Tulsa Oilers

The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tulsa Oilers name was shared with Tulsa's former minor-league baseball team that pre-dated the Tulsa Drillers. To reduce confusion in local news reporting, the hockey team was often called the "Ice Oilers".

For other sports teams using the same name, see Tulsa Oilers (disambiguation).
Tulsa Oilers
2019–20 ECHL season
CityTulsa, Oklahoma
LeagueECHL
ConferenceWestern
DivisionMountain
Founded1992 (in the CHL)
Home arenaBOK Center
ColorsNavy blue, maroon, silver, white
                   
Owner(s)Rodney Steven
Brandon Steven
Johnny Steven
General managerTaylor Hall
Head coachRob Murray
AffiliatesSt. Louis Blues (NHL)
San Antonio Rampage (AHL)
Franchise history
1992–presentTulsa Oilers
Championships
Division Championships1 (2018–19)
Ray Miron President's Cup1 (1993)

Formerly a member of the Central Hockey League, the Oilers are one of only two teams which played every one of the CHL's 22 seasons (the other being the Wichita Thunder).[1] The Oilers established a winning tradition, making the playoffs in 9 of their first 13 seasons. However, their performance in recent years has been less successful making the playoffs four times since 2005.[2]

Original owner Jeff Lund played an integral part in assembling the 1992–93 team, led by veteran minor league coach and former NHL ironman Garry Unger. The team, anchored by high-scoring forward Sylvain Naud and veteran goalie Tony Martino, finished the regular season in second place, right behind intrastate rival Oklahoma City Blazers. However, in the revived league's first championship series the Oilers handily defeated the Blazers, clinching the title on OKC's home ice. Lund assumed ownership of the franchise in February 1999 after being the team's general manager.[3]

On June 23, 2013, Lund sold the team to the owners of the Wichita Thunder, the Steven brothers.

History

Tulsa has previously had several other hockey teams named the "Oilers."

Tulsa Oilers (1968)

The original Oilers joined the five team American Hockey Association as an expansion team in 1928. Their first home game was January 1, 1929, against the Duluth Hornets, as part of the grand opening of the Tulsa Coliseum. The team won the AHA championship that season, and again in the 1930–31 season. For the 1932–33 season, the Oilers moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and became the St. Paul Greyhounds, but halfway through the season they moved back to Tulsa once again becoming the Tulsa Oilers. At the end of the 1941–42 season, the AHA and the Oilers disbanded due to World War II. Hockey Hall of Fame members Duke Keats and Bill Cowley played for short periods on the Tulsa Oilers during this period.

The AHA was reorganized as the United States Hockey League for the 1945–46 season as a seven team league, once again including the Oilers. That league folded after the 1950–51 season. The team played at Avey's Coliseum during this time. Hockey Hall of Fame member Clint Smith played the 1947–48 season with the Tulsa Oilers after a stellar 11-year career in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks and won the USHL Most Valuable Player Award.

Tulsa Oilers (2006–2013)
Tulsa Oilers (1972–1982)

In 1964, a new Tulsa Oilers team joined the Central Professional Hockey League (later shortened to Central Hockey League) in its second season of operation. The Oilers won the Adams Cup as the CPHL/CHL champions in 1968, 1976, and 1984.The Oilers played in the CHL until 1984 when the league folded.

1992–2014 (CHL)

A new Central Hockey League was created in 1992 as a centrally owned league, owned by Ray Miron and Bill Levins. The league was operated by Ray and Monte Miron and funded by Chicago businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur Horn Chen. With the creation of the new CHL the Tulsa Oilers were a team once again. Ray Miron once coached the Oilers in the old CHL and his son Monte had played for the Oilers in 1973–74. Tulsa claimed the CHL championship in the CHL's inaugural season under general manager Jeff Lund and head coach Garry Unger.[4]

The Oilers established a winning tradition, making the playoffs in nine of their first 13 seasons. However, with a decline in their performance and not qualifying for the playoffs since 2005 nor winning a playoff series since 1994, Lund hired former player Taylor Hall as the Oilers' general manager on May 3, 2008.[5] After finishing third to last in the CHL with 18 wins in 64 games in the 2008–09 season, Hall hired head coach Bruce Ramsay, fresh off a trip to the IHL's Turner Cup finals with the Muskegon Fury, on May 21, 2009.[6]

In Ramsay's first season as coach in 2009–10 season, the Oilers rebounded with 28 wins in 64 games to post the second highest point total increase in the CHL from the previous season.[7] On September 2, 2010, the Oilers announced their first National Hockey League affiliation since their reformation in 1992 with the Colorado Avalanche, joining the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.[8]

2014–present (ECHL)

On October 7, 2014, soon before the 2014–15 Central Hockey League season was set to begin, it was announced that the league had ceased operations and the Oilers, along with the Allen Americans, Brampton Beast, Quad City Mallards, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush and Wichita Thunder, were all approved the expansion membership application into the ECHL for the 2014–15 season.[9][10]

On July 31, 2015, the Oilers announced a one-year affiliation with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets and the AHL's Manitoba Moose.[11] After the conclusion of the agreement with the Jets/Moose, the Oilers announced a one-year affiliation with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL, which did not have an AHL affiliate, for the 2017–18 season.[12] The affiliation was extended for another season in 2018–19, but also added the San Antonio Rampage, the Blues' new AHL affiliate.[13] As of the 2019–20 season, the Oilers and Blues are still affiliated.[14]

