Memories of the 1980 Edmonton Oilers

As I sit in Edmonton on the eve of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, I can't help but think back to the great days of the Oilers dynasty.

Though I grew up a Canucks fan, it was pretty hard not to be an Oilers fan in the 1980s. The Canucks were brutally bad most of the decade, and were almost always feasted upon by Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers. 

The Oilers were nearly unstoppable. They were cocky and tough, high flying and electrifying. They were the most entertaining team I have ever watched.

More over, they were winners. Five Stanley Cup championships in seven years, with Stanley Cup final appearance directly preceding that. Modern teams try to spin their successes as such, but the Edmonton Oilers truly were the last hockey dynasty.

Of course the Oilers were led by #99, Wayne Gretzky. There is no doubt in my mind he was the greatest player whoever played the game. Others will say Bobby Orr, or Gordie Howe or Mario Lemieux. And I will not argue that they were better players necessarily. But the best player is a different argument than the greatest player. The greatest player had the greatest career. And no one comes particularly close to The Great One.

Mark Messier deserves his due in Edmonton. I am a harsh critic of his for his time in New York and especially Vancouver, but in Edmonton he was truly a force. Gretzky's presence kept his ego in check, and coach Glen Sather knew how to unleash Messier at the right time. When the Oilers needed something to change the pace of the game, the Messier line (always with Glenn Anderson at his side) would lead the way with physical play or incredible speed or a big goal.

I could never quite figure out Glenn Anderson. Clutch goal scorer who seemed to always come through the bigger the game was, Anderson could go all night without being remarkable, too. A wonderful skater, his interest in the international game always intrigued me. Early in his career he said he would like to play for the Soviets back before the Iron Curtain came down. As a kid I wondered if it was possible for the Oilers to trade him to the Soviets and who would the Oilers receive in return.

Everyone thinks of Paul Coffey's skating ability when they think of the Oilers star defenseman. That and his reputation for being basically a "offenseman" and not playing defensively particularly well. Scott Niedermayer may be the only player in my lifetime to rival Coffey's skating ability, but when I think back to Coffey's heyday I always think of his first pass brilliance out of his own zone. I think Coffey may be the most underrated player in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Aside from Gretzky, he was so integral to the Oilers emergence.

Jari Kurri was always Gretzky's wing man, quite literally. His goal scoring totals were amazing, but it took a while for the hockey world to give Kurri recognition as one of the best two way players in the history of the game.

Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog were a fantastic tandem, with Bill Ranford arriving later on. Only Fuhr ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but as a BC kid I was always a little more partial to Moog and Ranford. Fuhr played the game purely by instinct. I think he worked harder at his scratch golf game than his hockey sometimes, which is an unfair knock on my behalf. If he could play games and never practice I think he would have been thrilled.

Kevin Lowe was a key guy in the dressing room and one of the best defensive defensemen of his time. Is that enough to get him in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Well, apparently as the HHOF enshrined him in 2020. But I have to disagree. He was good, but was he better than other defensive stalwarts of the era like Brad McCrimmon or Mike Ramsay or Jamie Macoun? None of those guys were close to the era's gold standard of Rod Langway. Lowe was good but his one ice contributions were not as integral to the Oilers' success as the other enshrined Oilers. There's a bit of an "old boys network" smell to this enshrinement. 

Some of my favorite Oilers were the grinders, the role players, the supporting cast. 

Esa Tikkanen was a favorite of mine until the day the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Kings. The Oilers then used Tikkanen to shadow and annoy Gretzky and he was perhaps the most successful player in that impossible shut down role. As a Gretzky fan, I just wanted Tik to go away.

Guys like Marty McSorley, Kevin McLelland, Craig MacTavish, Craig Muni, Charlie Huddy, Steve Smith, Lee Fogolin and Randy Gregg were big and mean, and provided more defensive play than the Oilers were ever given recognition for. Yes, the Oilers were all about offense in the 1980s, but for that ten year period they were ranked 10th (out of 21 teams) defensively.  Average defensively is okay when you had the offense the Oilers had. Their goal differential for the decade was +797 in 800 regular season games after all.

(I believe it was the old coach Tom Watt who said something to the effect that the Oilers always started the game with a one goal lead because of Wayne Gretzky's presence. How right he was!)

Will there ever be a true hockey dynasty again? The salary cap structure suggests no. That is both good and bad. Good as in parity is needed so that fans of every hockey team have to believe their team has a chance to win the Stanley Cup, if not now then in the near future. But it is bad, too, in the sense that we may never see truly great teams ever again.

Book Review: Block That Shot: The Bob Chrystal Story

This is Bob Chrystal. Now I know what you're thinking - who the heck is Bob Chrystal? And, why is there a book about him in 2018?

Chrystal, born in Winnipeg in 1930, played two seasons with the New York Rangers. He patrolled the Broadway blue line in 1953-54 and 1954-55, providing a physical presence with his rugged and enthusiastic play. He also added 11 goals and 25 points in 132 total NHL games.

