The Edmonton Oilers have been home to some of the best players to ever play the game. From their dynasty days in the 1980s to the modern-day NHL, nine Oilers have scored 100 points in a single season.
Here’s a look at those nine players who have reached the century mark while playing in Oil Country.
Wayne Gretzky
10-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 104 points (43 goals, 61 assists) in 72 games in 1978-79 (WHA)
Recorded 137 points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 79 games in 1979-80
Recorded 164 points (55 goals, 109 assists) in 80 games in 1980-81
Recorded 212 points (92 goals, 120 assists) in 80 games in 1981-82
Recorded 196 points (71 goals, 125 assists) in 80 games 1982-83
Recorded 205 points (87 goals, 118 assists) in 74 games in 1983-84
Recorded 208 points (73 goals, 135 assists) in 80 games in 1984-85
Recorded 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in 80 games in 1985-86
Recorded 183 points (62 goals, 121 assists) in 79 games in 1986-87
Recorded 149 points (40 goals, 109 assists) in 64 games in 1987-88
No player in the history of the NHL has scored 100+ points in a season more often than Wayne Gretzky. He reached the century mark 16 times during his professional career, ten as a member of the Oilers. His first 100-point campaign was in 1978-79 while the Oilers were still a part of the World Hockey Association; he finished with 104 points (43 goals, 61 assists) in 72 games.
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In his first year of NHL competition, Gretzky scored 137 points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 79 games, which tied Marcel Dionne for the league lead in scoring. However, Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy for having more goals than Gretzky (53).
Gretzky battled Dionne for the scoring lead again in 1980-81, and came out on top. He scored 164 points (55 goals, 109 assists) and took home the first of seven-straight Art Ross Trophies.
In 1981-82, Gretzky was entering only his third NHL season, but he had already established himself as one of the most skilled players that the league had ever seen. He wasn’t done, though, and he elevated his game during his third year of competition with an incredible 212 points (92 goals, 120 assists) which smashed the preexisting record for points in a season (164) that he had set the season before.
Related: Wayne Gretzky and a Season Like No Other
This is considered by many to be the most dominant NHL season in history, only rivalled by his 1985-86 campaign—more on that below. His 92 goals demolished Phil Esposito’s single-season goal record (76), and he also became the fastest player ever to score 50 goals in a season; it took him just 39 games. Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy shared the record before Gretzky effortlessly broke it, and it took them both 50 games to reach the milestone.
Gretzky scored 200+ points in three more seasons, including 1985-86 when he put up 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in what is the highest-scoring season in league history. He led the league in scoring, with 74 more points than second-place Mario Lemieux. What makes this season more impressive is that his 163 assists alone would have been enough to secure him the Art Ross, and it is the 11th highest scoring season of all-time.
Following his record-breaking 1985-86 season, Gretzky scored 100+ points two more times in an Oilers uniform. He scored 149 points (40 goals, 109 assists) in his final year in Edmonton, which placed him second in scoring behind Lemieux but he might have added another Art Ross Trophy to his collection had he not missed 16 games with a knee injury, (from ‘Gretzky to Miss 2 Weeks–Knee Injury Gretzky to Miss 2 Weeks–Knee Injury,’ LA Times, 06/05/1988).
Following his time in Edmonton, Gretzky played for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. He scored 100+ points six more times in his career but was never able to recreate the success he had with the Oilers. The “Great One” retired in 1999 and his number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000.
Throughout his career, Gretzky took home ten Art Ross Trophies, nine Hart Memorial Trophies, five Lester B. Pearson Awards, five Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, two Conn Smythe Trophies and he topped it all of by leading the Oilers to Stanley Cup victories in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988.
Gretzky is the NHL all-time leader in nearly every offensive statistical category including, goals (894), assists (1,963), points (2,857), and hat tricks (50). He holds or shares numerous other league records but arguably the most impressive is his 51-game point streak in 1983-84 when he scored 153 points (61 goals, 92 assists). Patrick Kane recorded points in 26 straight games in 2015-16, but that is the closest a player has come to Gretzky’s point streak record since he retired.
