1986 Oilers Day By Day
@oilersdaybyday
Live tweeting, 40 years ago to the day, the Edmonton Oilers journey from the WHA to the NHL.
1985-86 season review, #26 Mike Krushelnyski. Year 2 of the Krusher era didn't go nearly as well as Year 1, as his goal total went from 43 down to 16, his plus-minus from +60 to +11, and from the all-star game to not. Part of trade rumors. But his long reach and size still work:
News for July 20-22: - Oiler Ray Cote has been invited to the Canadian Olympic team - A young, world-class defender named Frank Musil has defected and will join North Stars - they're calling him the Wayne Gretzky of Jr Lacrosse: John Tavares - Penguins least valued team, at $10M
Next up in our review of every team's top prospects, the Penguins, who took creative d-man Zarley Zalapski #4 overall. They also took Ken Hitchcock's protege Rob Brown in Kamloops, and useful Dave McLlwain and Jeff Daniels from the OHL, who should give them 400-500 NHL GP.
Week 4 CFL highlights, where West >> East as usual. You'll see Matt Dunigan, Brian Kelly, Stewart Hill, Ken Hobart, Rocky Dipietro, Rick Johnson, Jan Carinci and Al Bruno in these clips:
Next up, the Devils, who added Neil Brady of the Medicine Hat Tigers #3 overall. Further down, they drafted super tough-guy Troy Crowder and hard-working Kevin Todd. They also took goalie Frederic Chabot, but looking at the existing pipeline, goalies they do not need.
Next up, the top prospects to the LA Kings, who added Jimmy Carson #2 overall to go with another high-scoring QMJHL star, Luc Robitaille. Free agent d-man Steve Duchesne rounds out a top 3 that could have an impact in 1986-87.
1985-86 season review, #22 Charlie Huddy. Still the best defensive compliment to play with Coffey, Huddy was down to 41 pts and +28, shooting just 4% in 76 GP. Missed time in the playoffs and had 2 assists in 7 GP. Not a year to remember but still a valuable Oiler:
All the other teams' top prospects, starting with the Red Wings. They've added #1 overall pick Joe Murphy, and after that Adam Graves to list of solid if unspectacular youth. Last summer's college UFA signing experiment was a bust, Adam Oates did not have much impact.
Mike Tyson, no longer a teenager as of last week, took on an optimistic Lorenzo Boyd last night:
1985-86 season review, #21 Randy Gregg. Once again hit with injuries, and could only dress for 64 games. Shot 3.6%, just 2 goals but finished at +31. Came out strongly *against* mandatory player drug testing after the SI cocaine scandal, saying other professions don't do this.
And here is that 100m race, from Lenin Stadium in Moscow:
News for July-10-86: - Lee Fogolin says teen draft picks under way more pressure now than when he was young. Rushed = ruined - Ben Johnson destroys Carl Lewis at Goodwill Games, posts 9.95, 2nd fastest ever - Jays & Expos both 10½ games back - Oilers ticket prices staying same
The Oilers have acquired MURRAY EAVES from the Jets, for nothing. More AHL depth. Meanwhile the AHL will now follow the IHL and have OT games decided by a shootout, saying they will give the loser 1 pt in the standings. AHL avg attendance hit lowest since 1973-74 at 3366 fans.
Jersey #20 was worn by Billy Carroll, then reclaimed by Dave Lumley after Carroll was traded to the Red Wings. He played 46 games in 1985-86 which he says was 46 more than expected. Future with the club is unknown now.
Edmonton Oilers top prospects, post-draft. With Tikkanen and Steve Smith having graduated from last year's list, I deem Jeff Beukeboom as the top prospect heading into 1986-87. Kelly Buchberger's stats may not look like much, but I like his style. The rest, may have to wait.
Continuing numerically, #19 was worn by Mike Rogers in 1985-86. First a WHA Oiler in 1973-74, he spent most of his career with the Whalers and then Rangers before making an astonishing return on Dec 20, 1985. Fittingly his final NHL goal was set up by ex-WHAers Napier & Semenko.
1985-86 season review, #18 Mark Napier. Useful, hard-working player with 24 goals and 56 pts, yet found himself in the doghouse a bit with Sather, not scoring in first 11 games. Only scored 1 goal in playoffs, and currently without a contract:
That set of Provigo Montreal Expos cards includes Youppi playing the saxophone
It's July 3rd and no free agents have signed yet. Gilbert Perreault is the biggest prize out there, with the Oilers, Habs & Nordiques interested. Randy Gregg & Mark Napier are without contract, but any signing team would need to give up draft picks. Lysiak & Gare also available.
No Oilers news today. But for the Stanley Cup champion Habs, LARRY ROBINSON, 35, says he's willing to play one more season. He had 82 pts in 79 GP, so why not? Your top batters in the NL and AL are Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs. Hubie Brooks & Tim Raines are having strong years.
1985-86 season review, #17 Jari Kurri. For Canada Day, you're looking at the first non-Canadian to lead the NHL in goals, and he did so with 68 goals, seven more than Bossy. 5th in voting for the Selke. You can see him covering his man in the United Way commercial:
Later picks in the draft include a kid from the same town as the Stastny's, Ivan Matulik, who would need to defect. Goalie Mike Greenlay, and the first ever British draftee, Tony Hand, who was scouted by (teammate) Garry Unger. The Flames wanted him, but oh, they won't have him.
Oilers land former 1st round draft pick! That would be ALFIE TURCOTTE, all 5'9 170 lbs of him, from the Habs, in exchange for nothing. Slats wants more depth at C. This was Serge Savard's first trade since being named to the Hall of Frame, along with Dave Keon & Leo Boivin.
Jersey #16 was worn this season for 4 games by a nice young man named Selmar Odelein. Previously, this number has been worn by: Dan Newman 1980 Bobby Schmautz 1980 Pat Hughes 1981-1985
Jersey #15 was worn by Mike Moller for one game, and Jeff Brubaker for 4 games. He had 1 goal and two fights, and here are those fights, with music from "The Outfield":
CFL '86. The Eskimos opened their season with a last-second TD pass from Matt Dunigan to Stephan Jones at McMahon Stadium last night. It left the Stamps' coaches LITERALLY SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS in the 21-20 loss for them.
The best player taken in the 5th round may well be Johan Garpenlov, by the Red Wings. The Islanders took a hard-luck, oftened injured youngster named Todd McLellan. While the Oilers selected low-scoring David Haas, LW. In the 6th round they took low-scoring D-man JIM ENNIS of Boston College.
1985-86 season review, #14 Craig MacTavish. Showing no rust after a year away from the game, scored in his first game as an Oiler and regularly though the season. 4 goals vs Flames in the playoffs. Checking, grinding, showing soft hands, this guy does it all.
