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TOP 100 OILERS: DAVE MANSON (52)

Robin Brownlee
7 years ago
“Walk softly and carry a big stick,” or so the old saying goes. In the case of former Edmonton Oiler defenseman Dave Manson, it was talk softly and carry a big stick – he didn’t have any choice after being punched in the throat in a fight with Sergio Momesso in 1992, suffering damaged vocal cords.
Manson certainly did that during an NHL career that spanned 1,103 regular season games, including 219 with the Oilers, and mercy, he was a real piece of work. Not only was Manson tough as nails and mean as hell, he was mobile and skilled. He was slick on the power play. He pulverized opponents in the corners and in front of the net. Manson was one of the most feared fighters of his era, earning the nickname “Charlie” along the way. And that raspy whisper . . . 
Dave Manson
Defense — shoots L
Born Jan 27 1967 — Prince Albert, SASK  
Height 6.02 — Weight 202 [188 cm/92 kg]
Drafted by Chicago Blackhawks
Round 1 #11 overall 1985 NHL Entry Draft

BY THE NUMBERS

Season
Age
Tm
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
S
S%
TOI
ATOI
1986-87
20
63
1
8
9
-2
146
42
2.4
1987-88
21
54
1
6
7
-12
185
47
2.1
1988-89
22
79
18
36
54
5
352
224
8.0
1989-90
23
59
5
23
28
4
301
126
4.0
1990-91
24
75
14
15
29
20
191
154
9.1
1991-92
25
79
15
32
47
9
220
206
7.3
1992-93
26
83
15
30
45
-28
210
244
6.1
1993-94
27
TOT
70
4
17
21
-14
191
180
2.2
1993-94
27
57
3
13
16
-4
140
144
2.1
1993-94
27
13
1
4
5
-10
51
36
2.8
1994-95
28
44
3
15
18
-20
139
104
2.9
1995-96
29
82
7
23
30
8
205
189
3.7
1996-97
30
TOT
75
4
18
22
-26
187
175
2.3
1996-97
30
66
3
17
20
-25
164
153
2.0
1996-97
30
9
1
1
2
-1
23
22
4.5
1997-98
31
81
4
30
34
22
122
148
2.7
1998-99
32
TOT
75
6
17
23
1
155
145
4.1
1638
21:50
1998-99
32
11
0
2
2
-3
48
11
0.0
190
17:19
1998-99
32
64
6
15
21
4
107
134
4.5
1447
22:37
1999-00
33
TOT
63
1
9
10
12
62
66
1.5
992
15:45
1999-00
33
37
0
7
7
2
40
45
0.0
647
17:29
1999-00
33
26
1
2
3
10
22
21
4.8
345
13:16
2000-01
34
74
4
7
11
13
93
70
5.7
1169
15:48
2001-02
35
TOT
47
0
2
2
2
33
36
0.0
604
12:51
2001-02
35
13
0
1
1
3
10
12
0.0
228
17:34
2001-02
35
34
0
1
1
-1
23
24
0.0
376
11:03
7 yrs
CHI
431
45
110
155
21
1322
772
5.8
2094
20:44
4 yrs
WIN,PHX
205
14
59
73
-47
559
482
2.9
3 yrs
EDM
219
33
75
108
-23
570
594
5.6
3 yrs
MTL
101
5
33
38
18
193
181
2.8
190
17:19
2 yrs
DAL
60
1
3
4
9
45
45
2.2
721
12:01
2 yrs
TOR
87
4
8
12
16
103
82
4.9
1397
16:04
Career
1103
102
288
390
-6
2792
2156
4.7
4403
17:00
PLAYOFFS:
Season
Age
Tm
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
S
S%
TOI
ATOI
1986-87
20
3
0
0
0
-2
10
2
0.0
1987-88
21
5
0
0
0
1
27
7
0.0
1988-89
22
16
0
8
8
-2
84
39
0.0
1989-90
23
20
2
4
6
-5
46
36
5.6
1990-91
24
6
0
1
1
2
36
11
0.0
1991-92
25
16
3
9
12
-2
44
47
6.4
1995-96
29
6
2
1
3
3
30
12
16.7
1996-97
30
5
0
0
0
6
17
10
0.0
1997-98
31
10
0
1
1
0
14
25
0.0
1999-00
33
23
0
0
0
2
33
19
0.0
294
12:46
2000-01
34
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
10
5:11
Career
112
7
24
31
3
343
208
3.4
304
12:09

NOTABLE


Simply put, Manson, originally drafted from the Prince Alberta Raiders of the WHL by the Chicago Blackhawks 11th overall in the 1985 Entry Draft, was the total package. He was a noted brawler, and still ranks in the top 15 among the NHL’s most penalized players with 2,792 minutes in the box. If you didn’t like getting hacked and mugged in front of the net or worked over with a rubber hose in the corners, too bad. Drop the gloves, Bub.
Manson already had a 54-point season with the Blackhawks in the books when he arrived in Edmonton in October of 1991 via a trade that sent Steve Smith to the Windy City (the Oilers also got a third-round draft choice that turned into Kirk Maltby in the deal). He didn’t waste any time establishing himself as Edmonton’s best blueliner.
In 1991-92, Manson produced 47 points in 79 games, leading team D-men in scoring. He managed that despite spending 220 minutes in the sin bin. He followed that up with 45 points and another 210 penalty minutes during the 1992-93 season. When coach Ted Green needed something done — a big hit, a spark on the power play or a fight to turn the tide – he leaned on Charlie and Charlie leaned on somebody.

THE STORY

Manson’s first two seasons in Edmonton were likely the best back-to-back campaigns he put together during his entire career. By his third season here, 1993-94, with the Oilers now four years removed from the last Stanley Cup celebration in 1990 and fading, GM Glen Sather decided to move Manson along for younger, cheaper players. 
Sather dealt Manson to the Winnipeg Jets in March of 1994 for Boris Mironov, Mats Lindgren and a first-round draft pick in 1994 that the Oilers would later squander on Jason Bonsignore. All told, Manson produced 108 points in his 219 games with the Oilers (.49 PPG) and added 570 penalty minutes just for good measure.  
In today’s NHL, a minute-munching D-man with the combination of offensive skill, defensive ability and nastiness Manson displayed during his time with the Oilers would be at least a $6-million a year player. There have been far too few guys who could play the game any way you wanted to like Charlie in the history of this franchise.
This series will look at the top 100 Edmonton Oilers from the NHL era 1979-80 to 2014-15, starting with 100 and working up. 
Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260.
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