Personalised Historical Challenge

[lawrence97]

1985/1986 Season Preview

The Rangers have retired numbers of Guy Lapointe and Yvan Cournoyer. Yvan Cournoyer retires with a sensatonal 3360 career points. 4 Hart Trophies, 18 times all star, 3 Conn Smythes, 7 Art Ross, 13 Stanley Cups.

Guy Lapointe, 7 times all star and 1215 points in 1237 games in the NHL. After his contract elapsed in 1983 he spent two years in the IHL before retiring.

Mike Bossy was not traded by the Islanders

Team Rankings

1-Rangers
2-North Stars-Def champs, strong as ever
3-Bruins-Bobby Orr 37 and still rated 4.5. Makarov, Bourque, Hawerchuk, Lukovic, Derlago, Driver, Courntall and Mike Vernon, soplid solid team.
4-Devils- Roy and Coffey two of the best players in the world
5-Blues-Acquired Scott Stevens and Paul Garnder to team up with Bullard, Carlyle, Howe and Hrudey

Other teams of note

Philadelphia-McDonald, Messier Broten, Anderson Redmond and Dionne, but aging.

Oilers(16)-Lemieux, Hull, Francis, Robitaille & konstantinov

Red Wings(12)-Gretzky Hasek, Fetisov, Bellows, Klima and Balderis.Belfour also waiting in wings. Also of note Keith Gretzky also in their organisation

Buffalo are getting old Middleton, Robinson, Rogers and Tonelli all slowing down.

Season should again come down to the North Stars and my Rangers.

However Detroit and Edmonton look ready to compete now.

Also i have lost my 2 top centers from last year, it will most likely result us in struggling till Nieuwendyk and Ronning can adapt to the NHL. Steve Thomas and Greg Adams are also promoted

Off
Vaive-Cloutier-Neely
Propp-Steen-Kerr
Unger-Quinn-Andreychuk
Thomas-Ronning-Nieuwendyk
Scratches
Broten-Adams
AHL
Tipper-Dahlen-Clark-Ruuttu

Def
Park-Larson
Rusto-Harts
Babaych-Patrick
Scratch
Albelin
AHL
Duchesne, Olausson, Iafrate

GK Fuhr-Healy,
AHL
Richer

With this team, we are really relying on Cloutier to deliver as a C. Thomas Steen played well in playoffs, so gets 2nd Center role. Questions next year as who plays in D. Brad Park is still elite, but this is probably his last year as an elite player. Craig Hartsburg, has been solid but not the level i was expecting, he will be at risk next year. Duchese and Iafrate will step in, Olausson probably traded.

This year, i expect us to be near the top, but probably drop from 550 to 470 goals, Damphousse is a real trade target as is Bondra. Stanley Cup maybe a step too far this year but we shall see.

[lawrence97]

1985/1986 Season

First game is against Lemieux's Oilers, and we get shut out 3-0. Not a good start. But we win our next six before we trade Tippet and Broten our 1st Rnd pick for Damphousse who will go into the minors. Damphousse will go into minors this year, but is exactly the player we needed for our depth at Centre, With Nieuqendyk and him at 1-2 i feel we willl compete into the 90's.

12 games in and we are 11-1. However story of the season is Mario Lemieux, he has gone turbo charged. 38 points in 12 games. Having Robitaille and Hull on your wings is having quite the effect. Gretzky is on 24, Only man close is Buffalo's duo of Rogers and Middleton who have put up 32 and 26(which is still stunning) Gretzky lagging behind on 24. Is the the first season in which he doesn't win the Hart and Art Ross? He is on 6 straight so far. Detroit with Hasek and Fetisov are 1st in west with 4 teams including Edmonton within 2. We are already 7 clear of the next best Devils and Sabres in the east.

24 game in and Detroit are 19-2-3, we are 19-3-0. We are both clear in our conferences. Minnesota are on 26 points in 25 games, a real shock for them. They've gone 1-1-5 in last 7 games. Edmonton are challenging for the lead in their division. In the scoring race Gretzky is on 51, Lemieux on 66 on pace for 178 and 221 respectively. For context our top line is heading for 110 points, and our top scorers are 39, 41 42, 44 and 56 in the league! We have 4 lines who can score and thats why we keep winning. We also keep them out.

Half way through the season, and in the 3 game series with Detroit, we got 2-1, all games are decided by 1 goal. In the league we are on 67 points Bruins Sabres and Devils on 51, 50 and 49 in the conference. In the west, Detroit are on 63, just behind us in the league, with everyone else in their division around .500. In the other division Edm are just ahead of the kings 51-50, with everyone else in the 30's. Lemieux and Gretzky are on top teams and hoping they meet and we can meet the winner in the final.

