Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers: History, Stats and Everything You Need to Know

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, playing in the NHL's Pacific Division. The franchise won five Stanley Cups between 1984 and 1990, four of them alongside Wayne Gretzky — a player many still call the greatest of all time — and, more recently, has reached the Stanley Cup Final twice with today's superstar, Connor McDavid.

Quick Facts: Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers History

The franchise dates back to 1971, and it then took the ice for its first season the following year as one of the founding members of the WHA. The team originally went by the Alberta Oilers, but just one season later, it adopted the name Edmonton Oilers — a nod, fittingly, to Edmonton's status as the center of Canada's oil industry.

In 1976, the club acquired forward Glen Sather, who was set to play what turned out to be his final season as a player. Later that same season, the team named him player-coach, and, after he stepped away from the ice entirely, he went on to serve as head coach and general manager for the next 23 years — shaping the franchise that would soon become a dynasty.

Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers' Dynasty

Wayne Gretzky was already the most hyped player in the world, but age restrictions kept him out of the NHL. So, in 1978, the still-WHA Oilers instead acquired the underage Gretzky from the recently folded Indianapolis Racers. Ahead of the 1979-80 season, the Oilers then joined the NHL outright.

• A loophole that changed history: Since Gretzky had already signed a 21-year personal services contract in 1979, he wasn't eligible for the NHL's reclamation draft, meaning the Oilers got to keep him.
• Five championships: Gretzky went on to win four Stanley Cups with Edmonton, breaking numerous records along the way, before eventually leaving for the LA Kings in 1988. A fifth title followed in 1990, without him.

The Best Players of the Edmonton Oilers

Today, the Oilers are once again home to some of the NHL's biggest stars. Most fans and analysts consider Connor McDavid the best player on the planet, and he earns $12.5 million annually, while teammate Leon Draisaitl stands right there with him as one of the league's most dominant forwards.

A name rooted in identity: Few NHL nicknames are as literal as the Oilers' — the franchise picked it simply to honor Edmonton's deep ties to the petroleum industry, and it has nonetheless become synonymous with some of the greatest dynasties and players in hockey history.

Edmonton Oilers' Retired Numbers

The Oilers have retired seven numbers, honoring some of the biggest names in franchise history:

• 3 – Al Hamilton
• 4 – Kevin Lowe
• 7 – Paul Coffey
• 9 – Glenn Anderson
• 11 – Mark Messier
• 17 – Jari Kurri
• 31 – Grant Fuhr

Wayne Gretzky's No. 99, meanwhile, didn't just receive retirement from the Oilers — the entire NHL retired it league-wide on February 6, 2000, making it the only number to ever receive that honor.

Recent Seasons and What's Next

Edmonton has reached the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back years, losing to the Florida Panthers in both 2024 and 2025. Since then, though, the franchise has taken a step back: the team was eliminated in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, which ultimately led to the firing of head coach Kris Knoblauch and the hiring of Mike Babcock that June.