Skip to content

Oilers winning at best pace since '87 Cup-winning season

Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

After seeing just how much of an impact Connor McDavid has had on the NHL since being tabbed as the 2015 No. 1 pick, it should be no surprise to see his Edmonton Oilers finally getting in the win column more often than not.

But it may be a bit of a shock to see how well McDavid's club is doing from a historic perspective.

As Edmonton comes out of the All-Star break, the club sits with 64 points through 51 games, tied with the San Jose Sharks for the Pacific Division lead. Impressive? Sure, but nothing compared to how that pace stacks up against the legendary Oilers teams of old:

That's right, Edmonton's 64-point effort thus far isn't just an indication of how far removed they are from last season - when they had just 45 points over the same span - but a promising sign that the team as finally turned the page.

It's in fact the best pace they've posted in 30 years, since the organization's dynasty days.

Keep in mind, Edmonton won two more Stanley Cups following their '87 championship, with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier still dominating. And McDavid's Oilers have posted more points through 51 games than even those star-studded teams.

Of course, to be fair, the '88 and '90 Oilers weren't given the gift of a point for overtime losses (instituted in 1999-00) or the game-ending shootout (which came to the NHL in 2005-06).

The 2016-17 crew still has miles to go before they can be considered anywhere near as talented as those record-setting Oilers teams, but it's clear what's happening in Edmonton is more than a slight step forward.

This season might be a tad too soon for the young Albertan club to claw their way back to the Cup, but make no mistake - McDavid's time is coming, quickly.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox