November 1, 2026
November 1, 2026
1989-1990 Edmonton Oilers: A Dynasty’s End
The end of the 1980s saw center Wayne Gretzky traded to the Los Angeles Kings, but the Edmonton Oilers stayed determined to show the rest of the National Hockey League that they were still a team to be reckoned with. The Oilers still had enough firepower to take down any team at any time, and as the 1989-1990 campaign unfolded, it was clear that they remained a formidable team.
The 1989-1990 Edmonton Oilers went 38-28-14, finishing in 2nd place in the Smythe Division, only 9 points behind the Calgary Flames. The Oilers went 23-11-6 on their home ice at the Northlands Coliseum and 15-17-8 on the road. In head-to-head play, the Oilers went 6-1-1 against the Vancouver Canucks, 5-3 against the Winnipeg Jets, 4-2-2 against the Los Angeles Kings, 3-0 against the Minnesota North Stars and Quebec Nordiques, 2-0-1 against the St. Louis Blues, and 2-1 against the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.
Center Mark Messier became captain of the Oilers in the post-Gretzky era, and he had 45 goals and 84 assists for 129 points, with 13 power play goals, 34 power play assists, 6 short-handed goals and 3 game-winning goals on 211 shots. Right winger Glenn Anderson had 34 goals and 38 assists for 72 points, with 17 power play goals, 12 power play assists and 7 game-winning goals on 204 shots. Right winger Jari Kurri served as an assistant captain and had 33 goals and 60 assists for 93 points, with 10 power play goals and 19 power play assists on 201 shots.
Center Esa Tikkanen had 30 goals and 33 assists for 63 points, with 15 power play assists and 6 game-winning goals on 199 shots. Left winger Craig Simpson had 29 goals and 32 assists for 61 points, with 11 power play assists on 129 shots. Left winger Petr Klima had 25 goals and 28 assists for 53 points, with 11 power play assists on 149 shots. Center Craig MacTavish had 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points, with 6 short-handed goals and 5 game-winning goals on 109 shots. Left winger Martin Gelinas had 17 goals and 8 assists in 46 games. Center Mark Lamb had 12 goals and 16 assists in 58 games. Center Vladimir Ruzicka had 11 goals and 6 assists in 25 games.
Bill Ranford stepped up in goal for Edmonton. Ranford went 24-16-9, allowing 165 goals on 1,463 shots in 3,107 minutes, recording 1,298 saves, an .887 save percentage, a 3.19 goals against average and 1 shutout. Grant Fuhr went 9-7-3, allowing 70 goals on 532 shots in 1,081 minutes, recording 462 saves, an .868 save percentage, a 3.89 goals against average and 1 shutout. Eldon Wade “Pokey” Reddick went 5-4-2, allowing 31 goals on 283 shots in 604 minutes, recording 252 saves, an .890 save percentage and a 3.08 goals against average.
The 1990 playoffs opened with the Edmonton Oilers facing the Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division Semifinals. In Game 1 on April 4 at the Northlands Coliseum, the Oilers lost 7-5. The Oilers came back to win Game 2 on April 6 in overtime by a score of 3-2. Left wingers Brent Ashton and Paul Fenton each scored a goal for Winnipeg, while Craig Simpson and right winger Joe Murphy each scored a goal for Edmonton. Mark Lamb scored the game-winning goal in overtime and added an assist.
The Jets took Game 3 by a score of 2-1 on April 8 at the Winnipeg Arena, and then won Game 4 in double overtime, 4-3, on April 10. Back at home for Game 5 on April 12, the Oilers won 4-3. Ashton, right winger Greg Paslawski and center Thomas Steen each scored 1 goal for Winnipeg. For Edmonton, Lamb had 1 goal, Tikkanen had 1 goal and 1 assist, and Simpson had 1 goal and 2 assists. Mark Messier had the game-winning goal and an assist.
In Game 6 on April 14 at the Winnipeg Arena, the Oilers won 4-3. The Jets had goals from left wingers Doug Smail and Doug Evans and right winger Mark Kumpel. Messier and Tikkanen each had 1 goal and 1 assist for the Oilers, while defenseman Randy Gregg had 1 goal and Jari Kurri had the game-winning goal and an assist.
In the deciding Game 7, the Oilers beat the Jets 4-1 at the Northlands Coliseum on April 16 to send Winnipeg home. Steen had the only Winnipeg goal, while Anderson, Lamb, Kurri and Tikkanen all scored for Edmonton.
