Edmonton Oil Kings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edmonton Oil Kings |
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| City | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| League | Western Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Home arena | Rogers Place |
| Colours | Red, royal blue, gold, white |
| Owner(s) | Oilers Entertainment Group |
| General manager | Kirt Hill |
| Head coach | Luke Pierce |
| Championships | Memorial Cup: 1 (2014) Ed Chynoweth Cup: 3 (2012, 2014, 2022) Conference Championships: 4 (2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2021–22) |
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Website chl.ca/whl-oilkings |
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The Edmonton Oil Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team. They play in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was started in 2006. The Oil Kings share owners with the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers. This team is the fourth WHL team to be based in Edmonton. Its name and look connect to the first Oil Kings club. That original team was one of the WHL's founding teams in 1966. The Oil Kings have won the WHL championship three times. They also won the 2014 Memorial Cup, which is a big championship for junior hockey teams.
Contents
Team History
Earlier Edmonton Teams
Edmonton has a long history with the Western Hockey League. The first Oil Kings team was owned by Bill Hunter. It was one of the league's first teams in 1966. They were very successful, winning championships in 1970 and 1971.
However, when the Edmonton Oilers joined the World Hockey Association, the Oil Kings moved. They went to Portland in 1976 and became the Winter Hawks. The Oil Kings name came back briefly in 1978–79. This was when the Flin Flon Bombers played in Edmonton for one season. They then moved to Great Falls, Montana.
Another team, the Edmonton Ice, was started in 1996. But this team only lasted two seasons. It moved to Cranbrook, British Columbia, and became the Kootenay Ice. These teams had trouble competing with professional hockey in big cities like Edmonton.
The Kings Return
In 2004, the Calgary Hitmen (owned by the Calgary Flames) were doing very well. The Oilers' owners decided they wanted a WHL team again. They offered $5 million to buy and move any existing WHL team. No team wanted to move.
So, the Oilers brought their American Hockey League team, the Edmonton Road Runners, to Edmonton. Even though the Road Runners were popular, the Oilers stopped the team after just one season. This happened when the NHL started playing again after a lockout. The Oilers then continued their search for a WHL team.
On March 16, 2006, the WHL announced a new team for Edmonton. It was named the Oil Kings, honoring the old team. The new team also used an updated version of the original Oil Kings' crown logo and jerseys.
Early Success
The new Oil Kings team started playing in the 2007–08 WHL season. They had a tough start for four seasons. They missed the playoffs twice and didn't win any playoff rounds.
But starting in the 2011–12 season, things changed. Players like Griffin Reinhart, Curtis Lazar, and Tristan Jarry led the team to three years of great success. That season, they had the best record in the regular season. They won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy. They made it to the championship series. There, they beat the Portland Winterhawks (the team that used to be the original Oil Kings) in seven games. This win earned them the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
At the 2012 Memorial Cup, the Oil Kings won their first game. But they lost the next two and were eliminated. The next season, Edmonton was again the top team in the Eastern Conference. They faced Portland again for the league championship. This time, Portland won the series.
In 2013–14, the Oil Kings and Winterhawks played each other in the final for the third year in a row. This was only the second time in history two teams played in the final three years straight. The Oil Kings won this series in seven games. This win got them into their second Memorial Cup tournament in three seasons.
At the 2014 Memorial Cup, the Oil Kings lost two of their first games. But their one win was enough to get them to the semi-final. They beat the Val-d'Or Foreurs in a very long game that went into triple overtime. This was the longest game in Memorial Cup history! In the final, Edmonton beat the Guelph Storm 6–3. This made them champions, the first time since the original Oil Kings won in 1966.
Another Run of Success
After a few tough seasons, the Oil Kings became a top team again. They won their division four seasons in a row, starting in 2018–19. Their success was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused the 2019–20 season to end early. The 2020–21 season was also shorter and had no playoffs.
