Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional hockey team based in Edmonton, playing in the NHL. The Oilers are members of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at Rogers Place. The Oilers won five Stanley Cups from 1984 to 1990, four of which were with Wayne Gretzky, widely considered the best player of all time, who led the offense.

The History of the Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers were founded in 1971 and played their first season the following year, as one of the founding teams of the WHA. They were originally named the Alberta Oilers, but the following year, they were renamed the Edmonton Oilers.

They were named "Oilers" because of Edmonton’s association with petroleum, as it is the center of Canada’s oil industry. In 1976, they acquired forward Glen Sather, who was set to play his final season as a player. Late in the season, he was named player-coach. After the season, he moved to the bench and became the coach and general manager of the Edmonton Oilers for the next 23 years.

Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky was the most hyped player in the world, but age restrictions prevented him from playing in the NHL. In 1978, the Oilers, still in the WHA, acquired the underage Wayne Gretzky from the recently folded Indianapolis Racers. Ahead of the 1979–80 season, the Oilers joined the NHL.

Since Gretzky had signed a 21-year personal services contract in 1979, he was not eligible for the reclamation draft, allowing the Oilers to keep him. He went on to win four Stanley Cups with the Oilers, breaking several records before leaving for the LA Kings in 1988.

Edmonton Oilers Ownership

The Edmonton Oilers are owned by the Katz Group. They led the development of Rogers Place and are one of Canada’s biggest enterprises, founded by Daryl Katz.

The Best Players of the Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton are home to some of the NHL’s best players. Connor McDavid is widely regarded as the best player on Earth, earning $12.5 million annually. The Oilers also have Leon Draisaitl, who is considered one of the best players in the league.

The Oilers' Mascot

The Oilers' mascot is Hunter the Lynx. He was instated in 2016.

The Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cups

The Oilers have won five Stanley Cups since their first NHL season, all of which came between 1983 and 1990. They’ve won two Conference Finals since then but lost both Stanley Cup Finals.

The Oilers legends

The Edmonton Oilers have seven numbers retired: Al Hamilton (3), Kevin Lowe (4), Paul Coffey (7), Glenn Anderson (9), Mark Messier (11), Jari Kurri (17), and Grant Fuhr (31). Wayne Gretzky had his No. 99 retired league-wide by the NHL on February 6, 2000.