Scoring Race, Gretzky is catching Lemieux, Mario on course for exactly 200, and Gretzky 180. For Gls, Wayne is on 44, Paul Stastny on 42, Mario 37 and Bossy 35. Hull and Robitaille are on 29 each. Would be something if Edmonton had 3 60 goal scorers in one season! Best defence is now Detroit at 3.4 per game, we are 7th at 3.79, but its now our scoring thats the difference at 5.76 per game, Buff 5.02. Edm only at 4.64. their top line is the difference, Ron Francis doing well, but they could do with another sniper to play with him, and they'd be up their with us and Detroit. We've called up Duchense to cover for Patrick's 2 months out. I've played with the lines after we went on a 4 game winless streak. Unger who had been dropped for S. Turgeon, came in for Ronning who was struggling. Ronning will come back in for Thomas in the last quarter of the season.

64 Games in. Rangers suddenly hit a bad patch losing 7 games in 11, inclduing a 6-2 pasting at Edmonton. We are on 94 points Dtetroit on 88 and Edmonton 83 as comfortably the top three teams in the league. Lemieux has put distance to Gretzky now, 165 plays 143, on course for 216 and 190 pts respectively. Gretkzy trying to break the 101 sesason record by Bobby Hull. Mikita interestingly has assist record of 146. Lemieux has a chance at that one. Gretzky is the teams scoring as he has no one to assist unlike the twin cannons that Lemieux has.

In terms of Game records Derek Sanderons has most goals in a game with 7, Dionne most assists with 9, and he's tied with Brad Park for 9 pts in a game.

End of regular season. We finish top on 130 points, Edmonton catch and pass Detroit who had a stuttering final 20 games. but those are still top 3. Stl had a strong end getting to within 4 of detroit despite being 10+ behind at the mid point. Gretzky ended up with 81, the main reason Detroit slumped, but stil ended up on 186 points, Lemieux hit 218, with 141 assists so both Goal and Assists season are not broken. The Points record is 221 set by Gretzky in 79/80. Mario was just 3 short of that with one game to play. and he does it with a four point haul! Two goals in that game means he also beats Gretzky 82-81 in the top goalscorer race. 5 players have hit 200; Lemiuex, Gretzky, Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull and Yvan Cournoyer. Next closest is Mickey Redmond with 174.

Onto the playoffs where all eyes will be on the Gretzky Lemieux battle, but will Stl or someone else spoil the party. 38 players get 100, 14 50 goal scorers. Our depth in scoring with 9 players at 80 or better is why we top the league. Our goals against though is a worry. Last year we were a plus 263, this year its a 143. The leagues is a lot closer We score 471 goals, close to where i was expecting. Defence not where i was expecting.

[lawrence97]

85/86 Playoffs

Round 1(3) Philadelphia for us which has Messier-McDonald-Anderson but not much else. Tie of the round is Minnesota-STL. We sweep Phil 3-0. every others series is tied at 1, except Minnesota 2-0 Stl. Edmonton and Detroit both survive theirs series 3-2.

Round 2(7) We get the Devils, again with Roy and Coffey, they've not been a challenge in the last few years. Detroit and Edmonton need to get past the last two SC champions in Min and Vancouver. Boston who beat us 3 times this season have Montreal. After 4 games the 3 top teams are in 2-2 struggle with their respective teams. We survive to win 7-1 in game 7, Edmonton through, but Boston and Detroit out. Gretzky vs Lemieux will have to wait

Round 3(7) We have Montreal who were 10th in the league, they have Peter and Anton Stastny with Jari Kurri. khomuto Nicholls and Verbeek complete a very handy top 6 forwards. However their defence and goalie are among the worst in the league. Should be a shoot out.
Minnesota defneding champs are 5th facing off against Edmonton, its the star defenders Greshcner-Murphy-Wilson-Reinhart, against 4 attackers of Lemieux-Francis-Hull-Robitaille. That should be fireworks as well.

Both series go to 7 games, We beat Mont 11-6 in the final game, in a series that had 5 games go to 10 goals or more, and Minnesota beat Edmonton in OT 3-2 for a third Min-NYR stanley cup final!


*Stanley Cup Final* Although they've not been as sdtrong as recent seasons, both teams are still stacked. Lets see who wins the 3rd match up of the 80's, having both 1 won stanley cup against the other so far.

Game 1: NYR 7-0 MNS Andreychuk at the double for a dominant win 69 shot attempts to 48.

Game 2: NYR 5-4 MNS: Min gight back after that trouncing and take a 2-0 lead in the first. Larry Murphy and Ron Sutter. Sylvain Turgeon who got 87 pts in the regular season, gets his 9th of the playoffs. 2nd Period teams trade 4 goals to leave Min 4-3 up into the 3rd period. However Neely and Andreychuk with his 2nd of the game, and 4th in this series puts us in the driver seat.