Regular play returned in 2021–22. Led by Dylan Guenther and Sebastian Cossa, the Oil Kings won their third Ed Chynoweth Cup. They beat the Seattle Thunderbirds in the finals. This sent them to the 2022 Memorial Cup. They won one game in overtime against the Saint John Sea Dogs. But they were eliminated from the tournament after losing their other games.
Season Highlights
The Edmonton Oil Kings have had many exciting seasons. Here's a quick look at some of their key achievements:
- 2011–12: They had the best regular season record and won the WHL Championship (Ed Chynoweth Cup).
- 2012–13: They were again first in their division and made it to the WHL Final.
- 2013–14: They won their second WHL Championship and then went on to win the prestigious Memorial Cup.
- 2018–19: They topped their division and made it to the Eastern Conference Final.
- 2019–20: They were first in their division when the season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
- 2020–21: They were first in their division in a shortened season with no playoffs.
- 2021–22: They won their third WHL Championship.
Championship Wins
The Oil Kings have won several important championships:
- Memorial Cup: 1 win (2014)
- Ed Chynoweth Cup (WHL Championship): 3 wins (2012, 2014, 2022)
- Conference titles: 4 wins (2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2021–22)
- Division titles: 7 wins (2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22)
WHL Championship Finals
- 2011–12: Won, 4–3 against Portland Winterhawks
- 2012–13: Lost, 2–4 against Portland Winterhawks
- 2013–14: Won, 4–3 against Portland Winterhawks
- 2021–22: Won, 4–2 against Seattle Thunderbirds
Memorial Cup Finals
- 2014: Won, 6–3 against Guelph Storm
Players
NHL Alumni
Many players who played for the Edmonton Oil Kings have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Some of these players include:
- Brandon Baddock
- Laurent Brossoit
- Trey Fix-Wolansky
- Dylan Guenther
- Kaiden Guhle
- Tristan Jarry
- Curtis Lazar
- Jake Neighbours
- Mark Pysyk
- Griffin Reinhart
- Henrik Samuelsson
- Justin Sourdif
NHL First Round Draft Picks
The Oil Kings have also had several players chosen in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, which is a big deal for young hockey players.
- 2010: Mark Pysyk, 23rd overall (chosen by Buffalo Sabres)
- 2012: Griffin Reinhart, 4th overall (chosen by New York Islanders)
- 2012: Henrik Samuelsson, 27th overall (chosen by Phoenix Coyotes)
- 2013: Curtis Lazar, 17th overall (chosen by Ottawa Senators)
- 2020: Kaiden Guhle, 16th overall (chosen by Montreal Canadiens)
- 2020: Jake Neighbours, 26th overall (chosen by St. Louis Blues)
- 2021: Dylan Guenther, 9th overall (chosen by Arizona Coyotes)
- 2021: Sebastian Cossa, 15th overall (chosen by Detroit Red Wings)
Awards
The Edmonton Oil Kings and their players have won many awards for their great performances.
WHL Awards
- Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year):
* Dylan Guenther: 2019–20
- WHL Plus-Minus Award (Best Plus/Minus Rating):
* Ashton Sautner: 2013–14
- Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player):
* Dylan Wruck: 2012–13
- WHL Playoff MVP (Most Valuable Player in Playoffs):
* Laurent Brossoit: 2011–12 * Griffin Reinhart: 2013–14 * Kaiden Guhle: 2021–22
- Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year):
* Brad Lauer: 2019–20
- Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year):
* Bob Green: 2011–12, 2012–13
- St. Clair Group Trophy (Marketing/Business Award):
* 2018–19
- Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year):
* Will Warm: 2018–19 * Luke Prokop: 2021–22
Memorial Cup Awards
- Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup MVP):
* Edgars Kulda: 2014
- Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Memorial Cup Leading Scorer):
* Henrik Samuelsson: 2014
- George Parsons Trophy (Memorial Cup Most Sportsmanlike Player):
* Curtis Lazar: 2014
Images for kids
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The Oil Kings celebrating their 2012 championship.
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See also
- List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
