1995–96 Edmonton Oilers season

The 1995–96 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' 17th season in the NHL, and they were coming off a 17–27–4 record, earning 38 points, in the lockout shortened 1994–95 season, missing the playoffs for the 3rd straight season.
During the off-season, the Oilers and St. Louis Blues would complete a trade that saw Edmonton acquire goaltender Curtis Joseph and the rights of Mike Grier in exchange for a 1st round draft pick in both 1996 and 1997. Joseph and the Oilers could not come to a contract agreement, and he would start the season with the Las Vegas Thunder of the IHL. The Oilers also would bring back Glenn Anderson, whom they traded in 1991, as he signed as a free agent, however, he would be dealt to the Blues midway through the season.
As the Oilers would struggle badly early in the season, sitting with a 14–23–6 record at the time of the signing, the team and Joseph agreed to a contract in early January, and Edmonton would then trade their other #1 goaltender, Bill Ranford, to the Boston Bruins for Sean Brown, Mariusz Czerkawski and the Bruins 1st round pick in 1996. Edmonton would play better defensive hockey after the trade, as Joseph would post a 15–16–2 record, however, it was not enough for the Oilers to make the playoffs, as they finished 10 points behind the 8th place Winnipeg Jets.
Offensively, Doug Weight became the first Oiler since Mark Messier in 1989–90 to reach the 100 point plateau, as Weight would record 104 points. Zdeno Ciger scored a team high 31 goals, while Jason Arnott scored 28 goals and 59 points despite missing 18 games due to injuries. Boris Mironov led the defense with 32 points, while fellow blueliner Jeff Norton would earn 20 points in 30 games after being acquired from St. Louis.
In goal, Bill Ranford would get most of the action until early January, winning 13 games and posting a 3.84 GAA, then Curtis Joseph stepped in and led the Oilers in wins at 15, and posted a team best 3.44 GAA.
==Season standings==
==Game log==
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 8 	Detroit Red Wings 	3–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1–0 	0
2 	October 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5 	St. Louis Blues 	0–2–0 	0
3 	October 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–9 	Detroit Red Wings 	0–3–0 	0
4 	October 15 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–7 	Philadelphia Flyers 	0–4–0 	0
5 	October 17 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–1 	New Jersey Devils 	1–4–0 	2
6 	October 18 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4 	Buffalo Sabres 	1–5–0 	2
7 	October 21 	Vancouver Canucks 	4–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–5–0 	4
8 	October 22 	San Jose Sharks 	1–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–5–1 	5
9 	October 27 	Winnipeg Jets 	5–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5–1 	7
10	October 31 	New Jersey Devils 	1–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5–1 	9
11	November 1 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	Vancouver Canucks 	4–5–2 	10
12	November 4 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5–3 	11
13	November 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–4 	Detroit Red Wings 	4–6–3 	11
14	November 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–2 	Florida Panthers 	4–7–3 	11
15	November 10	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	5–7–3 	13
16	November 12	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Chicago Blackhawks 	5–7–4 	14
17	November 14	Edmonton Oilers 	2–4 	Calgary Flames 	5–8–4 	14
18	November 15	Montreal Canadiens 	4–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–9–4 	14
19	November 17	Detroit Red Wings 	5–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–10–4 	14
20	November 20	Colorado Avalanche 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–10–5 	15
21	November 22	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	0–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–10–5 	17
22	November 24	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Calgary Flames 	7–10–5 	19
23	November 26	Edmonton Oilers 	0–4 	Winnipeg Jets 	7–11–5 	19
24	November 28	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–12–5 	19
25	December 1 	Calgary Flames 	8–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–13–5 	19
26	December 2 	St. Louis Blues 	7–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	7–14–5 	19
27	December 5 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–6 	Vancouver Canucks 	7–15–5 	19
28	December 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–3 	Colorado Avalanche 	8–15–5 	21
29	December 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–2 	San Jose Sharks 	9–15–5 	23
30	December 10	Edmonton Oilers 	3–1 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	10–15–5	25
31	December 13	Vancouver Canucks 	2–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	10–15–6	26
32	December 15	Edmonton Oilers 	4–9 	Winnipeg Jets 	10–16–6	26
33	December 18	Ottawa Senators 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	11–16–6	28
34	December 20	Colorado Avalanche 	4–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	11–17–6	28
35	December 22	Edmonton Oilers 	3–6 	Washington Capitals 	11–18–6	28
36	December 23	Edmonton Oilers 	1–6 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	11–19–6	28
37	December 27	Philadelphia Flyers 	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	12–19–6	30
38	December 29	Los Angeles Kings 	4–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–19–6	32
39	December 30	New York Rangers 	8–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–20–6	32
40	January 3 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	5–0 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–21–6	32
41	January 5 	Florida Panthers 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–22–6	32