Game 3: MNS 4-6 NYR: The game is decided in the third period. The first two are tight with the teams trading a goal in each period. 3rd period is just wild, and the craziest minute of hockey i've ever seen. Reed Larson and Tim Kerr put us 4-2 up after we simply dominate the first 15 mins of the period. Then at 17:12 Ron Sutter scores, and 20 seconds later he scores again to tie it at 4! Before they can even celebrate Brad Park scores 6 seconds later for 3 goals in less than 30 seconds! Then at 18:!8 he scores again. 4 goals in a minute and 4 seconds, gives us the 3-0 series lead!

Game 4: MNS 6-3 NYR: Minnesota get on the board with a thumping of the Rangers. Where has this team been, they have 98 shot attempts to our 47, The score board reflects it its 6-1 after 2 periods. We make it respectiable in the third with the only 2 goals, but Minnesota was dominant.

Game 5: NYR 5-4 MNS Minnesota smelling a comeback here! Even game with shots 32-30 for the Rangers, Mike O'Connell with only goal in first, and then Eklund and Bjugstad score with assists from O'Connell on both are inbetween Vaive and Larson goals to make it 3-2 to Min after 2.O'Connel is the 3rd line defender for Min, showing his superstar defenders how its done! In the third, Greschner gets a goal but 2 in 30 seconds from Propp and Andreychuk make it 4-4. Eklund scores again at 5 minutes to give Minnesota the 5-4 lead, and win as it turns out, as no more goals are scored


Game 6: MNS 6-5 NYR Minnesota have tied the series and this game hurts. A 5 goal 1st period with two late goals from Nilsson and Martin give them the 3-2 lead. The second the Rangers come storming back to lead 5-4 with James Patrick scoring the go ahead goal. Bob Gainey from Mike O'Connell again ties it at 13:01 of the third. Its overtime, and Doug Wilson
who's had a quiet series shows up when it counts with the game winner.
Its the first time we've gone to 7 and its our THIRD game 7 in a row. ONe last chance for us not to thow this away.

Game 7 NYR 2-6 MNS, They do it, what a way to win, and another crushing defeat for the Rangers. in an even game Rangers out shoot Min 44-39, but pay for a lousy 2nd period. Slyain Turgeon gives us the lead with his 14th goal, by Brent Ashton equalises. 2nd period Ron and Doug Wilson score at the 12th and 13th minues, Federko at the 15th and Maclellan at the 19th. Their goalie makes saves, ours doesn't, Lindberg again is the difference, just like last year. Third Perios, Cloutier scores early, but Nilsson slams the door shut with the 6th at the 14 minutes mark and Minnesota go back to back and the MSG faithful are not happy. Thats 2 cups out of 7 in the 80's after winning them all in the 70s.


Top Scorer in thye playoffs is our defender Reed Larson on 38, Cloutier 35, Lemieux 34 in 6 games less and Nilsson top scores for Min with 33. Turgeon for us got 33. He'll deserve top line minutes next yeat. Vaive and Kerr are dissapointing as is Steen.

Awards this year

Hart: Mario Lemieux
Conn Smythe: Reed Larson
Vezina: Bob Janeycky(Min GK-helps having an all star D in front of you!)
Norris: Brad Park!
Calder: Igor Larionov

[lawrence97]

1986/1987 Draft

This draft is stacked I have 15th and 18th picks(Bos and Stl)

Unavailable
Joe Sakic
Sergei Fedorov
Alex Mogilny
Pierre Turgeon
Brendan Shanahan

Available
Rob Blake
John LeClair
Mathieu Schneider
Andrew Cassels
Eric Desjardins



John LeClair is who i ideally need but he is projected 6th. our forward depth is looking bleak past out top 12. So Babych Healy, Greg Adams, Cliff Ronning will all be trade bait to get us as many draft picks as we can. Next year we have Lidstrom Modano Brind'Amour Linden. I would love to get all 3 of those, but getting top picks is tough. An easy win to start, we get Kamensky as a free agent. Craig Janney also signed as released by Hartford, he's a 100 point player but I'll trade him as don't want him out of the league. I manage to trade Babych, healy and Propp to Quebec for this year and next years 1st rnd pick. Hopefully these new players won't push them up to far in the rankings.


1-Sakic(Hrt)
2-Fedorov(Wsh)
3-Blake(Win)
4-Mogilny(NYI)
5-Shanahan(Chi)
6-Turgeon-(Pitt)
7-Cassels-(Wsh)
8-Schneider(Phil)


With LeClair very likely next, i go to NJ and get the next pick which was Vancouvers originally, and get their nexy year pick and give up st lous this year pick, my 2nd rnd next year and Ronning and Adams.

