Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)

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This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the WHL expansion team that will begin play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings

Edmonton Oil Kings

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 one of the founding members 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

1 History
- 1.1 League membership
2 Season-by-season Record
- 2.1 First Oil Kings (1966-77)
- 2.2 Second Oil Kings (1978-79)
3 NHL Alumni
4 See also
5 References

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 mens 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.

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

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

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