaine, one the NHL's most exciting players, is knocked out for the season after just 13 games, suffering a severe concussion.
• Buffalo remains a threat thanks to Dominik Hasek who wins the Hart, Vezina and Pearson trophies.
• Eric Lindros has a fantastic playoffs in leading the Flyers past Mario Lemieux's Penguins and Wayne Gretzky's Rangers. The Flyers ran out of gas in the final vs. Brendan Shanahan and the Detroit Red Wings.

1995-96: NHL Goes Mile High; Canada Loses Franchises

The Three Stars

Nordiques Win Stanley Cup, But In Colorado - After years of last place finishes and first overall draft picks the Quebec Nordiques are bought by American interests and moved to Denver to become known as the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs star in their first season, sweeping John Vanbiesbrouck and the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup. They are the only the NHL team to win the Stanley Cup in its first season in a new city. Quebec isn't the only jilted Canadian city. The NHL approves the sale of the Winnipeg Jets and agrees to move the franchise to Phoenix in the 1996-97 season.

Red Wings Soar - Steve Yzerman's Detroit Red Wings finish with a NHL record 62-13-7 record, bettering Montreal's 60 win season of 1976-77. The Wings also equals Philadelphia's record for home wins with 36 wins. Its personal victory for coach Scotty Bowman, who also guided the '76-77 Habs. He moves past Al Arbour (1,606) into first spot on the all time list of games coached, finishing with 1,654. But the Wings lose to their new arch-rivals from Colorado in the playoffs.

NHL Stars To Play In Olympics - The NHL, NHLPA and IIHF reset the look of international hockey. The Canada Cup is renamed and reworked into the World Cup. More importantly, plans are announced to allow all NHL players to be able to participate in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The league will take a 17 day break in the middle of the season.

Season Highlights:

• The Avalanche may very well not have won the Stanley Cup had they stayed in Quebec. That's because the Montreal Canadiens almost certainly would never have traded disgruntled superstar goalie Patrick Roy to Quebec City. But, following an embarrassing 11-1 loss and subsequent incident on the bench with coach Mario Tremblay and president Ronald Corey, Roy is traded to Colorado.
• After a year of rest from cancer treatments and chronic back ailments Mario Lemieux returns. He scores his 500th career goal as part of his 69 goal, 161 point season. His storybook season sees him win the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and Pearson Trophy.
• Steve Yzerman, Dale Hawerchuk and Mark Messier also score their 500th career goal. Another former Oiler, Paul Coffey, notches his 1000th assist.
• There is great excitement in Vancouver as the Canucks acquire superstar Alexander Mogilny to play alongside 60 goal man Pavel Bure. Unfortunately the Russian Rocket is grounded with a severe knee injury after just 15 games. Mogilny picks up the slack by scoring 55 goals.
• Grant Fuhr plays in goal for 76 consecutive games in St. Louis. A late season knee tweak was the only thing that prevented him from playing in all 82 games.
• Winnipeg traded Teemu Selanne to Anaheim where he teamed up with a red hot Paul Kariya.
• Los Angeles Kings winger Tony Granato undergoes brain surgery after hitting his head against the boards in a game.
• Though it did not shock the hockey world like it did the first time around, Wayne Gretzky is traded. He joins Brett Hull in St. Louis but they Blues lost in dramatic fashion to Detroit in seven games in the playoffs.
• The Florida Panthers surprise with their Stanley Cup run. After Scott Mellanby kills a rat in the dressing room, Panthers fans take to littering the ice with plastic rats after each Florida goal.

• American network Fox introduces the FoxTrax puck. The puck is cut in half and wired to emit a glow on screen during broadcasts, making it easier to follow. The network scrapped the experiment, much to relief of traditional fans.

1994-95: Dead Puck Era Begins

The 1994-95 NHL season was rocked by labor wars, off ice law suits and the unofficial start of offense starved so-called Dead Puck Era

The Three Stars:

No Hockey Until New Year - NHL owners lock out the players on September 30th because there is no collective bargaining agreement in place. Owners give commissioner Gary Bettman approval Dec. 12th to shutdown the entire season, hoping to scare players into accepting their "final" offer. Negotiations go on until the new year, when suddenly the NHPLA seems to switch gears and accept the owners proposal at the very last minute. After a 103 day labor dispute a 48 game season is scheduled to finally begin on January 20th.