9-LeClair(NYR)
10-Roloson(Tor)
11-Desjardins(NYR)
15 Yves Racine

Decent draft for us, Desjardins and Racine are decent players, we get 3 1st rnd picks for next year in bos quebec and ours. Craig Janney is then traded for Wsh 1st rnd pick to give us a real chance of getting Lidstrom.

[lawrence97]

1986/1987 Season preview

Rangers are still ranked 1st
2-Minnesotra still have the fearsome offensive defenders foursome and will contend thank to them, but their forwards are getting old. Only really Kent Nilsson and Gartner are still in their primes. Russ Courtnall is only talent they have

3-Boston, Solid def and gk with Bourque Driver 38 yearold Orr and Mike Vernon. Upfront Makarov Lukowich, Geoff Courtnall Hawerchuk and Derlago are a solid top 6..

4-NJ Devils Roy and Coffey as always, they have a lot of decent forwards although no real star, maybe Kozhevnikov coudl though. Vickes Kehoe are all old, then they have Adams and Ronning as solid depth.

5-Stl-Real suprise to see them here, i expect them to be mid table Bullard Stevens Carlyle and Mark Howe form their spine.

Gretzky Detroit 7th, Edmonton 16th somehow, and Ny Islanders 20th. Will have to try and get some picks from the Islanders and Whalers, if possible, my draft picks are all top 11 in the rankings.

our lineup this year
Turgeon-Steen-Cloutier
Andreychuk-Quin-Neely
Verve-Nieuwendyk-Kerr
Kamensky-Damphousse-Thomas

Park-Larson
Rust-Hartsburg
Iafrate/Duchense-Patrick

Richter/Fuhr

[lawrence97]

1986/1987 Season

Season starts off terribly, with 3 defeats in four. It might end up that my draft pick is the best one i have at this rate! 10 games in and we are 4-5-1. Turgeon has a career day verses the Islanders for 3 goals and 4 assists. We are on course to concede 400 goals in a season! Dan Quin is dropped after 1 point in 14 games, try to trade him for Bondra, but thats not even an option.

At half way stage we have 49 points, Unger has replaced Quinn, who after 20 ames out took over from Steve Thomas. The Devils are 20 points clear of us, their defence is why they are top. Our defence is a leaky sieve. Lemieux has 98 points Gretzky 79, but Bullard at Stl has 88! Goulet has 53 goals for Vancouver. Detroit are last in their division 6 points but with 3 games in hand. Chicago has two draft picsk theirs and Buf's, i trade them for Quebec, who are last in their divison but improving quick with Yzerman and Gilmour, 2 2 star prospects and the Bos pick, who are top of their division. That might give me 2 top 8 picks hopefully if Quebec improve.

Since we dumped Quinn from top lines duties, we are flying again, we are now 4 wins behind them with 27 games to go. Devils lost 6 games in January, whilst we lost 2, Have a change of top spot again, but who knows. Quin wlll be traded for drafts picks at next years draft. The 87 canada cup comes at the right time for the Devils. Lets see if we can catch them , or if the break gives them the timne to regroup.

End of Season, we get to within one of the Devils, but a 6-3 loss to pittsburgh with 2 games to go, means i ennd 2nd in the conference. However Minnesota go on a sensatinal tear to win the presidents trophy!


Lemieux gets art Ross with 218, Gretzky only 3rd in a poor Detroit team again. Oilers have almost 3 60 goal scorers again, Hull only te 53 this year. Bullard an excellent 166 for 2nd. Goulet top scorer with 88.

Cloutier pulled us out of trouble, but silver lining my trades came off, as Quebec finished 11th, Chicago 7th, but Buffalo 18th and Washington 17th. This gives me an excellent chance at Modano and Lidstrom. 18 100 point scorers and 17 50 goal scores

[lawrence97]

1986/1987 Playoffs

All series 7 games- Detroit sensationally don't make it, their points total would have been good enough in any other division. They really need another top 2 defender and top 6 forward.

Round 1 We Get Philadelphia McDonald and Messier, and for our 4th playoffs roud in a row we get to 7, which we win7-2/ All games were won at home. Devils survive a 7 game series with Chelio's Penguin. Lemieux's Oilers are also through.

Round 2 Again the devils for whats feels like the 5th time in a row. We've always won, last year in 7, this season they've been average since the turn of the year, so we should be favourites, having made up 21 points in the regular season ot them. They win in 5 tight games, and for once we are not in the final!

Round 3 New Jersey Boston, and Minnesota vs Edmonton in the Conference finals. Edmonton beat the defending champs, and meet the Devils as they both won in 6!