42	January 7 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–22–6	34
43	January 9 	Hartford Whalers 	5–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–23–6	34
44	January 13 	Buffalo Sabres 	4–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	15–23–6	36
45	January 16 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–1 	St. Louis Blues 	16–23–6	38
46	January 17 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Dallas Stars 	17–23–6	40
47	January 24 	Dallas Stars 	5–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–24–6	40
48	January 26 	New York Islanders 	1–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–24–6	42
49	January 30 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Calgary Flames 	18–25–6	42
50	January 31 	Chicago Blackhawks 	4–0 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–26–6	42
51	February 7 	Washington Capitals 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–27–6	42
52	February 9 	Vancouver Canucks 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–28–6	42
53	February 11	Calgary Flames 	2–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	19–28–6	44
54	February 14	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	20–28–6	46
55	February 16	Edmonton Oilers 	1–6 	Dallas Stars 	20–29–6	46
56	February 18	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4 	Chicago Blackhawks 	20–30–6	46
57	February 19	Edmonton Oilers 	5–7 	Colorado Avalanche 	20–31–6	46
58	February 21	Los Angeles Kings 	2–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	21–31–6	48
59	February 23	Boston Bruins 	7–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	21–32–6	48
60	February 25	Edmonton Oilers 	0–2 	New York Islanders 	21–33–6	48
61	February 27	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Boston Bruins 	22–33–6	50
62	February 28	Edmonton Oilers 	4–4 	Hartford Whalers 	22–33–7	51
63	March 1 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	5–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–34–7	51
64	March 3 	St. Louis Blues 	4–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–35–7	51
65	March 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Los Angeles Kings 	22–36–7	51
66	March 8 	San Jose Sharks 	2–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–36–7	53
67	March 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–3 	San Jose Sharks 	24–36–7	55
68	March 16 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Los Angeles Kings 	25–36–7	57
69	March 17 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–8 	Colorado Avalanche 	25–37–7	57
70	March 19 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–1 	New York Rangers 	26–37–7	59
71	March 21 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	26–38–7	59
72	March 23 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	27–38–7	61
73	March 24 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–2 	Ottawa Senators 	28–38–7	63
74	March 27 	Los Angeles Kings 	3–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	28–38–8	64
75	March 29 	Winnipeg Jets 	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	29–38–8	66
76	March 30 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	29–39–8	66
77	April 1 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–2 	Vancouver Canucks 	30–39–8	68
78	April 3 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	30–40–8	68
79	April 4 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–5 	San Jose Sharks 	30–41–8	68
80	April 8 	Calgary Flames 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	30–42–8	68
81	April 10 	Dallas Stars 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	30–43–8	68
82	April 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–6 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	30–44–8	68
==Season stats==
===Scoring leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Doug Weight 	82	25	79	104	95
Zdeno Ciger 	78	31	39	70 	41
Jason Arnott 	64	28	31	59 	87
David Oliver 	80	20	19	39 	34
Todd Marchant	81	19	19	38 	66
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	Save %	GAA
Fred Brathwaite	7 	293 	0 	2 	0	12 	0 	.914 	2.46
Curtis Joseph 	34	1936	15	16	2	111	0 	.886 	3.44
Joaquin Gage 	16	717 	2 	8 	1	45 	0 	.871 	3.77
Bill Ranford 	37	2015	13	18	5	128	1 	.875 	3.81
==Transactions==
====Trades====
August 4, 1995 	To St. Louis Blues1st round pick in 1996 - Marty Reasoner*1st round pick in 1997 - Matt Zutlek	To Edmonton OilersCurtis JosephMike Grier
August 24, 1995 	To Vancouver Canucks7th round pick in 1997 - Larry Shapley 	To Edmonton OilersBrett Hauer
December 4, 1995	To Toronto Maple LeafsPeter White4th round pick in 1996 - Jason Sessa 	To Edmonton OilersKent Manderville
January 4, 1996 	To St. Louis BluesKen SuttonIgor Kravchuk 	To Edmonton OilersJeff NortonDonald Dufresne
January 11, 1996	To Boston BruinsBill Ranford 	To Edmonton OilersMariusz CzerkawskiSean Brown1st round pick in 1996 - Matthieu Descoteaux
March 12, 1996 	To St. Louis BluesFuture considerations 	To Edmonton OilersDavid Roberts
March 20, 1996 	To Detroit Red WingsKirk Maltby 	To Edmonton OilersDan McGillis
*Later traded to the Los Angeles Kings
====Free agents====
{|class="wikitable"	
Player 	Former Team
F Rem Murray	Los Angeles Kings
====Draft picks====
Edmonton's draft picks at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	6 	Steve Kelly 	 	Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
2 	31 	Georges Laraque	 	St-Jean Lynx (QMJHL)
3 	57 	Lukas Zib 	 	Ceske Budejovice HC (Czech.)
4 	83 	Mike Minard 	 	Chilliwack Chiefs (BCJHL)
5 	109	Jan Snopek 	 	Oshawa Generals (OHL)
7 	161	Martin Cerven 	 	Dukla Trencin (Czech.)
8 	187	Stephen Douglas	 	Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL)
9 	213	Jiri Antonin 	 	Pardubice HC (Czech.)
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Edmonton Oilers seasons
Edmonton Oilers season, 1995–96
Edmonton Oilers season, 1995–96