Tickets went on sale recently for the 2023 Heritage Classic, the much-anticipated game between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 29.
While every outdoor NHL game is a major event, this one feels especially big, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the first outdoor game, which took place between the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in 2003, and it pits two of the biggest rivals in sports opposite each other.
One of the coolest parts of the Classic is an alumni game that takes place before the NHL contest. That tradition also started 20 years ago in Edmonton, when a team of Oilers legends took on a squad of Habs icons in what was dubbed the “MegaStars Game.” In 2016, the Oilers alumni got together again to take on a team of Winnipeg Jets greats prior to the Heritage Classic at Investors Group Field.
Both Oilers’ squads comprised players primarily from Edmonton’s 1980 dynasty teams. The 2003 roster included netminders Grant Fuhr, Andy Moog, and Bill Ranford; defencemen Jeff Beukeboom, Paul Coffey, Lee Fogolin, Randy Gregg, Charlie Huddy, Kevin Lowe, Marty McSorley and Craig Muni; and forwards Glenn Andersen, Ron Chipperfield, Wayne Gretzky, Dave Hunter, Jari Kurri, Ken Linseman, Dave Lumley, Mark Messier, Dave Semenko, Craig Simpson and Esa Tikkanen. In 2016, the lineup featured goaltenders Fuhr, Curtis Joseph, Ranford and Dwayne Roloson; blueliners Coffey, Gregg, Huddy, McSorely, Muni, Steve Smith, and Steve Staios; and forwards Anderson, Kelly Buchberger, Kurri, Gretzky, Linseman, B.J. MacDonald, Craig MacTavish, Messier, Semenko, Simpson, Ryan Smyth and Tikkanen.
While an alumni game at the 2023 Heritage Classic has not yet been announced, Jason Gregor of Oilers Nation reports it will happen and expects it to feature a younger group of alumni.
While the Oilers didn’t have the same level of success as the 1980s dynasty era, the 90s and 2000s Edmonton teams featured many players who have their place in franchise history and are beloved in Oil Country.
So, taking into consideration factors including team and individual success, longevity, popularity, community impact, as well as availability, here are 20 (12 forwards, 6 defencemen, and 2 goalies) who should be part of the next Oilers alumni team.
Forwards
Ryan Smyth – No one took more pride in wearing orange and blue than Smyth, who is the defining Oiler for fans that grew up in the late 90s and early 00s. Smyth shares the record for most seasons (15) appearing in a game with the Oilers and ranks top 10 in franchise history for goals (296), assists (335), and points (631).
Doug Weight – Edmonton’s offensive engine for much of the 90s, Weight was the only Oiler to record a 100-point season (1995-96) over a 28-year span between 1989-90 (Messier) and 2016-17 (Connor McDavid), and ranks 10th in franchise history in points (577). The playmaking center served as Edmonton’s captain in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
Jason Arnott – Arnott holds the franchise record for most goals by a rookie, scoring 33 in 1993-94 when he finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind Martin Brodeur. The centre represented Edmonton at the 1997 All-Star Game and scored 100 goals as an Oiler before being traded to the New Jersey Devils for Bill Guerin in early 1998.
Bill Guerin – Guerin’s stay in Edmonton was relatively short (211 games) but impactful (79 goals and 82 assists), playing on the wing of his fellow American and close friend Weight. He’s the only player other than Weight between 1993-94 and 2000-01 to lead the Oilers in points for a season, with 64 in 1998-99 when he was named team MVP.
Anson Carter – The player Guerin was traded for, from the Boston Bruins in November 2000, Carter wound up playing the exact same number of games (211) while scoring almost as many points as Guerin (157) with the Oilers. In his one full season in Edmonton, 2001-02, the likeable winger tied for the team lead with 60 points.
Mike Grier – One of the hardest workers, toughest players, and classiest individuals to suit up for Edmonton, Grier always put the team before himself. The right winter evolved into a great defensive forward and notched 183 points over 448 games from 1996-97 to 2001-02 with the Oilers, scoring 20 goals in a season twice.
Todd Marchant – While he spent nearly a decade with the Oilers, Marchant’s Edmonton tenure will forever be defined by a singular iconic moment, his 1997 Game 7 overtime goal against the Dallas Stars. The centre had 343 points in 678 regular season games for Edmonton and is one of only six players to score 20 shorthanded goals with the team.