Stnaley Cup Final

Game 1: Devils 4-3 Oilers 3 points for Lemieux, but Brent Sutter from Greg Adams wins it for the devils

Game 2: Devils 6-0 Oilers, Just a thrashing Kozhevnikov and Flockhart get 2 each

Game 3: Oilers 1-4 Devils. Devils too strong Kozhvenikov with another 2 goals

Game 4 Oilers 5-1 Devils , two points for Lemieux

Game 5: Devils 5-0 Oilers Vickers hatrick for a memorable Stanley CUp Triumph for the New Jersey Devils

lemieux top scores with 42 points, Flockhart gets 25 for Devils with Adams on 24. Kozhevnikov turned up late but got points in the last round to cement the win.

Awards:

Hart: Mario Lemieux
Conn Smythe: Mario Lemieux
Vezina:Kirk McLean(Phil)
Norris:Paul Coffey
Calder:Greg Adams(i traded him away, and he turns the Devils into a monster!)

A lot of work to do this summer. Unger at 38 is not getting his contract renewed. Dan Quin, despite being rated 4 star plays like a 1 star so is being traded. This draft is crucial for us. so will do what we have to to get the players we need.

[lawrence97]

1987/1988 Draft

We have picks number 4, 6, 11, 15 and 19 in the draft.
This draft is only good for about 10 picks. Modano and LIdstrom are a must, but they are ranked 2 and 3 behinf Selanne. We trade for Hartford 1st rnd pick giving up 1 ourselves and Hartsburg a 4.5 star defender and Quin the 4 star attacker.


Player Available
Lidstrom Yes
Selanne No
Zubov No
Kolzig Yes
Roenick No
Modano Yes
Amonte Yes
Brind'Ar Yes
Zhamnov Yes
Lang Yes
Heinze Yes
Linden Yes


Draft

1-Lidstrom(NYR)final trade is Hartsburg, Quin, and they draft York and Mcinnis with the 15th and 19th picks of the draft)
2-Selanne(NYI)
3-Roenick(Win)
4-Modano(NYR)
5-Amonte(Det)
6-Brind'Amour(NYR)
7-Zubov(CGY)
8-Linden(Mon)
9-Guerin(LAK)
10-Kolzig(Tor)
11-Lang(Nyr)


We get 3 of the five players we wanted. Tony Amonte and Trevor Linden i will see if i can trade for once they sign NHL contracts.

But getting Lidstrom and Modano was perfect. Lidstrom will be a srtaight replacement for Brad Park next year. We also get Hedican in the 2nd round

[lawrence97]

1987/1988 Season Preview

Rangers are top, BUT first time in a while we don't have the top forward group, that goes to Edmonton. Their fab four will do well, but they traded away their best defencemen 19- Konstantiov for a 29 year old centre B-A Gustafsson. A good player but stupid trade .

2-Minnesota second with same team as last year, essentially

3-Devils again heavily relying on Roy/Coffey

4-Boston-Bourque and Hawerchuk and Makarov look deadly with 130 points each. But nothing after them.

5-Detroit with Fleury(who was let go by the Jets!) and klima and Bellows and Hasek should def get back to winning ways this year.

Other teams to look out for

(9)Toronto at some point need to step up, they have Lafontaine Tocchet Naslund and Gary Suter

(10)Vancouver getting Konstantiov to partner Hatcher with an old Potvin on the top line looks oslid, Oates and Goulet will contine providing the goals.

(11)Washington Capitals will be a force soon, Stevens Leetch Fedorov Janney Cassel Richer and Ciccarelli is some lineup

This season should be quite tight, I'll take Detroit along with Minesota and us as the top three teams in the league. Again lets hope for a Lemiuex/Gretzky playoff clash.

Our Lineup this year

Off

1st Line: Cloutier is our star, Steen is dropped for Nieuwendyk as C and Turgeon on the wing.

2nd Line, Andreychuk Steen and Neely, should be an excellent line

3rd lIne, our vetsVaive and Kerr will venter Damphousse

4th Line Kamensky will be one wing, whilst Ruuttu Thomas and Wendal Clark getting the minutes. Dahlen is the other player to make the roster

LeClair Modano Lang Zelepukin and Turvotte AHL/Jrs

Def
Larson and Patrick top line
Park and Rusto second line
Iafrate.Duchesne/Oluasson sharing 3rd line

Racine/lidstrom/Hedican jrs/ahl

GK
Richter and Fuhr.

