1978-79 Edmonton Oilers Garnet "Ace" Bailey Jersey

Garnet "Ace" Bailey first played for the Edmonton Oil Kings in junior hockey from 1964 to 1967, including a Memorial Cup championship in 1966.

He was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 NHL Amateur draft with the 13th overall pick and started his professional career with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League followed by further seasoning with the Bruins minor league Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League in the 1968-69 season where he had a nice season with 56 points in 60 games. Bailey excelled in the playoffs with 14 points in 9 games as Hersey won the Calder Cup as AHL champions. He also found the time to make his NHL debut with the Bruins, seeing action in eight games during which he scored his first NHL goal on his way to six points. He even got his first taste of NHL playoff action in one postseason game for Boston.

The 1969-70 season saw him crack the Bruins lineup, appearing in 58 regular season games. While Bailey did not suit up for any of the Bruins playoff games, that season (perhaps due to injury) his name was included among those engraved on the Stanley Cup following the Bruins championship, capped off by Bobby Orr's famous cup winning overtime goal in Game 4.

His next season was split between the Boston and Oklahoma City before finally establishing himself as a full-time NHL regular in 1971-72 when he skated in 73 games for the Bruins as well as 13 playoff games, including scoring the game winning goal in Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals versus the New York Rangers, as Bailey got his name on the Stanley Cup for the second time.

Bailey's next three seasons in the NHL were ones of change, as the Bruins traded him to the Red Wings after 57 games of the 1972-73 season. Half way through the next season, Detroit sent Bailey to the St. Louis Blues. Once more Bailey was on the trading block, when St. Louis dealt him to the Washington Capitals after 49 games of the 1974-75 season despite Bailey having already set a career high with 41 points in 49 games for the Blues. Combined with the 17 points he scored in 22 game for the Capitals, his 58 points would remain the best offensive output of his 10 years in the NHL.

Washington proved to be a good fit of Bailey, and he would see action in 67 games in 1975-76 and 78 the following year, his second highest scoring season with 46 points.

Bailey, who was known for his sense of humor once received a four-inch-manual from Capitals head coach Tom McVie, telling him how to get into condition. Bailey used the manual to prop up a beer keg in his bar. On the first day of training camp, according to theSan Francisco Chronicle, Bailey beat several other players in a footrace, and McVie said approvingly, "Ace, I can see you used your book this summer." Bailey replied, "Coach, I used it every day."

Another story relates how McVie once scheduled a practice for the squad at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. As the sleepy players arrived in their hotel lobby, Bailey, impersonating McVie, had already called and cancelled the bus scheduled to take them to the rink, which eventually led to the cancellation of the practice and some much needed additional sleep for the team.

After one more season in Washington, his fourth, Bailey's career would come full circle, as he would return to the scene of his junior hockey roots in Edmonton, this time with the Oilers of the WHA for 38 games where he would become a roommate and mentor a young Wayne Gretzky, becoming one of the few players to play with both Orr and Gretzky.

His playing days concluded with seven games with the CHL's Houston Apollos in 1979-80, before retiring to become their head coach, and a single game with the Wichita Wind of the CHL (while he was their head coach) in 1980-81.

His final NHL totals were 568 games played, 107 goals and 171 assists for 278 points.

Beginning in 1981, he worked as a scout for the Oilers from 1981 to 1994 and win five Stanley Cup rings during the Oilers dynasty from 1984 to 1990, which included his name engraved on the cup three of those times.

Sadly, while working as the director of pro scouting for the Los Angeles Kings, Bailey was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 175 which was crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, killing all on board. The Ace Bailey Children's Foundation was established in his memory. To make a donation, simply follow this link.

Today's featured jersey is a 1978-79 Edmonton Oilers "Ace" Bailey jersey as worn during Bailey's only WHA season. The Oilers adopted this style jersey during their third WHA season of 1974-75 and used this version of the logo with the blue lettering on an orange background through their final WHA season of 1978-79. When the Oilers joined the NHL the following season, the logos on both the home and road jerseys were changed to blue letters on a white background, a higher contrast and much more pleasing combination.

Bonus Jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a Koho 2001-02 Los Angeles Kings Glen Murray jersey, which features the "AM" patch in memory of Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis, a fellow scout with the Kings who was also killed on board Flight 175 with Bailey. The jersey also is adorned with the 2002 NHL All-Star Game which was hosted by the Kings that season.

The Kings introduced this purple jersey as an alternate style to their white home and black road jerseys in 1999 and wore it for three seasons. At the time, the all the home jerseys in the NHL were branded as CCM, while the dark and alternate jerseys carried the Koho brand and the practice jerseys were tagged Jofa, as all three brands were part of the same company.

Later, in time for the 2002-03 season, the Kings flipped logos on their jerseys, making the crown logo seen here, the new primary logo for both their white and black jerseys, where it remains in use today, while the purple alternate jersey began to use the coat of arms logo (seen here on the shoulders as a secondary logo) through 2006-07 prior to the purple jersey being discontinued with the change to the new Reebok Edge jerseys, which dictated the temporary elimination of alternate jerseys.

