Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)
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This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings
| Edmonton Oil Kings | |
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| City: | Edmonton, Alberta |
| League: | Western Hockey League |
| Operated: | 1951–1976 |
| Home Arena: | Edmonton Gardens |
| Franchise history | |
| 1967–78: | Flin Flon Bombers |
| 1978–79: | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 1979–80: | Great Falls Americans |
| 1980–81: | Spokane Flyers |
| Previous franchise history | |
| 1951–76: | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 1976-Present: | Portland Winter Hawks |
The Edmonton Oil Kings were a junior ice hockey team, and founding member of the Western Hockey League. They played at the Edmonton Gardens in Edmonton, Alberta, and later the Northlands Coliseum. In 1976 they moved to Portland, Oregon to become the Portland Winter Hawks. A second incarnation of the team played only one season in 1977–78 before moving to Great Falls, Montana.
- WCHL Division titles won: 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73
- WCHL Regular season titles won: 1966–67, 1970–71
- WCHL League Championships won: 1971, 72
- Memorial Cup Titles: 1963, 1966
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[edit] History
The Edmonton Oil Kings have a history that predates the founding of the Western Hockey League. They won the Memorial Cup in 1963 and 1966 as members of the senior men's Central Alberta Hockey League. The team was required to defeat the Alberta Junior Hockey League champion to earn the right to play for the national junior championship. They were also cup finalists seven different years between 1954 and 1971.
In 1966, Bill Hunter, the team's General Manager, was concerned about the state of junior hockey in western Canada. Each of the west's four provinces all had their own junior league, and Hunter felt that this put them at a disadvantage when competing nationally against the powerful leagues in Ontario and Quebec. Hunter hoped to form a unified western league to compete.
Hunter's hopes became reality in the summer of 1966, when a revolt within the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League caused several of its top clubs, the Estevan Bruins, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Moose Jaw Canucks and Weyburn Red Wings, to leave the league and join Hunter's Oil Kings in forming a new league. A seventh franchise was also added in Calgary, the Calgary Buffaloes.
The Oil Kings captured back to back President's Cup titles in 1971 and 1972, however it would prove to be the final titles in the celebrated franchise's history, as the Oil Kings found it difficult to compete with the lure of pro hockey provided by the WHA's Edmonton Oilers. The Oil Kings moved to Portland, Oregon in 1976, to become the Portland Winter Hawks.
There was a second Edmonton Oil Kings hockey team in the WHL that played only one season. The Flin Flon Bombers moved to Edmonton for the 1978–79 WHL season, but only survived one year and moved on to Great Falls. The team folded as the Great Falls Americans.
A new WHL team began play in Edmonton in 2007–08, reviving the Oil Kings name.
[edit] League membership
The Oil Kings played in the following leagues during its existence:
- 1951–56: Western Canada Junior Hockey League
- 1960–66: Central Alberta Hockey League
- 1966–76: Western Canada Hockey League
- 1978–79: Western Hockey League
[edit] Season-by-season Record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
[edit] First Oil Kings (1966–77)
| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1966–67 | 56 | 34 | 12 | 10 | 78 | 281 | 188 | 1st Overall | Lost semi-final |
| 1967–68 | 60 | 38 | 16 | 6 | 82 | 303 | 194 | 3rd Overall | Lost semi-final |
| 1968–69 | 60 | 33 | 25 | 2 | 68 | 229 | 206 | 1st West | Lost final |
| 1969–70 | 60 | 35 | 25 | 0 | 70 | 254 | 217 | 2nd West | Lost final |
| 1970–71 | 66 | 45 | 20 | 1 | 91 | 346 | 258 | 1st West | Won Championship |
| 1971–72 | 68 | 44 | 22 | 2 | 90 | 320 | 246 | 2nd West | Won Championship |
| 1972–73 | 68 | 40 | 20 | 8 | 88 | 311 | 240 | 1st West | Lost semi-final |
| 1973–74 | 68 | 25 | 36 | 7 | 57 | 252 | 301 | 4th West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1974–75 | 70 | 34 | 29 | 7 | 75 | 340 | 321 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1975–76 | 72 | 25 | 42 | 5 | 55 | 312 | 400 | 5th West | Lost preliminary round |
[edit] Second Oil Kings (1978–79)
| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1978–79 | 72 | 17 | 43 | 12 | 46 | 288 | 403 | 3rd East | Eliminated in round robin |
[edit] NHL Alumni
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
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