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The Edmonton Oilers Dynasty Flames Out In The 1986 NHL Playoffs

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By the time the 1986 NHL playoffs rolled around, hockey fans were used to watching dynasties. The Montreal Canadiens won four straight from 1976-79. The New York Islanders did the same from 1980-83. So when the Edmonton Oilers broke through in 1984 and followed it up with a repeat Stanley Cup in 1985, one could be forgiven for the assumption that the Oilers would be next in line to win up to four in a row. Only it didn’t work out that wa

The 1984 Edmonton Oilers: Wayne Gretzky Hoists His First Stanley Cup

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The 1984 Edmonton Oilers had the best player in the NHL—Wayne Gretzky might have been only 23 years old, but he won his fifth MVP award in as many seasons in the league. The one thing the Oilers didn’t have coming in was a Stanley Cup. After four years of gradual buildup, Gretzky and the Oilers hoisted the Cup for the first time in 1984.

Two Dynasties Cross Paths At The 1983 Stanley Cup Finals

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The New York Islanders had won the previous three Stanley Cups. The Edmonton Oilers had been building toward their own with Wayne Gretzky breaking into the NHL the year the Islander reign began, and winning the Hart Trophy, as league MVP, all three seasons. It was one team that was already a dynasty and another poised to become one. The 1983 Stanley Cup Finals would mark the moment when the crossed paths.

1981 NHL Playoffs: No Doubt It Was The New York Islanders

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There weren’t a ton of dramatics in the 1981 NHL playoffs, but the New York Islanders left no doubt who was best, winning their second straight Stanley Cup. The Isles had the league’s best offense, led by All-Star forward Mike Bossy and his 68 goals, and the impeccable passing skills of center Bryan Trottier. Defenseman Denis Potvin was an All-Star and Billy Smith was in net as they led a unit that was fourth-best in the NHL in goals allowed.

1977 Montreal Canadiens: The Best Team Of The Dynasty Years

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The 1977 Montreal Canadiens had wrested control of the Stanley Cup away from the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1976 Stanley Cup Finals and Montreal had no intention of giving it back. This season was one long coronation for the Canadiens as they dominated the regular season, had the major award winners, and then romped through the playoffs, going 12-2 en route to a second straight Cup.

1976 Stanley Cup Finals: Montreal, Philadelphia & The Changing Of The Guard

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The Philadelphia Flyers were the kings of the NHL in the early-to-mid 1970s, as the Broad Street Bullies won consecutive Stanley Cups in 1974-75. The Montreal Canadiens were the league’s most storied franchise, and on the cusp of another run of greatness. These two teams met in the 1976 Stanley Cup Finals, a series that might have been low on drama, but stands out in history as a changing-of-the-guard moment.

The 1982 New York Islanders Dynasty Survives A Near-Death Experience

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This post is part of a series of sports history articles commemorating under-the-radar teams and moments in a given year. The 1982 New York Islanders were the best team in hockey and looking to continue a dynastic run. But a huge underdog in the Pittsburgh Penguins nearly derailed them before the playoffs barely got started.