History of the Oilers

They were originally intended to be one of two WHA teams in Alberta (the other one being the Calgary Broncos). However, when the Broncos relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, before the WHA’s first season began, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers.

After the newly founded Calgary Broncos folded prior to commencement of the inaugural WHA season, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers as it was planned to split their home games between Edmonton and Calgary. Possibly for financial reasons or to allow for a less complicated return of the WHA to Calgary, though, the team ultimately played all of its home games in the Edmonton Gardens and changed its name back to the Edmonton Oilers the following year. They won the first game in WHA history 7–4 over the Ottawa Nationals.

Established
1972

City
Alberta - Edmonton

League History
1980 – Present / National Hockey League
1972 – 1979 / World Hockey Association

Team History
1973 – Present / Edmonton Oilers
1972 / Alberta Oilers

Nickname
Oilers – Original owner Bill Hunter previously owned a junior club called the Oil Kings in the 1950s and 1960s, with Oilers being a popular nickname for the team. When he founded the Alberta franchise in the World Hockey Association in 1972, he named the club Oilers.

Championship
Stanley Cup 0
1990, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1984
Avco Cup 0

Arena
2016 – Present / Rogers Place
2003 – 2016 / Rexall Place
1998 – 2003 / Skyreach Centre
1995 – 1998 / Edmonton Coliseum
1974 – 1995 / Northlands Coliseum
1972 – 1974 / Edmonton Gardens

Owner
2008 – Present / Daryl Katz
1998 – 2008 / Edmonton Investors Group Limited Partnership
1979 – 1998 / Peter Pocklington
1972 – 1979 / Bill Hunter

Retired Number
3 / Al Hamilton
7 / Paul Coffey
9 / Glenn Anderson
11 / Mark Messier
17 / Jari Kurri
31 / Grant Fuhr
99 / Wayne Gretzky

*Blue is this team’s history