1983-84 NHL season

The 1983-84 NHL season was the 67th season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-one teams each played 80 games. The Edmonton Oilers de-throned the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders four games to one in the Cup finals.
Not since World War II travel restrictions caused the NHL to drop regular season overtime games in 1942-43 had the NHL used overtime to decide regular season games. Starting this season, the NHL introduced a five minute extra period of overtime following the third period in the event of a tied game. If the game remained tied after the five minute extra period, it remained a tie, until the NHL shootout arrived in the 2005-06 season. Overtime in the Stanley Cup playoffs remained unchanged.
==Regular Season==
The Edmonton Oilers ran away with the best record in the league, and for the third straight year set a new record for most goals in a season, 446. The Oilers' new captain Wayne Gretzky was once again breaking records and re-writing the record book with his name. This season saw Gretzky score at least one point in the first 51 games of the season, a mark that is often compared to Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak in Major League Baseball. During those 51 games, Gretzky had 61 goals and 92 assists for 153 points, which is exactly three points a game. He also won his fifth straight Hart Trophy and his fourth straight Art Ross Trophy.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Paul Coffey becomes the third defenseman to score 100 points in a season.
The Calgary Flames play their inaugural season at the Olympic Saddledome (later the Canadian Airlines Saddledome, now the Pengrowth Saddledome).
Prior to the season, the St. Louis Blues were purchased by Harry Ornest, keeping the team from moving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and remaining in the Missouri city, where it remains to this date.
===Final Standings===
====Prince of Wales Conference====
====Clarence Campbell Conference====
===Scoring Leaders===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Wayne Gretzky 	Edmonton Oilers 	74	87	118	205	39
Paul Coffey 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	40	86 	126	104
Michel Goulet 	Quebec Nordiques 	75	56	65 	121	76
Peter Stastny 	Quebec Nordiques 	80	46	73 	119	73
Mike Bossy 	New York Islanders	76	51	67 	118	8
Barry Pederson	Boston Bruins 	80	39	77 	116	64
Jari Kurri 	Edmonton Oilers 	64	52	61 	113	14
Bryan Trottier	New York Islanders	68	40	71 	111	59
Bernie Federko	St. Louis Blues 	79	41	66 	107	43
Rick Middleton	Boston Bruins 	80	47	58 	105	14
===Leading Goaltenders===
Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
Player 	Team 	GP	MIN 	GA 	GAA 	W 	L 	T	SO
Pat Riggin 	Washington Capitals	41	2299	102	2.66	21	14	2	4
Tom Barrasso 	Buffalo Sabres 	42	2475	117	2.84	26	12	3	2
Al Jensen 	Washington Capitals	43	2414	117	2.91	25	13	3	4
Doug Keans 	Boston Bruins 	33	1779	92 	3.10	19	8 	3	2
Bob Froese 	Philadelphia Flyers	48	2863	150	3.14	28	13	7	2
Pete Peeters 	Boston Bruins 	50	2868	151	3.16	29	16	2	0
Dan Bouchard 	Quebec Nordiques 	57	3373	180	3.20	29	18	8	1
Roland Melanson 	N.Y. Islanders 	37	2019	110	3.27	20	11	2	0
Richard Sevigny 	Montreal Canadiens 	40	2203	124	3.38	16	18	2	1
Murray Bannerman	Chicago Black Hawks	56	3335	188	3.38	23	29	4	2
==Stanley Cup Playoffs==
===Playoff Bracket===
===Finals===
Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders
Away 	Score 	Home 	Score 	Notes
Edmonton 	1 	New York 	0 	
Edmonton 	1 	New York 	6 	
New York 	2 	Edmonton 	7 	
New York 	2 	Edmonton 	7 	
New York 	2 	Edmonton 	5 	
Edmonton wins series 4–1 and Stanley Cup
Mark Messier (Edmonton) wins Conn Smythe Trophy
==NHL Awards==
Prince of Wales Trophy: 	New York Islanders
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: 	Edmonton Oilers
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: 	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:	Brad Park, Detroit Red Wings
Calder Memorial Trophy: 	Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres
Conn Smythe Trophy: 	Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers
Frank J. Selke Trophy: 	Doug Jarvis, Washington Capitals
Hart Memorial Trophy: 	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Jack Adams Award: 	Bryan Murray, Washington Capitals
James Norris Memorial Trophy: 	Rod Langway, Washington Capitals
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 	Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
Lester B. Pearson Award: 	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
NHL Plus/Minus Award: 	Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
William M. Jennings Trophy: 	Al Jensen/Pat Riggin, Washington Capitals
Vezina Trophy: 	Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres
Lester Patrick Trophy: 	John A. Ziegler, Jr., Arthur Howie Ross
==All-Star Teams==
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres 	G 	Pat Riggin, Washington Capitals
Rod Langway, Washington Capitals	D 	Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers
Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins 	D 	Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers 	C 	Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
Mike Bossy, New York Islanders 	RW 	Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers
Michel Goulet, Quebec Nordiques 	LW 	Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers
==Debuts==
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1983-84 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
*Geoff Courtnall, Boston Bruins
*Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres
*Hakan Loob, Calgary Flames
*Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
*Sylvain Turgeon, Hartford Whalers
*Bob Rouse, Minnesota North Stars
*Brian Lawton, Minnesota North Stars
*Dirk Graham, Minnesota North Stars
*Chris Chelios, Montreal Canadiens
*Claude Lemieux, Montreal Canadiens
*John MacLean, New Jersey Devils
*Ken Daneyko, New Jersey Devils
*Patrick Flatley, New York Islanders
*Kelly Hrudey, New York Islanders
*Pat LaFontaine, New York Islanders
*Peter Sundstrom, New York Rangers
*James Patrick, New York Rangers
*Marty McSorley, Pittsburgh Penguins
*Doug Gilmour, St. Louis Blues
*Russ Courtnall, Toronto Maple Leafs
*Doug Lidster, Vancouver Canucks
*Cam Neely, Vancouver Canucks
==Last Games==
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1983-84 (listed with their last team):
*Guy Lapointe, Boston Bruins
*Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks
*Rick MacLeish, Detroit Red Wings
*Billy Harris, Los Angeles Kings
*Blaine Stoughton, New York Rangers
*Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers
*Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
*Guy Chouinard, St. Louis Blues
*Michel Larocque, St. Louis Blues
*Dale McCourt, Toronto Maple Leafs
*Darcy Rota, Vancouver Canucks
==See Also==
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* 1983 NHL Entry Draft
* 36th National Hockey League All-Star Game
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
* NHL All-Rookie Team
==References==
*Hockey Database
*NHL.com