Mike Liut shudders when he thinks of the NHL in the 1980s.

"Everybody had scoring," recalls Liut, who was one of the premier goalies in the '80s. "There was a lot of offence, a lot of offence."

The 1980s marked a significant change in the NHL. The '80s followed what was the most tumultuous decade in hockey history. Numerous leagues folded in the 1970s, others started up, failed, and when the dust settled, the NHL was still standing. The '70s were also known for the old-school goon tactics, and the Broadstreet Bullies -- the Philadelphia Flyers – were the most feared team in the League because of their physical style.

The '80s was a time when the offensive side of the game evolved. With the addition of four teams from the World Hockey Association, the NHL became a 21-team league. And it was the youngest of the WHA’s star players who proved to be the greatest NHL player of all, Wayne Gretzky.

"The Great One" cometh and hockey has never been the same.

Gretzky led the up-tempo, offensive-minded Edmonton Oilers, simultaneously thrilling fans and terrorizing netminders in the process. The emphasis on the attack took its toll on goalies of that era.

"Everybody was on the same page and it was all about offence," says Liut, now a lawyer who represents NHL players. "Instead of trying to stop Edmonton, we were trying to play like Edmonton and it was damn near impossible."

Consider this: There were seven players who hit 100-plus points plateau in 1978-79 and two seasons later, there were 12. Gretzky had 200-plus points three times in the '80s and there was only one season – 1986-87 – when the number of players in triple digits in scoring was under 10.

Grant Fuhr is best remembered for being the goalie that backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cups in the heyday of run-and-gun hockey.

Besides Gretzky, goaltenders had to contend with Quebec's Peter Stastny – who accumulated the second highest points total in the '80s behind Gretzky – Mike Bossy, Marcel Dionne, Denis Savard, Paul Coffey, Michel Goulet, Kent Nilsson, Jari Kurri and Bernie Federko to name but a few of the brilliant scorers who dominated the score sheets during the 1980s.

Grant Fuhr is best remembered for being the goalie that backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cups in the heyday of run-and-gun hockey. He played on a team that regularly outscored opponents instead of shutting them down. He won the NHL's Vezina Trophy for outstanding goaltender in 1987-88, leading the NHL in games played, wins and shutouts. He also set a scoring record, registering 14 assists in 1983-84. He’s seventh on the all-time list with 403 wins over 19 seasons.

"I just held the fort until somebody came back," joked Fuhr about playing goal on the offensively-gifted Oilers who were stocked with the likes of Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and Mark Messier. "Coffey was back for the third rebound. I got 14 assists, but all I had to do was kick the puck out into the traffic pattern because you knew there would be guys going through there."

The '80s also will be remembered for great dynasties. The New York Islanders started the '80s with their first of four straight Stanley Cup championships. They beat Edmonton in four games in 1983, but the Oilers got revenge the following year, winning their first Cup in five games over the Islanders. The Oilers made it two straight in 1985, but a year later, a rookie goalie by the name of Patrick Roy shocked the hockey world by leading the upstart Montreal Canadiens to a Cup title in 1986. The '86 Cup Final also marked the debut of Brett Hull, who was with the Calgary Flames. He hit the post behind Roy on his very first shot in the NHL.

The New York Islanders started the '80s with their first of four straight Stanley Cup championships.

But the Oilers were back on top in 1987 and 1988, giving them four Cups in five years. The Oilers were the measuring stick for all comers and their success also helped turn the Battle of Alberta into one of the greatest rivalries of all times. The games between the Calgary Flames and Oilers were on par on many levels – physically and emotionally – as the contests between the New York Rangers and Islanders, the Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers. There was much more at stake when Edmonton was in Calgary or the Oilers played host to the Flames.

"I vividly remember the Battle of Alberta," recalls former Flames coach Terry Crisp, who now works as a broadcaster with the Nashville Predators. "The fans were into it. The players were into it and we knew when we were going to play them. But no matter who came in to Calgary or Edmonton, the one thing you can’t avoid, was the fierce competition."

Rivalries were the thing in the 1980s.