Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which opened in 2016. Kris Knoblauch is the head coach as of November 12, 2023, and Ken Holland was named general manager on May 7, 2019. The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Calgary Flames. Their close proximity has led to a fierce rivalry known as the "Battle of Alberta".
| Edmonton Oilers | |
|---|---|
| 2023–24 Edmonton Oilers season | |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Pacific |
| Founded | 1972 |
| History | Alberta Oilers 1972–1973 (WHA) Edmonton Oilers 1973–1979 (WHA) 1979–present (NHL) |
| Home arena | Rogers Place |
| City | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Team colours | Royal blue, orange, white |
| Media | Sportsnet West Sportsnet Oilers Citytv Edmonton CHED (630 AM) |
| Owner(s) | OEG Inc. |
| General manager | Ken Holland |
| Head coach | Kris Knoblauch |
| Captain | Connor McDavid |
| Minor league affiliates | Bakersfield Condors (AHL) Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 5 (1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90) |
| Conference championships | 7 (1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 2005–06) |
| Presidents' Trophy | 2 (1985–86, 1986–87) |
| Division championships | 7 (1978–79 (WHA), 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87) |
| Official website | nhl |
The Oilers were founded in 1971 by W. D. "Wild Bill" Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard and played its first season in 1972 as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They were intended to be one of two WHA Alberta teams, along with the Calgary Broncos. However, when the Broncos relocated and became the Cleveland Crusaders before the WHA's first season began, the team was named the Alberta Oilers. They were renamed the Edmonton Oilers the following year and subsequently joined the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises absorbed through the NHL–WHA merger.
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, as well as 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 also won six straight division titles from 1981–82 through 1986–87. Notably however, the Oilers have not won a division title since 1987, a drought that includes their most recent two Stanley Cup wins and is the longest division title drought in all of the North American major professional sports. For their overall success in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Oilers team of this era has been honoured with dynasty status by the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Oilers began to struggle after coming up short in their most recent trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006, missing the playoffs for the subsequent ten seasons. The Oilers have made twelve first-round selections in the NHL Entry Draft since 2007: ten within the first ten picks overall, six within the first four picks, and four of those the first overall selections. With those first overall picks, Edmonton selected Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and Connor McDavid; of these, Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid remain with the team as of 2024.