Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)

"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"Hockey team|CAN_eng=1
team = Edmonton Oil Kings

city = Edmonton, Alberta
league = Western Hockey League
operated = 1951–1976
arena = Edmonton Gardens
name1 = Flin Flon Bombers
dates1 = 1967–78
name2 = Edmonton Oil Kings
dates2 = 1978–79
name3 = Great Falls Americans
dates3 = 1979–80
name4 = Spokane Flyers
dates4 = 1980–81
altname1 = Edmonton Oil Kings
altdates1 = 1951–76
altname2 = Portland Winter Hawks
altdates2 = 1976-PresentThe 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

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.

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

eason-by-season Record

"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against"

First Oil Kings (1966–77)

econd Oil Kings (1978–79)

NHL alumni

*Ron Anderson *Wayne Babych *Garnet Bailey *Jeff Bandura *Dave Barr *Doug Barrie *Norm Beaudin *Larry Bignell *Tom Bladon *Gregg Boddy *John Bucyk *Craig Cameron *Bryan Campbell *Tony Currie *John Davidson *Edward Diachuk *Marc Dufour *Bob Falkenberg *Harrison Gray *Larry Hale

*Al Hamilton *Ray Hannigan *Jim Harrison *Galen Head *Rich Healey *Bryan Hextall *Ted Hodgson *Chuck Holmes *Dave Hoyda *Fran Huck *Frank Hughes *Ron Jones *Eddie Joyal *Kerry Ketter *Don Kozak *Dave Kryskow *Doug Lecuyer *Craig Levie *Ross Lonsberry *Len Lunde *Bruce MacGregor

*Bert Marshall *Ted McAneeley *Dunc McCallum *Don McLeod *Billy McNeill *Gerry Melnyk *Paul Messier *Larry Mickey *Wayne Muloin *Paul Mulvey *Bob Murdoch *Hap Myers *Ray Neufeld *Brian Ogilvie *Dan Olesevich *Butch Paul *Cliff Pennington *Brent Peterson *Pat Quinn *Dave Richardson *Gary Rissling

*Dave Rochefort *John Rogers *Darcy Rota *Tom Roulston *Phil Russell *Glen Sather *Jim Shires *Gary Simmons *Harold Snepsts *Doug Soetaert *Roy Sommer *Frank Spring *Wayne Stephenson *Gord Strate *Bobby Taylor *Norm Ullman *Bob Whitlock *Randy Wyrozub *Ed Zeniuk

ee also

*List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
*Edmonton Ice

References

[http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/formation_teams_edmonton_oilkings.html Oil Kings Heritage]