What was the toughest team in Oilers history?

Warriors don’t always need to use their sword, but they’d better have one.

For most of their history, the Edmonton Oilers have iced a fast-skating, skilled lineup. However, their players either needed to be tough or be bolstered by toughness, but that doesn’t always mean fighting. It does mean playing through checks and not being intimidated. Just because someone racks up a lot of penalty minutes doesn’t mean they’re tough either; look at Matthew Tkachuk or Nick Cousins. Now, the game has changed, and fighting isn’t as common anymore. If the rulebook were called, would it even exist? Whether it should even be in the game is a question for another day. In the meantime, let’s look further back in history to find Oilers teams filled with toughness.

#6 1983-84 Oilers

Edmonton’s first championship team didn’t just score goals; they went into the trenches. Dave Semenko was the heavyweight champ of the NHL, and few would challenge him. Kevin McClelland, Don Jackson, Mark Messier, and Lee Fogolin wouldn’t back down to anyone. If anyone touched Gretzky, you knew they were in for a long night.

Secondary toughness: Dave Hunter, Dave Lumley, Kevin Lowe, Paul Coffey, Ken Linseman

#5 2016-17 Oilers

It’s hard to imagine that Milan Lucic, Pat Maroon, and Zach Kassian were on the same team. That’s quite the trio of tough guys and three big personalities in the dressing room. If Darnell Nurse is your fourth toughest player, you’re loaded for bear. This team could rock and roll.

Secondary toughness: Adam Larsson, Matt Hendricks

#4 1987-88 Oilers

This Cup winner was also ready for battle. The 1987-88 version of the Oilers was the last with Wayne Gretzky. It’s probably the most talented hockey team of all time, and they were tough. Their D-core had a three-headed monster with Marty McSorley, Jeff Beukeboom, and Steve Smith.

Secondary toughness: Kevin Lowe, Craig MacTavish, Craig Muni, Esa Tikkanen

#3 2005-06 Oilers

This team came so close to winning another Cup; if their goalie hadn’t been injured, they probably would have. Once again, Edmonton had the toughest fighter. Very few players would mess with big Georges Laraque. They were so tough, they didn’t even need to fight often. Penalty minute totals for the 2005-06 roster seem moderate compared to others on this list. This was the ultimate Craig MacTavish team; the coach had his kind of roster. They didn’t have tons of skill, but they checked the other teams into the ice.

Secondary toughness: Matt Greene, Jarret Stoll, Raffi Torres, Ryan Smyth, Michael Peca