2001–02 Edmonton Oilers season

The 2001–02 Edmonton Oilers season was the Oilers' 23rd season in the NHL, and they were coming off a 39–28–12–3 record in 2000–01, earning 93 points, the highest point total the Oilers had achieved since the 1987–88 season, when they earned 99 points. The Oilers would meet the Dallas Stars in the opening round of the playoffs, and lose in 6 games.
During the off-season, Edmonton traded Doug Weight to the St. Louis Blues, along with Michel Riesen for Marty Reasoner, Jochen Hecht and Jan Horacek. With the trading of the captain, the Oilers named defenceman Jason Smith the new captain of the club.
Despite the loss of Weight, the Oilers got off to a great start, and on December 16, they sat at the top of the Northwest Division with 43 points. Edmonton would then slump, going 9–16–7–1 in their next 33 games to drop them out of the playoff picture. The club would then go on a 9 game unbeaten streak, and despite finishing the year with a 38–28–12–4 record, good for 90 points, they would miss the playoffs for the first time since 1996, finishing 2 points behind the 8th place Vancouver Canucks.
Offensively, Edmonton-born Mike Comrie led the club with 33 goals and 60 points, while Anson Carter scored 28 goals and also earn 60 points. Ryan Smyth earned 50 points in only 61 games. Janne Niinimaa led the club with 39 assists, and led the defense with 44 points. Georges Laraque provided the club toughness, earning 157 penalty minutes.
In goal, Tommy Salo would have arguably the best season ever by an Oilers goaltender, winning 30 games and posting a club record 2.22 GAA, and earning 5 shutouts. The 182 goals the Oilers allowed was a club record for fewest in a season, and the second lowest total in the NHL during the season.
==Season standings==
Northwest Division	GP	W 	L 	T 	OTL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Colorado Avalanche	82	45	28	8 	1 	212	169	99
Vancouver Canucks 	82	42	30	7 	3 	254	211	94
Edmonton Oilers 	82	38	28	12	4 	205	182	92
Calgary Flames 	82	32	35	12	3 	201	220	79
Minnesota Wild 	82	26	35	12	9 	195	238	73
==Game log==
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 3 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1 	Calgary Flames 	0–1–0–0 	0
2 	October 6 	Phoenix Coyotes 	2–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1–0–0 	2
3 	October 9 	Chicago Blackhawks 	0–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–1–0–0 	4
4 	October 11 	Colorado Avalanche 	3–5 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–1–0–0 	6
5 	October 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Nashville Predators 	4–1–0–0 	8
6 	October 14 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	Minnesota Wild 	4–1–1–0 	9
7 	October 16 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–2–1–0 	9
8 	October 18 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–1 	Colorado Avalanche 	5–2–1–0 	11
9 	October 20 	Florida Panthers 	2–6 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–2–1–0 	13
10	October 22 	Nashville Predators 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	6–3–1–0 	13
11	October 24 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4 	Detroit Red Wings 	6–4–1–0 	13
12	October 25 	Edmonton Oilers 	5–2 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	7–4–1–0 	15
13	October 27 	Vancouver Canucks 	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	8–4–1–0 	17
14	October 30 	Montreal Canadiens 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–4–1–0 	19
15	November 2 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	9–5–1–0 	19
16	November 4 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–0 	Minnesota Wild 	10–5–1–0 	21
17	November 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–1 	Boston Bruins 	10–5–1–1 	22
18	November 9 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–0 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	11–5–1–1 	24
19	November 11	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1 	Carolina Hurricanes 	11–5–2–1 	25
20	November 13	Edmonton Oilers 	5–4 	Phoenix Coyotes 	12–5–2–1 	27
21	November 16	Chicago Blackhawks 	1–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	13–5–2–1 	29
22	November 17	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Vancouver Canucks 	13–5–3–1 	30
23	November 20	St. Louis Blues 	0–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–5–3–1 	32
24	November 22	Los Angeles Kings 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	14–6–3–1 	32
25	November 24	Edmonton Oilers 	0–2 	Colorado Avalanche 	14–7–3–1 	32
26	November 28	Edmonton Oilers 	2–0 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	15–7–3–1 	34
27	November 29	Edmonton Oilers 	3–1 	Los Angeles Kings 	16–7–3–1 	36
28	December 1 	Dallas Stars 	6–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	16–8–3–1 	36
29	December 5 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–8–3–1 	38
30	December 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–5 	Dallas Stars 	17–9–3–1 	38
31	December 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Nashville Predators 	17–9–4–1 	39
32	December 11	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	San Jose Sharks 	17–9–4–2 	40
33	December 13	Detroit Red Wings 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	17–10–4–2 	40
34	December 14	Tampa Bay Lightning 	1–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	18–10–4–2 	42
35	December 16	Edmonton Oilers 	3–2 	Philadelphia Flyers 	19–10–4–2 	44
36	December 18	Edmonton Oilers 	1–4 	New York Islanders 	19–11–4–2 	44
37	December 20	Edmonton Oilers 	3–3 	New Jersey Devils 	19–11–5–2 	45
38	December 21	Edmonton Oilers 	1–5 	Chicago Blackhawks 	19–12–5–2 	45
39	December 26	Calgary Flames 	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	20–12–5–2 	47
40	December 28	Minnesota Wild 	2–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	21–12–5–2 	49