[lawrence97]

1987/1988 Season

Rangers start off badfly, and demote Turgeon, and go on a winning streak, but that is brought to a halt with a winless 5 game run, to leave them 11-9-2 after 22 games. The league is very tight now, 7points seperate 1st-Chicago to 14th- Vancouver!
We trade ny 1st rnd pick turgeon and zelepukin to stl for their 1st rnd pick this year and next. LeClair takes his spot on 4th row. Lemieux 63 points Gretzky 57 both on course for over 200. Patreick also demoted to 2nd line with Park back to 1st. We desperatley need lidstrom in this defence, but he's not ready yet.

Half way stage and in our Division we are top, but Washingont and Devils only 2 pts behind. Boston top of the league 2 ahead of us. But its still tight 12 points only between 1st and 110th. Edmonton and Detroit back in the top 6, and Lemieux and Gretzky still on course for 200 but Lemieux 8 pts ahead on 108.


with 21 games to go, Rangers on 81, Capitals in their division on 83, Devils on 67. North Stars are making their move an go top with 87. another 4.5 teams on us around 80 invluding DEtroit and Edmonton. Chicago still there as well. Ray Shepperd having some season with 52 goals in 60 games.

Lemieux and Gretzky keep trading the points lead, both still on course for 200, but its Gertzky with a spurt who is 7 points ahead now 163-156

End of the season ends with a splutter, the North Stars again storm second half of season to win Presidents. They beat us easily the three times we played each others as did Detroit and Edmonton. We finish 2nd 5 behind Washington, having lost our last two games to them and the Devils to finish 5th in the league with our worst in decades 104 points.

8 teams got 100 points Devils, Blackhawks and Bruins along with teams above. Gretzky Detroit will have to get past Minnesota to get to Lemieux's Oilers in the Conference finals if the seeds go the way they are meant to.

Grewtzky gets 222, 1 shy of claiming back his record from Lemieux, but gets 102 goals to set the record! Lemieux gets 146 assists to tie with Mikita! But Gretzky wins the art ross as Lemnieux get 197 points 37 gets 100, and 15 50 goal scorers.

The Rangers only have Cloutier to 100 points and 50 goals. Rest of the team dissapointing. Nieuwnedyk shows promise with 98 points but Neely Andreychuk Vaive and Kerr don't get the goals i was expecting. I will put veterans on top line in playoffs.

[lawrence97]

87/88 Playoffs

Round 1: Devils Rangers and Red Wings Blackhawks are the 2 100 point clashes of the round.We are straight into the deep end! AND both series go exactly the same way in what we call the double miracle. New Jersey and Chicago both out after blowing 3-0 series leads! Chicago won 3 tight games, then preceeded to get blown out the rest of the way, with a combined score of 32-11 in the next four games! Gretzky got just the 14 suprisingly. Devils on other hand won three games 7-4 9-5 5-4, then lost 9-5 5-3 7-4, and in the final game as MSG went 4-1 up only for 2 goals by Ny in the 3rd to force ot, and Real Cloutier gets his second of the game to win it. a Tim Kerr hatrick key to the Rangers getting back into it. DEtroit now face Minnesota. Edmonton made it through as did Boston, but Washington are out to Messier's Flyers!

Round2:Rangers vs Phil, incidentalyy 36 year old Dionne still hanging around though last 3 seasons he hasn't got past 60. Flyers still counting on McDonald and Messier. McDonald 35 and has give the phillies 6 years of world class play averaging 120 pts a season. His trade gave me Neely and Duchesne who have not been as good. just like last year, goes 7 games with home team winning all of them. But the major news is Gretzky Detroit, absolutley thumping Minnesota in 5. Gretzky gets 13 in 5 games . They face off agaisnt Lemieux's Oilers which i shall cover game by game, as they beat the Oates/Goulet Van combo in 7 and Bourque';s Boston go through after tehy needed 7 also against Yzerman's Quebec.


Round 3: LEMIEUX VS GRETZKY

Game 1: 5-2 win for Detroit, Gretzky 2 assists, Lemieux 0

Game 2: 6-1 win for Detroit, Gretzky 3 assist Lemieux 0
Edmontons lack of d being punished by Detroit so far.

Game 3: 5-3 win in Edmonton for Detroit, who are putting a serious message down. Gretzky 1 assist Lemieux 1 assist

Game 4: 3-0 sweep 1 goal for Gretzky and 0 for Lemieux. Gretzky in his first Stanley Cup final and Edmonton will need to draft/trade/sign some defenders asap as this series really showed them up. Lemieux a hugely dissapointing series

Asd for us, agiasnt Boston, we went down twice at MSG aginst the bruins byt 1 goal, before winning the next two at Boston Garden, game 5 a 4-3 win for the Rangers, can we leave the 7 game series behind....yes a 6-5 win thanks to Brad Park!