Ethan Moreau – You can’t have Grier and Marchant without Moreau, who played left wing on the “MGM” line, a fondly remembered trio. Moreau spent a dozen years in Edmonton, suiting up for 653 games and totalling 212 points. He was the 12th captain in Oilers history, wearing the C for three seasons from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
Rem Murray – Before Moreau, Murray was the left flanking ‘M’ alongside Marchant and Grier. A terrific checker, Murray could always be counted on for sound hockey and an honest effort. He first played in Edmonton from 1996 to 2002, then returned in 2006 and helped the Oilers reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
Shawn Horcoff – Horcoff succeeded Moreau as captain and wore the ‘C’ for three seasons. He ranks sixth all-time in Oilers history with 796 games played. The center was pivotal in the 2006 Stanley Cup final team, finishing second on the team in points both in the regular season and playoffs, with 73 and 19, respectively.
Ales Hemsky – An Oiler from 2002 to 2014, Hemsky led Edmonton in points every season from 2005-06 to 2008-09, joining Gretzky and Weight as the only players to lead Edmonton in points for four straight years. Despite being plagued by injuries in the latter part of his tenure, the Czech winger is tied for 10th in franchise history with 335 assists.
Georges Laraque – One of the most popular Oilers and a fixture in the community during his time in Edmonton, Laraque was a heavyweight enforcer that few wanted to tangle with but a gregarious giant away from the rink. He played in 490 regular-season games for the Oilers and ranks eighth in franchise history for penalty minutes.
Defence
Roman Hamrlik – Edmonton’s acquisition of Hamrlik via trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning midway through 1997-98 jump-started one of the great turnarounds in team history. An All-Star selection in 1999, he had 22 goals and 91 assists in 196 games as an Oiler before being dealt in 2000 to the New York Islanders for a package that included Eric Brewer.
Eric Brewer – A model of consistency, Brewer played between 77 and 81 games and totalled between 21 and 29 points in each of his four seasons as an Oiler. The underappreciated defender earned his due as Edmonton’s lone selection to the 2003 All-Star Game. On Aug. 2, 2005, Brewer headlined a package deal to the St. Louis Blues for Chris Pronger.
Chris Pronger – The best skater to play for the Oilers during the 00s, Pronger’s stay in Edmonton was brief (one season) and his exit was ugly (trade demand), but he was utterly sublime in leading the Oilers to within one win of the 2006 championship. There’s never been a moment of reconciliation between Pronger and Edmonton, maybe now is the time.
Janne Niinimaa – Niinimiaa spent parts of six seasons in Edmonton, quarterbacking the power play and unleashing cannon blasts from the point. In 399 regular-season games from 1998 to 2003, Niinima totalled 188 points, the sixth most among defenceman in Oilers history. Niinimaa was an All-Star participant in 2001.
Jason Smith – “Gator” served as Oilers captain for five seasons, from 2001-02 to 2006-07, which trails only Connor McDavid for longest captaincy in team history. One of just seven blueliners to play more than 500 regular-season games with the team, Smith won Edmonton’s Defenceman of the Year award a record four times.
Related: Oilers’ Steve Staios: Revisiting His Playing Days in Edmonton
Steve Staios – Staios played for the Oilers from 2001-02 to 2009-10, dressing for 573 regular-season games, fourth most among defencemen in franchise history. He won the team’s award for Defenceman of the Year in 2002-03. Staios currently works for the Oilers as a special advisor to the club’s hockey operations staff with a focus on player development.
Goalies
Curtis Joseph – Few Oilers made a greater impact in such a short time as Joseph. From his arrival midway through the 1995-96 season to his departure following 1997-98, Edmonton went from a fourth straight year missing the playoffs to making back-to-back Round 2 appearances. His overtime save in Game 7 against the Stars in 1997 is the stuff of legend.
Dwayne Roloson – Roloson backstopped the Oilers on their Cinderella run through the first three rounds of the 2006 Playoffs, going 12-5 before an injury in Game 1 of the final knocked him out of the postseason. Roloson appeared in 193 regular-season games for the Oilers, becoming one of six netminders in franchise history with over 5,000 saves.
There are countless other Oilers alumni that could be part of the game over the 20 listed above. Some are controversial (Shayne Corson, the only captain in franchise history to be stripped of the ‘C’), while others will likely be busy that weekend (Luke Richardson is head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks). Then there are the others (Fernando Pisani, the 2006 Playoff hero who still lives in the Edmonton area) that should be on speed dial in case they’re needed. Let the debate begin!