The Top Five Left Wingers In Edmonton Oilers Franchise History
Earlier this week, I wrote a post which ranked the top 5 centermen in Edmonton Oilers history. While ranking lists are often subjective, most seemed to agree with this one given that the choices were all pretty well slam dunks.
Today’s list may not go over quite as well with the masses. While the Oilers have had some great left-wingers over the years, there aren’t as many easy choices to make for their top five in history like they were for the center position. Here’s a look at who I came up with.
5. Ken Linseman
While Ken Linseman’s time in an Oilers sweater was short, he certainly made it memorable. The now 63-year-old, who enjoyed an 860-game career had two stints in Edmonton. The first came in 1982-83 after he was acquired in a trade from the Hartford Whalers. In his first season with his new team he made major contributions, scoring 33 goals and 75 points in 72 games, all while maintaining his agitating playing style which earned him the nickname ‘The Rat’.
The following season saw Linseman record 18 goals and 67 points in 75 games. While his regular season was solid, he was able to really pick it up in the playoffs that year, scoring 10 goals and 14 points in 19 games, which helped the Oilers win their first ever Stanley Cup. Despite his contributions however, he was traded that offseason to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Mike Krushelnyski.
Linseman made his way back to the Oilers ahead of the 1990-91 season, but it was quite apparent by that time that he was not the player he once was. In 56 games that season he put up seven goals and 36 points. He was once again in the offseason, this time to the Toronto Maple Leafs who he only played in two games with, which were the final two of his NHL career. In total he appeared in 200 games with the Oilers, scoring 58 goals and 178 points, while throughout his entire career he had 256 goals and 807 points.
4. Taylor Hall
You’d be hard pressed to find a player in Oilers history who has a fanbase more divided on his legacy with the team. He has his group of supporters who loved his talent level and believe team management failed him, while many others believe he was selfish and didn’t care about team success. Regardless of your opinion, he had plenty of good seasons on some horrible teams.
When Hall was taken first overall in 2010, Oilers fans thought he was going to be the player to turn their franchise around and get them back to their old winning ways. Unfortunately, that turned out to be not even close to the case, as they continued to struggle for years after drafting him and ended up trading him ahead of the 2016-17 season in exchange for Adam Larsson.
His best season in Edmonton came in 2013-14 where he recorded 80 points in 75 contests. Over his entire Oilers career he put up 132 goals and 328 points in 381 games. Since moving on, he has continued to have personal success, capped off with winning the Hart Trophy in 2017-18, but very limited team success. That may soon change however as he was able to sign a long-term deal with a very good Boston Bruins team in hopes of chasing down his first ever Stanley Cup.
3. Craig Simpson
When talking about some of the best Oilers players during their dynasty years in the 80’s, Craig Simpsons name is often one that fails to be mentioned. He was often overshadowed due to the many other superstars on those teams, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was a great player in his own right.
Simpson began his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins but was traded just part way into his third season in a blockbuster move that saw himself, Dave Hannan, Chris Joseph and Moe Mantha head to Edmonton in exchange for Paul Coffey, Wayne Van Dorp and Dave Hunter. Simpson was hot from the get go as an Oiler as he put up 43 goals after the trade in just 59 games.
Simpson played a total of six seasons with the Oilers, scoring north of 20 goals in all of them. He also helped them win two Stanley Cups in 1988 and 1990. He was especially huge for their 1990 Cup win, as his 16 goals in just 22 games led all Oilers skaters. Unfortunately, nagging back injuries slowed down his play near the end of his time in Edmonton, and after leaving the team in 1992-93 he played just two more seasons before being forced to retire at the age of 28 as a result. While it was a short career it was a very good one nonetheless, proven by the fact that his shooting percentage of 23.66 per cent is the best in NHL history for all players with 80 or more shots.
2. Esa Tikkanen
Another player who was a big part of the Oilers dynasty years but often fails to get recognition is Esa Tikkanen. The Finnish forward had eight fantastic seasons in Edmonton, beginning in 1985-86, just two years after he was drafted in the fourth-round (80 overall) of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft.
Tikkanen twice put up what would be a career high 78 points during his time in Edmonton, one of which came in 1988-89 where he appeared in just 67 games. He won four Cups as an Oiler, including in 1988 where he played a major role with 10 goals and 27 points in 19 contests.
During the 1992-93 season, the Oilers chose to trade Tikkanen to the New York Rangers in exchange for Doug Weight. That ended his 522 game tenure with the team where he had accumulated 178 goals and 436 points while also playing fantastic defensive hockey, as he was nominated for the Selke Trophy multiple times.
1. Ryan Smyth
Topping off this list is none other than Ryan Smyth, who is not only the franchises best ever left winger, but one of their top players of all time. In the 1994 draft, the Oilers found themselves in a great spot as they had both the fourth and sixth overall pick. While they made a major mistake on the first pick in Jason Bonsignore, they more than made up for it two spots later when they selected Smyth.
The now 45-year-old exemplified what leadership and hard work was all about. Despite not being the most skilled player, he was able to put up big numbers offensively thanks to his fantastic work ethic and willingness to take all sorts of punishment in the dirty areas of the ice, particularly in the opposing teams crease. He made his Oilers debut in 1994-95 and remained with the team until being traded during the 2006-07 season, though he did return later on as a free agent before retiring after the 2013-14 campaign.
Smyth played a total of 971 games with the Oilers, which ranks second in franchise history, trailing only Kevin Lowe. His 296 goals has him sitting fifth all time, while his 631 points are good enough for sixth. He is many Oilers fans’ favorite player of all time, and for good reason as he truly brought his best night in and night out.