In their first season in the NHL Wayne Gretzky captures the Hart Trophy while finishing second in scoring. It was ruled that Gretzky would not be a rookie since he had played a full WHA season.

With Gretzky beginning his great NHL career the Oilers make the playoffs by finishing in fourth place in Smythe Division with a 28-39-13 record. However, in the playoffs the Oilers who were the 16th seed would be planted in three straight games by the Philadelphia Flyers.

However, the Oilers would send two of the games to overtime.