On November 1st, 1971, the Edmonton Oilers became one of the 12 founding WHA franchises. The original owners were “Wild Bill” Hunter (1920-2002) and partner, Dr. Charles “Chuck” Allard (1919-1981)(1) (father of Vancouver lawyer Peter Allard)(2) who, a decade later, also brought the Second City Television (SCTV) sketch comedy TV series to Edmonton(3). Hunter also owned the Edmonton Oil Kings, a junior hockey franchise(4), and founded the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (now known as the Western Hockey League (WHL))(4). Hunter’s efforts to bring major professional hockey to Edmonton via an expansion NHL franchise had been rebuffed by the NHL. So, he looked to the upstart WHA instead. It was Hunter who chose the “Oilers” name for the new WHA franchise. This was a name that had previously been used as a nickname for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 1950s and 1960s (5). Hunter also served as head coach during the 1972-1973, 1974-1975, and 1975-1976 seasons.
After the newly founded Calgary Broncos folded before the commencement of the inaugural WHA season, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers as it was planned to split their home games between Edmonton and Calgary. Possibly for financial reasons or to allow for a less complicated return of the WHA to Calgary, though, the team ultimately played all of its home games in the Edmonton Gardens and changed its name back to the Edmonton Oilers the following year(6). They won the first game in WHA history 7-4 over the Ottawa Nationals(7).
The Oilers drew fans with players such as defenseman and team captain Al Hamilton, goaltender Dave Dryden and forwards Blair MacDonald and Bill Flett. However, a relatively little-noticed move in 1976 had an important impact on the history of the franchise. That year, journeyman forward Glen Sather was acquired by the Oilers(8). It turned out to be his final season as a player and he was named player-coach late in the season, moving to the bench full-time after the season. Sather was the coach or general manager of the Oilers for the next 23 years(9).
Although the Oilers’ on-ice performance for most of the WHA’s history was mediocre, they remained relatively well-supported and financially stable by WHA standards. In 1976, Hunter and Allard sold the franchise to Vancouver real estate tycoon Nelson Skalbania, who later became notorious for flipping property, both real and franchised(10). Skalbania soon made local businessman Peter Pocklington a full partner, then sold his shares to him the following year. The team’s fortunes improved dramatically in 1978 when Pocklington acquired underage player Wayne Gretzky(11), as well as goaltender Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll, for cash, from Skalbania’s recently folded Indianapolis Racers(12).
His first year of WHA experience prevented Gretzky from being an official 1979-1980 NHL rookie; his first and only WHA season, 1978-1979, saw the Oilers finish first in the WHA standings, posting a league-best 48-30-2 record(13). However, Edmonton failed to win the championship, as they fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the Avco World Trophy Final. Dave Semenko of the Oilers scored the last goal in WHA history in the third period of the final game, which they lost 7-3(14).
The Oilers joined the NHL for 1979-1980, along with fellow WHA teams, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and the Jets following a merger agreement between the two leagues. Of these four teams, only Edmonton has avoided relocation and renaming; the Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996 and the Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997(15).
Entry into the NHL 1979-1983
The Oilers lost most of the players from 1978-1979 when the NHL held a reclamation draft of players who had bolted to the upstart league as they were allowed to protect two goaltenders and two skaters(16). Originally, Gretzky was not eligible to be protected; under the rules of the time, he normally would have been placed in the Entry Draft pool. However, Pocklington had signed him to a 21-year personal services contract to force the NHL to admit the Oilers and allow the Oilers to keep Gretzky(17).
Upon joining the NHL, the Oilers were placed in the Campbell Conference’s Smythe Division. They were mediocre during the regular season in their first two seasons, finishing sixteenth and fourteenth respectively. However, because 16 of the 21 NHL teams made the playoffs at the same time, the Oilers were still able to get their young players experience in the playoffs (they made the playoffs in their first 13 years in the NHL)(18). They won only one playoff series in their first three NHL seasons, though, upsetting the Montreal Canadiens in 1980-1981. Gretzky set new NHL records in 1980-1981 for assists (109)(19) and points (164)(20). Also, they still had great draft positions. This allowed the Oilers to put together a young, talented, experienced team quickly. Within three years, Sather and chief scout Barry Fraser had drafted several players who would have an important role in the team’s success, including Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Kevin Lowe, Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog(21).
The Oilers improved in 1981-1982, finishing second overall. Grant Fuhr emerged as the starting goaltender and he set a rookie record by going undefeated in 23 straight games(22). However, Gretzky stole the show by setting the single-season record for goals with 92(23) and becoming the first player in NHL history to score 200 points (with 212)(20). Gretzky’s accomplishments helped the Oilers become the first team to score 400 goals in a season, a feat they accomplished for five straight years(24). However, they were upset by the Los Angeles Kings in five games (Game 3 of this series, the Miracle on Manchester, saw the Oilers take a 5-0 lead into the third period, only to lose 6-5 in overtime)(25)(26).
In 1982-1983, the Oilers finished third overall in the NHL. They advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals (losing only once in the process) before getting swept by the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders(27). During this season, Gretzky, Messier, Anderson, and Kurri all topped 100 points, with Coffey not far behind at 96(26). After the season, Lee Fogolin resigned as captain of the Oilers, picking Gretzky as his successor(28).
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