1988 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1988 Stanley Cup Finals was between the Edmonton Oilers and the Boston Bruins. The Oilers would win the series 4–0 in four games.

This would be the sixth of eight consecutive Finals contested by a team from Alberta (the Oilers appeared in six of them, the Calgary Flames in two) & the last of five consecutive Finals to end with the Cup presentation on Alberta ice (the Oilers won four such Cups, the Montreal Canadiens the other).

Stanley Cup Engraving
Centers
 * 99 Wayne Gretzky (Captain)
 * 11 Mark Messier (A)
 * 12 Dave Hannan
 * 14 Craig MacTavish
 * 23 Keith Acton
 * 26 Mike Krushelnyski (also played wing during the playoffs)

Wingers
 * 9 Glenn Anderson
 * 10 Esa Tikkanen
 * 15 Geoff Courtnall
 * 17 Jari Kurri
 * 18 Craig Simpson
 * 19 Normand Lacombe
 * 24 Kevin McClelland

Defence
 * 4 Kevin Lowe (A)
 * 5 Steve Smith
 * 6 Jeff Beukeboom
 * 21 Randy Gregg
 * 22 Charlie Huddy
 * 28 Craig Muni
 * 33 Marty McSorley (played wing during the regular season)

Goaltenders
 * 31 Grant Fuhr
 * 30 Bill Ranford

Non-Players

 * Peter Pocklington (Owner)
 * Glen Sather (President/General Manager/Head Coach)
 * John Muckler (Co-Coach)
 * Ted Green (Asst. Coach)
 * Bruce MacGregor (Asst. General Manager)
 * Barry Fraser (Director of Player Personnel/Chief Scout)
 * Bill Tuele (Director of Public Relations)
 * Dr. Gordon Cameron (Team Physician)
 * Peter Millar (Athletic Therapist)
 * Juergen Merz (Message Therapist)
 * Barrie Stafford (Trainer)
 * Lyle Kulchisky (Asst. Trainer)

Engraving Notes

 * #29 Daryl Reaugh (backup goalie) joined the team after Andy Moog left in September to play for Team Canada, and at the 1988 Olympics. Reaugh would play 6 games (dressed for 60). After the Olympics, Moog was traded to Boston Bruins for minor leaguer goalie Bill Ranford. Reaugh was sent to the minors, being recalled during the conference finals. His name was left off, because he was playing in the minors after the trade deadline. Reaugh was included on the team picture.
 * #20 Steve Dykstra played 42 NHL games in 1987–88 season. Dykstra joined Edmonton in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres, playing in 15 of the Oilers last 21 games, but not in the playoffs. He was left off, because he did not play all 42 games with Edmonton.
 * #32 Jim Wiemer played 12 regular season games and two games in Conference Finals. He was left off the Stanley Cup because he did not play in the finals
 * This would mark the final time Wayne Gretzky would win the Stanley Cup.

Team picture on the ice, after winning a championship
After the Oilers won the 1988 Stanley Cup, Wayne Gretzky (in what ended up being his last game with the Oilers) requested a picture on the ice with all the players, and all non-playing members including management, coaches, trainers, scouts, locker room assistants. The team honoured his request, and it has remained a tradition followed by each Stanley Cup-winning team.

The team picture tradition after winning a championship is also followed by most hockey championship teams at all levels around the world. Gretzky wanted every member of the Oilers to be included on the team picture. However, when the cup was engraved all five scouts were left off: Garnet Bailey, Ed Chadwick, Lorne Davis, Matti Vaisanen (on the Cup in 1985, 1987, 1990), Bob Freeman (Part time-not on the Cup).

The Oilers also left three players off the Stanley Cup: Daryl Reaugh, Steve Dykstra, Jim Weimer. Bill Tuele (Public Relations Director) had his name added to the cup for the first time. He has rings with the Oilers in 1984, 1985, 1987, but his name was not put on the Stanley Cup those seasons.