Our first video today is a look at the Ace Bailey Got Skills program, created in Bailey's memory.

Our second video is from the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation.

Again, if you'd like to make a donation, simply click on the image below.

1998 Poland National Team Mariusz Czerkawski Jersey

Born on this date in Poland in 1972, Mariusz Czerkawski began playing for GKS Tychy's junior team in 1988-89. During his second season with Tychy, Czerkawski showed his promise with 35 goals and 46 points in 30 games. He would play one more season for GKS with 25 goals and 40 points in 24 games.

During his time playing club hockey in Poland, he also participated in several international tournaments for his national team, first playing in the 1989 European U18 Junior Tournament B Pool as a 16 year old, scoring 5 goals and 11 points in 5 games and helping Poland earn a promotion to the Top Division.

He got to enjoy the fruits of his labor in 1990, again playing for Poland's U18 team at the World Championships. There, he scored 9 goals and 12 points in 6 games, an average of 2 points per game. Of note, he finished fourth in scoring behind future NHLers such as Slava Kozlov and Espen Knutsen and ahead of  Sergei Zholtok, Mikael Renberg, Alexei Kovalev, Jere Lehtinen and Martin Straka. His obvious talents were rewarded with a roster spot on the Polish World Junior U20 team despite being just 17 years old.

Czerkawski again pulled double duty for Poland in 1991, only this time playing in first the U20 World Juniors B Pool, where he dominated with 12 goals and 15 points in 7 games to lead the tournament in scoring on his way to being named the tournament MVP. He was again rewarded for his efforts when he was a part of the Poland National Team at the 1991 World Championship B Pool at the senior level as an 18 year old. Playing with players much older than he was did not phase Czerkawski, as he scored 6 goals and 8 points in 7 games, helping Poland earn a promotion to the newly expanded Top Division for 1992, as four promotion spots were up for grabs that year.

Czerkawski in the red and white of Poland

His success on the international scene led to Czerkawski being drafted during the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round, #106 overall.

Needing tougher competition to continue his development if he were to make it to the NHL, Czerkawski moved to Sweden for the 1991-92 season, joining Djurgardens IF in the Eliteserien. He found the going somewhat more difficult but acquitted himself with 8 goals and 13 points in 39 games. That season he also made his Olympic debut, playing at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France. Later that spring, he also returned to the World Championships, only now in the Top Division for the first time.

Czerkawski moved to Sweden to continue is development

For the 1992-93 season, Czerkawski played with Hammarby IF in the second level of Swedish hockey, where he had a fine season with 39 goals and 69 points in only 32 games. He also asserted himself with 74 penalty minutes.

He was back with Djurgardens for the 1993-94 season, scoring at nearly a point per game clip this time around, as he scored 13 times on his way to 34 points in 39 games played. Once Djurgardens was eliminated from the playoffs, Czerkawski made his NHL debut with the Bruins, playing in 4 regular season games, scoring twice before playing an additional 13 playoff games, adding 3 goals and 6 points to the Bruins effort. On his debut, Czerkawski became the first Polish born and trained player in NHL history.

The start of the 1994-95 season was delayed by labor issues, and Czerkawski signed on with Espoo Blues of the Finnish SM-Liiga. He played in 7 games for the Blues with 9 goals and 12 points before returning to North America for the resumption of play in the NHL. In 47 games with Boston, he scored 12 goals and 26 points.

Czerkawski played 80 games for the Bruins

divided over the course of two seasons

Czerkawski returned to the Bruins for the 1995-96 season, and after 11 points in 33 games, he was involved in a trade that sent himself, Sean Brown and a first round draft pick to the Edmonton Oilers for goaltender Bill Ranford. During the second half of the season with Edmonton, Czerkawski had 12 goals and 29 points.

He played the entire 1996-97 season with the Oilers, seeing action in 76 games, scoring 26 goals and 47 points before an additional 12 playoff games.

Czerkawski played a season and a half with the Oilers

Just before the 1997-98 season, Czerkawski was traded to the New York Islanders for Dan LaCouture. At first, the move affected his offensive output, as he scored roughly half the number of points he had the year before with the Oilers. Czerkawski also returned to the international scene for the first time in six years when he played in the World Championships B Pool Qualifying Round in early November for the Poles.

Czerkawski was with the Islanders during their final

season with the controversial Fisherman jerseys

Over the next two seasons Czerkawski's offensive game not only returned, but thrived. In 1998-99 he scored 20 goals for the second time in his NHL career with 21 on his way to 38 points followed by setting career highs in 1999-00 with 35 goals, 35 assists and 70 points to far and away lead the Islanders in scoring, 28 points more than Brad Isbister in second! His fine season was rewarded by being named to the 2000 NHL All-Star Game.