Before turning pro, Chrystal was a key member of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Manitoba Junior League, twice appearing in the Memorial Cup, including in 1949 when they lost a heart-breaker to the Montreal Royals.

After his junior career Chrystal spent a year in the USHL with Denver before spending two seasons with the AHL Cleveland Barons. After his two years with Cleveland he was traded to the NHL Rangers.

After his two year stint in the Big Apple concluded, Chrystal returned to the Canadian prairie and the old Western (professional) Hockey League. After a year with the Saskatoon Quakers he returned to Brandon to play with the Regals. Unfortunately the Regals moved to Saskatchewan and later St. Paul, Minnesota, so Bob's homecoming was short though sweet.

In 1958-59 Chrystal played his final season of serious hockey in his hometown with the Winnipeg Warriors.

Now, all these years later, up and coming author Ty Dilello has helped the 88 year old Chrystal pen his autobiography.

Why do you want to read about a long-ago player you likely never heard of when there are so many other hockey books out every year?

It's because every hockey player has a story to tell. And you may discover that a relative no-name like Chrystal has a more interesting story than some. It's a story that will take you back in time, both in terms of hockey in it's golden age, and life on the Canadian prairies and even in New York City when it was a much simpler time. 

The book also features a fascinating collection of newspaper clippings from the Chrystal family collection as well as first hand memories from Emile Francis and Stan Fischler.

Don't dismiss this book about that guy you never heard of before. It might just be the best read of the season.

Block That Shot: The Bob Chrystal Story is now available.

Book Review: Kevin Shea's The Hall

The new hockey season is upcoming, and that also means a new hockey book season.

And if the first hockey book of the new season is going to be any indication, it's going to be a fantastic year for hockey book enthusiasts.

Kevin Shea writes The Hall: Celebrating Hockey's Heritage, Heroes and Home. On the Hall of Fame's 75th anniversary, and the 25th anniversary of the Hall's move to the famed Bank of Montreal building in downtown Toronto.

The book is billed as "A stunning hardcover book that features dramatic and compelling imagery and uncovers the fascinating history of the Hockey Hall of Fame." It is rare that anything lives up to that type of hype, but this book truly does.

With all the photos and features this book serves as both a page turning coffee table book. But there is enough text in here for even the most studied hockey fan to enjoy at length. By now every hockey fan should know a book with Kevin Shea's name on it will be nothing short of fantastic.

The book covers everything from the earliest visions by the Hall's founders to the ghost that haunts the bank where the Stanley Cup resides. Honoured members are front and centre, including a great story about how a kid working at the Hall tried to give Wayne Gretzky some advice on how to shoot a puck at the interactive shooting display.

You will have to wait until September 10th to pick up the book in stores and online. It is part of the National Treasure Series of books that celebrates the Hockey Hall of Fame. The first, A Century of NHL Memories, had a different aura about it that this new book exceeds.

Nine Lessons I Learned From My Father

There has been no shortage of literature on the great Gordie Howe over the many years.

But I do not think I enjoyed a Gordie Howe book more than son Murray Howe's tribute Nine Lessons I Learned From My Father.

It is a most unique look at "Mr. Hockey." Written by Murray Howe, the youngest of his three sons and the only one who did not follow his father into professional hockey. 

 “I am still in awe at the thought that Gordie Howe was my father,” he writes.

Yet he teaches us that Gordie was just like any one of us, and that we are all capable of extraordinary things. Gordie Howe's true calling was not to be the greatest hockey player ever, which many will say he was. Howe's true calling was to be "Mr. Hockey," and as such the game's greatest ambassador.

Murray Howe wanted to be just like his hero - his father. He did not want to be a hero like Gordie Howe, gladiator of the rinks. He just wanted to be like his dad - the amazing man off the ice that most of us never really knew.

It is quite the moving read. There are some great stories about Howe the hockey player, but even more about Howe off the ice and, especially, Howe the family man. His battle with health and aging are well chronicled. This is the truest look into an extraordinary life.

On a personal note I wish I had read this book before I became a step dad well over a decade ago. I spent a lot of time trying to be something the girls would be proud of - a published author who worked with Hockey Canada, the NHL and Canadian Museum of History. On top of that I tried to be a remarkable runner. It was all intended to teach them that with hard work anything is possible. But as the younger Howe tells us in this book it wasn't the fact that his dad was who he was that made him a great dad. Through the nine lessons he teaches us its far more important to be present and buy ice cream. That's what makes you a hero in your kid's eyes.

Check out this MacLean's article featuring Wayne Gretzky interviewing Murray Howe. It in itself is a fantastic read. Be sure to watch for the bookstore on shelves this holiday season.

Weekend Book Reviews: J.P. Bickell, When The Moon Comes, and Killer

J.P. Bickell: The Life, The Leafs, and The Legacy

I have to admit this one surprised me. I mean, why would I, a western Canadian hockey fan, care about the businessman who financed Conn Smythe's Toronto Maple Leafs? That was how many years ago? And, ugh, yet another Leafs book, and this one about some guy no one has ever heard of? But J.P. Bickell: The Life, The Leafs and The Legacy is a fascinating read.