The Smythe Division Finals carried extra weight for the Oilers and their fans, as Edmonton faced the Los Angeles Kings, Wayne Gretzky’s new team. In Game 1 on April 18 at the Northlands Coliseum, the Oilers blanked the Kings 7-0. Anderson, Kurri and Messier scored 1 goal each. Martin Gelinas and Joe Murphy each had 1 goal and 1 assist, and Esa Tikkanen scored 2 goals.
In Game 2 on April 20, the Oilers stomped the Kings 6-1. The only Los Angeles goal was scored by left winger and center Chris Kontos. The Oilers had goals from Gelinas, Kurri, Lamb, Craig MacTavish and Tikkanen, and Craig Simpson scored 2 goals.
Moving to the Great Western Forum for Game 3 on April 22, the Oilers narrowly beat the Kings 5-4. Wayne Gretzky scored a goal for the Kings, along with defenseman Larry Robinson, center Todd Elik and right winger Tomas Sandstrom. The Oilers countered with goals from defenseman Reijo Ruotsalainen and Petr Klima. Craig Simpson again scored 2 goals, and left winger Adam Graves scored the game-winning goal for Edmonton and added an assist.
In stunning fashion, the Oilers completed a four-game sweep of the Kings with a 6-5 overtime victory in Game 4 on April 24. The Kings got 1 goal each from right wingers Keith Crowder and Bob Kudelski and left wingers Luc Robitaille, John Tonelli and Mike Allison. Edmonton got 1 goal and 2 assists each from Anderson, Messier and Simpson, while Lamb and Tikkanen scored 1 goal each. Murphy scored the game-winning goal.
The Campbell Conference Finals pitted the Oilers against the Chicago Blackhawks. In Game 1 on May 2 at the Northlands Coliseum, the Oilers beat the Blackhawks 5-2. Chicago’s goals came from right wingers Steve Larmer and Wayne Presley. Defenseman Steve Smith scored 2 goals for Edmonton, while Messier, Lamb and MacTavish each scored 1 goal.
The Blackhawks won Game 2 by a score of 4-3 on May 4, and then won Game 3 on May 6 at Chicago Stadium, 5-1. Needing to bounce back, the Oilers did just that by winning Game 4 on May 8 by a score of 4-2. Chicago’s goals came from center Jeremy Roenick and left winger Denis Savard, while Messier scored 2 goals for Edmonton and Anderson and Simpson chipped in with goals of their own.
The Oilers then won Game 5 on May 10 at the Northlands Coliseum by a score of 4-3. Savard, defenseman Steve Konroyd and center Troy Murray scored for Chicago, while Graves, Gregg and Simpson scored for Edmonton. Kurri scored the game-winning goal for the Oilers.
The Oilers then pounded the Blackhawks 8-4 in Game 6 on May 12 at Chicago Stadium to advance. Chicago’s goals came from Roenick, center Adam Creighton, left winger Steve Thomas and defenseman Trent Yawney. The scoring parade was on for Edmonton, with goals from Anderson, Graves, Klima, Messier, Murphy, Simpson, Smith and Tikkanen.
The 1990 Stanley Cup Finals were the last hurdle for the Oilers, who faced the Boston Bruins. In Game 1 on May 15 at the Boston Garden, the Oilers defeated the Bruins 3-2 in triple overtime. Defenseman Ray Bourque carried the Bruins as far as he could, scoring both of Boston’s goals. Glenn Anderson and Adam Graves scored for Edmonton, and then Petr Klima scored the long-awaited game-winning goal.
The Oilers then crushed the Bruins 7-2 in Game 2 on May 18. Bourque again scored a goal for Boston and added an assist, while defenseman Greg Hawgood also scored. Jari Kurri had 3 goals and 2 assists for Edmonton, while Tikkanen had 1 goal and 2 assists. Murphy had 1 goal and 2 assists, while Graves and Simpson also scored 1 goal each.
The Bruins got their only win of the series in Game 3 on May 20 at the Northlands Coliseum by a score of 2-1. In Game 4 on May 22, the Oilers beat the Bruins 5-1. The only Boston goal belonged to left winger John Carter. Anderson and Simpson each had 2 goals and 2 assists for Edmonton, while Tikkanen added another goal.
The 1989-1990 Edmonton Oilers finished the job and won their 5th Stanley Cup in 7 years, defeating the Bruins 4-1 in Game 5 on May 24 at the Boston Garden. The only Boston goal came from right winger Lyndon Byers, while Edmonton’s goals came from Anderson, Murphy, Simpson and Smith. For his outstanding play in net, Bill Ranford was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The Oilers’ dynasty era, which began with Wayne Gretzky, was finished by Mark Messier and the rest of his crew. 1990 marked the Edmonton Oilers’ last Stanley Cup win, and they would not return to the Stanley Cup Finals until 2006.
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