Czerkawski had a career year in 1999-00

and played in the NHL All-Star Game

Coming off his success in the NHL, Czerkawski scored 4 goals and 11 points in Poland's effort at the 2000 World Championships B Pool.

Czerkawski played for Poland 11 times during his career 

Czerkawski played every one of the Islanders games over the course of the next two seasons, again reaching 30 goals in 2000-01 while serving as an assistant team captain for New York. After scoring 62 points that season, he numbers slipped to 22 goals and 51 points in 2001-02. In 2001, the IIHF World Championship ladder system was renovated, and when Czerkawski returned to play for Poland in 2002, they were now placed in the expanded Top Division, Czerkawski's second time participating at the top level since first doing so in 1992.

Czerkawski was traded to the Montreal Canadiens following the season for Arron Asham and a draft pick. The fit was not a good one for Czerkawski, and he only played half a season for the Canadiens with just 5 goals and 14 points in 43 games. He also played 20 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs down in the American Hockey League with 20 points in 20 games as well as 6 postseason games with the Bulldogs.

He then returned to the Islanders when he signed as a free agent for the 2003-04 season, where he returned to form with 25 goal sand 49 points playing in 81 games that season.

Czerkawski was back with the Islanders for the 2003-04 season

With the 2004-05 NHL season cancelled by the lockout, Czerkawski returned to Djurgardens IF in Sweden where he scored 15 times on his way to 24 points in 46 games. He also took part in the Olympic qualification rounds for Poland, leading the way with 6 goals and 10 points in 6 games. While Poland won the pre-qualification Group E tournament at home in November of 2004 over the Netherlands, Lithuania and Croatia, they were overmatched in the final qualification tournament against Latvia, Belarus and Slovenia.

Czerkawski rejoined Djurgardens IF for 2004-05

The NHL returned to the ice in 2005-06, and by now Czerkawski was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, having signed as a free agent. It was not a good fit and, after being a healthy scratch for most of the season, he would only play in just 19 games in Toronto, scoring just 4 goals and a lone assist before being claimed off waivers near the trade deadline by his original NHL club, the Bruins. He played in 16 games to finish out the Bruins schedule with an identical 4 goals and one assist. Czerkawski made his final international appearance for Poland that spring, playing in the 2006 World Championships Division 1 Group B tournament, leading the Poles with 3 goals and 7 points in 5 games.

For the 2006-07 season, Czerkawski returned to Europe and signed with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the Swiss National League A. He excelled with 21 goals and 41 points in 43 games for second on the team in overall scoring. For the 2007-08 season, he exceeded a point per game with 22 goals and 53 points in 49 games, again second on the club by a single point to effectively bring an end to his career, but Czerkawski did appear in a single game for GKS Tychy where it all began in Poland during the 2008-09 season.

Czerkawski returned to Europe with Rapperswil-Jona

His final NHL totals were 745 games played with 215 goals and 220 assists for 435 points as well as an additional 15 points in 42 playoff games in 12 NHL seasons. He remains far and away the most successful NHLer ever from Poland with 390 more than Krzysztof Oliwa's 45.

Internationally, Czerkawski played for Poland on 11 occasions, scoring 44 goals and 73 points in 61 games combined between the junior and senior levels.

Today's featured jersey is a 1998 Poland National Team Mariusz Czerkawski jersey as worn at the 1998 World Championship Group B in Slovenia.

Poland played its first international game back in 1926 with a best World Championship finish of 4th in 1931. They have appeared in 65 World Championships and have played in Division 1 every year since 2003. In their effort to return to the Top Division, they won promotion from Division 1 Group B in 2014 and have finished 3rd in Division 1 Group A in 2015 and 2016.

To date, they have participated in 13 Olympics and were in six consecutive Games during the 1970s and 1980s, but not have qualified for the Olympics since their last appearance in 1992.

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1998 Djurgardens IF Mariusz Czerkawski jersey. Djurgardens IF was founded in 1922 in Stockholm, Sweden and are 16-time Swedish champions and twice have won the European Cup.

Extra bonus jersey: Today's extra bonus jersey is a 1996-97 Edmonton Oilers Mariusz Czerkawski jersey. Czerkawski joined the Oilers in 1995-96 for their final season in their blue and orange classic jerseys worn during the era when they won five Stanley Cups. For Czerkawski's second season in Edmonton, the club debuted this new, more mature look, with the blue now several shades darker and the bright orange replaced by bronze with the addition of subtle red trim.

This style lasted from 1996-97 through 2006-07. The jersey style was replaced by a new Reebok Edge jersey in 2007-08 but the midnight blue and bronze color scheme remained until 2011-12 when the transformation back to their original look was completed in 2012-13 when the midnight blue jersey, which had been reduced to third jersey status for 2011-12, was retired.

Today's video section is a package of Czerkawski highlights while he was with the Islanders set to some raucous music. We're calling this one volume optional.

The NHL Record for Most Goals in a Playoff Game - 1986-87 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky Jersey

On this date in 1987, the Los Angeles Kings took on the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of their first round playoff series.

