P.A. Parenteau Proving His Worth
by Mark D on Jan 7, 2011 12:54 PM EST
in Roster Manoeuvres in the Dark
Email
Print
Looking back at Free Agency, the signing of P.A. Parenteau sort of slipped under the radar. The defense was in dire need of an improvement, so the signings of Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina got the bigger headlines. It also didn't help that Parenteau had spent the last few seasons with the Rangers, even if it was mostly with their Hartford AHL affiliate. To finish the trifecta, Parenteau reportedly had a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for Europe rather than play another year in the AHL.
Despite suggestions that Parenteau was going to be another Matt Moulson type of find, the popular opinion in our poll was that he would be either a 3rd liner or even off to Europe after camp. Injuries though are a wonderful thing for Islander fans, and the injury to Kyle Okposo opened up a spot on the top line. With 24 points in 37 games, Parenteau is second on the Islanders in points and 28th among all Right Wingers (per NHL.com stats). He's done this while the Islanders have been near the bottom in goals scored all season (they're currently 28th at 2.34 goals per game). He has already tripled his previous high in points, last season's 8 points in 22 games for the Rangers.
At $600k for this season, Parenteau's production is a complete steal. The two Right Wingers currently tied with him in points are Daniel Alfredsson and Mikael Samuelsson. They are costing their teams $4.8 million and $2.5 million respectively, with Alfredsson's contract being a 35+ contract. When you look back at last year's free agent period, there really wasn't much out there that the Islanders could reasonably sign when it came to wingers.
*Stats through Jan. 4, 2011
| Name | GP | Goals | Assists | Points | Team | Salary |
| Lee Stempniak | 38 | 8 | 8 | 16 | Coyotes | 1.9 Mill |
| Owen Nolan | 15 | 5 | 10 | 15 | Zurich | ??? |
| Fernando Pisani | 31 | 5 | 5 | 10 | Hawks | 500K |
| Arron Asham | 27 | 4 | 4 | 8 | Pens | 700K |
| Colby Armstrong | 22 | 3 | 2 | 5 | Leafs | 3 Mill |
| Ilya Kovalchuk | 37 | 9 | 11 | 20 | Devils | *6 Mill |
| Alex Frolov | 40 | 7 | 9 | 16 | Rangers | 3 Mill |
| Ray Whitney | 36 | 8 | 19 | 27 | Coyotes | 3 Mill |
| Raffi Torres | 38 | 11 | 6 | 17 | Canucks | 1 Mill |
| Alex Tanguay | 40 | 10 | 21 | 31 | Flames | 1.7 Mill |
| Ruslan Fedotenko | 40 | 7 | 10 | 17 | Rangers | 1.8 Mill |
| Derek Boogaard | 22 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Rangers | 1.6 Mill |
| Eric Nystrom | 38 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Wild | 1.4 Mill |
| Tim Kennedy | 32 | 7 | 17 | 24 | NYR (AHL) | 550K |
| P.A. Parenteau | 36 | 9 | 15 | 24 | Isles | 600K |
*Kovalchuk's salary this year is $6 million for a $6.66 million cap hit, but both are artificially deflated for cap/CBA purposes, as he'll be pulling in $11 million-plus for five seasons after next.
I tried to keep the list to offensive wingers (Boogaard is only there so I can mock the Rangers) and guys the Islanders could have realistically signed. Tanguay and Whitney have long solid careers, and you can't be disappointed that Parenteau is trailing them points wise. The Rangers who were unwilling to give Parenteau much of a chance last season signed four wingers in the offseason at a combined yearly salary of $7 Million and none of them are matching his production.
Let's not forget about the elephant in the room: The Islanders were reported to be talking to Kovy and possibly offering him a $10 million salary on what must have been, if it existed, a short-term deal. In the end, the long dragged out end, Kovy stayed with the Devils and is making $6 million for the next two years but jumps to $11 million-plus for the following five seasons. Although some of the blame for the Devils' collapse might be unfairly put on his shoulders, he hasn't exactly helped his case. As of Jan. 4 the Devils were paying $500k per point, while the Islanders were paying $25k per point by Parenteau.