Mario Sits - Lockout or not, Mario Lemieux had always intended on not playing the 1994-95 season. After missing all but 22 games in the 1993-94 season due to his bad back, he sits out the entire season hoping his back will get the chance to recover. In his absence teammate Jaromir Jagr wins his first Art Ross Trophy.

Former Players Win Pension Suit - Former NHL players, led by a group featuring Carl Brewer and Brad Park, win a Supreme Court of Canada lawsuit that contended the NHL skimmed money from the pension fund. The NHL reportedly owed $40 million to the alumni.

Season Highlights:

• In a mega-trade Calgary moves Al MacInnis to St. Louis in exchange for Phil Housley.
• Another: Philadelphia sends Mark Recchi to Montreal for John LeClair and Eric Desjardins. LeClair joins Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg on the Legion of Doom line.
• Eric Lindros wins the Hart and Pearson trophies as the top player in the game. He also equals Jaromir Jagr in the point race but due to Jagr having more goals the Art Ross trophy barely escapes Lindros' grasp.
• Wayne Gretzky becomes the first man to reach 2500 career points. 
• Rookies Paul Kariya in Anaheim and Peter Forsberg in Quebec impress. Forsberg wins the Calder Trophy.
• The defensive minded New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup, thanks to Martin Brodeur's tiny 1.67 GAA and Conn Smythe Trophy winning MVP Claude Lemieux's timely goals.

1993-94 - Drought Ended

The Three Stars:

Rangers End 54-Year Stanley Cup Drought - The endless chants of "1940" (rival New York Islanders fans loved to remind the Rangers of how long ago their last Stanley Cup title was) come to an end as the New York Rangers defeat the Vancouver Canucks in a thrilling seven game Stanley Cup final. Mike Richter was brilliant in goal while Brian Leetch took home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Mark Messier became immortal in New York sports history with his victory guarantee in the epic conference final vs. New Jersey. Stephane Matteau scored the famous winning goal in that series.


802 - Wayne Gretzky tops Gordie Howe as the NHL's all time leading goal scorer. on March 23rd, 1994 he notches career goal 802. Gretzky, who already established himself as the all time leader in assists and points as well, wins his 10th and last Art Ross trophy with 130 points. But the Los Angeles Kings miss the playoffs - the first time in Gretzky's career he does not get to play for the Stanley Cup.



Swedish Stamp of Approval - In what proves to be the last Winter Olympics hockey tournament prior to full NHL participation, Peter Forsberg becomes an eternal Swedish hockey hero with his spectacular shootout goal to give his county its first Olympic gold medal ever. Forsberg's incredible one-handed backhand goal on Canada's Corey Hirsch is commemorated on a Swedish stamp, though Hirsch refuses permission to have his image on it.

Season Highlights -

• The NHL opens the season with two new teams - the Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (owned by Disney and named after the Disney movies "The Mighty Ducks"). The Minnesota North Stars move to Texas and become the Dallas Stars.
• The Ottawa Senators draft Alexander Daigle first overall.
• The NHL's on-ice officials strike on November 14th, 1993 and are indefinitely replaced with referees and linesmen from other leagues. The strike ends on November 30th.
• Disgraced agent/NHLPA boss Alan Eagleson is indicted by a US Federal Grand Jury on 32 criminal counts including fraud, racketeering and obstruction of justice.
• Detroit coach Scotty Bowman earns his 1000th win. However Arturs Irbe and the San Jose Sharks upset the Red Wings in the playoffs.
• Peter Bondra scores 4 goals in 4:12 of play against Tampa goalie Daren Puppa. Bondra scored 5 goals in total that night.
• Pavel Bure leads the league in goals with his second straight 60 goal season.
• Sergei Fedorov is arguably the league's best player, finishing 2nd in scoring with 120 points including 56 goals. He wins both the Hart and the Selke trophies.
• Mario Lemieux only plays in 22 games this season. Ailing from his badly damaged back he still scores 17 goals and 37 points.
• Tough times appear to hit the Buffalo Sabres as Pat Lafontaine and Grant Fuhr suffer serious injuries. However newcomer Dominik Hasek earns the nickname "Dominator" as he becomes the first goalie in 20 years with a GAA under. 2.00. He wins the Vezina trophy. 
• Shortly after winning the Stanley Cup, Rangers coach Mike Keenan breaks his contract and signs with the St. Louis Blues. Tampering charges are laid and Keenan suspended. The Rangers are compensated by taking St. Louis' Petr Nedved in exchange for Doug Lidster and Esa Tikkanen.