The night before, the Kings had won Game 1, also in Edmonton's Northland Coliseum, by a convincing 5-2 score with Dave Taylor scoring a goal and an assist while Luc Robitaille had a pair of assists to lead Los Angeles.

The Kings started Roland Melanson again while the Oilers changed from Game 1 starter Grant Fuhr to Andy Moog.

Andy Moog got the start in goal for the Oilers

With Steve Duchesne sent off for hooking at 1:38, the Oilers capitalized when Jari Kurri converted a cross-ice pass from Wayne Gretzky with the second assist to Randy Gregg at 2:51 to give Edmonton the early lead. Gretzky's assist made him the NHL's all-time playoff scoring leader with 177 points, breaking the record held by Jean Beliveau.

Beliveau met Gretzky at a PeeWee tournament in 1974, 13 years

before Gretzky would break Beliveau's career playoff scoring record

Glenn Anderson then scored an absurd goal. Moving off the left side boards, he skated toward the slot. Once around a Kings defenseman, Melanson made a huge gamble and came way out of the net, all the way to the right faceoff circle before finally making a desperate lunge to poke check the puck away from Anderson, who patiently waited out Melanson until he had a clear angle at the vacated goal and flung a backhander into the unguarded net at 5:17 for an unassisted goal and a 2-0 Oilers lead.

Glenn Anderson against the Kings

The third Oilers goal was vintage Gretzky to Kurri, as Gretzky set up shop behind the Los Angeles net and passed out front to Kurri, who breaking in on the right side and fired one past Melanson for a 3-0 Edmonton lead after 6:26.

Jari Kurri

After Bernie Nicholls got the Kings on the board with an unassisted goal at 10:29, Randy Gregg golfed a shot from the point just 20 seconds later that eluded Melanson into the upper left corner for a frankly bad goal. Craig MacTavish and Kevin McClelland were credited with the assists.

Things went from bad to worse for Los Angeles when Tom Laidlaw was penalized and the Oilers scored the ugliest of goals when Gretzky shot the puck from the right side boards and Esa Tikkanen got his stick on the rebound. Tikkanen's shot bounced up off of Melanson just as Jay Wells checked Tikkanen from behind. As Tikkanen fell forward into Melanson, the puck his the Finn in the chest and bounced into the net, along with Tikkanen! Another Finn, Reijo Ruotsalainen was given the second assist on the power play goal at 14:09.

Esa Tikkanen

It was Amateur Hour again at 17:03 when Gregg dumped the puck into the Kings zone and Melanson came out to try to clear the puck. His attempt was blocked by Kent Nilsson, who passed the puck out of the corner to Anderson who then sent the puck across the slot to a wide open Mark Messier for an easy tap in without a Kings defender within 15 feet of him to make the score 6-0 after one period.

Darren Eliot replaced Melanson in goal for Los Angeles to start the second period. With Marty McSorley having been penalized for the Oilers at 2:52, MacTavish poked the puck past the Kings defenseman at the point, starting a breakout the other way. Messier joined him, and as MacTavish approached the Kings net, he simply fed the puck across to Messier for a virtual repeat of his first goal as he simply shot the puck into the open side of the net as he was left unguarded for a 7-1 Edmonton lead.

Mark Messier

Nicholls scored again for Los Angeles at 4:29 on the same power play, but less than two minutes later Nilsson poked the puck away from Bobby Carpenter near the Kings blueline, passed it left to Messier, who gave it back to Nilsson. He cut to his left in the slot and fired the puck by Eliot at 6:15 to restore the Oilers six goal advantage.

Just as Grant Ledyard's penalty was about to expire, Nilsson got the puck near his own goal and fed the puck up to Messier who was leaving the Oilers zone. He carried it into the Kings zone and fed it forward to Gretzky, who then dropped it back to Nilsson all alone trailing the play as the Kings were again all watching the puck. Nilsson completed the slick passing play by scoring his second goal of the period with one second left on the Edmonton man advantage to make the score 9-2.

The Kings scored their second goal of the period with 1:32 remaining with the goal going to Jim Fox from Wells and Carpenter.

The third period was no better for the beleaguered Kings, as Gregg tapped a puck at the point up to Kurri, who in turn sent it toward the net were Gretzky tipped it past Eliot for the 10th Oilers goal at 1:56.

The Oilers hit double digits on Gretzky's tip in

With Ledyard off again for the Kings, Gretzky and Kurri combined for a mirror image of Edmonton's third goal, with Gretzky set up behind the Kings net, he move to the right, drawing absolutely everyone with him and set the puck through the crease to Kurri waiting all alone on the far left, where he buried the puck into the open side before Eliot had any chance to react to complete a hat trick. Anderson was awarded the second assist on the goal at 7:30 on the power play.

