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What's the difference between the Calgary Flames and a bra? Answer: A bra has more cups!

Edmonton Oilers WHA History

Edmonton Oilers WHA History

The history of the Oilers can be traced, back to the early 1970's. In 1971 two california business men, both of whom had been involved in the American Basketball Association, incorporated the World Hockey Association. The WHA would become a second major hockey league which would rival the National Hockey League.

The WHA opened for business during the 1972-73 season as a twelve team league divided into an Eastern and Western Division. The charter members of the league were the Los Angeles Sharks, Quebec Nordiques, Houston Aeros, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Cougers, New York Raiders, New England Whalers (who played in Boston), Philadelphia Blazers, Ottawa Nationals, Cleveland Crusaiders and Alberta Oilers.

The Association, wanting a strong Canadian presence and wanted a team in Calgary, but the franchise, along with a proposed one in Miami, couldn't come up with the needed funds before the season began.

The Oilers were called Alberta because the team had intended to split its games between Edmonton and Calgary, but the idea fell through and the Oilers made Edmonton their full-time home.


The Alberta Oilers finished fourth in the Western Division with a record of 38-37-3/79pts.


The team changes from the Alberta to Edmonton Oilers. They finish third in the Western Division with the same record as the year before, 38-37-3/79pts.


The WHA is divided up into three divisions. The Oilers are placed in the newly formed Canadian Division. The team finishes fifth (last) in the division with a record of 36-38-4/76pts. By this time there are 38 major league pro teams between the NHL and WHA and owners are losing vast amounts of money as the war for top quality player heats up.


The Oilers finish fourth in the Canadian Division with a record of 27- 49-5/59pts.


The WHA goes back to the two division concept and the Oilers are back in the Western Division where they finish with a record of 34-43- 4/72pts.


The NHL and WHA were both in big trouble finacially, but the WHA was worse off. Because of lost teams, the association had to drop the divisions and go to an overall standing. A touring Czechoslovakia National Team and a team of Soviet All-Stars played against WHA teams that season and the results counted in the standings. During this the Oilers finished fifth overall with a record of 38-39-3/79pts. During this time, talks were starting to heat up between the WHA and the NHL.


The WHA's last season. By the end of the season the team was down to only six teams. This season an important one for more than one reason. A Vancouver businessman, working on behalf of the trouble Indianapolis Racers, signed a skinny 17-year old hockey player from Ontario to a personal service contract to play for the Racers. Wayne Gretzky became a member of the Indianapolis Racers (I'm not sure how many games he played for them). The team was in trouble, however, and they wanted to sell Gretzky's contract in order to get some cash relief. Two teams were interested, the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers.

Gretzky boarded a plane in Indianapolis, and didn't know where he was going. A deal was reached while the plane was in the air and Gretzky went to Edmonton.

With Gretzky's help, the Oilers, never a powerhouse in the WHA, had their best season ever. Gretzky was third in league scoring and was the first Oiler to ever place among the top ten scorers in the association. The Oilers themselves finished first overall with a record of 48-30-2/98pts.

The Oilers made it to their first Avco Cup final, but were beaten by the most dominant team in WHA history, the Winnipeg Jets who captured their third Avco Cup, and the last one in WHA history.

In the off season a deal was struck between the WHA and the NHL. A merger, of sorts, would take place. The WHA would and all of its teams would fold. The NHL would award expansion franchises to four WHA cities. Expansion teams with the same names, uniforms, front office staff, and some players. The league accepted for play during the 1979-80 season the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, Hartford (formerly New England) Whalers and the Edmonton Oilers.

Under terms of the agreement, the four teams were allowed to keep one goalie and two skaters from their WHA line-ups, the rest of the players would be sent to the NHL teams which drafted them. Players not drafted would go back into the entry draft.

The Oilers made special arrangments to allow them to keep Gretzky, as well as the three players they were allowed to keep.

The four WHA teams then took place in an expansion draft in which each of the other NHL teams gave up four players and the teams also took part in the entry draft. The Oilers first every NHL draft pick was Kevin Lowe (21st overall) from the Quebec Remparts.

Besides Gretzky, the Oilers protected Bengt Gustafsson, Ed Mio and Dave Dryden. The teams expansion draft picks were: Pete LoPresti (Minnesota), Doug Favell (Colorado), Cam Connor (Montreal), Lee Fogolin (Buffalo), Pat Price (NY Islanders), Colin Campbell (Pittsburgh), Larry Brown (Los Angeles), Ron Areshenkoff (Buffalo), Inge Hammarstrom (St. Louis), John Gould (Atlanta), Doug Hicks (Chicago), Tom Edur (Pittsburgh), Wayne Bianchin (Pittsburgh), Mike Forbes (Boston), Doug Patey (Washington), Bob Kelly (Chicago)

Special thanks to Darcey McLaughlin for compiling this Oilers WHA History.