Jari Kurri
Six-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists) in 80 games in 1982-83
Recorded 113 points (52 goals, 61 assists) in 64 games in 1983-84
Recorded 135 points (71 goals, 64 assists) in 73 games in 1984-85
Recorded 131 points (68 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games in 1985-86
Recorded 108 points (54 goals, 54 assists) in 79 games in 1986-87
Recorded 102 points (44 goals, 58 assists) in 76 games in 1988-89
Every hero needs a sidekick. For Batman it was Robin, for Han Solo it was Chewbacca, and for Gretzky, it was Jari Kurri. This dynamic duo terrorized defencemen around the league for the better part of eight seasons. Sure, you could have put just about anybody on Gretzky’s line and they would have thrived, but Kurri was something special.
Kurri reached the century mark six times in his career, and they all came while he was a member of the Oilers. He scored 100+ points six times and in 1984-85 he registered 135 points (71 goals, 64 assists) which set a career-high in all three categories.
Playing with someone who could casually put up 200 points in a season made it tough for Kurri to win any hardware of his own, but he did manage to lead the league in goals in 1985-86 and was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1984-85. He’s also a five-time Stanley Cup champion.
He scored 1,043 points (474 goals, 569 assists) as an Oiler, which ranks second in franchise history. He’s also third all-time in playoff goals (106) and playoff points (233).
Following his time in Edmonton, Kurri played for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, and Colorado Avalanche before retiring in 1998.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 and he is remembered as one of the most skilled two-way forwards to ever play in the NHL and for playing a major role in smashing the soft European stereotype.
Mark Messier
Five-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 106 points (48 goals, 58 assists) in 77 games in 1982-83
Recorded 101 points (37 goals, 64 assists) in 73 games in 1983-84
Recorded 107 points (37 goals, 70 assists) in 77 games in 1986-87
Recorded 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists) in 77 games in 1987-88
Recorded 129 points (45 goals, 84 assists) in 79 games in 1989-90
Not to be overshadowed by Gretzky and Kurri, Mark Messier was also an elite scorer. His combination of skill, leadership, and toughness was crucial and it was a big reason why the Oilers were so successful during the 1980s.
He put up respectable numbers in his first three seasons in the league, but he didn’t reach his true offensive potential until season four. That’s when he put up 100 points for the first time, finishing the 1982-83 campaign with 106 points (48 goals, 58 assists) in 77 games. “The Moose” went on to record at least 100 points in four more seasons with the Oilers and set his career-high in 1989-90 with 129 points (45 goals, 84 assists) in 79 games.
Messier’s trophy case doesn’t consist of any major scoring titles, however, it does include two Hart Trophies, two Lester B. Pearson Awards, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. He won six Stanley Cups in Edmonton, four with Gretzky, and then captained the Oilers to a fifth championship in 1990. He was traded to the New York Rangers in 1991 and led them to a championship in 1994, the same playoff run when he famously guaranteed victory over the New Jersey Devils in the Conference Final.
Messier retired in 2004 and is remembered as one of the best to play the game. He sits ninth all-time in goals (694), third in assists (1,193), and third in points (1,887). He was inducted into the Hall of the Fame in 2007.
Paul Coffey
Three-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 126 points (40 goals, 86 assists) in 80 games in 1983-84
Recorded 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists) in 80 games in 1984-85
Recorded 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists) in 79 games in 1985-86
Paul Coffey is one of the best defensemen to ever play in the NHL and he is one of just five defensemen to have scored at least 100 points in a season. He accomplished it three times as an Oiler.
After a quiet rookie season in 1980-81, Coffey exploded the following season and registered 89 points (29 goals, 60 assists) in 80 games to lead all defensemen in scoring. His numbers improved to 96 points (29 goals, 67 assists) in 80 games the next season to win the defence scoring race again. Finally, in his fourth season of NHL competition, he reached the 100-point mark, registering 126 points (40 goals, 86 assists).