1992-93: Roy's Habs Top Gretzky's Kings

The Three Stars

Lemieux's Incredible Recovery: Mario Lemieux may have been super-human on the ice but he is forced to face a very scary ordeal when he is diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease - cancer of the lymph nodes. He leaves the ice on January 11th, but makes an amazing recovery following surgery and radiation treatments. He returns on March 2nd, scores a goal and an assist on the same day as his last radiation treatment. He leads the Penguins to the longest winning streak in NHL history - 17 games. He also scores a remarkable 56 points in the final 20 games of the regular season, overtaking Buffalo's Pat Lafontaine for the Art Ross Trophy despite playing in 24 fewer games. Mario is awarded the Hart and Masterton trophies for one of the most incredible individual seasons of all time.



Women Make Their Mark: The early 1990s was a remarkable time of growth and acceptance of the women's hockey game. World championships were created and later it would become an Olympic sport. A lot of that had to do with the incredible spotlight shone on the sport when Manon Rheaume, goaltender for Team Canada, attends the training camp of the NHL expansion Tampa Bay Lightning and starts a pre-season contest, making her the first woman to play in the NHL.

Gary Bettman Named NHL Commissioner: Fans may hate him, but very few people have had the profound - albeit controversial - effect on the National Hockey League as Gary Bettman. He starts the job on February 1st, leaving his job as vice-president of the National Basketball Association.

Season Highlights:

• The Montreal Canadiens win a surprise Stanley Cup, upending Wayne Gretzky in his only appearance in the Stanley Cup Final with the Los Angeles Kings. The Habs post a record 10 overtime wins (in 11 tries) en route to their 23rd Stanley Cup. Patrick Roy is the obvious choice as Conn Smythe trophy winner, but Vince Damphouse, Eric Desjardins and John Leclair power the offense.
• In many ways the 1993 playoffs were Wayne Gretzky's last great stretch in the NHL. He misses half of the regular season with a herniated disc in his back, but return with a 40 point performance in the playoffs, willing the Kings to the Stanley Cup final, defeating Toronto along the way in a most memorable playoff match.
• The Leafs were powered by Doug Gilmour, who shattered team records with 95 assists and 127 points. He won the Selke Trophy and was runner up to Mario Lemieux for the Hart.
• A major reason Montreal was able to make it to the final was the New York Islanders major upset over Mario Lemieux's Penguins. David Volek scored the stunning winning goal.
• Pat Lafontaine scored 148 points and linemate Alexander Mogilny scores 76 goals. They were a real treat to watch.
• The NHL had another 76 goal scorer this season - a rookie! Teemu Selanne of Winnipeg set a new rookie record that may never be matched.
• The Philadelphia Flyers traded six players, including Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci and Ron Hextall, two first round draft picks and $15 million cash to Quebec to land phenom Eric Lindros.
• The Nordiques actually had two trades for Eric Lindros lined up simultaneously. The New York Rangers also felt they had successfully acquired the rookie. An independent arbitrator decided Philadelphia had properly acquired Lindros.
• For all the hype and hoopla, Eric Lindros faced nearly impossible expectations. Knee injuries limited him to just 61 games, but he did score 41 goals and 75 points.
• Ed Belfour continued to lead the Chicago Blackhawks, Norris trophy winning defenseman Chris Chelios really helped out too, of course.
• Pavel Bure excites west coast fans with 60 goals in Vancouver.
• Noted NHL brawler John Kordic dies of heart failure while in police custody. It is later revealed that alcohol, cocaine and steroids played major factors in his death.

1991-92: Labour Wars Begin

The Three Stars:

Stanley Cup Threatened By Players' Strike - It was no April Fool's Day joke when NHL players walked off the job for the first time on April 1st, 1992. With the Stanley Cup playoffs in jeopardy the league and Player's Association reach an agreement on April 10th, saving the NHL's much celebrated 75th anniversary season. The NHL makes concessions in free agency, card licensing monies and minimum salary and guarantees no salary cap will be introduced. Gary Bettman and the NHL owners took note and would never enter another season without a collective bargaining agreement already in place.