What This Means Long Term
Parenteau is going to be a free agent, and after 8 years of trudging through the AHL he deserves his payday. We'll know more about his future with the Islanders when Okposo returns and we see how the lines and production shakes out. With Parenteau on track for a 40 point season, GM Garth Snow has once again shown an ability to recognize untapped potential in another team's castoff. Last year it was Matt Moulson who came out of nowhere and finished with 30 goals and 48 points, five times his previous high in points.
The success of these types of signings (and waiver pickups like Rob Schremp and Michael Grabner) shows that the Islanders scouting organization on the professional level is strong. It would have been easy to sign a few also-rans like Pisani, Asham or Nolan going into the season. It wouldn't have cost much more then Parenteau did and all three have a long NHL history. Going with Parenteau shows not just that the Islanders are willing to take a chance with someone, but they know who to take a chance with.
Hopefully when the day comes that the Islanders need to add that final player to be cup contenders, the player will be more Butch Goring and less Marian Hossa / Brian Campbell. There are plenty of teams that remain competitive year in and year out without making huge splashes in the free agent market or via trades. The reality is that the complete opposite tends to be true the last few years. Splurging on big contracts or with trades tends to hold teams back. When a player like Parenteau is a success, it's a good sign for the health of the franchise. Hopefully it leads to more guys getting signed quietly and making noise during games when it matters.
46 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
The success of these types of signings (and waiver pickups like Rob Schremp and Michael Grabner) shows that the Islanders scouting organization on the professional level is strong
I think this is a terrific point and one that needs to be considered when Snow picks up a pick instead of a player from an organization. They do have a strong pro scouting and if they feel a pick is more valuable than a prospect they could have received for a Wisniewski I personally will trust the judgment on that one considering their track record on player pick-ups.
It was worth posting my drivel to get that link… That was the Shizzle my HansunFrizzle! - JPinVA
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey
Hockey Wilderness - Because misery loves company.
Cheers to Ken Morrow
Yeah, their pro finds have been a strong suit. I hope it continues. They definitely need it to.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
Have to call it a win
Some of those other wingers surely don’t get the powerplay and Tavares-Moulson time that Parenteau is getting, but like you said he’s made the most of it on a low-offense team. Stempniak and Frolov would be interesting to examine further, role-wise. Not sure the Isles could be the winning bidder with either, but they’re hardly blowing anyone away.
I think it’s probably worked out in the best-case scenario. I hope he doesn’t cash in too much after this year — I’d like the Isles to keep him around even after they (hopefully) have better options, as his all-around play has been good enough where he’d make a nice PP specialist and responsible player on any line.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
My hip hurts too
Nailed it here again, Bard. I laugh when I see how some of the Islanders players do in comparison to highly-paid dudes on other teams. The Isles have proven to be able to get serious value over the past few seasons. Grabner too. I thought he was all speed and had Hands of Stone like Ronnie Garvin but he’s proven to be a heck of a find and he’s delivering value as well.
Thanks!
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Started off the season with a shrug
My assumption from the start of the season, that PAP would be one and done and that he would be a cast off for next season. His initial play was less than inspiring since he seemed to live entirely on the PP. Now I’m starting to see a little bit more value and chemistry developing, my biggest problem is I’m trying not to have any prejudice against his size. His numbers are better than expected, but he is their first line winger.
I still think he’s a bubble player for next year, since I try not to believe that every player we have is a keeper and a superstar if we just add better players around them. He is certainly worth the price paid this season and I’d rather see his replacement come from internal competition rather than paying to bring in some other teams over priced cast off. It is also just a half season track record so I’m not convinced the jury is out quite yet.
