Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are a National Hockey League team based in Edmonton, Alberta.

Franchise history

The WHA Years

In 1972 the Alberta Oilers joined the World Hockey Association as a founding member. The team was originally owned by Bill Hunter. Hunter had previously owned the Edmonton Oil Kings and founded what would become the Western Hockey League, but his efforts to bring professional hockey to Edmonton had been rebuffed by the NHL. Originally, the team was named the Alberta Oilers as it was planned to split their home games between Edmonton and Calgary after the Calgary Broncos folded. For various reasons, possibly financial reasons or the possibility of allowing easier expansion of either the NHL or WHA to Calgary, the team played all of its games in Edmonton, and changed their name to reflect this the following year.

Related Topics:
1972 - Bill Hunter - Edmonton Oil Kings - Western Hockey League - Edmonton - Calgary - Calgary Broncos

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The team was not one of the league's more successful on the ice, accumulating a mediocre record until the final WHA season of 1978-79, where led, by future superstar Wayne Gretzky, the Oilers gained a 48-30-2 mark to lead the league in the regular season, but fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the finals. However, the team proved popular with the fans, behind stars such as defenceman and team captain Al Hamilton, star goaltender Dave Dryden and forwards Blair McDonald and Bill Flett.

Related Topics:
1978-79 - Wayne Gretzky - Winnipeg Jets - Defenceman - Captain - Al Hamilton - Goaltender - Dave Dryden - Forwards - Blair McDonald - Bill Flett

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In 1978 new owner Peter Pocklington scored one of the greatest trades in hockey history, acquiring already-aspiring superstar Gretzky from the Indianapolis Racers for a token sum. Gretzky played only a single season in the WHA before the league folded, Edmonton joining the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, and Quebec Nordiques. Of these four teams, only Edmonton has avoided relocation and renaming.

Related Topics:
1978 - Peter Pocklington - Indianapolis Racers - WHA - NHL - Winnipeg Jets - Hartford Whalers - Quebec Nordiques

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Career Leaders (WHA; 1972-1979)

• Games: Al Hamilton, 456
• Goals: Rusty Patenaude, 126
• Assists: Hamilton, 258
• Points: Hamilton, 311
• Penalty Minutes: Doug Barrie, 620
• Goaltending Wins: Dave Dryden, 112
• Shutouts: Dryden, 8

The NHL Years

With an incredible core of young players, including Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Kevin Lowe, the Oilers made a name for themselves very early, making the Stanley Cup playoffs in only their first season. Although they were swept in three games by the Philadelphia Flyers and their second regular season gave them mediocre results in the standings, the Oilers scored a stunning upset in the first round of the 1981 playoffs, defeating the strongly-favoured Montreal Canadiens three games to none, the Oilers making a case that they needed swift respect. In the 1981-82 season, the Oilers became the league's strongest team in the regular season, but youthful lapses of discipline led to their losing the first playoff round. In 1983 they made it to their first-ever Stanley Cup finals, but were swept in four games by the three-time defending champions, the New York Islanders. A year later, however, Edmonton defeated the Islanders in five games (four to one) to claim their first Stanley Cup.

Related Topics:
Mark Messier - Kevin Lowe - Stanley Cup - Playoffs - Philadelphia Flyers - 1981 - Montreal Canadiens - 1981-82 - 1983 - New York Islanders

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Edmonton repeated Cup success in 1985, but were knocked out of the playoffs in 1986 when Steve Smith scored on his own net in the seventh game of the Campbell Conference finals against the rival Calgary Flames. In 1987 Edmonton returned to the finals to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in a tense seven-game series. In 1988 the Oilers made their strongest-ever run to the Cup, losing only 2 games of 18 and sweeping the Boston Bruins in the final to claim their fourth trophy in five years.

Related Topics:
1985 - 1986 - Steve Smith - Calgary Flames - 1987 - Philadelphia Flyers - 1988 - Boston Bruins

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That summer however was extremely bittersweet for the Edmonton fans, as Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for $15 million and two players. The 1989 season was a troubled one because of this trade, and for the first time since 1982, the Oilers were out of the playoffs in the first round, losing a seven-game series to those same Kings.

