DitchMarner
TheGlitchintheSwitch
Say Pocklington never runs into financial problems and doesn't trade Gretzky and the core of the Oilers Dynasty stays together until Gretzky and Messier retire - could the team have remained competitive into the mid 90s or early Dead Puck era? How many more Cups would have been won?
Gretzky and Kurri helped the Kings to an SCF appearance in 1993. Coffey also played for LA during the '93 season.
A year later, the Rangers won the Cup with Messier, Tikkanen and Anderson playing for the team in the playoffs.
In 1997 the Rangers were led in scoring by Gretzky and Messier, who were 36 by then. They reached the third round of the playoffs. Tikkanen joined the team for the playoffs. The Rangers got through two teams embodying the Dead Puck Era (FLA and NJ) without too much difficulty before succumbing to the Flyers (another team emblematic of that time period). That team didn't have Coffey but did have a prime Brian Leetch.
It seems unlikely the Oilers core would have remained relevant by '98, but between '89 and '97, how much more success could that core (and especially the duo of Gretzky and Messier) have had?
Gretzky and Kurri helped the Kings to an SCF appearance in 1993. Coffey also played for LA during the '93 season.
A year later, the Rangers won the Cup with Messier, Tikkanen and Anderson playing for the team in the playoffs.
In 1997 the Rangers were led in scoring by Gretzky and Messier, who were 36 by then. They reached the third round of the playoffs. Tikkanen joined the team for the playoffs. The Rangers got through two teams embodying the Dead Puck Era (FLA and NJ) without too much difficulty before succumbing to the Flyers (another team emblematic of that time period). That team didn't have Coffey but did have a prime Brian Leetch.
It seems unlikely the Oilers core would have remained relevant by '98, but between '89 and '97, how much more success could that core (and especially the duo of Gretzky and Messier) have had?