Penguins Honour Badger Bob - One the eve of the 1991 Canada Cup tournament, USA coach Badger Bob Johnson of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins is diagnosed with a brain tumor, an illness which claims his life on November 26th. The American teams tries desperately to win the tourney for him, but loses to Canada in the final. The Penguins, who replace Johnson with the NHL's winningest coach Scotty Bowman, ride Mario Lemieux's coat-tails to a second Stanley Cup in as many years. With 34 points in 15 games, Lemieux wins his second consecutive Conn Smythe trophy.

Doug Gilmour Joins The Leafs - A record 10 player trade between Calgary and Toronto sees Doug Gilmour join the Leafs and become arguably hockey's best player in the next couple of seasons. The deal saw Calgary send Gilmour, Rick Wamsley, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress and Kent Manderville to Toronto for Gary Leeman, Alexander Godynyuk, Jeff Reese, Michel Petit and Craig Berube.

Season Highlights:

• The NHL approves the use of video replay to determine goal/no goal situations.
• Eric Lindros is drafted 1st overall by the Quebec Nordiques. With much controversy Lindros refuses to play for the Nordiques and joins the Canadian national team. He will help Canada win a silver medal at the Olympics while continuing his hold out.
• The St. Louis Blues sign restricted free agent Brendan Shanahan. Arbitration is needed to compensate the New Jersey Devils. While the Blues offer Rod Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and draft picks, the NHL sides with the Devils and awards Scott Stevens in return. Stevens, who initially refused to report to New Jersey, was controversially signed by the Blues the previous season in similar fashion.
• Pavel Bure leaves Russia and joins the Vancouver Canucks in November.
• Bure's arrival along with strong goaltending of Kirk McLean and heart of Trevor Linden give Canucks fans their first excitement in years.
• The Edmonton Oilers clean house trading veteran stars Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr to Toronto for Vince Damphousse and Luke Richardson. They also traded Mark Messier to the New York Rangers for a package including Bernie Nicholls. Jari Kurri and Steve Smith are also moved.
• Messier stars on Broadway, scoring 107 points and winning the Hart and Pearson trophies.
• After shelling out huge money to several other stars, the St. Louis Blues inexplicably play hard ball with center Adam Oates - Brett Hull's key set-up man. The dispute results in a trade to Boston in exchange for Craig Janney. Oates has a monster year including a league high 97 assists and third best 142 points.
• Brian Leetch scores 102 points and wins the Norris Trophy.
• Mario Lemieux scores 131 points to lead all scorers, with linemate Kevin Stevens finishing 2nd with 123 points. Wayne Gretzky of LA falls to third place with 121.
• Mario Lemieux scores his 1000th point in just his 513th career game. Only Gretzky scored 1000 faster.
• Brett Hull has his third consecutive season of scoring 70 or more goals. He finishes with 70 in 73 games played.
• Pat Lafontaine walks out on the New York Islanders, demanding a trade. He is moved to Buffalo in exchange for Pierre Turgeon. Lafontaine plays just nine games in Buffalo before Jamie Macoun breaks Lafontaine's jaw in two places with a slash, requiring significant reconstructive facial surgery. A major brawl occurs.
• Figuring out he's more than a tough guy Gary Roberts erupts as a goal scorer in Calgary, netting 53 goals.
• Patrick Roy leads all goals with a 2.36 GAA and .914 save percentage. He wins his third Vezina trophy. 

1990-91: Mario Lifts Stanley Cup

The Three Stars:

Mario Leads Penguins To Stanley Cup - Despite missing the first 50 games with a back injury, Mario Lemieux leads the Pittsburgh Penguins to their first Stanley Cup championship. Aided by newcomers Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and coach Bob Johnson, Lemieux and company dust off the Minnesota North Stars in the Stanley Cup final. Lemieux wins the Conn Smythe.


Minnesota Finds Way To San Jose - Amazingly, the North Stars split into two teams after the Gund brothers sell their interests in the team in exchange for a new franchise in San Jose. The Sharks would be primarily built from the North Stars roster. In other news, the NHL also granted expansion franchises to Tampa Bay and Ottawa.

Stevens Signing Causes Controversy - The St. Louis Blues sign restricted free agent defenseman Scott Stevens away from Washington, surrendering five 1st round draft picks as compensation. A year later St. Louis would do the same to New Jersey with Brendan Shanahan, but arbitrators award Stevens to the Devils as compensation.