Kurri completed his hat trick at 7:30 of the third

20 seconds later, a missed attempt at a breakout pass by the Kings teed up a one-timer for defenseman Charlie Huddy, who put everything he had into a blast on goal. While Eliot made the save, the big rebound went to Moe Lemay, who fought off a defender to direct the puck into the open goal behind Eliot, who had come out to cut down the angle on the shot by Huddy.

The Oilers 12th goal set a dubious new record for Most Goals Allowed in a Playoff Game beating the record of 11 held by both the Oilers and the 1944 Montreal Canadiens.

Wells for Los Angeles was then called for a penalty at 17:29, putting Edmonton back on the power play for the seventh time. After a faceoff win back to the left point, the Oilers deftly passed it back over to the right point, where it was sent up to Tikkanen halfway up the right boards. He then sent the puck down to Gretzky below the red line as they executed a give-and-go. Once Gretzky got the puck, he sent it back to Tikkanen, who had broken for the right side of the net. With all the attention focused on the puck, Tikkanen sent the pick across the slot to the left where once again, the wide open and alone Kurri buried his fourth goal of game and third on the power play to make the final score 13-3 for Edmonton.

It was the fifth power play goal for the Oilers in seven tries and set a record for Most Goals Scored in a Playoff Game at 13. Gretzky had 7 points on the night, including tying the record for Most Assists in a Playoff Game with 6. His 7 points tied his own record, which he had accomplished twice before. After his seven point night, Gretzky pushed the record for the Most Career Playoff Points to 177.

Kurri finished with 4 goals and 5 points while Messier had a pair of goals and a pair of assists for 4 points. Nilsson had 2 goals and an assist while Gregg and Anderson each had a goal and two assists for three points each. MacTavish and Tikkanen each had two points while four other Oilers had a point, making for a dozen players on the scoresheet in all.

Gretzky and Kurri combined for an absurd 5 goals and 12 points

Melanson gave up 6 goals on 10 first period shots while Eliot let in 7 on 29 shots. In all the Oilers put 45 shots on goal, scoring 13 times. Moog got the win for Edmonton, making 11 saves on 14 shots against.

The shellshocked Kings would not recover from the beating they took in Edmonton, losing the next two in Los Angeles 6-5 and 6-3 before they were eliminated in Game 5 back in Edmonton 5-4.

The Oilers would then sweep the Winnipeg Jets in four straight before advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals with a 4-1 series win over the Detroit Red Wings.

In the Finals, the Oilers won the first two at home 4-2 and 3-2 in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers, who won Game 3 back at home 5-3. Edmonton put Philadelphia on the brink with a 4-1 win in Game 4, but the Flyers delayed the celebrations with a 4-3 Game 5 win in Edmonton and forced a Game 7 with a 3-2 win at home. The Oilers then captured the Stanley Cup with a 3-1 win in front of their home fans to win their third championship in four years.

The Oilers would go on to win the 1987 Stanley Cup

Today's featured jersey is a 1986-87 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky jersey as worn when the Oilers set the NHL record for Most Goals in a Playoff Game with 13 while Gretzky set the career playoff scoring record as his seven points that night vaulted him past Beliveau.

The Oilers swapped the colors of their logo from a hard to read blue on orange worn while in the WHA to blue on white for their entry into the NHL in 1979-80. This style was worn through the 1995-96 season when the team changed their colors.

The team reverted to their original look for the 2011-12 season and hope it will eventually see the same amount of success as the first time around.

Photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

In today's video section, highlights of every one of the 16 goals scored during the Oilers record setting 13-3 win on this date in 1987.

1985-86 Edmonton Oilers Paul Coffey Jersey

On this date in 1986, the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Detroit Red Wings at the Northlands Coliseum. Edmonton carried a league best 49-15-6 record into the game, while Detroit limped toward the finish of the season at a lowly 15-48-6.

Greg Stefan got the start in goal for Detroit, while Andy Moog was the starter for Edmonton.

Before the fans could even settle into their seats, the Red Wings Petr Klima stunned the Oilers with his 26th goal of the season just 34 seconds into the game.

Mark Messier tied the game at 1-1 just over two minutes later when he scored his 29th goal from Glenn Anderson at 2:37.

The game then settled down for a while until Anderson scored his 49th goal from Messier and defenseman Paul Coffey on a power play at 10:45 to give the Oilers the lead at 2-1 before Jari Kurri scored his 58th goal of the season at 13:42 from Wayne Gretzky and Coffey at even strength.

Paul Coffey

Detroit attempted to stay close when the rugged Joey Kocur got his 9th goal of the season on a power play from Klima and John Ogrodnick at 15:17 to give the Red Wings hope at 3-2.

Coffey then extended the Oilers lead to two goals again with his 42nd goal from Mark Napier and Lee Fogolin less than a minute later at 16:15. Anderson then reached the 50 goal mark for the second time in his career from Messier and Finn Risto Jalo at 17:50 to make it a demoralizing 5-2 for Edmonton after just the first period.