Related Topics:
Los Angeles Kings - 1989

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1990 seemed set to continue the troubles for the Oilers, especially when All-Star and future Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr was charged with possession and use of cocaine. But the team rallied behind new goalie Bill Ranford, and despite finishing third in their division, behind Calgary and Los Angeles, the Oilers made it all the way for the fifth and (to date) final time, once again defeating the Boston Bruins, this time in five games. Ranford won the playoff MVP that year for his brilliant playoff play.

Related Topics:
1990 - Grant Fuhr - Bill Ranford

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The writing was on the wall however. The Gretzky trade had opened up a new reality of rapidly climbing salaries in the NHL, and small-market teams like Edmonton simply couldn't compete with salaries offered in large U.S. cities. Messier, Jari Kurri, Fuhr, Ranford, and Glenn Anderson all left the team in rapid succession, leaving behind an underdeveloped base of young players. Despite appearances in the Conference Finals in 1991 and 1992, the Oilers were nowhere near the powerhouse that had dominated the previous half-decade. In 1993 the Oilers missed the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season. They would not return for four years.

Related Topics:
Jari Kurri - Glenn Anderson - 1991 - 1992 - 1993

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Trouble followed the team off the ice as well, as the Gainers meat-packing industry owned by Pocklington failed amidst charges of scandal and corruption. For most of the 1990s the Oilers were desperately trying to stay alive. In 1999 a consortium of 37 owners finally purchased the team, vowing to keep the team in Edmonton. The Oilers have received support in this endeavour from the NHL, which was deeply troubled by the loss of two Canadian teams in short order.

Related Topics:
Gainers - 1999 - NHL

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In 1997 the Oilers returned to the Stanley Cup playoffs and emerged victorious again, defeating the Dallas Stars in a seven-game series considered to be one of the most exciting of all time, the final goal coming on a breakaway in overtime. Though Edmonton would lose to Colorado in the next round, fans were ecstatic about the Oilers' return to the playoffs. In 1998 Dallas and Edmonton met again, this time in the second round of the playoffs, with Dallas emerging the victor. This has led to one of the most unusual rivalries of all time in hockey: Between 1997 and 2003 have played each other in the playoffs six times, five of them first-round matchups. The only year in which they did not meet was 2002, when neither team made the playoffs. In 2004 the streak came to an official end, when Edmonton failed to qualify for the playoff round, while Dallas went on to play the Colorado Avalanche.

Related Topics:
1997 - Dallas Stars - Overtime - 1998 - 2003 - 2002 - 2004 - Colorado Avalanche

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On November 22, 2003, the Oilers hosted the Heritage Classic, the first outdoor hockey game in the NHL's history. The Edmonton Oilers were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in front of more than fifty-five thousand fans, an NHL attendance record, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Related Topics:
November 22 - 2003 - Heritage Classic - Montreal Canadiens - Commonwealth Stadium

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On July 23, 2004, the team announced that its minor league affiliate, the Toronto Roadrunners would play the 2004-05 AHL season at the Oilers' home arena, now known as Rexall Place. The decision, an unusual one for a North American professional sports organisation, was likely influenced by the expectation that the 2004 NHL lockout will wipe out the 2004-05 NHL season. After an unsuccessful year, the Edmonton Road Runners were suspended at the end of 2004-05.

Related Topics:
July 23 - 2004 - Toronto Roadrunners - AHL - Rexall Place - North America - Professional sport - 2004 NHL lockout - 2004-05 NHL season - Edmonton Road Runners

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The Oilers have struggled with their small-market status for years as big-market teams scooped up high-priced help. But following the wiped out 2004-2005 NHL season, the Oilers appear poised to compete again. With a league-wide salary cap in place, putting all teams on a much more equal financial footing, the Oilers signed two important stars - former league MVP Chris Pronger, and New York Islanders forward Michael Peca - giving fans hope that the team may return to the playoffs, if not to their former glory.

Related Topics:
Chris Pronger - New York Islanders - Michael Peca

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