Season Highlights -

• Harvard grad and Winnipeg Jets prospect Tod Hartje becomes first North American player ever to play for a Soviet team, joining Sokol Kiev.
• Two mega trades: Winnipeg and Buffalo agreed to a package that highlight Dale Hawerchuk going to the Sabres and Phil Housley going to the Jets. And Montreal traded Chris Chelios to Chicago for Denis Savard.
• Jari Kurri leaves the Edmonton Oilers to play in Italy. 
• Grant Fuhr admits to substance abuse issues in the past, and is suspended for a year by the NHL, though it is later reduced to 60 games.
• Brett Hull scores 50 goals in 49 games, then adds 36 more to finish with 86 - the most ever by anyone not named Wayne Gretzky. Hull wins the Hart Trophy and Pearson Trophy.
• Hull's set up man was Adam Oates, who finished with 90 assists and 115 points.
• Paul Coffey joined Denis Potvin as the only defensemen to score 1000 points in a career.
• Chicago's rookie goaltender Eddie "The Eagle" Befour took the league by storm, leading the entire league in GAA (2.47), save percentage (.910) and wins (43) while winning the Calder and Vezina trophies.
• Little Theo Fleury had a big year with 51 goals and 104 points.
• Wayne Gretzky wins his ninth NHL scoring title in eleven years with 163 points. He also hit milestones for 700 career goals and 2000 career regular season points and won the Lady Byng Trophy.
• Chris Nilan was definitely no candidate for the Lady Byng. In one game vs Hartford he received a NHL record 10 penalties in one game!
• Cam Neely had a monstrous year, reaching 51 goals and another 16 in the playoffs before being infamously kneed by Pittsburgh's Ulf Samuelsson. Neely would miss almost the entire following season and his career was never quite the same.

1989-90: Soviet Invasion

The Three Stars:

Soviets Join NHL - After years of negotiations the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation agrees to release veterans to the NHL. Igor Larionov, 28 and Vladimir Krutov, 29, join the Vancouver Canucks while Sergei Makarov, 31, joins Calgary. Slava Fetisov, 31, and Sergei Starikov, 30, join New Jersey.



Great One Passes Gordie - Wayne Gretzky, in his 780th career game, visits his old friends and teammates in Edmonton, very fittingly, and passes Gordie Howe as the NHL's all time leading scorer. After scoring the tying 1850th point earlier in the game, Gretzky breaks the record by tying the game with just 53 seconds left. In typical Gretzky fashion, after a long delay of celebration, he goes out and scores the overtime game winning goal, too.

Oilers Back On Top - Many thought it couldn't be done, but the Edmonton Oilers return as Stanley Cup champions just two years after trading Wayne Gretzky. Mark Messier emerges from Gretzky's shadow and wins the Hart and Pearson trophies. Bill Ranford is nothing short of spectacular in net, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. Craig Simpson leads all playoff shooters with 16 goals and 31 points. Jari Kurri was also notably strong, and Petr Klima played unlikely marathon overtime hero.

Season Highlights:

• Alan Eagleson loses his power as NHLPA boss. Bob Goodenow succeeds him.
• The Quebec Nordiques make Mats Sundin the first ever European player drafted first overall.
• The Vancouver Canucks create a storm of controversy when they draft Pavel Bure in the 6th round when all teams were operating under the understanding that Bure - then no was ineligible after the third round. Vancouver later produced evidence that he should have been available.
• Bob Probert is sentenced to 3 months in jail for smuggling cocaine across the US-Canada border.
• Guy Lafleur signs with the Quebec Nordiques.
• After enduring terrible back pain from a herniated disc, Mario Lemieux is forced out of the lineup ending his 46 game scoring streak.
• Cam Neely explodes with a 55 goal season including 25 on the power play and 12 game winners. Ray Bourque adds 84 points and wins the Norris Trophy and is runner up for the Hart Trophy. 
• Like father, like son. Bobby Hull was once hockey's great 50 goal scorer. His son Brett Hull now joins him, scoring his 50th goal on February 6th, 1990, en route to a 72 goal season!
• Wayne Gretzky leads the NHL in scoring again, with 142 points. Mario Lemieux finished with 123 despite missing 21 of the final 22 games.
• Mark Messier finish 2nd with 129 points, and Steve Yzerman third with 127 including 62 goals.
• Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard, one of the most controversial owners in sports history, passes away after a lengthy illness.

