1981–82 Edmonton Oilers season

The 1981–82 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' 3rd season in the NHL, as they finished with a franchise record 48 wins and 111 points, and won the Smythe Division for the first time in team history. The Oilers set an NHL record win 417 goals, the first time in NHL history that a team finished with over 400 goals.
==Regular Season==
Wayne Gretzky continued rewriting the record books, scoring an NHL record 92 goals, which included 50 goals in 39 games, also an NHL record. Gretzky's 212 points was also a record, and it was the first time in NHL history that a player had over 200 points, as he would win his 3rd Hart Trophy and his 2nd Art Ross Trophy.
Mark Messier broke the 50 goal plateau for the first time in his career, while Glenn Anderson got 105 points. Paul Coffey led the defense with 89 points.
In goal, Grant Fuhr became the starting goalie and broke the Oilers franchise record for wins in a season with 28. He would also lead the club with a 3.31 GAA and a .898 save percentage.
Going into the playoffs, the Oilers faced the Los Angeles Kings and after splitting the first 2 games, the Oilers held a 5–0 lead on the Kings heading into the 3rd period of game 3. Los Angeles came back to tie the game 5–5, before completing the comeback with an overtime goal, taking a 2–1 series lead. Edmonton came back to tie the series in game 4, but the Kings eliminated Edmonton in game 5, shocking the hockey world, and ending the Oilers season a lot sooner than expected.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 7 	Colorado Rockies 	4–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–0–0 	2
2 	October 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–6 	Vancouver Canucks 	1–1–0 	2
3 	October 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–4 	Los Angeles Kings 	2–1–0 	4
4 	October 14 	Winnipeg Jets 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2–0 	4
5 	October 16 	Calgary Flames 	4–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–2–0 	6
6 	October 18 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3–0 	6
7 	October 20 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–4 	Calgary Flames 	4–3–0 	8
8 	October 21 	Hartford Whalers 	2–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3–0 	10
9 	October 23 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	3–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–3–0 	12
10	October 24 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–1 	Colorado Rockies 	7–3–0 	14
11	October 27 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	New York Islanders 	7–4–0 	14
12	October 28 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	New York Rangers 	8–4–0 	16
13	October 31 	Quebec Nordiques 	4–11 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–4–0 	18
14	November 4 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	10–4–0 	20
15	November 7 	Colorado Rockies 	5–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	10–5–0 	20
16	November 11	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Hartford Whalers 	10–5–1 	21
17	November 12	Edmonton Oilers 	2–5 	Boston Bruins 	10–6–1 	21
18	November 14	Edmonton Oilers 	5–5 	New York Islanders 	10–6–2 	22
19	November 15	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	New York Rangers 	11–6–2 	24
20	November 17	Edmonton Oilers 	5–1 	St. Louis Blues 	12–6–2 	26
21	November 18	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Minnesota North Stars	12–6–3 	27
22	November 21	Vancouver Canucks 	3–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–6–3 	29
23	November 23	Detroit Red Wings 	4–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–6–3 	31
24	November 25	Los Angeles Kings 	4–11 	Edmonton Oilers 	15–6–3 	33
25	November 27	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	16–6–3 	35
26	November 29	Edmonton Oilers 	10–2 	Winnipeg Jets 	17–6–3 	37
27	December 1 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	Montreal Canadiens 	17–6–4 	38
28	December 2 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–9 	Quebec Nordiques 	17–7–4 	38
29	December 4 	Vancouver Canucks 	3–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–7–4 	40
30	December 5 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	Vancouver Canucks 	18–7–5 	41
31	December 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–5 	Los Angeles Kings 	18–7–6 	42
32	December 13	New York Islanders 	3–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	19–7–6 	44
33	December 16	Edmonton Oilers 	7–4 	Colorado Rockies 	20–7–6 	46
34	December 17	Edmonton Oilers 	5–4 	Calgary Flames 	21–7–6 	48
35	December 19	Minnesota North Stars	6–9 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–7–6 	50
36	December 20	Calgary Flames 	7–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–8–6 	50
37	December 23	Vancouver Canucks 	1–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–8–6 	52
38	December 27	Los Angeles Kings 	3–10 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–8–6 	54
39	December 30	Philadelphia Flyers 	5–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	25–8–6 	56
40	December 31	Edmonton Oilers 	1–3 	Vancouver Canucks 	25–9–6 	56
41	January 2 	Boston Bruins 	4–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	25–9–7 	57
42	January 6 	Colorado Rockies 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	26–9–7 	59
43	January 9 	Calgary Flames 	2–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	27–9–7 	61
44	January 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–5 	Calgary Flames 	27–10–7 	61
45	January 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–6 	Washington Capitals 	27–10–8 	62
46	January 14 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–8 	Philadelphia Flyers 	27–11–8 	62
47	January 16 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–7 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	27–12–8 	62
48	January 17 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Detroit Red Wings 	27–12–9 	63
49	January 20 	St. Louis Blues 	6–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	28–12–9 	65
50	January 22 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Vancouver Canucks 	29–12–9 	67
51	January 24 	Colorado Rockies 	4–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	30–12–9 	69
52	January 26 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–4 	St. Louis Blues 	31–12–9 	71
53	January 27 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	31–12–10	72
54	January 29 	Buffalo Sabres 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	32–12–10	74
55	January 31 	Philadelphia Flyers 	4–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	33–12–10	76
56	February 3 	Montreal Canadiens 	6–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	33–13–10	76
57	February 6 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	1–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	34–13–10	78
58	February 7 	New York Rangers 	4–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	35–13–10	80
59	February 12	Washington Capitals 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	36–13–10	82
60	February 14	Boston Bruins 	2–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	36–13–11	83
61	February 17	Minnesota North Stars	4–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	37–13–11	85
62	February 19	Hartford Whalers 	4–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	38–13–11	87
63	February 21	Edmonton Oilers 	7–3 	Detroit Red Wings 	39–13–11	89
64	February 24	Edmonton Oilers 	6–3 	Buffalo Sabres 	40–13–11	91
65	February 27	Edmonton Oilers 	4–1 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	41–13–11	93
66	February 28	Edmonton Oilers 	4–1 	Washington Capitals 	42–13–11	95
67	March 2 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Montreal Canadiens 	42–13–12	96
68	March 3 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–6 	Quebec Nordiques 	42–14–12	96
69	March 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–5 	Colorado Rockies 	42–15–12	96
70	March 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Los Angeles Kings 	42–16–12	96
71	March 12 	Buffalo Sabres 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	42–17–12	96
72	March 13 	Vancouver Canucks 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	43–17–12	98
73	March 15 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	43–17–13	99
74	March 17 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	4–10 	Edmonton Oilers 	44–17–13	101
75	March 19 	Calgary Flames 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	44–17–14	102
76	March 25 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–2 	Calgary Flames 	45–17–14	104
77	March 26 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–6 	Colorado Rockies 	45–17–15	105
78	March 28 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–2 	Los Angeles Kings 	46–17–15	107
79	March 31 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	47–17–15	109
80	April 4 	Winnipeg Jets 	1–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	48–17–15	111
==Playoffs==
=== Los Angeles Kings 3, Edmonton Oilers 2 ===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	April 7 	Los Angeles Kings	10–8 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1
2	April 8 	Los Angeles Kings	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1
3	April 10	Edmonton Oilers 	5–6 	Los Angeles Kings	1–2
4	April 12	Edmonton Oilers 	3–2 	Los Angeles Kings	2–2
5	April 13	Los Angeles Kings	7–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3
==Season Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky 	80	92	120	212	26
Glenn Anderson	80	38	67 	105	71
Paul Coffey 	80	29	60 	89 	106
Mark Messier 	78	50	38 	88 	119
Jari Kurri 	71	32	54 	86 	32
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L	T 	GA 	SO	Save %	GAA
Grant Fuhr	48	2847	28	5	14	157	0 	.898 	3.31
Ron Low 	29	1554	17	7	1 	100	0 	.874 	3.86
Andy Moog 	8 	399 	3 	5	0 	32 	0 	.842 	4.81
==Playoff stats==
===Scoring leaders===
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky 	5 	5	7	12 	8
Glenn Anderson	5 	2	5	7 	8
Jari Kurri 	5 	2	5	7 	10
Risto Siltanen	5 	3	2	5 	10
Dave Lumley 	5 	2	1	3 	21
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	Save %	GAA
Grant Fuhr	5 	309	2	3	26	0 	N/A 	5.05
 