I still think he’s a bubble player for next year
agreed, I was expecting him to end up in Europe after camp. Not because of any lack of talent, but just because of who we already had on the Wing. Obviously KO’s injury helped him. I thought he had some definite talent, but didn’t expect him to manage a possible 40ish point season.
If he doesn’t fit in next seasons plans, it’s nothing gained, nothing lost.
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I’d rather see his replacement come from internal competition rather than paying to bring in some other teams over priced cast off
Do you think people here, including myself, overestimate the value of bringing in a veteran winger who has won a cup already? Or are you simply talking about not overpaying for someone else’s trash whereas I’m talking about TRADING for a veteran winger who has won a cup? Maybe the team doesn’t need that next year, maybe it’s the following year. Butch Goring didn’t come here in ‘75, he came right when the final piece was necessary. Not that that’s the proper analogy cuz he didn’t bring cup-winning experience here – which relevantly brings us back to the question of how important cup-winning experience is…whew!
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
Personally I never liked the Idea of chasing after Frolov last offseason.
He was complaining about the GM and Coach conspiring against his minutes during his last year in LA to deflate his FA Market price.
Then he struggled big time with the Rangers, and when they finally demote him he says he’s earned his spot on the top line and should be getting his minutes.
If we sign a vet, I’d rather it someone who has been quietly successful for his former team, but just can’t be broke back in due to budgetary reasons.
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
When you look at the numbers you find that UFAs are generally way overpriced for their production. A trade for a quality winger with a salary that is properly structureded is fine in my book, but is nearly impossible to accomplish. Even overpaying for an UFA makes sense if you are one or two pieces away, not one or two seasons away. However, if you have to pay a little more to bring in a stable influence on wing that could help some of the players mature and take some of the pressure off of these guys to produce it couldn’t hurt. No point bringing in a marginal talent, with a high price tag just because the Islanders have the room, but paying a little extra for some stability might help. Again the idea is paying huge amounts of money because it is available for a guy that is only going to take up a spot and not produce much more than a bargain player doesn’t make much sense.
Butch was the piece that put them over the top, not the guy they brought in to lead the way and he didn’t have Cup winning experience either. He brought additional scoring depth up the middle and gave a guy like Brent Sutter breathing room when he came along.
the jury is out on Schremp and PA is doing okay
wouldn’t go overboard on PA – he may get demoted to the 3rd or 4th line when KO returns
(Bailey-Grabs-Nielsen looking like a keeper 2nd line)
but in general Snow & Co do a nice job with their budget
our biggest problem is a lack of goalscoring – we don’t have any of the Top 30 goalscorers at present in the NHL – Matt Moulson is #45th in the league with 14 goals – though of course we have some depth, we could use a few more good goalscorers, even after KO and Streit reemerge
PA benefits from JT Line
First, let me say that I have been a PA supporter, especially early this season when many wanted his head (mostly on that other site). However, my view is that on a championship team, he is more a 2nd or 3rd line player. The Isles need better talent on the first line to play with JT.
On the plus side:
+ PA has a scorer’s touch (especially on the powerplay)
+ His skating is not as bad as people make it out to be
+ Always hustles and not afraid to rough it up
+ Although 27 yrs old, still has upside as he gains more NHL experience.
On the negative:
- his defense could be better (in fact that whole 1st line gets me nervous, often pinned in deep and having me pray for a whistle),
- Benefits more from JT than vice versa. A better player would help JT develop faster.
- Excels on PP, but 5 on 5 play is not dynamic
Overall, he adds value to the team, but is better suited for 2nd or 3rd line (and PP)
IMHO
Well put. 3rd line RWer imo, and a good one at that.
Don’t shoot me, but I would like these 2 middle 6 lines next year:
Bailey/Nielsen/Okposo
Grabner/Schremp/Parenteau
How is that schremp line for a scoring line? And that 2nd line, imho, a perfect shutdown line with some offensive punch. Thus leading the 1st line: Moulson/JT/Nino(with nino playing 15min/gm till he earns more, and Okposo playing more mins). Or maybe even Moulson/JT/Nino line getting 18mins/gm(except nino) and everyone on the nielsen line playing ~20min/gm.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
That 3rd line is really fast too with lots of hands, would be interesting to see.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
Completely agree with JoRiverside. Parentau has been a pleasant surprise, but not what JT needs to develop properly. His stats are clearly inflated due to his linemates.