1988-89: Gretzky Trade Shocks World

The Three Stars:

Oilers Trade Wayne Gretzky - Wayne Gretzky made a lot of unbelievable achievements in the 1980s, the most unbelievable moment had to have been August 9th, 1988 when the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers traded away the greatest player in the game. The seven time scoring champ and eight time MVP was traded (along with Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley) to Los Angeles for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three 1st round picks and a reported $15 million. The hockey world over the next 10 years changed immensely because of this one transaction.



Lemieux Scores 199 Points - At the age of 23 Mario Lemieux scores 85 goals, 114 assists and 199 points, winning his second straight scoring title. His assist and point totals are the most in NHL history by any player other than Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux's most impressive night comes on New Year's Eve when he becomes the only player to score 5 goals 5 different ways - power play, short handed, even strength, penalty shot and empty net. For all his efforts he did not repeat as Hart Trophy winner, as that went back to Gretzky after his first season in LA.

Soviets Arrive Then Mogilny Defects - Little known Soviet player Sergei Priakhin, 25, debuts with the Calgary Flames on March 31st with the Soviet federation's blessing. It is seen as the first of many such releases of veteran Soviet players. But the new found relationship is tested when 20 year old Alexander Mogilny - seen as one of the next great Soviet players - defects and signs with the Buffalo Sabres. Soviet officials cry foul and label Mogilny a traitor.



Season Highlights:

• Minnesota North Stars select Mike Modano first overall. Trevor Linden goes second to Vancouver. But it was Brian Leetch who impressed most among first year players, setting a rookie scoring record for defensemen with 23 goals. He won the Calder trophy
• Just weeks after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Guy Lafleur comes out of retirement and players for the New York Rangers.
• Dino Ciccarelli spends 1 day in jail after an Ontario court finds him guilty of assault in a stick swinging incident vs Toronto's Luke Richardson back in 1987-88.
• Detroit tough guy Bob Probert is arrested after crossing the Canadian border with 14.3 grams of cocaine. The NHL expels him but does allow him to return.
• Buffalo Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuk has his jugular vein accidentally slashed by the skate of St. Louis forward Steve Tuttle. Malarchuk bled profusely on the ice and required immediate surgery but did return to the ice later in the season.
• Steve Yzerman has an amazing season with 65 goals, 90 assists and 155 points. 
• Lanny McDonald records both his 500th career goal and 1000th career point.
• Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score 2000 points (including playoffs) in his career. Gretzky totaled 168 points, including 54 goals, in his first season in LA. 
• One of the biggest benefactors of Gretzky's arrival in LA is Bernie Nicholls. Nicholls had always been an offensive threat, but with Gretzky around he blossomed to a 70 goal (2nd best in NHL) and 150 point (4th best) season.
• Gretzky's Kings met Gretzky's old team, the Oilers in a memorable playoff series. The Kings knocked off the Oilers in 7 games. In the 7th game Gretzky opened the scoring just 52 seconds in and then sealed the deal with the empty net goal at the end of the game.
• Montreal and Philadelphia engage in quite the playoff battle. Norris trophy winning defenseman Chris Chelios of Montreal elbowed Flyers finesse forward Brian Propp into unconsciousness. Later goalie Ron Hextall, who scored a goal in a previous series vs Washington, retaliated by surprisingly leaving his net to assault Chelios. 
• Montreal did win that series, and, thanks to the goaltending of Patrick Roy, made it all the way to the Stanley Cup final. But it was the Calgary Flames, owners of the league's best regular season record, who won the Stanley Cup. It was the first time a visiting team hoisted the Stanley Cup at the Montreal Forum.
• Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP, though Mike Vernon was spectacular in net. Doug Gilmour, Joe Mullen, Joe Nieuwendyk, Joel Otto and Theo Fleury were also prominent.

1987-88: Canada Cup Magic

The Three Stars:

Gretzky....to Lemieux! - Three exciting 6-5 games decide the 1987 Canada Cup final between Canada and the Soviets, with the teams splitting two overtime verdicts. It may have been the best hockey ever played. The score is tied 5-5 late in game 3 when Canada's Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Larry Murphy get a 3-on-1 break. Gretzky feeds a perfect pass and Super Mario fires the puck past goalie Sergei Mylnikov at 18:34, sending fans at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum into hysteria. It's a coming of age moment for Lemieux, who scores the deciding goal in both Canadian wins. In fact it is in many ways a passing of the torch moment from Gretzky to Lemieux.