 
==Awards and Records==
*Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
*Associated Press Athlete of the Year: Wayne GretzkyAssociated Press Athlete of the Year (male)
*Hart Memorial Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
*Lou Marsh Trophy: Wayne Gretzky
*Lester B. Pearson Award: Wayne Gretzky
*NHL Plus/Minus Award: Wayne Gretzky
*Wayne Gretzky, Center, NHL First Team All-Star
*Mark Messier, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
*Paul Coffey, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star
==Transactions==
====Trades====
August 10, 1981 	To Los Angeles Kings5th round pick in 1983 - Garry Galley	To Edmonton OilersJay McFarlane
August 21, 1981 	To Minnesota North StarsDon Murdoch 	To Edmonton OilersDon Jackson*3rd round pick in 1982 - Wally Chapman
December 11, 1981	To New York RangersEddie Mio 	To Edmonton OilersLance Nethery
March 9, 1982 	To Colorado RockiesStan Weir 	To Edmonton OilersEd Cooper
March 9, 1982 	To Toronto Maple LeafsWalt PoddubnyPhil Drouillard 	To Edmonton OilersLaurie Boschman
March 9, 1982 	To Washington CapitalsDoug Hicks 	To Edmonton OilersTodd Bidner
* Later traded to the Minnesota North Stars
====Draft Picks====
Edmonton's draft picks at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	8 	Grant Fuhr 	 	Victoria Cougars (WHL)
2 	29 	Todd Strueby 	 	Regina Pats (WHL)
4 	71 	Paul Houck 	 	Kelowna Buckaroos (BCJHL)
5 	92 	Phil Drouillard	 	Niagara Falls Flyers (OHL)
6 	111	Steve Smith 	 	London Knights (OHL)
7 	132	Marc Habscheid 	 	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
8 	155	Mike Sturgeon 	 	Kelowna Buckaroos (BCJHL)
9 	176	Miloslav Horava	 	Kladno Poldi (Czech.)
10 	197	Gord Sherven 	 	Weyburn Beavers (SSHL)
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
 
Category:Edmonton Oilers seasons
Edmonton Oilers season, 1981–82
Edmonton Oilers season, 1981–82