Stavanger Oilers

Stavanger Oilers, officially Stavanger Ishockeyklubb, is a professional ice hockey team from Stavanger, Norway, competing in the EliteHockey Ligaen, the country’s top division. As of 2023, they are the only team in the league from western Norway. Their home games are played at DNB Arena, which opened in 2012 and seats 4,377 spectators. The team’s colors are black, white, and yellow.

The club was founded in 2000 as a company team by Finnish expatriate workers, led by businessman Hartti Kristola. Kristola pulled his financial support from the local club Viking Hockey to focus on the new team.

The Oilers played their first official game in autumn 2001, fielding players from Finland’s higher divisions, former Norwegian national team members, and local amateurs. They went unbeaten through the 2001–02 season, scoring 304 goals. Finnish forward Jari Kesti scored or assisted on 226 of those goals.

In 2002–03, the Oilers started with 18 straight wins. Their first loss came away to Gjøvik Hockey, followed by another defeat to the same team the next day. Local rivals Bergen IK also beat them in Siddishallen.

The Oilers finished first in the standings, with Bergen second. Kesti totaled 150 points from the team’s 296 goals, while countrymen Tomi Suoniemi and Jarkko Ollikainen each scored over 100 points. Promotion to the GET-ligaen was secured after five wins in the qualification playoffs, with the only loss coming to Bergen in a penalty shootout.

Before their first season in the top league, the Oilers added more Finnish players and some young Norwegians. They opened with a 5–1 win over Lillehammer and a 10–0 victory at Manglerud Star. Their first loss came at home to fellow promoted team Bergen. The Oilers finished sixth in the regular season, with Kesti as top scorer for the third straight year.

In the playoffs, they beat Trondheim three games to one, winning the final game in sudden death in front of a sell-out crowd of 2,600 in Siddishallen. Teemu Kohvakka scored the winner with 14 seconds left in the first overtime period. They were then swept by Storhamar in the semifinals.

The next season, Kesti left for Vålerenga and Christian Dahl Andersen moved to Sweden’s Arboga, but both returned after short, unsuccessful stints. Owner Kristola withdrew his backing, and local business executive Tore Christensen took over. After a loss to bottom-side Bergen, coach Matti Riekkinen resigned and was replaced by Swede Gunnar Johansson in January 2005. The team finished seventh and lost to Vålerenga in the quarter-finals.

For 2005–06, the Oilers brought in Swedish players Bengt Höglund, Martin Johansson, and Fredrik Sundin, along with Norwegian national team player Snorre Hallem. They finished fourth in the regular season, then beat Sparta Warriors four games to two in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals against second-place Stjernen, each team won its home games until the Oilers won the deciding seventh game 2–1 away at Stjernehallen. They reached their first-ever playoff final but lost in four straight games to Vålerenga.

In 2006–07, new additions included Henric Höglund from Stjernen and Norwegian national team players Marius Trygg and Lars Peder Nagel. The Oilers finished third, their best result to date and the third time a Stavanger team had won bronze (Viking had won bronze twice).

The club retired the numbers of past players Jari Kesti (#7) and Tomi Suoniemi (#22). In the playoffs, they beat Comet four games to two in the quarter-finals but lost to Storhamar Dragons by the same margin in the semifinals. The club won the 2013–14 IIHF Continental Cup.

The Oilers dominated the 2022–23 season, winning the regular season title with a 45-game record of 192 goals scored and 83 allowed. They carried that form into the playoffs and won the league championship. Key contributors included forward Dan Kissel, known for his offense and experience; forward Bryce Gervais, who added scoring depth; defenseman Martin Lefebvre, who played a strong two-way game; and veteran Norwegian forward Tommy Kristiansen, who brought physicality and leadership.