Docs Menu

Edmonton Oilers

NHL Teams › Edmonton Oilers
Founded:1972GM:Stan Bowman
Owned By:Daryl KatzCoach:Kris Knoblauch
Home Rink:Rogers PlaceCaptain:Connor McDavid
AHL Affiliate:Bakersfield CondorsECHL Affiliate:Fort Wayne Komets

The Oilers were officially founded in 1971 by W. D. “Wild Bill” Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard. The team played its first season in 1972, as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They subsequently joined the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises absorbed through the NHL merger with the WHA.

After joining the NHL, the Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup on five occasions: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, and 1989–90. Along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, they are tied for the most championships won by any team since the NHL-WHA merger and also the most won by any team that joined the league in or after 1967. Among all NHL teams, only the Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times since the League’s 1967 expansion. The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Calgary Flames. Their close proximity to each other has led to a fierce rivalry known as the “Battle of Alberta”.

Deeper Dive

2023-24 Season Roster

ForwardsDefensemenGoaltenders
Connor BrownEvan Bouchard Calvin Pickard
Leon Draisaitl Markus NiemelainenStuart Skinner
Warren Foegele Cody Ceci
Dylan Holloway Mattias Ekholm
Zach Hyman Brett Kulak
Evander Kane Vincent Desharnais
Lane PedersonDarnell Nurse
Connor McDavid
Ryan McLeod
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Derek Ryan
Raphael Lavoie
Mattias Janmark
Corey Perry

Jersey History

The National Hockey League version of the Edmonton Oilers has always been an all-or-nothing team. For their first 13 seasons – starting in 1979-80, the Oilers made the playoffs every single year, winning five Stanley Cups and only losing in the first round on three occasions. Star players were sprinkled throughout the Edmonton roster, from goaltenders Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog, to defenseman Paul Coffey, to forwards Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier and the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky. Read more…

Mark Messier of the Edmonton Oilers
Canadian hockey player Mark Messier of the Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

The Players

More Oilers History

Gretzky’s Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky spent his entire professional hockey career (20 seasons in the NHL and one in the WHA) rewriting the record books. When ‘The Great One’ retired following the 1998-99 season, he held 61 NHL records. Gretzky’s stats have set the benchmark so high that it appears that many — if not all — of his records appear to be unbreakable. Here is a countdown of ten Gretzky records that will not be broken. Read more…

gretzky unbreakable records
Wayne Gretzky and his 50 goals in 50 games puck (THW Archives)

Captains

Head Coaching History

Sources

© 2024 The Hockey Writers