Donuts - Donuts have a rich history in hockey, what with the success of Tim Hortons etc. But donuts leave a negative connotation on the game following a 6-1 New Jersey Devils loss to Boston in game 3 of the Wales Conference final. An angry Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld confronts Don Koharski after the game, calling him a "fat pig" and suggesting he "have another donut!" Schoenfeld is suspended by the NHL, but gets a court injunction and is back for game 4. NHL officials refuse to work the game and amateurs are used in their place. Wearing yellow practice jerseys, it is one of the most embarrassing moments in NHL history. And to make matters worse, NHL president John Ziegler can't be found.



Coffey Traded To Pittsburgh - Edmonton Oilers GM Glen Sather makes the first move in the eventual collapse of the Oilers Stanley Cup dynasty. Demanding to re-negotiate his contract, two time Norris Trophy winning defenseman Paul Coffey, who had been sitting out, is traded in late November to Pittsburgh in a 7 player trade that included Craig Simpson going back to Edmonton.

Season Highlights -

• Not that the Coffey trade hurt the Oilers immediately. They rolled through the playoffs and won their fourth Stanley Cup title in five years. Oddest moment came in game four when a power outage forced the game, which was tied 3-3 late in the 2nd period, to be replayed in its entirety.
• By his standards it was not a great year for Wayne Gretzky. A knee injury sidelined him for 16 games, costing him both the Art Ross and Hart trophies, both of which he virtually owned since entering the league. Gretzky finished with "only" 40 goals (the first time he failed to reach 50 in his career) and 149 points. He was extra strong in the playoffs, however, scoring 43 points and winning the Conn Smythe trophy for the second time. Gretzky also surpassed Gordie Howe's all time record for assists with 1049. Howe set that over 26 season. Gretzky took 9 seasons.
• Mario Lemieux stayed healthy all year (he missed 4 games) and scored an amazing 70 goals, 98 assists and 168 points, taking him the Art Ross and Hart for the first time.
• Craig Simpson started the year playing with Mario, but ended the year with Gretzky. How's that for linemates. Actually in Edmonton he played mostly with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson, and it was instant chemistry. Simpson score 43 goals in 59 games with the Oilers, and finished the year with a combined 56 goals.
• LA Kings super-sophomore Jimmy Carson finished third in goals with 55. Calgary Flames rookie Joe Nieuwendyk wowed with 51, while teammate Hakan Loob also hit 50.
• Ron Hextall, who started the year with an 8 game suspension for slashing Kent Nilsson in the previous Stanley Cup final, becomes the first goalie to score a goal by actually shooting it into the opposition net. 
• The NHL honoured King Clancy by establishing an award in his honour for "the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice and for making noteworthy humanitarian contributions in his community." Lanny McDonald of Calgary was the inaugural winner. 
• Ray Bourque famously switches jerseys from 7 to 77 in order to retire 7 for Phil Esposito.

1986-87: Oilers Back on Top

The Three Stars:

Junior Players Die In Bus Crash - The bus carrying the Swift Current Broncos to a game in Regina for a December 30th WHL match crashes, killing four players. Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Chris Mantyka and Jason Ruff are all killed. Among the survivors are future NHLers Joe Sakic and Sheldon Kennedy. The Broncos regroup from the tragedy, finish the season, and amazingly win the Memorial Cup in 1989.

Junior Punch Up Ends In Darkness - Leading the Soivets 4-2 on the last day of the World Junior Championships in Piestany, Czechoslovakia, Canada, closing in on a gold medal, finds itself in the most infamous and vicious bench clearing brawl in hockey history. The melee lasted over 20 minutes. The officials, unable to do anything, left the ice and had the lights turned out. Both teams were disqualified and Finland is awarded its first ever gold medal at the event.



Rendez-Vous '87 - For the second time the NHL All Star Game features the NHL All Stars facing off against the Soviet Union. In this exciting two game event in Quebec City the NHL wins one game 4-3 and the Soviets win one game 5-3. 20 year old Valeri Kamensky - a future Nordique - sparkles in the second game scoring two brilliant goals.



