The Edmonton Oilers were founded in 1972 as one of the original franchises of the World Hockey Association (WHA) but joined the National Hockey League (NHL) ahead of the 1979-80 season. They have an extremely rich history, which culminated with five Stanley Cup Championships between 1984 and 1990.
Most of the 21st century has been forgettable for Oiler fans. While they made the Stanley Cup Final twice this century, they lost in Game 7 both times. Following their 2006 Stanley Cup Final appearance, they missed the playoffs 10 straight seasons, which was deemed the decade of darkness. Even before the magical run in 2006, their last series victory wasn’t since 1998. They finally found consistent playoff success in recent years, but the majority of the new millennium has not been kind to the Oilers. This is largely due to their mediocre defence and goaltending inconsistencies.
However, it hasn’t all been bad. There have been some solid goalies and defencemen who come through and left a lasting impression on this organization. Let’s take a look at three goaltenders and six defencemen who could be on the Oilers’ All-Star team from the last 25 years.
Oilers’ Goaltenders
Since 2000, 34 goaltenders have manned the Oilers crease. Some have only played one game, but others have become a household name with this franchise. Oiler fans are incredibly hard on the players that wear this jersey, because they expect excellence, especially with goalies. But, these three netminders have either left a legacy or have endeared themselves to this fanbase because of their play style and personality.
Starter: Dwayne Roloson
The Oilers acquired Dwayne Roloson ahead of the 2006 trade deadline, and it paid dividends, resulting in their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1990. This was a risky move because the Oilers gave up a first-round pick for the then 36-year-old netminder, while just sneaking into the playoffs as the eighth seed.
Related: Edmonton Oilers’ 2006 Stanley Cup Run – A Look Back
After acquiring the veteran netminder, he played three more seasons in Edmonton. His numbers weren’t spectacular by any means, as he had a 2.78 goals-against average (GAA) and a .909 save percentage (SV%) in 193 games. However, Roloson left a lasting impression on this organization because of the underdog story in 2006. If he didn’t get injured during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final that season, the result of that series may be different.
Backup: Tommy Salo
Tommy Salo was a fifth-round draft pick by the New York Islanders in 1993, and played six seasons with the Oilers, spanning from 1999-2004. In Oilers history, he ranks third in games played (334), third in shots faced (8,455), third in wins (147), first in GAA (2.44), and first in shutouts (23), nine more than second place.
He was a workhorse, as he played over 70 games in back-to-back seasons. He followed that up by playing 69 games the next season, and 65 games the following season. However, he never won a playoff series with the Oilers, despite making the playoffs four out of his six seasons.
Third-String: Mike Smith
Mike Smith is an extremely underrated goaltender in Oilers history. He played 99 games for the franchise over three seasons and helped them get back to the Conference Final for the first time since 2006. He was eventful between the pipes, and there was never a dull moment. He loved to play the puck, and he was good at it. Also, who could forget his goalie fight with Cam Talbot during the Battle of Alberta in February 2020? He brought the energy, and it was fun to watch.
The 2001 fifth-round pick (161st overall) had a .913 SV% as an Oiler which ranks him first all-time among qualified goalies. What’s even more impressive is that he did it at the tail-end of his career. He quickly became a fan-favourite.
Oilers’ Defencemen
There haven’t been a lot of amazing blueliners coming through the pipeline this century. But, there are a few who were instrumental during the 2006 Cup run, and a few who helped the Oilers get back into the postseason after the decade of darkness, and have helped them stay in the playoff picture ever since.
First-Pairing Left Defence: Chris Pronger
The Oilers acquired Chris Pronger from the St. Louis Blues after the implementation of the new NHL salary cap resulting from the 2004-05 lockout. While Pronger’s time in Oil Country was limited, it was extremely memorable. He only played 80 regular season games for the franchise, but recorded 56 points, while also recording 21 points in 24 playoff games. He made an immediate impact and was a huge piece during the 2006 Stanley Cup run that ultimately ended in heartbreak.
First-Pairing Right Defence: Evan Bouchard
While Evan Bouchard has some defensive deficiencies, He’s one of the best offensive defencemen this organization has ever seen. He has 191 points in 291 games thus far in his Oilers career. At only 25 years old, he already ranks sixth in franchise history in points by a defenceman and will continue to climb up the ranks. He’s only 27 points behind Steve Smith for fifth all-time. The Oilers’ 2018 first-round pick is over a point per game in the playoffs, racking up 58 points in 53 playoff games. He shows up when the games matter most. He’s got many more years ahead, and that’s exciting for Oiler fans.
Second-Pairing Left Defence: Darnell Nurse
Darnell Nurse is an extremely polarizing figure in Oil Country, largely due to his hefty cap hit. However, he’s third all-time in games played by an Oilers defenceman (663), only behind Charlie Huddy (694), and Kevin Lowe (1037). If he stays healthy, he should pass Huddy this season. On top of that, he’s fourth all-time in points by a defenceman with 277. That deserves some respect, and for that, Nurse is on this quarter-century team.
Second-Pairing Right Defence: Jason Smith
Jason Smith was acquired by the Oilers in March 1999, and played parts of eight seasons for the franchise, until he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007. The 1992 first-round pick (18th overall) was the 14th captain in franchise history and played 542 of his 1,008 NHL games with the Oilers. He also registered 113 of his 169 career points in Oil Country.
Smith wasn’t the most offensively gifted player, but he didn’t need to be. He was tough as nails, he played with passion and heart, and he was an incredible leader. Until Connor McDavid came along, he was the longest-serving captain in Oilers history. He was an absolute warrior for this team through the bad times and through their 2006 playoff run.
Third-Pairing Left Defence: Oscar Klefbom
The Oilers could use Oscar Klefbom right about now. Injuries sadly derailed his career at the young age of 26. Despite that, he made an impact on this franchise and was well on his way to becoming an elite defenceman who was drafted and developed by this organization. He played 378 games in Edmonton while registering 156 points. His presence has been missed by his teammates, as well as the fanbase, especially with the current state of their blue line.
Third-Pairing Right Defence: Steve Staios
This one might be a reach, but Steve Staios was a very underrated part of the Oilers’ blue line for many years, including the 2006 underdog playoff run. Staios is now an NHL executive with the Ottawa Senators, but he was a long-time defenceman for the Oilers from 2001-2010. The Hamilton, Ontario native played 573 games in Edmonton, which ranks him fifth all-time among defencemen in franchise history. He eclipsed the 1,000-game milestone in his NHL career, recording 220 points. His lone playoff goal came against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the 2006 Western Conference Final to seemingly put that game out of reach.
He was a steady defensive defenceman who played with some grit. He’s seen quite a few minutes in the penalty box throughout his career (1,322 to be exact). He was the prototypical third-pairing, character guy throughout his 16-year career.
Next, we will look at 12 forwards who could be on Edmonton’s All-Star team from the 21st century. There have been some exciting forwards over the years, with some incredible moments and memories. Be sure to keep following The Hockey Writers for all your latest news and rumours from the NHL, and around the hockey world.