Coffey had a goal and two assists in the first period

In the second period, Finland's Esa Tikkanen kept the Oilers rolling with his 4th from Coffey and Kevin McClelland followed by fellow Finn Raimo Summanen's 18th goal from Gretzky and Coffey again at 14:31 which brought a merciful end to Stefan's night in goal for Detroit.

Finally, Coffey struck again at 19:20 with his 43rd goal of the season from Gretzky and Kurri at even strength to give the Oilers a commanding 8-2 lead at the end of the second period of play from 28 shots to Detroit's 21.

Coffey had 2 goals and 4 assists after two periods

The third period was scoreless until Anderson completed a hat trick with 51st goal from Coffey and Messier at 12:44, the Oilers sixth consecutive goal. Warren Young then interrupted the Oilers scoring barrage with is 22nd goal for Detroit at 16:46 from Steve Richmond and goaltender Eddie Mio, who had replaced Red Wings starter Stefan.

The Oilers McCelland restored the Oilers 7 goal lead just 40 second later from Marty McSorley and Charlie Huddy at 17:26 as Edmonton had now reached double digits on the night.

As was often the case in those days of the NHL, the Red Wings frustrations overflowed and a melee broke out at 18:07 when Kocur and McSorely fought for the second time in the period while Harold Snepsts and McCelland joined them with fighting majors and game misconducts of their own.

With all the sticks and gloves picked up, play resumed and Gretzky then scored his only goal of the game, his 49th of the year, from Anderson at 19:03.

Finally, with just 15 seconds to play, Kurri scored his second goal of the game and 59th of the season from Coffey and Gretzky to make the score 12-3. Coffey's assist was his 6th of the game, and when combined with his 2 first period goals, gave him 8 points for the game, tying Tom Bladon's 1977 record for Most Points in a Game by a Defenseman. His 6 assists in a game also tied the record by a defenseman that he shares with four others.

Coffey became just the ninth player in NHL history with 8 points or more in a game, an exclusive club that still only numbers 13 to date.

Andy Moog and Coffey

Having joined Edmonton in 1980-81, scoring a mere 9 goals and 32 points, Coffey played seven seasons with the Oilers, highlighted by his 1985-86 season, during which he scored and NHL record 48 goals and 90 assists for 138 points, including his record tying 8 point game on this date in 1986.

His 138 points were one short of Bobby Orr's 139 in 1970-71. Between the two of them, Coffey and Orr, hold every one of the top ten highest scoring seasons by a defenseman in NHL history, five for Orr and five for Coffey, and Coffey holds second place in career scoring among defensemen with 1,531, behind only Ray Bourque's 1,579.

During his seven seasons with the Oilers, Coffey won two Norris Trophies and three Stanley Cups.

Coffey won three Stanley Cups with the Oilers

Today's featured jersey is a 1985-86 Edmonton Oilers Paul Coffey jersey as worn during his record setting game during which he scored 8 total points.

The Oilers reworked their jerseys from their final season in the World Hockey Association where they originated when they joined the NHL in 1979-80. Gone was the low contrast blue lettering against an orange background on their logo in favor of a cleaner, more professional looking and higher contrast blue against a white background, a long overdue change. The same can be said for their road blue jerseys, as the orange lettering on a white background was dropped in favor or the same blue on white coloring of the logo used on the home white jerseys.

In today's video section, Coffey ties and then breaks Orr's single season goal scoring record by a defenseman, also during the 1985-86 season.

1983-84 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky Jersey

The Edmonton Oilers began their 1983-84 season on October the 5th by hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. At the 14:25 mark of the second period Wayne Gretzky fed Glenn Anderson, who converted the pass on the power play to tie the game at 2-2 for Gretzky's first point of the season. He would later score his first goal of the season with a shorthanded tally at 2:33 of the third period to give the Oilers a 4-2 lead on their way to an eventual 5-4 win.

In the second period of the Oilers next game at Winnipeg, Gretzky had an assist at the 53 second mark and then scored two goals, the first one shorthanded, as part of the Oilers 8-6 win.

Gretzky had three more points in the Oilers 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota North Stars on October 9th, scoring a goal with one second left in the first period and then assisting on a pair of Jari Kurri goals, the second being the overtime game winner.

The Detroit Red Wings were the next to visit the Northlands Coliseum and Gretzky burned them for five points, the opening goal at 10:06 of the first period followed by a pair of assists to give the Oilers a 3-0 lead after one. He extended the lead to 4-0 with a goal from Anderson and Mark Messier just 27 seconds into the second period. Detroit rallied for 3 goals later in the second period to draw to within 1, but the Oilers pulled away with 4 third period goals, with Gretzky getting an assist on last one to make the final 8-3 for Edmonton.

On October 15th, Edmonton traveled to Calgary to take on the Flames. The Oilers prevailed with Gretzky assisting Kurri on the first goal and scoring his 7th of the season 1:06 into the third period, which proved to be the game winner as the Oilers won 4-3.
The Flames and Oilers then reconvened the next night in Edmonton for the second half of their home and home series. The Oilers had an easier time of it at home, winning 5-1 with Gretzky registering 2 assists and the final goal of the game for a 3 point night.

