Comparing the 2010 Caps to the '83-84 Oilers

by S h a g g y on Mar 12, 2010 10:42 AM EST

There may be better comparisons but with the depth of scoring, platoon goaltending, and each team laying claim to the best player in the world, it is really fun to compare these stats. Suffice it to say, comparing the scoring back then to now is like comparing Tipper Gore to Caligula: the orgy of goal-scoring was shared throughout the league.

The Oilers played in the Smythe Division, named for Conn Smythe whose trophy shall soon grace (bold prediction here) Nick Backstrom's mantle.

Season standings 1983-1984

Smythe Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PTS
Calgary Flames	80	34	32	14	311	314	82
Edmonton Oilers	80	57	18	5	446	314	119
Los Angeles Kings	80	23	44	13	309	376	59
Vancouver Canucks	80	32	39	9	306	328	73
Winnipeg Jets	80	31	38	11	340	374	73

The Oilers scored an incredible 446 goals, the Caps will approach 325 or so, and will lead the rest of the league by a wide margin.

Every team in the division scored well over 300 goals, and this was not a great division, my friends. The Kings had a whopping 59 points and scored 309 goals while giving up a mindboggling 376 goals. The worst team in the league this season is the Maple Leafs; they will likely surrender 100 fewer goals than that.

Regular season

Scoring leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky	74	87	118	205	39
Paul Coffey	80	40	86	126	104
Jari Kurri	64	52	61	113	14
Mark Messier	73	37	64	101	165
Glenn Anderson	80	54	45	99	65

I have nothing to add to this. It is stunning. Jari Kurri missed 16 games and scored 113 points. Gretzky added another 35 points in the playoffs.

The real eye-popper is the goal tending; how about these numbers:

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Andy Moog	38	2212	27	8	1	139	1	.882	3.77
Grant Fuhr	45	2625	30	10	4	171	1	.883	3.91

You'll never complain again about Three-or-more after reading those stats!!! Moog and Fuhr's numbers tightened up considerable in the playoffs, of course.

Just thought it was fun to read up on that.

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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You’ll never complain again about Three-or-more after reading those stats!!!

Very different eras. In 83-84 only one goalie have a save percentage over .900 and .890 was good enough to get you in the top five. Moog and Fuhr were both in the average-to-slightly above average range.

by David Getz on Mar 12, 2010 10:55 AM EST reply actions

Tongue is surgically attached in cheek.

by S h a g g y on Mar 12, 2010 11:02 AM EST up reply actions

Early 1980s Hockey...

Where every team (including the Caps) would hit double figures…

Then the Devils came along and ruined it for everyone…

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Mar 12, 2010 11:00 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

damn Devils.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
The Blood Cult of Matt Bradley. Tune in Wednesday when Japers Rink offers their first burnt offering to Matt Bradley to give him an endless supply of the blood for his strident ways.

by RedBirdie on Mar 13, 2010 1:45 PM EST up reply actions

Excellent Comparison

The game is a lot different, but that Edmonton team is an excellent benchmark for this year’s Caps. While the game has changed in just about every way, that Oilers team and this year’s Caps are nearly identical in how they compare to the league averages for that season.

Goals Scored: Oilers were 41 percent above the league average. To date, the Caps are 40 percent above the league average.

Goals Against: Oilers were almost exactly equal to the league aveage, as are the Caps.

Save Percent: Oilers goalies had a .883 save percentage, the league average was .873
Caps have a .911 save percentage, the league average is .910

Biggest difference I see is that the Oilers penalty kill was 80 percent, better than the league average of 78. Think we all know where the Caps stack up here.

by Hangsleben's Heroes on Mar 12, 2010 1:09 PM EST reply actions 5 recs

rec for research

They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

by Bman21212 on Mar 12, 2010 5:29 PM EST up reply actions

There are plenty of similarities between the Oilers and this years’ Caps as many people have pointed out. There’ve been numerous comparisons between Green and Paul Coffey.

Rocking the Red since 1975

by CapsFan75 on Mar 13, 2010 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

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Southeast Standings

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Florida Litter Box Cats	55	27	17	11	65
Washington Japers' Rink	55	28	22	5	61
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