Stanley Cup Final Detroit finally came good this year. Bellows and Klima getting 100 points, with Klima getting 50. Mellanby Fleury and Johnson are an 80 point second line, and in playoffs the same is being seen with Fetisov excellent on the blue line. They have a solid if not superb goalie in Hayward. Gretzky on 32 points

Rangers: Veterans Cloutier, Vaive and Steen leading the rangers all arouind 29 points. Iafrate scoring 7 goals and 18 points from the blue line.
Third line of Neely Damhousee and Kamensky is really struggling.


Game 1: Detroit 9-4 Rangers. Red Wings have won all regular season games, and this one was a write off, Gretzky 3 points Bellows 4, and game was over after 1st period when Red Wings went 4-1 ahead. The Red Wings are on some role after being 3-0 down to Chicago.


Game 2: Detroit 7-2 Rangers, both games in the Joe have been blow outs. Gretzky another 3 points

Game 3 Rangers 3-4 Detroit, a heart breaking game. Park gives us the lead, Klima answers in the first. We score only goal in 2nd thanks to Vaive to fo 3-2 up, but Gretzky scores in 3rd early to tie. Rusto scores with 11 to go, but a gretzky assist to Klima ties it. A penalty to Bellows in the last 10 seconds gives us a great chance to win it, but soon aas he is out of the box, it takes him 20 seconds to score the winner. We are in a heap of trouble.

Game 4 Rangers 7-6 Detroit what a game, this time we get the OT winner, we are 6-3 up with 6 to go, but Numminen Gilchrist and Klima score within 3 minutes of each other to tie it. Kirr scores the winner in 4 left in the first extra period. Now we somehow have to find a way to win at the Joe!

Game 5: Detroit 6-0 Rangers, Well Detroit win the cup adn Gretzky pointless but they were too good for us in their home arena, and deservedly take the cup home. Gretzky gets 43 points and a shoe in for all the honours this year. We are now 5 years since our last cup triumph having lost 4 finals. We have one final chance to win the cup in the 80's as the NorthStars Kings and us all have 2 each. They'll be a lot of thought as to what we do with our team to get us over the hurdle

Hart: Gretzky
Conn smythe:Gretzky
Norris:Reinhart(Min)
Calder Scott Young
Vezina-Wamsley

[lawrence97]

1988/1989 Draft

This year starts with a bang, Roy goes to Montreal, whilst Kurri gose to the Devils. Three player retire and get their numbers retire by the Rangers, Tallon, Redmond and Unger. Redmond had a 101 goal season and scored 2300 career points, Unger, stayed his entire NHL career with us and scored 1803 points, in 1707 games, Tallon scored 700 odd point in 800 games for us with 2 100 point seasons in 11 seasons.

This draft is a good one for us to miss, Sundin, Bure Weight all unavailable, Reichel Draper and Primeau not the players we need. Adam Foote only decent def, which we don't need. Potvin the best goalie in the draft.
Get Stephane Richer for Vaive and right to Brett Hedican. then Peter Bondra for Kerr. We have 13th and 14th picks in this draft but will trade them away, if nothing available.

1 Weight(Hrtd)
2 Bure (Cgy)
3 Sundin(NYI)
4 Ruccin (Pit)
5 Draper(Tor)
6 Primeau (Win)
7 Conroy (Mon)
8 Sillinger (LAK)
9 Dafoe (Van)
10 Potvin(Buf)
11 Reichel (Phil)
12Salo(Mon)
13 Nedved(NYR)
14 Foote (NYR)
20 Holik (Det)


Had a choice to get another gk instead of Foote, but no need with Richter/Fuhr in net. But Nedved was a great acquisition, didn't see him at first. Finally have the centers i require.

[lawrence97]

1988/1989 Season Preview

Ranges are top as always, but the team feels better for having Richer and Bondra in for Vaive and Kerr. Modano also make the cut with LeClair stepping back down and Ruuttu as the 13th forward. Vaive and Kerr were 2 biggest issues last two years, their production dropped from 80 points to 60 points. Both had 50 goal seasons and 10 point seasons, but time for us to get young and faster.

Devils are second, Edwards is still a very good goalie, Coffey & Kurri, but i doubt they should be ranked this high.

3-North Stars, still have that fab four defence with Nilsson and Gartner, but all around 30. They'll be a threat, but not for much longer

4-Detroit, defending champs, and the team i'm most scared of Hasek, Fetisov, Klima Gretzky Bellows and Fleury.

5 Boston-Bobby Orr finally retired with 2598 points! Bourque Driver Hawerchuk Sakic and Makarov are are sacring line for any team.

Quebec with Gilmour and Yzerman will be a threatm as will be Edmonton, but they still haven't sorted out their defence.

Toronto and Washington are dark horses, Toronto Recchi Ridley tocchett, Naslund and Lafontaine in their top 6 with Suter in d. Washington-Scott Stvens, Leetch Fedorov Janney Ciccarelli and Vaive.