On the 19th, the Oilers and Vancouver Canucks teamed up for a high scoring track meet in Vancouver. Vancouver led 6-3 after two periods, but that was soon to change. The Oilers and Canucks traded goals in the first two minutes for a 7-4 lead for the Canucks, but then Edmonton reeled off six consecutive goals in 13:04, which began with a goal by Gretzky from Messier and Paul Coffey. Gretzky also scored the final goal into an empty net for his 10th goal and 20th point of the season after just seven games as the Oilers won 10-7 after trailing by 4 with five minutes left in the second period.

Gretzky then scored a goal on the road against the Los Angeles Kings followed by 3 assists back home against the Canucks in a 5-5 tie. He added a goal in an 8-3 loss in Toronto followed by an assist in a 3-1 win in Montreal against the Canadiens. Their road trip concluded with a 5-4 win in Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers with Gretzky contributing one goal to close out the first month of the season with 13 goals and 14 assist for 2 points.

November began with an 11-3 pounding of the Washington Capitals back in Edmonton. Gretzky oopened the scoring with a goal at 8:31 of the first period and finished the night with 2 goals and 3 assists. Next to visit was the Pittsburgh Penguins, who the Oilers dispatched 7-3 with Gretzky contributing 3 assists.

The fans in Winnipeg were treated to a display of Gretzy's dominance on November 6th when after being held scoreless in the first period, he scored 2 goals and an assist in the second period and then completed his first hat trick of the season at 12:39 of the third. After registering assists on the next 2 Oilers goals, he scored his 4th goal and 7th point of the night with just 7 seconds remaining in Edmonton's 8-5 win. The 7 points put him over the 40 mark with 42 in his only 15th game of the season.

Next to face the Oilers juggernaut was the Quebec Nordiques, who went down 7-4 as Gretzky had a second period assist on a goal by Kurri and then scored his 20th goal of the season in his 16th game.

The following night in Washtington D. C., Gretzky scored a goal in the first period, was held off the scoresheet in the second and then assisted on another Kurri goal to open the third period. After 2 Captials goals to make the score 4-4, the Oilers put their foot to the floor and reeled off 3 goals over the game's final seven minutes with Gretzky getting the first assist on all three for a 7-4 win and a 5 point night for Gretzky.

Edmonton's road trip then moved to Detroit as Gretzky had 2 goals and 2 assists in the first period and fnished the scoring with his 24th goal of the season to complete his second hat trick of the season and register his second consecutive 5 point game in a 7-3 win, the Oilers eighth consecutive victory, the first of three times that season they would win eight in a row.

The Oilers five game road trip came to a conclusion in Chicago against the Black Hawks. Their winning streak also came to a conclusion with a 5-3 loss, but Gretzky once more assisted on a goal by Kurri.

Back at home, the Oilers blanked the Buffalo Sabres 7-0 as Gretzky was credited with 3 assists, 2 on goals by Kurri. The New Jersey Devils were the next to try their luck at the Northlands Coliseum. After deceiving themselves by scoring the first 2 goals of the game, Gretzky got the Edmonton Express rolling with his 25th goal of the season at 5:43 of the first period. His assist on a goal by Kurri at 15:18 gave Edmonton a lead they would never relinquish. Gretzky added a goal and two assists in the second period and followed that with 2 assists and completed the scoring with a shorthanded goal, this third of the game and third hat trick of the year at 18:05 for a final score of 13-4.

Gretzky's 8 points were a career high and a feat he would repeat only on more time during his stellar career. His 8 points would also put him over the 60 mark, with now 66, in just his 21st game of the season.

Another high scoring game against the Jets was up next, as Gretzky scored once in a 7-6 Oilers come from behind win with two goals in the last 13 minutes.

In a 7-3 win over the Kings in Los Angeles, Gretzky waited until the mid point of the third period to assist on the Oilers final two goals. At Minnesota, Gretzky scored a goal at 11:55 of the first period in a 2-2 tie, which raised Edmonton's record to 19-3-2.

While the Blues handed the Oilers their second loss of the month 8-6, Gretzky assisted on 5 of the Oilers 6 goals. Edmonton then closed out November with a 3-3 tie at home to the Philadelphia Flyers, with Gretzky registering a goal and an assist. The goal was his 17th of the month and 30th of the season. The assist was his 33rd of November, giving him 50 points for November and 77 overall in just 26 games played through the first two months of the season.

December began with the Oilers defeating the Kings 7-3 at home with Gretzky earning 3 assists for his 80th point of the season in 27 games. Gretzky had a first period assist in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders at home on December 4th and their four game home stand concluded with a stunning 5-4 Oilers win after falling behind 4-0 before the game was even half over. Messier scored from Gretzky to start the comeback at 15:21 of the second before 4 third period goals, one of which was assisted by Gretzky, to give Edmonton the comeback win, highlighted by the winning goal just 26 seconds after the tying goal.

