On 1980s NHL Hockey
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The 1980s were filled with dominance. The New York Islanders would win four Stanley Cups in a row. The Edmonton Oilers would also win four Stanley Cups in the decade. Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky were two of the best players, leading their teams to four Stanley Cup wins.
The 1979–80 season would start one of the most memorable eras of hockey. Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Bob Nystrom helped the New York Islanders win four consecutive Stanley Cups in a row. For the 1980 Stanley Cup final, The Islanders would face the Philadelphia Flyers. The Islanders would beat the Flyers in six games.
The 1981 Stanley Cup consisted of the Minnesota North Stars and the recurring champs, the New York Islanders. The Minnesota North Stars made their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance. But it would not last long as the Islanders would defeat them in five games.
In 1982 the Vancouver Canucks would make their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
The 1983 Stanley Cup Finals consisted of the Edmonton Oilers and the New York Islanders.
The Oilers would win the following Stanley Cup Final in 1984 and begin their dominance for the rest of the 1980s.
Marcel Dionne, Wayne Gretzky, and Mike Bossy would be the three most noticeable players winning scoring titles throughout the 1980s.
Patrick Roy began his professional career in the 1984–85 season. He played one game that year. The next year he played in 47 games. This would be one of the best starts for a rookie in NHL history. Not only did Roy win the 1986 Stanley Cup, but he also won his first Conn Smyth trophy.
The 1980s would also cap off the end of an era for Lanny McDonald. In his final games, he would score his 500th goal, 500th assist, and his 1000th point. Very few players have retired with both 500 goals and 500 assists. In 1989 he would win his only Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames. It was the perfect ending for Lanny McDonald. To go your entire career, not winning the cup, to winning it in your final year is amazing. McDonald wasn’t the best player but made his mark in the NHL.
The Wayne Gretzky trade to the LA Kings was perhaps the most shocking trade in professional sports since Babe Ruth was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees. People were so mad at Peter Pocklington that they effigies of him and burned them. For people in Edmonton, losing Gretzky felt like the end of the world. After Gretzky was traded to the LA Kings he would continue to put up excellent numbers. With teammates such as Luc Robitaille and Marty McSorley, the Kings would become a dominant playoff team in the early 1990s.