While I like the second line, gotta say the third line looks a little weak physically. I don’t think Nino should be pushed into a 1st line role next year. I’d be perfectly happy with him on the 3rd line. In a perfect world we’d have a good solid veteran presence on the wing with JT. Or maybe we have a forward from the draft. But given the quality of guys in the draft, I’d say only Couturier (and maybe Landeskog) seem close to being able to make the jump to the NHL level next year.
Defintiely agree with everything.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
I think that's fair
Not sure how much PA benefits from JT (and MM) and vice versa, especially defensively, but I do think JT would benefit from an established star-lite type on his wing. And I’d certainly say PA’s destiny isn’t as a go-to 5-on-5 scorer, but as a nice depth guy who can make a PP work.
Everything has a trickle-down effect, so depth and competition — with PAP ultimately dropping down a line or two — would be good.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
That'd be nice
We probably need one of these kids to break out in a big way.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
Just another brick in the wall...
… in the house that Garth built.
When a player like Parenteau is a success, it’s a good sign for the health of the franchise
I wasn’t crazy about PA during the first 4-6 weeks of the season. he was producing on the PP, but seemed lost 5-on-5. With moulson and tavares I think his adition has made them all better. There just seems to be more playing for each other. Don’t know if it is him, or just a general team thing… You get the same feeling about Grabner now that he has been partnered with Frans for a while, and there looks like there could be a few months with Bailey in his future.
Comeau and Schremp… same thing. It’ll be fun to see where everybody fits in when Kyle gets back… and when Nino show up. It could be a pretty good pool to draww three productive lines from.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
I'll be honest and say that I didn't think too highly of PAP in the beginning.
But he has slowly but surely proceeded to change my opinion of him. I actually like him more now that I do Comeau. I still think PAP is more of a PP specialist than 5 on 5 player but we could do a lot worse and with Okposo returning and next year Hunter being back I think we’ll have good depth and goal scoring ability.
The New York Islanders....they make opposing goalies look gooooood.
Hunter’s Done, Streit is just about Done (might return in March/April) Mottau’s done, and Eaton’s possibly done for the year. The Isles IR is ever growing.
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
So big they can almost have their own special club.
Speaking of that, what’s up with marti? 2 and a 1/2 wks out with a supposed to be minor injury? hmmm….
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
Can't complain
It is Martinek, and it was a Chara slap shot
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I think there was a later sprain
One that came some time after the Chara shot.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
Think it's safe to add DP to the list..
With Roli gone, Lawson will have an extended audition and both Poulin and Kosinen should get some nice NHL time under their underarmour. Still not as bad as MacDanis, but kind of strange to have that back after Roli/Marti and Roli/Ricky.
I know a lot of folks love Hunter around here
and I’ve always respected his solidity if nothing else, but – does he really have a spot on the roster next season? Maybe down on the fourth line if Gillies isn’t resigned?
4th line. He's slowed down a lot, and his offensive game looks terrible, even when paired with nielsen.
You could question a buyout because of his $2mil/yr salary, but he can get a 4th line job done well.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
I've defended him
but his most recent injury might slow him down even more. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was bought out.
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Yeah, tough call because he’s slow already even before blowing out his knee. That doesn’t bode well. That said, if he’s anywhere near his pre-injury form then he makes a nice bottom-line guy.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
trolling for addtions to the Glossary
Not sure where to add this, but I saw this today and thought it matched everyone’s love of Pronger:
Pronger Fissix
Chris Pronger’s special brand of physics that explains why it’s perfectly normal, and legal, for him to elbow everyone in the back of the head.