It's a fascinating read mostly because, as it turns out, this is not a hockey book so much as a Canadian history book (well, maybe Ontario history). It just so happens that J.P. Bickell was an incredibly important figure and continues to be many years after his death.

Bickell was a self made millionaire mining magnate who left an enduring legacy not only on the entire industry but the many communities who benefited from such development.

That made Bickell a very wealthy person, and he spread his wealth around. He was instrumental in the founding of the Famous Players movie theatre chain - think about that when you go to the movies next time. He fought in World War II and became very interested in aviation. And he was a great philanthropist. In fact half a century after his death his foundation continues to give away his money to hospitals, scholarships, art galleries and children's camps.

Bickell was also a financier of many sports, most notably the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens. He also was involved in boxing, boat racing, baseball and golf.

See, this isn't just another Leafs book. Far from it.

When The Moon Comes

Author Paul Harbridge and illustrator Matt James have teamed up to bring us the fantastic new hockey-themed children's book When The Moon Comes Out.

It's about hockey at it's best - kids playing shinny on the frozen pond. Only this book takes place in the dark of the night, with only the full moon to light the way. Anyone who has ever played the game this way understands what a unique experience this is.

James' brilliant use of colour truly captures the dark and cold so that you can almost see your own breath. Okay, not quite, but it does give you the chills of the black night and really sets the atmosphere for the story itself.

Harbridge's story matches the visual sensations, taking the readers on a nostalgic journey to a simpler time when hockey was beautiful.

Think I'm wrong? Well the people who shortlisted the book for 2017 Governor General's Award for Young People's Literature are on my side.

Killer

Doug Gilmour tells all in his autobiography Killer, as told to Dan Robson. It's a story of the Canadian Dream as the hockey-loving kid makes it all the way to the big leagues. He was one of the premier players in his day, and became near-immortal as the heart and soul of the Toronto Maple Leafs for a short time in the 1990s. He was arguably the best player in the world for some of that stretch.

That Toronto connection instantly puts this book on the best sellers list, as too many of the Maple Leafs books tend to do. The endless line of Leafs fans will enjoy this book, as will many other hockey fans from Gilmour's era. He was a well travelled superstar, extending his fan base.

It's an easy read, with some good stories, but for the most part this is a typical jock-talk book. You'll get some insight into the man himself and some of the events of his career. But for the most part this is another pedestrian addition to the world of hockey literature.

Golden Boys: The Top 50 Manitoba Hockey Players Of All Time

I do have to preface this commentary with the fact that the author of this book, Ty Dilello, and I have become good friends. And he was far too nice to me with his mentions of me in his new book, Golden Boys: The Top 50 Manitoba Hockey Players of All Time.

Young Dilello is a rising young star on the hockey literature scene. When I learned he was undertaking this historical effort, I was excited to see how he tackled it. After all, hockey in Winnipeg and Manitoba goes back a long, long ways. We all know about guys like Jonathan Toews and Ed Belfour And there's no shortage of information on the superstars like Bobby Clarke and Terry Sawchuk, regardless of what era they're from. But how will he get a take on Bones Raleigh or Dan Bain?

The answer is through impressive, unending research. Dilello scoured every source imaginable, be it the written record or, where possible, talking to the player or their families.  He even scoured through military documents. The result is a true understanding that is passed on to the reader in the book.

The other thing that is passed on is the author's passion for the project. Some hockey books can seem tired or forced. Dilello's enthusiasm for the research comes through time and again as you flip the pages of this book.

The book's format is obvious. The top 50 players in Manitoba history are ranked. I won't give away the rankings other than to say that they are both accurate and sure to create debate and dialogue at the same time.

It's a good book regardless if you're from Manitoba or not. You will learn lots about all of the players involved as well about hockey in general.

The book also has this wonderful trailer on Vimeo:

Golden Boys (Trailer) from Ty Dilello on Vimeo.

25 Years of Thunder

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today their 25th anniversary book titled 25 Years of Thunder officially goes on sale Thursday, October 12. The book will also be available this Sunday at the Lightning's 25th Anniversary Celebration at Expo Hall featuring the 1992-93 team.

Fans can purchase the commemorative book for $35 ($25 for Season Ticket Members at AMALIE Arena) at Tampa Bay Sports at both the AMALIE Arena and International Plaza locations as well as online at www.TampaBaySports.com. Additionally, the Lightning are taking orders for a special, limited edition book signed by Phil Esposito, Dave Andreychuk, Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos and Brian Bradley, retailing for $125 while supplies last.

The 144-page hardcover book takes fans on a journey through the franchise's 25 seasons in the National Hockey League and features iconic photos from the organization's early days, Stanley Cup run and much more. The preface of the book is written by Lightning founder Phil Esposito and forward by owner Jeff Vinik. 25 Years of Thunder also features articles written by former players including Dave Andreychuk, Vincent Lecavalier and Brian Bradley as well as current captain Steven Stamkos. Other contributors include FOX Sports Sun's Paul Kennedy, LightningInsider.com's Erik Erlendsson and the Lightning's Matt Sammon and Bryan Burns.