Honestly, if you ask a casual fan about the 80s Edmonton Oilers, they'll rattle off names like Gretzky, Messier, and Kurri before they even breathe. But if you want to talk about the guy who actually holds the highest career shooting percentage in NHL history, you’re talking about Craig Simpson.
Most people know him now as the smooth-voiced analyst on Hockey Night in Canada, sitting next to Chris Cuthbert and breaking down power plays. But before the headsets and the sharp suits, Craig Simpson was a terrifyingly efficient goal scorer who basically broke the math of hockey. We are talking about a guy who didn't just score; he scored on nearly a quarter of every shot he ever took.
The Trade That Changed Everything
Imagine being 20 years old and getting traded for a legend. That’s what happened in 1987. Simpson was the second overall pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he was already finding his rhythm next to a young Mario Lemieux. Then, the blockbuster hit. Paul Coffey, arguably the most dynamic defenseman to ever lace them up, was holding out in Edmonton.
Pittsburgh sent Simpson to the Oilers as the centerpiece of the deal.
Talk about pressure. You aren't just joining a team; you're replacing a fan favorite on a dynasty. But Simpson didn't blink. He moved from Lemieux's wing to a line with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson. Most players would need a "transition period." Simpson just started filling the net.
In that 1987-88 season, he did something no one else has ever done: he scored 50 goals while playing for two different teams in the same year. He finished with 56 goals total. It’s a weird trivia fact that sounds made up, but it’s 100% real. He was the ultimate "right place, right time" player, but it wasn't luck. It was a specific, gritty skill set.
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Why his shooting percentage is a joke (in a good way)
Let's look at the numbers because they're actually insane.
- Career Shooting Percentage: 23.66%
- Playoff Shooting Percentage: 33.65%
Think about that for a second. In the playoffs, when the checking is tighter and the goalies are dialed in, one out of every three shots Simpson took went in. That is the highest mark for anyone with a meaningful number of shots. Better than Gretzky. Better than Bossy.
He did it by living in the "dirty areas." At 6'2", he wasn't a small guy, and he spent his nights parked in front of the crease. He’d wear a flak jacket under his jersey just to survive the cross-checks to his kidneys. He was a master of the tip-in and the quick-release rebound. While the stars were skating circles around the perimeter, Simpson was doing the heavy lifting in the paint.
The 1990 Masterclass
Everyone remembers 1988 as the peak of the Oilers' powers, but 1990 was Simpson’s true arrival as a playoff monster. Gretzky was gone. The "dynasty" was supposed to be over. Instead, the Oilers went on a tear, and Craig Simpson led the way.
He tied Messier for the team lead in playoff points with 31. He led the entire league with 16 goals in those playoffs. More importantly, he scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal against the Boston Bruins.
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If you watch the highlights of that era, you see a guy who just wouldn't be denied. He wasn't the fastest skater on the ice, but his hockey IQ was off the charts. He knew where the puck was going before the defenseman did. It’s that same intelligence that makes him such a good broadcaster today—he sees the game three steps ahead.
A Career Cut Short
It’s easy to forget that Craig Simpson hockey player retired at just 28 years old. It’s one of the great "what ifs" of the 90s.
The back injuries were brutal. He once described the final three years of his career as "painful a hell as I've lived." After a trade to the Buffalo Sabres in 1993, he was supposed to be the perfect complement to Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny. It could have been another 50-goal season.
Instead, a hit against the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 1, 1993, essentially ended it. He tried to come back. He fought through the pain. But a protruding disc in his back meant he couldn't even tie his own skates without agony, let alone battle NHL defensemen in the crease.
He finished with 497 points in 634 games. If his back had held up, he was a lock for 400 or 500 goals.
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Life After the Crease: Coaching and the Booth
Most retired players take a few years off to golf. Simpson went straight to work.
- Broadcasting: He started at TSN in 1996, almost immediately after retiring. He was a natural. He didn't rely on clichés; he actually explained why things were happening.
- Coaching: He actually went back to the Oilers as an assistant coach in 2003. He was behind the bench for that magical 2006 run where the Oilers went to Game 7 of the Finals as an eighth seed.
- The Return to TV: After coaching, he went back to the booth, eventually landing the lead analyst job at Hockey Night in Canada.
It’s rare to see a guy excel at all three phases—playing, coaching, and media—at the highest possible level. It speaks to a deep, obsessive understanding of the sport.
The Family Legacy
The Simpson name didn't leave the ice when Craig retired. His son, Dillon Simpson, was drafted by the Oilers (obviously) and had a solid professional career, even captaining the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL. His sister, Christine Simpson, is a legendary reporter in her own right. Hockey is basically the family business.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you’re looking to truly appreciate what Simpson brought to the game, don’t just look at the stat sheet. Do these three things:
- Watch the 1990 Finals Tape: Specifically, look at how he positions his body in front of the net. It’s a clinic on "net-front presence" before that was a trendy coaching term.
- Study the Shooting Percentage: Compare his 23.7% to modern snipers like Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid. It puts into perspective how rarely he wasted a scoring chance.
- Listen to his Broadcasts: Next time he's calling a game, pay attention to how he talks about "puck support." He’s teaching you the game he played so efficiently.
Craig Simpson might not have the 1,000 points of his teammates, but he has the rings, the records, and the respect of anyone who actually knows the game. He wasn't just a passenger on a dynasty; he was the engine that turned dirty plays into gold.