His best offensive season was in 1985-86 when he posted 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists) in 79 games. This ranks second all-time in points by a defenceman in a season, trailing only Bobby Orr’s record of 139 points (37 goals, 102 assists) set in 1970-71.
Coffey retired in 2001 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. He finished his career as a three-time Norris Trophy winner and a four-time Stanley Cup champ. He also sits sixth all-time in assists (1,135) and 13th in points (1,531). He had a long, successful career with a handful of teams, but he is best remembered for his time with the Oilers.
Glenn Anderson
Three-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 105 points (38 goals, 67 assists) in 80 games in 1981-82
Recorded 104 points (48 goals, 56 assists) in 72 games in 1982-83
Recorded 102 points (54 goals, 48 assists) in 72 games in 1985-86
Glenn Anderson broke into the league in 1980-81 and scored a modest 53 points (30 goals, 23 assists) in 58 games. He turned his game up a notch the following season and finished his sophomore campaign with 105 points (38 goals, 67 assists), good enough for second in Oilers scoring.
Anderson reached the century mark again with the Oilers in 1982-83 and in 1985-86, scoring 104 and 102 points respectively. After being traded by the Oilers in 1991, he spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues, but he never had the same offensive success that he did in Edmonton.
Anderson, who was a significant part of the Oilers dynasty and was known for his ability to score clutch goals, retired in 1997 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008. He never took home any individual league awards, but he was on all five Stanley Cup-winning teams in Edmonton and helped Messier and the Rangers win it all in 1994.
He ranks fourth in Oilers franchise history with 906 points (417 goals, 489 assists) in 845 contests and leads the franchise in game-winning goals (72). He also sits fourth all-time in playoff scoring with 214 points (93 goals, 121 assists) in 225 games, and is tied for fifth in playoff game-winners in league history (17).
Connor McDavid
Three-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games in 2016-17
Recorded 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) in 82 games in 2017-18
Recorded 116 points (41 goals, 75 assists) in 78 games in 2018-19
Since making his NHL debut in 2015, Connor McDavid has taken the league by storm with his ability to skate at breathtaking speeds and embarrass defenders on a nightly basis. He has recorded 100+ points in a season three times, and he is on his way to a fourth this season.
In his first full NHL season, it took McDavid all 82 games to reach the 100-point plateau. He entered Game 82 against the Vancouver Canucks with 98 points and the chance to become the first Oiler since Doug Weight in 1995-96 to reach the milestone.
He added two assists in the 5-2 win and finished the season with exactly 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists). He outscored second-place Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane by 11 points each to capture the first Art Ross Trophy of his career. He recorded 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) the following season to set new career-highs, and secured him his second of back-to-back Art Ross Trophies.
He took his game to new heights again in 2018-19 and scored 116 points (41 goals, 75 assists) setting another career high, but it wasn’t enough to win his third straight Art Ross Trophy. He finished second in scoring behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who scored 128 points—the most in a season since 1995-96.
As it stands, McDavid is only a couple of games from reaching the century mark for a fourth straight season. He is currently second in league scoring with 96 points (33 goals, 63 assists) in 63 games, trailing only his Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl. Considering he spent his offseason recovering from a possible career-altering injury, what he has accomplished this season is impressive.
Related: Connor McDavid is the Masterton Trophy Favorite
This is only his fifth season and on top of his two Art Ross Trophies, he is also a two-time recipient of the Ted Lindsay Award and he has won the Hart Trophy. With 468 career points (161 goals, 307 assists), McDavid is already ninth on the Oilers’ all-time scoring list and though it’s unlikely he will catch Gretzky (1,669) for first, we should see him ranked second in franchise scoring by the end of his career.