Edmonton Oilers NHL History The NHL years 1979-80 Wayne Gretzky was the Oilers' top player. Because of his year in the WHA, Gretzky was not considered a rookie. He finished tied with Marcel Dionne of Los Angeles with 137pts. The Art Ross went Dionne because he had more goals. The Oilers finished fourth in the Smythe Division with a record of 28-39-13/69pts. 1980-81 Gretzky wins the first of many scoring titles. The Oilers make it to the playoffs for the second straight year and and upset Montreal in the first round of the playoffs. The Oilers lost in the quarter- finals to the eventual champs, the New York Islanders. The Oilers finished fourth in the Smythe with a record of 29-35-16/74 pts. 1981-82 The Oilers finish with a record of 47-21-12/106pts. They reach the finals against the NYI, who sweep the Oilers four games straight. 1982-83 Edmonton is first overall with a record of 57-18-5/119pts. They meet the Islander once again in the final, but this time the Oilers are the winners beating the Isles four games to one to capture the first Stanley Cup in Oilers history. 1983-84 The Oilers open the season with a record of 12-0-3. The Oilers post a record of 49-20-11/109pts while Gretzky scores an unbelievable 208pts. The Oilers meet the first overall Philadelphia Flyers in the final, and win their second cup four games to one. 1984-85 The Oilers win the first ever President Trophy award to the top team in the overall season standings. The Oilers, with a record of 56-17- 7/119pts, and Gretzky, with 215pts, were the early favorites to win the cup. However, with the game seven of the Smythe final against the Calgary Flames, rookie defenceman Steve Smith, at 5:14 of the third period, accidentally put the puck in his own net. The Oilers never recovered and the Oilers were eliminated. 1986-87 The Oiler make it back to the finals and meet the Philadelphia Flyers in the final, the Oilers win the cup in an amazing seven game final. It was also the scene of Ron Hextalls vicious chop to the back of the knees of Oiler Kent Nilsson. The Oilers record that season was 56-24- 6/106pts. 1987-88 For the first time since the 1980-81 season, Gretzky did not win the scoring title. That honor went to Pittsburgh Penguin Mario Lemieux. During this season Paul Coffey was traded to Pittsburgh after holding out for a better contract. Grant Fuhr set a record for the most games played, 75. The Oilers posted a record of 44-25-11/99pts (appropriate) and met the Boston Bruins in the finals. The Oilers jumped out to a three game to nothing lead. But with in game four, with the score 3-3, the lights went out at 16:37 of the third. The game was postponed and the next game played in Edmonton, where the Oilers beat the Bruins 6-3, for their fourth cup, all won on home ice. It would be Wayne Gretzky's last Stanley Cup to date, and Gretzky's last game in an Oilers' uniform. 1988-89 On August 9, 1988, Oilers team owner Peter Pocklington, stating team financial troubles, traded Wayne Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski, to the Los Angeles Kings. In return, the Oilers received Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first round draft picks (89, 91, 93) and an estimated $15-20 million. In a twist of fate, the Oilers met up with Gretzky and the Kings in the first round of the playoffs. The Kings fought back from three games to one to defeat the Oilers in game seven in Los Angeles. Gretzky put in the empty net goal to seal the Oilers fate. The Oilers finished the season 38-34-8/84pts, good for third in the Smythe, behind the Kings. 1989-90 The Oilers were better this season. They came back from a three games to one against Winnipeg to defeat the Jets in seven. They got their revenge on the Kings, sweeping them in the second round. Thanks to strong goaltending by Bill Ranford, the Oilers made it to the finals against the Bruins. Another power failure, but no postponment, and the Oilers won their fifth Stanley Cup. Their record was 38-28- 14/90pts. 1990-91 The Oilers made it to the Campbell Conference championship, but lost the Minnesota North Stars. The record was 37-37-6/80pts. 1991-92 Mark Messier was traded to the New York Rangers for Bernie Nichols and a couple of then minor leaguers (Louie Debrusk and Steven Rice.) The Oilers again made it to the Campbell Conference finals, but lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. The record was 36-34-10/82pts. This is by no means a complete history of the Oilers, but its better than nothing and their are some interesting things in it. The orignial owner of the Oilers was a guy named Bill Hunter, but I can't find out when he sold the team to Pocklington. I didn't have the stats for seasons following 1991-92. I hope this is some kind of help to you and forgive the spelling mistakes and typos. Special thanks to Darcey McLaughlin for compiling this Oilers NHL History. Edmonton Oilers Awards History

Edmonton Oilers Awards History

Hart Trophy for league MVP
Art Ross for leading scorer
Vezina for top goaltender
Norris for best defenceman
Conn Smythe for playoff MVP
Lady Byng for most gentlemanly player
Jack Adam for best coach
King Clancy for player who shows leadership on and off ice, and contributes to humanitarian causes
Lester B. Pearson for NHLPA MVP
President Trophy for best record in regular season play
Clarence Campbell awarded to winner of the playoff Campbell Conference championship and now award to winner of the playoff Western Conference Championship

Special thanks to Darcey McLaughlin for his compiling this Oilers Awards History.