It was coined after the 2007 WCF game he got suspended after elbowing Tomas Holmstrom in the back of the head against the boards. When asked about the hit, this came out:
“Of course I’m going to hit him in the head. He’s quite a bit shorter than me. It’s just law of physics."
-trolled from the Kuklas Korner Boards
Nice
By the way, the glossary FanPost is still open over here.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
After going to a preseason game against the Devils I posted that PA especially impressed me and I suggested he could be good for around 15g 25a this season. A few scoffed but I liked his speed and he seemed to have some good chemistry with Tavares. He is also a creative player and I think that JT benefits from having a winger with playmaking ability. The problem with guys like PA and Schremp is that they are fairly one dimensional players and don’t have much use in checking roles. There are a lot of other similar players racking up points in the AHL (Giroux, Acoin, Krog etc.). There are just so many slots available on the top two lines. Compare them to someone like Nielsen. He is best utilized on a defensive line but is versatile enough to step into top scoring line if needed. There are four open slots for him to compete for versus two. On almost any other team I don’t think PA would be given much of a shot and would probably be in Europe right now. We saw the same thing with Moulson last year. Had any other team signed him for depth purposes before the start of last season he would likely be toiling away scoring tons of goals in Lake Erie or Hershey.
Ilya Kovalchuk 37 9- 11- 20
P.A. Parenteau 36 9- 15- 24
if i was told this in september, i would have laughed so hard i would have popped a stitch i never got.
This is partly because the devils suck right now, but that aside,
Kovy is a great goalscorer, but he really doesn’t make the players that play around him better.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
This is partly because the devils suck right now, but that aside,
That doesnt really explain it, though.
Like his last team was so great?
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jan 7, 2011 9:59 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know, just a possibility.
Right now, the devils are 1/2 a goal per game for worse then any other team in the nhl. That says something about either their chemistry or luck or lines or game plan. Something, but it ain’t good.
Actually, when I look at Kovy’s stats, he had a somewhat dry spell finishing the season with the devils. He’s shooting the same scoring percentage he did with the devils last season, just scoring less/gm. Last year, Kovy scored the equivalent of a ~30goal season under the devils. Now, on the verge of a ~20goal season. Maybe he lost a step? Maybe he doesn’t have chemistry? Maybe the system doesn’t fit his game?
All I know is, in a devils uniform he doesn’t look to be anything better then a 30goal scorer.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
Actually
I believe the opposite is true. Didn’t Afghenov’s production disappear after Kovy got traded last year?
Thanks to the Winter Classic, we have finally found ice worse then the Coliseums'
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I don't think we can go off that. Afinogenov's been up and down his whole career.
John Tavares=The Franchise, The Future, and still only 20yrs old, SO GIVE HIM SOME F**KING TIME TO MATURE CRITICS! Not everyone is Wayne Gretzky(although Tavares did break some of his records....tee hee)
Jeez. Can you image if we had signed Kovy and he did this ??
by Torch7 on Jan 7, 2011 11:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Don't know if I could survive that. I think I'd be shutting down the studio.
Lighthouse Hockey: And you shall know us by the fraying of our hips.
OMG...
I am so grateful it is not an issue. HAving no big name/big money scorer is far, FAR better than having one who is doing as much as the kids.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jan 8, 2011 12:25 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Lighthouse Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
Islanders Schedule
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Coyotes’ Mike Smith believes Dustin Brown should be ‘done forever’ for Rozsival hit; slams Game 5 officiating
- Tuesday’s Three Stars: Penner’s overtime winner puts Kings in the Final
- Mike Milbury vs. Jeremy Roenick over Dustin Brown’s Game 5 OT hit on Michal Rozsival (VIDEO)
- Watch Kings, Coyotes in hostile handshake line after Dustin Penner sends LA to Stanley Cup Final (VIDEO)
- Kings vs. Coyotes Game 5; Pierre McGuire on Tortorella/DeBoer argument (Playoff Puck Previews)
SBNation.com Recent Stories
1979-80
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
