Edmonton Oilers

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Lore & Background

The Oilers were founded in 1971 by W. D. 'Wild Bill' Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard and played its first season in 1972–73 as one of the 12 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 honored with dynasty status by the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Oilers began to struggle after coming up short in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, missing the playoffs for the subsequent 10 seasons. The Oilers made 16 first-round selections in the NHL entry draft from 2007 to 2019: 11 within the first 10 picks overall, six within the first four picks and four of 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 remained with the team, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025, where they lost to the Florida Panthers on both occasions.

In Their Own Story

In the 2025 playoffs, the Oilers first eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in six games after falling behind 0–2. They then dispatched the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the second round. In the Western Conference finals, the Oilers faced the Dallas Stars in a rematch of the previous year's conference finals. The Oilers defeated the Stars in five games, earning a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. The Oilers lost the Final in six games.

Reader's Guide

The Oilers were founded in 1971 and played their first WHA season in 1972–73. They joined the NHL in 1979. Their home games are played at Rogers Place, which opened in 2016. The team has won five Stanley Cups, all between 1984 and 1990. Key players from their dynasty era include Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Kevin Lowe, Grant Fuhr, and Andy Moog. The Oilers have not won a division title since 1987.

Did You Know?

• The Oilers were originally named the Alberta Oilers for their first season in the WHA.
• Wayne Gretzky set NHL single-season records for goals (92) and points (212) while playing for the Oilers.
• The Oilers are the NHL franchise with the northernmost home location.
• The Oilers have not won a division title since 1987, the longest such drought in North American major professional sports.