Leon Draisaitl
Two-Time Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 105 points (50 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games in 2018-19
Recorded 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 69 games in 2019-20*
Leon Draisaitl is the newest member of the Oilers’ 100-point club. He hit the mark for the first time in 2018-19 when he registered 105 points (50 goals, 55 assists). In doing so, he and McDavid became the first Oilers teammates to each score 100 points in a season since Kurri and Jimmy Carson did it in 1988-89. He also joined Washington Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin as the only players to light the lamp 50 times – Ovechkin scored 51 – that season.
Draisaitl reached the century mark again in 2019-20, becoming the seventh Oiler to record consecutive 100-point campaigns. He needed only 65 games to reach the milestone. Since the 1999-2000 season, only Kucherov (62) has reached that marker in fewer games. As of Mar. 9, he has 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) and a commanding lead in the scoring race.
He already has the Art Ross locked up, but that’s likely not the only hardware that we’ll see him receive in June. He’s also emerged as the front runner to win the Hart Trophy, and with 43 goals this season, he has put himself in the “Rocket” Richard Trophy conversation. He has a good chance of becoming the first player to win those three awards in the same season since Ovechkin did in 2007-08.
With 422 career points (168 goals, 254 assists) Draisaitl leads the 2014 Draft class in scoring and he ranks 13th in franchise scoring. If he can keep it up, it won’t be long before he finds himself near the top of the Oilers’ all-time points list.
Jimmy Carson
Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 100 points (49 goals, 51 assists) in 80 games in 1988-89
Jimmy Carson put up some impressive numbers during his first two seasons in the league with the L.A. Kings. He scored 37 goals and 79 points in his rookie season and bested that with a 55-goal, 107-point effort the following season.
He was the centrepiece of the package deal the Oilers received when they traded Gretzky to the Kings, and combined with his elite potential, meant there were high expectations for him to live up to in Edmonton.
He did a pretty good job and scored exactly 100 points (51 goals, 49 assists) in his only full season as an Oiler.
The following season he played just four games before requesting a trade out of Edmonton. In November 1989, he got his wish and was traded to his hometown Detroit Red Wings along with Kevin McClelland and a 19 fifth-round for Adam Graves, Petr Klima, Joe Murphy, and Jeff Sharples. Carson never found the same offensive success, while Graves, Klima, and Murphy all went onto become important pieces in the Oilers’ 1990 Cup run.
Doug Weight
Member of the Oilers 100-Point Club
Recorded 104 points (25 goals, 79 assists) in 82 games in 1995-96
Doug Weight had a long, impressive career, but it was in his time with the Oilers that he found the most success. After being dealt to Edmonton in 1993, Weight quickly established himself as one of the best play-makers in the game and, with Ryan Smyth and Bill Guerin playing on his wings, the Oilers had a solid first line. He was one of the best Oilers of the 1990s and led the team to five consecutive playoff appearances between 1997 and 2001.
His lone 100-point season with the Oilers came during the 1995-96 season when he recorded 104 points (25 goals, 79 assists) in 82 games, to lead the Oilers in scoring by 34 points. He had a 25-goal, 90-point campaign in his last season in Edmonton, which was the closest he ever got to reaching the century mark again in his career.
Weight capped off a great career with a Stanley Cup championship in 2006 when he helped the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Oilers in a hard-fought series that needed all seven games to decide a winner. Although it was heartbreaking to lose, Oilers fans couldn’t help but be happy to see the man who meant so much to the city and the team lift the grail for the first time in his career.
He ranks seventh on the Oilers’ all-time scoring list with 577 points (157 goals, 420 assists) in 588 games.
The Oilers have had their share of players with 100-point seasons already, and with McDavid and Draisaitl locked up for the near future, you can expect many more. Also, keep an eye out for Kailer Yamamoto, who is emerging as an elite offensive talent in the league, and could flirt with the 100-point mark for the next few seasons.
Josh Vold covers the Edmonton Oilers here at TheHockeyWriters.com