The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The team is a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Oilers began as a charter member of the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972, and were known as the Alberta Oilers for their first season after their Calgary counterparts were unable to play. The Oilers were a middle of the road team, failing to win a single playoff series until their seventh, and final, season in the WHA. In that last year, the Oilers lost to the (Jets) in the last Avco World Trophy final.
In 1979, the Oilers, along with the Jets, the Hartford Whalers and the Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL following the dissolution of the WHA. They quickly found success, first by shocking the Montreal Canadiens in 1980–81, then by finishing atop the Smythe Division each of the next five years. After falling to the New York Islanders in their first Stanley Cup Final in 1982–83, the Oilers achieved what is generally regarded as the last dynasty in NHL history by capturing five Stanley Cups in seven years between 1984 and 1990.
The Oilers were not able to duplicate that level of success, before capturing their seventh Conference title in 2005–06. Their run took them to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final, which they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes. Afterwards, the Oilers endured a decade long playoff drought in which the Oilers made 16 first round selections between 2007 to 2019 in which four were first overall picks; they used those picks to select Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and Connor McDavid.
The Oilers achieved a new era of success with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. After ending their decade-long playoff drought in 2016–17, the Oilers have qualified for the playoffs in every season since 2019–20 and appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals in consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, losing on both occasions against the Florida Panthers.
WHA (1972–1979) Avco World Trophy championsDivision or regular season championsLeague leader
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Season Team GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs Reference 1972–73 1972–73 78 38 37 3 79 269 256 1134 4th, West Did not qualify 1973–74 1973–74 78 38 37 3 79 268 269 1273 3rd, West Lost in quarterfinals, 1–4 (Fighting Saints) 1974–75 1974–75 78 36 38 4 76 279 279 896 5th, Canadian Did not qualify 1975–76 1975–76 81 27 49 5 59 268 345 991 4th, Canadian Lost in quarterfinals, 0–4 (Jets) 1976–77 1976–77 81 34 43 4 72 243 304 1319 4th, West Lost in quarterfinals, 1–4 (Aeros) 1977–78 1977–78 80 38 39 3 79 309 307 1296 5th, WHA Lost in quarterfinals, 1–4 (Whalers) 1978–79 1978–79 80 48 30 2 98 340 266 1220 1st, WHA Won in semifinals, 4–3 (Whalers)Lost in Avco Cup Finals, 2–4 (Jets) Totals 556 264 266 26 554 2,030 2,026 7,838 5 playoff appearances
NHL (1979–present) Table key +Key of colors and symbolsColor/symbolExplanationStanley Cup championsConference championsDivision champions Led league in points
+Key of terms and abbreviationsTerm or abbreviationDefinitionFinishFinal position in division or league standingsGPNumber of games playedWNumber of winsLNumber of lossesTNumber of tiesOTNumber of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)PtsNumber of pointsGFGoals for (goals scored by the Oilers)GAGoals against (goals scored by the Oilers' opponents)—Does not apply
Year by year SeasonOilers seasonConferenceDivisionRegular seasonCode explanation; GP—Games played, W—Wins, L—Losses, OT—Overtime/shootout losses, GF—Goals for, GA—Goals against, Pts—PointsPostseasonThe result of the playoff series shows the Oilers' result first regardless of the outcome, followed by the opposing team in parentheses. Finish GP W L TBeginning in 2005, all games have a winner. Ties were eliminated OTBeginning in 1999, overtime (and later shootout) losses are worth one point Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result1979–801979–80CampbellSmythe4th80283913—69301322303612Lost in preliminary round, 0–3 (Flyers)1980–811980–81CampbellSmythe4th80293516—743283279543535Won in preliminary round, 3–0 (Canadiens)Lost in quarterfinals, 2–4 (Islanders)1981–821981–82CampbellSmythe1st80481715—1114172955232327Lost in division semifinals, 2–3 (Kings)1982–831982–83CampbellSmythe1st80472112—106424315161158050Won in division semifinals, 3–0 (Jets)Won in division finals, 4–1 (Flames)Won in conference finals, 4–0 (Black Hawks)Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 0–4 (Islanders)1983–841983–84CampbellSmythe1st8057185—119446314191549456Won in division semifinals, 3–0 (Jets)Won in division finals, 4–3 (Flames)Won in conference finals, 4–0 (North Stars)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–1 (Islanders)1984–851984–85CampbellSmythe1st80492011—109401298181539857Won in division semifinals, 