Text Timeline—Page 2

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1974—The Oilers open the new Northlands Coliseum with a 4-1win over the Cleveland Crusaders.

1978—Only a month into the 1978/79 season, Indianapolis Racers owner (and former Oilers co-owner) Nelson Skalbania, faced with massive losses from his team’s operation, is forced to sell 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky—along with forward Peter Driscoll and goalie Ed Mio—to the Oilers for $850,000.

1979—On Jan. 26, Wayne Gretzky’s 18th birthday, the teenage phenom signs a 21-year personal-service contract with Oilers’ owner Peter Pocklington.

1979—The WHA announces it will cease operations at the end of the season. After the Montréal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks decide to reverse their original “nay” votes, the Edmonton Oilers and three other WHA survivors—the New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets, all earn the right to join the NHL.

1979—The Oilers face the Winnipeg Jets for the final WHA championship, the Avco World Championship. The Oilers lose to the Jets in six games, but Oiler Dave Semenko’s Game 6 goal is the final marker in WHA history.

1979—The Oilers play their first regular-season NHL game at Chicago Stadium vs. the Blackhawks. The Oilers lose 4-2, but Kevin Lowe scores the first goal in team history at 9:49 of the first period

1981—On Apr. 11, the Oilers win their first-ever playoff series, upsetting the first-place overall Montréal Canadiens in a three-game sweep.

1981—With a five goal night against the Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 30, Wayne Gretzky reaches the 50-goal mark faster than any other player in NHL history, taking just 39 games to reach the mark.

1982—On Feb. 24, Wayne Gretzky scores on Sabres’ netminder Don Edwards at the old Buffalo Auditorium. The goal gives him 77 on the season, breaking Phil Esposito’s record of 76.

1982—After taking a 5-0 lead in an Apr. 10 first-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers watch their advantage crumble. The Kings respond with five unanswered goals and an overtime winner to stun the Oilers. The “Miracle on Manchester” leads the Kings to a series win.

1983—The Oilers reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time, but score just six goals in a four-game sweep by the defending champion New York Islanders.

1984—With a 5-2 win on May 19 at Northlands Coliseum, the Oilers defeat the Islanders n five games and win their first Stanley Cup.

1985—The Oilers defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. On the penultimate day in May, the team wins its second consecutive Cup.

1986—Wayne Gretzky records 215 points in an NHL season, breaking his own record.

1986—The Battle of Alberta goes horribly wrong; in Game 7 of a playoff series vs. the Calgary Flames, a wayward pass by defenceman Steve Smith bounces off Grant Fuhr and into the Oilers own net, giving the Flames the series win.

1987—The Oilers return to glory May 31 with a 3-1 Game 7 Stanley Cup final win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers claim their third Cup.

1988—Led by future NHL star Trevor Linden, the Medicine Hat Tigers win their second consecutive Memorial Cup championship.

1988—One of the strangest events in Stanley Cup history takes place at Boston Garden. With Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final series between the Bruins and the Oilers tied 3-3, the power goes out in the arena, forcing the game to be replayed in Edmonton.

1988—On May 26, two days after the Boston blackout, the Oilers sweep the Bruins to claim their fourth Cup. Previous

1988—In a move designed to save Peter Pocklington’s crumbling financial empire, Wayne Gretzky is traded on Aug. 9 to the Los Angeles Kings.

1989—Northlands Coliseum plays host to the NHL All-Star Game Feb. 7. The Campbell Conference beats the Wales Conference by a 9-5 score; current Toronto Maple Leaf and future Edmonton Oiler Vincent Damphousse is named the game’s MVP.

1989—In an Oct. 15 game at Northlands Coliseum against the Oilers, Los Angeles King Wayne Gretzky scores to record his 1,851st career NHL point, moving him past Gordie Howe into the league’s all-time scoring lead.

1990—The Bruins and Oilers stage one of the longest Stanley Cup games in history at the old Boston Garden. Finally, at 55:13 of OT, Oiler Petr Klima scores to give Edmonton a Game 1 win.

1990—On May 24, the Oilers win their fifth Stanley Cup after winning Game 5 at Boston Garden. It is the first time the Oilers win the NHL championship on the road.

1997—The Oilers win their first playoff series since 1991, defeating the Dallas Stars on the road in a first round series. Todd Marchant wins the series with a Game 7 overtime winner past former Oiler Andy Moog.

1997—After the Oilers are seized by Alberta Treasury Branch in the wake of Peter Pocklington’s financial troubles, a group of local investors buys the team. The Edmonton Investors’ Group saves the Oilers from a potential move to Houston.

1998—The Oilers enjoy another first-round playoff upset; this time the team knocks off the Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game first round series.

1999—On Oct. 1, the Oilers officially retire Wayne Gretzky’s number 99 before a game with the New York Rangers.

2001—Two decades after the number is retired, the Oilers finally raise Al Hamilton’s number 3 to the Skyreach Centre rafters before the team’s final regular-season home game vs. the Minnesota Wild.

2001–On Oct. 6, before a game with the Phoenix Coyotes, Jari Kurri skates at Skyreach Centre in full uniform for one last time as the Oilers retire his number 17.

2003—Grant Fuhr becomes the fourth Oilers player to have his number retired, as his 31 is raised to the Skyreach Centre roof before the team’s season opener vs. the San Jose Sharks.

2003–The Oilers stage an NHL first Nov. 22; an outdoor game vs. the Montréal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium. The Heritage Classic draws over 55,000 fans and also sees a team of classic Oilers, including Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri, take on a classic Canadiens team.

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