My too ealry to tell prediction will be a Detroit NY Rangers rematch.

Our LIne up

Andreychuk-Steen-Cloutier
Richer-Nieuwendyk-Neely
Kamensky-Damphousse-Bondra
Clark-Modano-Thomas

Rusto-Larson
Patrick-Iafrate
OLafsson/Park/Duchesne

Fuhr/Richter

Scrathes
Dahlin and Ruuttu

AHL
LeClair, Brind'amour, Turcotte, Racine, Lidstrom and Lang.


a lot of talent here and Modano Richer and Bondra should definatley fit our style of play.

[lawrence97]

1988/1989 Season

Boston and Washington are top on 35 pts. We are 6th 8 points off them. We have not had the results expected so another shake up of tactics and lione changes. Steen is now a 3rd line center. Lemieux and Gretzky have had slow starts to the season both on pace for 150 points, Ciccarelli of washington leading the way with 35 goals and 53 points in 22 games!


At half way point Gretzky and Lemieux are on 88 and 87 points, Rangers are third in the leauge 5 7 behind leaders Devils and Bruins. Detroit Washington Quebec and Winnipeg are all within striking distance. North Stars and Edmonton are 20 points behind the Devils.Nieuwendyk has been poor, Neely ever since he was called out has improved. Brad Park at 40 is still one of our best players.

With 18 games to go Lemieux is ahead of Gretzky but both hitting aroun 180/190 points, Boston and New Jersey lead the way, but we are right behind them. minnesota are really struggling in 13th place. They are fighting with St Louis and Toronto to make the playoffs. Edmonton and Detroit look like they'll win their divisions but Winnipeg could overtake Edmonton. Top four teams are NJ, Bos, NYR and Detroit.

End of season Boston wins from 3 points from us. Minnesota shockingly out of the playoffs! Detroit, New Jersey, Boston and us make 100 points.

Playoffs should be interesting, i make us favourites.

[lawrence97]

88/89 Playoffs

Round 1, Rangers vs Penguins, with Turgeon and Chelios. We win in four tight games.


Round 2 Edmonto are out Detroit and Boston are through, but we are up against the Devils next and we win in 6!

Round 3, Bruins vs Rangers, and Jets veres the Red Wings. We simply fly through the Bruins in a sweep, and Detroit comeds through in six. Its a repeat of last years SC Final vs Gretzky red wings!

Round 4 Stanley Cup FinalRed Wings have same star players as last year, Fleury, Gretzky Klima Fetisov Bellows and Hasek

Game 1: Rangers 4-7 Red Wings. Red wings score 7 with only 1 point from Gretzky, not a great start by us.

Game 2 Rangers 7-2 Red Wings, We find our mojo and win easily

Game 3 Red wings 4-2 Rangers, Red wings go three up after two, urious rally by the Rangers to make it 3-2 in the 3rd, but Gretzky gets first goal of Series to ice it.

Game 4: Red Wings 4-8 Rangers.Gilchrist and Gretzky make it 2-0 after 1 for the red wings Bellows adds a third early in second period, But 3 goals in 8 minutes-Richer, Damphousse and Cloutier, ties it going ito the third. Cloutier complets a hat trick as 5 goals for thae rangers to Fleury's lone goal make a great win for the Rangers to even the series.

Game 5: Rangers 9-1 Red Wings. Real Cloutier with back to back hat tricks! This game wasn't close from start to end!

Game 6: Red Wings 3-2 Rangers Gretzky gets all three points as a 3rd period goal by Nylund makes it a game 7 in the stanley cup final!

Game 7: Rangers 4-2 Red Wings! 1st period is scoreless, 2nd period Andreychuk scores but Gretzky equalises. then gets his second to start the third and 20th of the playoffs to put them ahead, but Neely, Richer and Cloutier, with his 16th wins it for the Rangers!

Larson top scores in playoffs for us with 35, Andreychuk and Neely and Nieuwendyk show up inthe aplyoffs with 29 28 and 28 poitns respectively. Gretzky leads all with 28.


Hart:Gretzky
Conn Smythe: Reed Larson
Calder: Teemu Selanne (NYI)
Norris: Ray Bourque(Bos)
Vezina: Tom Barraso(WPG)

[lawrence97]

Will start a new thread of the 90's here are some stats

The 80's was just as hard as i thought. Real Cloutier, Brad Park and Reed Larson are the reason we won 3 stanley cups. Trading away Lanny McDonald was a mistake but otherwise most trades went in my favour.

90's should be slightly easier, with Modano Nedved Brind'Amour Bondra and Nieuwendyk and Lidstrom we should be contendors for a while.