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Edmonton Oilers Team History

Edmonton Oilers Primary Logo
Alberta Oilers Primary Logo
  • 1972
  • 1980
  • 1978
  • 1984
  • 1985
  • 1987
  • 1988
  • 1988
  • 1990
  • Edmonton Oilers 1972

    Edmonton 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 subsequently changed its name back to the Edmonton Oilers the following year.

  • NHL and WHA Merge

    Joining the NHL

    The Oilers joined the National Hockey League for 1979 – 1980, along with fellow WHA teams Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, and the Jets following a merger agreement between the two leagues. Of these four teams, only Edmonton has avoided relocation and renaming; the Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche in 1995, the Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996, and the Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997.

  • Wayne-Gretzky

    Wayne Gretzky

    Gretzky break his own assists record three more times (125 in 1982–83, 135 in 1984–85, and 163 in 1985–86); he also bettered that mark (120 assists) in 1986–87 with 121 and 1990–91 with 122, and his point record one more time (215, in 1985–86). By the time he finished playing in Edmonton, he held or shared 49 NHL records, which in itself was a record. The Edmonton Oilers finished first overall in their last WHA regular season. The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within four seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring, in addition to Gretzky, future Hall of Famers including forwards Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson and Jari Kurri, defenceman Paul Coffey, and goaltender Grant Fuhr. Gretzky was its captain from 1983–88. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. The following season, the Oilers met the Islanders in the Final again, this time winning the Stanley Cup, their first of five in seven years.

  • Stanley Cup - 1984 Oilers Gretzky

    Stanley Cup Winner 1984

    The 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 4, after the conclusion of the 1983 – 1984 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 19 with the champion Edmonton Oilers defeating the New York Islanders 5–2 to win the Final series four games to one and win the Stanley Cup, the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

  • Stanley Cup - 1985 Edmonton Oilers

    Stanley Cup Winner 1985

    The 1984 – 1985 NHL season was the 68th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers won their second straight Stanley Cup by beating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to one in the final series.

  • Stanley Cup - 1987 Edmonton Oilers

    Stanley Cup Winner 1987

    The 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 8, after the conclusion of the 1986 – 1987 NHL season. It concluded on May 31, with the Edmonton Oilers defeating the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup. In an attempt to reduce the number of first round upsets, the NHL expanded the best-of-five series in the first round to a best-of-seven series.

  • Stanley Cup - 1988 Oilers Messier

    Stanley Cup Winner 1988

    The 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began on April 6, after the conclusion of the 1987 – 1988 NHL season. It concluded on May 26, with the defending champion Edmonton Oilers defeating the Boston Bruins to win their second straight Stanley Cup and fourth in five years.

  • Gretzky-los angeles kings

    Trading Gretzky

    In a surprising and shocking trade, Gretzky, along with enforcer Marty McSorley and centre Mike Krushelnyski, were traded to the Los Angeles Kings on August 9, 1988. In exchange, the Oilers received $15 million US cash, young star Jimmy Carson, 1988 first round draft choice Martin Gelinas, and the Kings’ first round draft picks in 1989, 1991, and 1993. The trade occurred because Pocklington didn’t want to risk Gretzky leaving Edmonton without getting anything in return. Gretzky had converted his personal services contract with Pocklington into a standard five-year player’s contract with the Oilers in the summer of 1987 with an option to declare himself an unrestricted free agent after the 1988 – 1989 season. During the 1987 – 1988 season, Pocklington had approached Gretzky about renegotiating the contract, but Gretzky, unwilling to give up his chance at free agency, refused, which ultimately led to the trade. None of this was public knowledge at the time.

  • Stanley Cup - 1990 Messier Oilers

    Stanley Cup Winner 1990

    The 1990 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the National Hockey League (NHL) championship began on April 5, 1990, following the 1989 – 1990 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, from the top four teams of the four divisions, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals. The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup.

Oilers Primary Logo
Oilers Alternate Logo
Oilers Wordmark Logo
Oilers Concept Logo


The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Oilers were founded on November 1, 1971, with the team playing its first season in 1972, as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). 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. They returned to using the Edmonton Oilers name for the following year, and have been called that ever since. The Oilers subsequently joined the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises introduced through the NHL merger with the WHA.

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. Hunter changed the team’s name to the Edmonton Oilers.

Oil is one of Alberta’s most prevalent natural resource, the province has the world’s third-largest reserves.

Championship
Stanley Cup  5
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

Who is the greatest Edmonton Oilers?

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

Mascot

*Blue is this team’s history

Oilers History Comments

 

 

Summary
Edmonton Oilers Team History
Article Name
Edmonton Oilers Team History
Team Description
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta.
Author
Sports Team History
Team Name
Edmonton Oilers
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