Season Highlights:

• In order to speed up the game the NHL introduces delayed off-sides.
• Detroit drafts Michigan State University star Joe Murphy first overall, but Detroit fans wanted Detroit born Jimmy Carson, who went 2nd overall to Los Angeles.
• Phil Esposito takes over as GM of the New York Rangers, fires coach Ted Sator and makes a series of trades that labels him as "Trader Phil."
• Espo should have hired Scotty Bowman. Hockey's winningest coach was fired by the Sabres.
• On November 20th, 1986 Montreal and Boston stage a full scale brawl that gets Boston Mayor Ray Flynn promising police action if it ever happened again.
• Toronto's Borje Salming is accidentally cut by a skate, requiring more than 200 stitches in his face.
• LA Kings coach Pat Quinn is expelled by NHL president John Ziegler for signing a deal and taking money to become Vancouver's GM while still working for the Kings.
• Doug Jarvis plays 964 consecutive games, a NHL record.
• Wayne Gretzky scores his 500th goal in just 575 games, another NHL record.
• Gretzky would have to hire someone to expand his trophy case yet again. He leads the NHL in all scoring categories with 62 goals, 121 assists and 183 points (runner up Jari Kurri had 108 points!). Gretzky won his 7th Art Ross, 8th Hart and 5th Pearson.
• Gretzky also won his third Stanley Cup. The Oilers returned to Stanley Cup finals and defeated Philadelphia in an epic seven game series. 
• Ron Hextall, Philly's feisty goalie, is spectacular in defeat and is awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy. This despite a vicious slashing of Oilers forward Kent Nilsson in game 7. 
• Mario Lemieux finishes third in NHL scoring with 54 goals and 107 points but sits out 17 games with a bad back that would plague him for his entire career.
• Ray Bourque scores 95 points and wins the Norris trophy as the league's top defenseman. He finishes as runner up in the Hart Trophy balloting. 

1985-86: Unbeatable Oilers Beat Themselves

The Three Stars:

Poor Steve Smith - The two time Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers were heavily favored to "three-peat" but they ran into trouble with provincial rival Calgary in the second round of the playoffs. The see-saw battle between the two bitter Alberta foes lasted seven games and was decided on a fluke play. Oilers defenseman Steve Smith attempted a pass up ice from behind his net. But he inadvertently shot the puck off of the back of the leg of goalie Grant Fuhr and into his own net, giving Calgary the margin of victory.


Coffey Breaks Orr's Record - It wasn't all bad news for Edmonton defensemen. Paul Coffey broke Bobby Orr's record of 46 goals by a defenseman when he reaches 48. He finishes with 138 points, just one shy of Orr's record for points. Eight of Coffey's points came in one night vs Detroit, tying Tom Bladon's record for most points by a dman in one game. Not surprisingly Coffey won his second straight Norris trophy this season.

Lindbergh Killed In Car Accident - After celebrating the Flyers 10th straight victory with a night out on the town, 26 year old goalie Pelle Lindbergh dies after crashing his Porsche into a concrete wall. Lindbergh's blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit while he was speeding excessively as well.

Season Highlights:

• Wayne Gretzky sets NHL records for most assists in a season (163) and most points (215), breaking his own records. The second highest scorer? Mario Lemieux with 141. Needless to say Gretz won the Art Ross, Hart and Pearson trophies, again. 
• John Vanbiesbrouck emerges as a bright light on Broadway and paces the New York Rangers with 31 wins and the Vezina trophy.
• Philadelphia's Tim Kerr posted his third of four straight 50 goal seasons. This time the big man set a NHL record with 34 power play goals.
• Mike Bossy scores his 500th career goal, setting a new record by doing it in just his 647th game. 
• A couple of fresh faces lead the Montreal Canadiens - namely Swede Mats Naslund (110 points) and rookie goalie Patrick Roy. Roy really heated up in the playoffs, winning 15 of 20 starts with a 1.92 GAA. The rookie led Montreal to their 22nd Stanley Cup, defeating the Calgary Flames. Roy was singled out as the Conn Smythe trophy winner as playoff MVP.
• Another Habs rookie emerged as a goal scoring hero - Claude Lemieux. And Brian Skrudland set a NHL record by scoring just 9 seconds into overtime in game 2 of the final.