Season records
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPTSGFGAPIMRegular season finish
(Division/conference)		Playoffs
Central Hockey League
2000–01703626—88025925020305th of 6, Western DivisionLost quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Oklahoma City Blazers
2001–02643030—46420421517012nd of 4, Northwest DivisionDid not qualify
2002–03643722327921819517043rd of 4, Northwest DivisionDid not qualify
2003–04642625496519421011984th of 5, Northwest DivisionDid not qualify
2004–05603225126720621013072nd of 5, Northeast DivisionLost conf. semifinals, 1–4 vs. Colorado Eagles
2005–06642928436520922716874th of 4, Northwest DivisionDid not qualify
2006–07642728636322524620444th of 4, Northeast DivisionDid not qualify
2007–08642535315419424314384th of 5, Northwest DivisionDid not qualify
2008–09641838354417927016684th of 4, Northeast DivisionDid not qualify
2009–10642829436320323015766th of 7, Northern ConferenceDid not qualify
2010–11663525517624223410633rd of 9, Berry ConferenceLost conf. semifinals, 2–3 vs. Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
2011–12662929716620722210005th of 7, Berry ConferenceDid not qualify
2012–13662239324917725489710th of 10, Berry ConferenceDid not qualify
2013–14663429037122521511707th of 10, Berry ConferenceLost quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Denver Cutthroats
ECHL
2014–15723729338024824413504th of 7, Central DivisionLost div. semifinals, 1–4 vs. Allen Americans
2015–16723730327919119110833rd of 4, Central DivisionDid not qualify
2016–17722737626219424112475th of 7, Central DivisionDid not qualify
2017–18723129397421423312305th of 7, Mountain DivisionDid not qualify
2018–1972422442902361989641st of 7, Mountain DivisionLost conf. finals, 3–4 vs. Toledo Walleye
2019–2063292671661991967274th of 7, Mountain DivisionSeason cancelled

Players

Current roster
Updated January 24, 2020.[15]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
90 Jacob Benson C R 24 2020 Grand Forks, North Dakota Oilers
55 Charlie Granath D L 23 2020 Stockholm, Sweden Oilers
5 Steven Kaunisto D L 33 2017 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Oilers
3 Cam Knight D R 25 2019 Reading, Massachusetts Oilers
27 Miles Liberati D L 25 2019 Cheswick, Pennsylvania Oilers
24 Mike McKee (A) D L 26 2017 Newmarket, Ontario Oilers
29 Ian McNulty LW L 27 2018 Airdrie, Alberta Oilers
13 Connor Moynihan LW L 22 2019 Windham, New Hampshire Oilers
11 Danny Moynihan LW L 24 2019 Boston, Massachusetts Oilers
92 Jack Nevins LW L 26 2020 Stittsville, Ontario Oilers
18 Adam Pleskach (C) RW L 31 2011 Beausejour, Manitoba Oilers
8 Charlie Sampair (A) C L 26 2017 St. Paul, Minnesota Oilers
28 Ryan Tesink C L 27 2017 Saint John, New Brunswick Oilers
22 Jared Thomas LW L 26 2018 Hermantown, Minnesota Oilers
13 Cory Ward C R 26 2019 Las Vegas, Nevada Oilers
19 Bobby Watson F L 27 2019 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Oilers
35 Devin Williams G L 24 2017 Saginaw, Michigan Oilers

Championships
Year League Trophy
1992–93 CHL William “Bill” Levins Memorial Cup

References
  1. Bill Haisten, "Blazers' end might spell trouble for Tulsa Oilers", Tulsa World, July 15, 2009.
  2. "CHL Playoffs 2011". Central Hockey League. Retrieved 2013-01-13.
  3. "Tulsa Oilers owner Jeff Lund wins 2008-09 CHL Rick Kozuback Award". mlntherawfeed.com. 2009-03-19. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  4. "Unger in Alumni game". Tulsa Oilers. 2010-08-26. Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  5. "Former player Taylor Hall rejoins the Oilers as General Manager". mlntherawfeed.com. 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  6. "Tulsa Oilers name Bruce Ramsay coach". mlntherawfeed.com. 2009-05-21. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  7. "Oilers to play in Berry conference". Tulsa Oilers. 2010-08-04. Archived from the original on 2011-03-23. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  8. "Tulsa announces affiliation with Avs". Colorado Avalanche. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  9. "CHL Clubs Join ECHL for 2014-15 Season". Central Hockey League. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  10. "ECHL Accepts Seven Members". ECHL. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-09. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  11. "Winnipeg Jets announce ECHL affiliation with the Tulsa Oilers". Winnipeg Jets. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  12. "Blues to have ECHL affiliate in Tulsa". St. Louis Blues. August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  13. "TULSA OILERS AND ST. LOUIS BLUES EXTEND AFFILIATION". Tulsa Oilers. May 31, 2018.
  14. "Tulsa Oilers and St. Louis Blues Continue Affiliation". OurSports Central. August 13, 2019.
  15. "Tulsa Oilers - Team". Tulsa Oilers. 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
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