41	December 30	New Jersey Devils 	2–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	21–13–5–2 	49
42	December 31	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Calgary Flames 	21–13–6–2 	50
43	January 2 	New York Rangers 	1–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–13–6–2 	52
44	January 5 	Vancouver Canucks 	4–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	22–14–6–2 	52
45	January 6 	Montreal Canadiens 	6–7 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–14–6–2 	54
46	January 10 	Carolina Hurricanes 	4–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–15–6–2 	54
47	January 12 	Colorado Avalanche 	2–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	23–15–7–2 	55
48	January 14 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–2 	Chicago Blackhawks 	23–16–7–2 	55
49	January 1 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	St. Louis Blues 	23–17–7–2 	55
50	January 18 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–17–7–2 	57
51	January 19 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	1–0 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–18–7–2 	57
52	January 21 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	San Jose Sharks 	24–19–7–2 	57
53	January 23 	Colorado Avalanche 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	24–20–7–2 	57
54	January 26 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	1–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	25–20–7–2 	59
55	January 28 	Detroit Red Wings 	1–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	25–20–8–2 	60
56	January 30 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–2 	Vancouver Canucks 	25–20–9–2 	61
57	February 5 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–3 	Atlanta Thrashers 	25–21–9–2 	61
58	February 7 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–3 	St. Louis Blues 	25–22–9–2 	61
59	February 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	1–1 	Dallas Stars 	25–22–10–2	62
60	February 10	Edmonton Oilers 	4–3 	Phoenix Coyotes 	26–22–10–2	64
61	February 12	San Jose Sharks 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	26–23–10–2	64
62	February 28	Nashville Predators 	3–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	26–24–10–2	64
63	March 2 	St. Louis Blues 	1–1 	Edmonton Oilers 	26–24–11–2	65
64	March 4 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–0 	Buffalo Sabres 	27–24–11–2	67
65	March 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–2 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	28–24–11–2	69
66	March 8 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–5 	Florida Panthers 	28–25–11–2	69
67	March 10 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–4 	Washington Capitals 	28–26–11–2	69
68	March 13 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	Detroit Red Wings 	28–26–11–3	70
69	March 14 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–1 	Ottawa Senators 	29–26–11–3	72
70	March 16 	Washington Capitals 	1–4 	Edmonton Oilers 	30–26–11–3	74
71	March 20 	San Jose Sharks 	1–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	31–26–11–3	76
72	March 23 	Calgary Flames 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	32–26–11–3	78
73	March 24 	Edmonton Oilers 	2–0 	Vancouver Canucks 	33–26–11–3	80
74	March 26 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	34–26–11–3	82
75	March 28 	Los Angeles Kings 	2–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	34–26–12–3	83
76	March 30 	Dallas Stars 	1–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	35–26–12–3	85
77	April 2 	Minnesota Wild 	1–2 	Edmonton Oilers 	36–26–12–3	87
78	April 5 	Edmonton Oilers 	0–2 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	36–27–12–3	87
79	April 6 	Edmonton Oilers 	3–4 	Los Angeles Kings 	36–27–12–4	88
80	April 10 	Phoenix Coyotes 	0–3 	Edmonton Oilers 	37–27–12–4	90
81	April 12 	Calgary Flames 	2–0 	Edmonton Oilers 	37–28–12–4	90
82	April 14 	Edmonton Oilers 	4–2 	Minnesota Wild 	38–28–12–4	92
==Season stats==
===Scoring leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Mike Comrie 	82	33	27	60 	45
Anson Carter 	82	28	32	60 	25
Ryan Smyth 	61	15	35	50 	48
Janne Niinimaa	81	5 	39	44 	80
Jochen Hecht 	82	16	24	40 	60
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T 	GA 	SO	Save %	GAA
Ty Conklin 	4 	148 	2 	0 	0 	4 	0 	.939 	1.62
Jussi Markkanen	14	784 	6 	4 	2 	24 	2 	.929 	1.84
Tommy Salo 	69	4035	30	28	10	149	6 	.913 	2.22
==Transactions==
====Trades====
June 19, 2001 	To Minnesota WildSergei Zholtok 	To Edmonton Oilers7th round pick in 2002 - Jean-Francois Dufort
July 1, 2001 	To St. Louis BluesDoug WeightMichel Riesen	To Edmonton OilersJochen HechtMarty ReasonerJan Horacek
March 19, 2002	To Boston BruinsSean Brown 	To Edmonton OilersBobby Allen
March 19, 2002	To New York RangersRem MurrayTom Poti 	To Edmonton OilersMike York4th round pick in 2002 - Ivan Koltsov
====Free agents====
{|class="wikitable"	 	
Player 	Former Team 	Contract Terms
D Steve Staios	Atlanta Thrashers 	3 years, $2.85 million
F Greg Leeb 	Dallas Stars 	1 year,
F Sean Selmser	Columbus Blue Jackets	1 year,
G Marc Lamothe	Chicago Blackhawks 	1 year,
====Draft picks====
Edmonton's draft picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	13 	Ales Hemsky 	 	Hull Olympiques (QMJHL)
2 	43 	Doug Lynch 	 	Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
2 	52 	Ed Caron 	 	Phillips-Exeter Academy (USHS)
3 	84 	Kenny Smith 	 	Harvard Crimson (NCAA)
5 	133	Jussi Markkanen	 	Tappara (SM-liiga)
5 	154	Jake Brenk 	 	Breck School (USHS)
6 	185	Mikael Svensk 	 	Frolunda (Sweden)
7 	215	Dan Baum 	 	Prince George Cougars (WHL)
8 	248	Kari Haakana 	 	Jokerit Helsinki (SM-liiga)
9 	272	Ales Pisa 	 	HC Pardubice (Czech.)
9 	278	Shay Stephenson	 	Red Deer Rebels (OHL)
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Edmonton Oilers seasons
Category:2001 in hockey
Category:2002 in hockey