1982 Smythe Division Semi-Final Game 7 vs Calgary Flames

Lore & Background

The Oilers were founded in 1971 by W. D. 'Wild Bill' Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard and played their first season in 1972–73 as one of the 12 founding franchises of the World Hockey Association (WHA). They were originally named the Alberta Oilers and were renamed the Edmonton Oilers the following year. They joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the NHL–WHA merger. After joining the NHL, the Oilers won the Stanley Cup five times: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, and 1989–90. The Oilers also won six straight division titles from 1981–82 through 1986–87. They have not won a division title since 1987.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Northlands Coliseum was thick enough to taste, a mix of stale popcorn and pure adrenaline. Wayne Gretzky stood at center ice, not celebrating wildly yet, but looking toward the Calgary bench with a calm intensity that belied the magnitude of the moment. He knew this wasn't just a win against the Flames; it was a declaration to the entire NHL.

Reader's Guide

The Oilers' first playoff series in the NHL was in 1980–81, when they upset the Montreal Canadiens. In 1981–82, they finished second overall but were upset by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round in a best-of-five series (the Kings won 3–2). The first playoff meeting between Edmonton and Calgary occurred in 1984. Grant Fuhr made his playoff debut in the 1981 playoffs, playing in 9 games.

Did You Know?

• The Oilers are the NHL franchise with the northernmost home location.
• The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Calgary Flames, leading to the 'Battle of Alberta' rivalry.
• The Oilers' dynasty of the 1980s and early 1990s has been honored with dynasty status by the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• The Oilers made four first overall selections in the NHL entry draft from 2007 to 2019: Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, and Connor McDavid.