Three days later the two teams met again in Vancouver, with the Canucks turning the tables with a 3-2 win, with Gretzky assisting on the second Oilers goal. From there, it was a cross-continent trip to Long Island to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Islanders, who roared out to a 5-1 lead after the first period, but Gretzky still managed 2 points from an assist and a goal in the third period, his first goal in five games and the 300th of his career. Additionally, his assist extended his consecutive game point scoring streak to 31, breaking his own previous record of 30.

The Oilers then invaded Madision Square Garden the next night to face the Rangers. Gretzky opened the scoring with a goal just 8 seconds into the game. After adding an assist in the second period, he completed his fourth hat trick of the season with 2 third period goals followed by another assist as Edmonton won 9-4 thanks to Gretzky's 5 point night, which included his 800th career point.

Back in Edmonton on December 17th, the Oilers hosted the Nordiques. Gretzky assisted on both of the Oilers first period goals and then two of the three second period goals. Edmonton kept on coming, scoring three goals in the third period, with Gretzky getting his fifth assist on the 7th Oilers goal and then scoring the 8th an final goal in a 8-1 win for a 6 point game.

Then on this date in 1983, the Oilers traveled to Winnipeg to face the Jets. Gretzky assisted on Messier's power play goal at 7:43 of the first period. He then scored his 36th goal of the season at 10:21 from Coffey on a power play. Edmonton made it 3-0 at 11:01 and the Jets scored their first goal at 17:40, also on a power play. With the Oilers down a man with Coffey in the penalty box, Ken Linseman scored from Messier and Gretzky shorthanded at 18:33.

The assist was Gretzky's 64th of the season to go with his 36 goals, giving him 100 points for the season in his 34th game, setting an NHL record for the fastest 100 points in league history. Gretzky then scored his 37th goal unassisted at 4:12 of the second period for a 4 point game.

The win against the Rangers started a 13 game unbeaten streak for the Oilers, with only a tie on December 23rd versus Calgary being the only slight blemish on a 12-0-1 run which concluded with an eight game winning streak equaling their best of the season.

Gretzky would also keep his scoring streak alive, and would eventually reach 51 consecutive games, scoring 61 goals and 92 assists for 153 points during the streak, which included a second 8 point night on January 4, 1984 when he scored 4 goals and 4 assists. 

On January 7th, Gretzky would score his 50th goal of the season in his 42nd game, doing it in style with a hat trick. It would be the second of three times Gretzky would score 50 goals in 50 games or less. Eventually, he was held off the scoreboard by goaltender Markus Mattson and the Kings on January 28, 1984.

A five game losing streak in early February, with both Gretzky and Kurri out with injuries, was answered with another eight game winning streak once the injured duo returned. Edmonton would go on to finish first in the Smythe Division with a 57-18-5 record for 119 points, good for the President's Trophy as the team with the most regular season points, 15 ahead of the Islanders and Boston Bruins. The 57 wins and 119 points were both new club records.

Gretzky would finish with 87 goals and 118 assists for 205 points to win his fourth consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. It was his second 200 point season to date. He would eventually win the Art Ross Trophy seven consecutive times and ten overall. He woud score ten hat tricks that season, including four times scoring 4 goals in a game. He would also set a new league record with 12 shorthanded goals in a single season.

Gretzky would also win his fifth straight Hart Trophy as the league MVP and Lester B. Pearson Award as Outstanding Player.

In the playoffs, the Oilers swept the Jets in three games, outlasted the Flames in seven, swept the North Stars in four and then defeated the Islanders in five games, ending the New York dynasty at four Stanley Cups and beginning one of their own. Gretzky led the league in playoff scoring with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points, seven better than Kurri for the Oilers.

Today's featured jersey is a 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky jersey. The Oilers would go on to win the Stanley Cup at the conclusion of the season, and interestingly, each of the four times the Oilers would win the cup with Gretzky as captain, it would be at home in their white jerseys

When Edmonton first entered the NHL in 1979 following the demise of the WHA, they changed the colors of crest of their jerseys but, aside from minor detail changes to fonts for names and numbers and some tweaking of shades of color, they kept the same style for 17 seasons through the 1995-96 season.

Photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1984 NHL All-Star Game Wayne Gretzky jersey worn the season of his 51 game scoring streak when he set the record for the Fastest 100 Points. 

This style was worn by the NHL All-Stars for three years starting in 1984. Gretzky would wear it in both 1984 and 1986 when the Campbell Conference was considered the road team and wore the dark version. He wore the white home version in 1985.

During the 1984 game, Gretzky scored a goal in a 7-6 loss by the Campbell Conference.

Today's video section begins with highlights of Gretzky's 8 point night against the Devils.

Next, Gretzky breaks his own 30 game scoring streak record when he scores in his 31st consecutive game on December 13, 1983.

Finally, Gretzky's streak hits 51 straight games on January 27, 1984.