Since the Edmonton Oilers joined the NHL in 1979, around 50 players from the Edmonton area have suited up for the team. There has almost always been at least one local product in the lineup for the Oilers, ranging from future Hall-of-Famers to one-game wonders. Even now, the team features a pair of Edmontonians, defenceman Brett Kulak and goalie Stuart Skinner.
It’s not easy being a hometown kid in the hockey-mad fishbowl that is Alberta’s capital, which might partly explain why only a few Edmontonians have stuck with the team for more than a couple of seasons. With that in mind, here’s a look at the Oilers’ top five NHL players who were born in Edmonton or one of its suburbs.
5) Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani epitomizes the blue-collar esthetic that is often used to characterize Edmonton. The forward was never a top prospect – he was drafted in the eighth round in 1996 and was 26 years old before he played his first NHL regular season game – but he earned a regular role in Edmonton’s bottom six thanks largely to his work ethic and team-first approach.
From 2002-03 to 2009-10, Pisani appeared in 402 regular season games for the Oilers, fourth most all-time among players from the area.
Pisani became an Edmonton legend in 2006 during the team’s run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, when he scored 14 playoff goals. He tied the franchise single-postseason record with five game-winners, including one of the most famous goals in Oilers history, in overtime while shorthanded against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the championship round.
The Edmonton native has remained active in the hockey community, serving stints on the coaching staff of the University of Alberta Golden Bears (2013-14 to 2015-16) and Edmonton Oil Kings (2016-17 to 2021-22). He now coaches at the U18 AAA level in St. Albert.
4) Stuart Skinner
While he’s only just beginning his third season as a full-time NHLer, Skinner already has a compelling case for a spot on the list of the best hometown players in Oilers history.
In 2022-23, Skinner was a finalist for the Calder Trophy and the first Oilers rookie to play in the NHL All-Star Game since Grant Fuhr in 1982. Last season, he backstopped the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and joined Fuhr as the only netminders in franchise history to win at least 50 games in a single regular season and subsequent postseason combined.
Skinner, who turns 26 next month, was born and raised in Edmonton and attended Oilers games as a kid. His favourite player back then is his teammate now: Oilers alternate captain Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
3) Randy Gregg
On Oct. 25, when Edmonton hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins, Randy Gregg is being inducted into the Oilers Hall of Fame, making official his place among the team’s all-time greats. The defenceman is one of just seven players who were part of all five of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup victories (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990).
Gregg played nine seasons with the Oilers, from 1981-82 to 1989-90, before having a brief stint with the Vancouver Canucks in 1991-92. He has the third-highest career plus/minus rating (plus-81) among defencemen in Stanley Cup Playoff history.
Related: 6 Fascinating Facts About New Oilers Hall of Famer Randy Gregg
Among Edmonton’s all-time playoff leaders for defenceman, Gregg ranks second in games (130), third in goals (13), fifth in assists (39), fourth in points (52) and second in plus/minus (plus-78).
Gregg was born and raised and still lives in Edmonton, where he has made diverse contributions to the community. He earned a medical degree from the University of Alberta and has since had a career of more than 30 years in medicine, specializing in sports injuries. He is currently managing director of the Edmonton Riverhawks, a West Coast League baseball team.
2) Grant Fuhr
Another five-time Stanley Cup champion with the Oilers, Fuhr is universally regarded as the greatest netminder in franchise history. He is Edmonton’s all-time goaltending leader for wins in both the NHL regular season (226) and playoffs (74).
Over a decade with the Oilers, from 1981-82 to 1990-91, Fuhr played in six All-Star Games (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989) and was selected to the NHL First All-Star Team and Second All-Star Team once each. He won the Vezina Trophy in 1987-88 when he played 75 games, which at the time was the NHL single-season record.
In 2003, Fuhr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and had his number 31 retired by the Oilers. He was born and raised just outside of Edmonton, in Spruce Grove, where an arena now bears his name.
1) Mark Messier
Mark Messier played for the Oilers from 1979-80 to 1990-91, serving as captain for his last three seasons in Edmonton, and was integral to all five of the team’s Stanley Cup victories, especially in 1984 when he received the Conn Smythe Trophy. The 6-foot-1 forward was a three-time NHL First Team All-Star selection during his time in Edmonton and was awarded the Hart Trophy in 1990.
Among Edmonton’s all-time regular-season leaders, Messier ranks fourth in games (851), fourth in goals (392), third in assists (643) and third in points (1,043). Among Oilers career playoff leaders, he ranks second in games (166), fourth in goals (80), second in assists (135) and second in points (215).
Considered by many to be one of the five greatest Canadian hockey players ever, Messier also won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Messier was born in Edmonton and grew up in the suburb of St. Albert. When the Oilers retired his number in 2007, a stretch of the road between Edmonton and St. Albert was renamed “Mark Messier Trail”.
Honourable mentions go to Jason Chimera, Mike Comrie and Andrew Ference. It may be some time before another player puts together a compelling case to be considered for this list.
