Discover the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL

Posted by on Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 at 2:01pm.


If you're new to the Edmonton area, it's time to discover the NHL team for the city. The Edmonton Oilers have been around since 1971 and play at the Rexall Place Arena. They started as a team in the WHA and moved to the NHL in 1979.

The first two years of existence, the Oilers were known as the Alberta Oilers. The name was changed in 1973 and remains today.

Oilers Octane

Just a few years ago, the team introduced the Oilers Octane. This was the first cheerleading squad for any NHL team from Canada. The squad included 19 women, many from the greater Edmonton area. They were not originally met with great support and many fans believed it was just a PR stunt. However, the cheer squad helped with promotions, interacted with fans, and helped raise money for charity through special events.

With the move to a new stadium, however, this squad has been retired.

Famous Players

The Oilers have been the team for a number of famous players. Some have made it into the hall of fame and a handful have even had their jersey numbers retired. Some of the great players the Oilers have seen include:

  • Al Hamilton - 1972 to 1980
  • Paul Coffey - 1980 to 1987
  • Mark Messier - 1979 to 1991
  • Grant Fuhr - 1981 to 1991
  • Wayne Gretzky - 1978 to 1988
  • Jari Kurrie - 1980 to 1990
  • Glenn Anderson - 1980 to 1991 and 1995 - 1996

All of these players have seen their number retired with Gretzky's number being retired across the entire NHL.

Stanley Cup

The Edmonton Oilers have won the Stanley Cup five times, all between 1980 and 1990 when Gretzky and many other great players were a part of the team. Many of the players during this decade were named as All-Stars and receive special awards for their great play.

If you love hockey and you live in Edmonton, getting season tickets and supporting the team can provide plenty of fun. Find out more about the team at nhl.com/oilers/.

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