By Kevin Smith
The Edmonton Oilers are a Canadian-based professional ice hockey team that plays in the beautiful city of Edmonton, Alberta. The team is a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers’ team colours are Orange, navy blue, and white. In Edmonton, the team is one of the top sports teams in the city. However, the Calgary Flames, also based in Alberta, is the team’s greatest rivalry.
1. The Oilers have eight conference championships and five Stanley Cups.
2. The team is owned by Daryl Katz, a very successful Canadian businessman with a net worth of over 3 billion dollars US.
3. The franchise has an estimated net worth of 545 million dollars.
4. The team currently plays at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
5. Kevin Lowe scored the franchise’s first-ever goal, and Wayne Gretzky assisted.
6. In franchise history, the team has had over 500 players come through.
7. The First player to ever be selected was Kevin Lowe.
8. Founded in 1971 by Wild Bill Hunter and Dr Chuck Allard, the Oilers continue to thrive today.
9. There are currently 28 players, including 16 Canadians.
10. One of the best hockey players in the world, Connor McDavid, is the team’s current captain. He is the all-time leading goal scorer, assist scorer and points scorer.
11. Bill Ranford won his first Conn Smythe Trophy for his excellent goaltending as the Oilers defeated the Bruins in five games in the Cup Finals.
12. Since Edmonton, Alberta, is the country’s centre for the oil industry, the Oilers were nicknamed the “Oilers”.
13. Gretzky leads the team with the most goals in Franchise history at 583. He also held or shared over 50 NHL records!
14. The Hockey Hall of Fame has inducted eight players from the NHL, most recently Chris Pronger, in June 2015. The Oilers have retired seven-player numbers. A total of four ex-Oilers who played only for the World Hockey Association franchise are also in the Hall of Fame.
15. The Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup four times (“1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988”) under Gretzky’s leadership as a centre and team captain. Following the 1987–88 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
16. In 1998, shortly before the end of the 1998-99 season, Gretzky retired as the greatest player in NHL history.
17. With the Oilers, Wayne Gretzky was the NHL’s most valuable player (MVP) eight times.
18. Eight times in a row from 1980-81 through 1987-88, Wayne Gretzky scored at least 140 points, an Oilers record.
19. Edmonton’s current goalies are Mike Smith, Stuart Skinner, Mikko Koskinen and Alex Stalock.