3–0 (Kings)Won in division finals, 4–0 (Jets)Won in conference finals, 4–2 (Black Hawks)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–1 (Flyers)1985–861985–86CampbellSmythe1st8056177—11942631010644130Won in division semifinals, 3–0 (Canucks)Lost in division finals, 3–4 (Flames)1986–871986–87CampbellSmythe1st8050246—106372284211658757Won in division semifinals, 4–1 (Kings)Won in division finals, 4–0 (Jets)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Red Wings)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–3 (Flyers)1987–881987–88CampbellSmythe2nd80442511—99363288181628453Won in division semifinals, 4–1 (Jets)Won in division finals, 4–0 (Flames)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Red Wings)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–0 (Bruins)1988–891988–89CampbellSmythe3rd8038348—843253067342025Lost in division semifinals, 3–4 (Kings)1989–901989–90CampbellSmythe2nd80382814—90315283221669360Won in division semifinals, 4–3 (Jets)Won in division finals, 4–0 (Kings)Won in conference finals, 4–2 (Blackhawks)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–1 (Bruins)1990–911990–91CampbellSmythe3rd8037376—8027227218995760Won in division semifinals, 4–3 (Flames)Won in division finals, 4–2 (Kings)Lost in conference finals, 1–4 (North Stars)1991–921991–92CampbellSmythe3rd80363410—8229529716884954Won in division semifinals, 4–2 (Kings)Won in division finals, 4–2 (Canucks)Lost in conference finals, 0–4 (Blackhawks)1992–931992–93CampbellSmythe5th8426508—60242337—————Did not qualify1993–941993–94WesternPacific6th84254514—64261305—————Did not qualify1994–9511994–95WesternPacific5th4817274—38136183—————Did not qualify1995–961995–96WesternPacific5th8230448—68240304—————Did not qualify1996–971996–97WesternPacific3rd8236379—8125224712573237Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–3 (Stars)Lost in conference semifinals, 1–4 (Avalanche)1997–981997–98WesternPacific3rd82353710—8021522412572425Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–3 (Avalanche)Lost in conference semifinals, 1–4 (Stars)1998–991998–99WesternNorthwest2nd82333712—78230226404711Lost in conference quarterfinals, 0–4 (Stars)1999–20001999–2000WesternNorthwest2nd823226168882262125141114Lost in conference quarterfinals, 1–4 (Stars)2000–012000–01WesternNorthwest2nd823928123932432226241316Lost in conference quarterfinals, 2–4 (Stars)2001–022001–02WesternNorthwest3rd82382812492205182—————Did not qualify2002–032002–03WesternNorthwest4th823626119922312306241120Lost in conference quarterfinals, 2–4 (Stars)2003–042003–04WesternNorthwest4th82362912589221208—————Did not qualify2004–0522004–05Season cancelled due to 2004–05 NHL lockout2005–0632005–06WesternNorthwest3rd824128—1395256251241597061Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Red Wings)Won in conference semifinals, 4–2 (Sharks)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Mighty Ducks)Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 3–4 (Hurricanes)2006–072006–07WesternNorthwest5th823243—771195248—————Did not qualify2007–082007–08WesternNorthwest4th824135—688235251—————Did not qualify2008–092008–09WesternNorthwest4th823835—985234248—————Did not qualify2009–102009–10WesternNorthwest5th822747—862214284—————Did not qualify2010–112010–11WesternNorthwest5th822545—1262193269—————Did not qualify2011–122011–12WesternNorthwest5th823240—1074212239—————Did not qualify2012–1342012–13WesternNorthwest3rd481922—745125134—————Did not qualify2013–142013–14WesternPacific7th822944—967203270—————Did not qualify2014–152014–15WesternPacific6th822444—1462198283—————Did not qualify2015–162015–16WesternPacific7th823143—870203245—————Did not qualify2016–172016–17WesternPacific2nd824726—910324721213763635Won in first round, 4–2 (Sharks)Lost in second round, 3–4 (Ducks)2017–182017–18WesternPacific6th823640—678234263—————Did not qualify2018–192018–19WesternPacific7th823538—979232274—————Did not qualify2019–2052019–20WesternPacific2nd713725—9832252174131516Lost in qualifying round, 1–3 (Blackhawks)2020–2162020–21—North2nd563519—272183154404814Lost in first round, 0–4 (Jets)2021–222021–22WesternPacific2nd824927—610429025216886559Won in first round, 4–3 (Kings)Won in second round, 4–1 (Flames)Lost in conference finals, 0–4 (Avalanche)2022–232022–23WesternPacific2nd825023—910932526012664442Won in first round, 4–2 (Kings)Lost in second round, 2–4 (Golden Knights)2023–242023–24WesternPacific2nd824927—61042942372515108665Won in first round, 4–1 (Kings)Won in second round, 4–3 (Canucks)Won in conference finals, 4–2 (Stars)Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 3–4 (Panthers)2024–252024–25WesternPacific3rd824829—5101259236221488273Won in first round, 4–2 (Kings) Won in second round, 4–1 (Golden Knights)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Stars)Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 2–4 (Panthers)2025–262025–26WesternPacific2nd824130—11932822696242126Lost in first round, 2–4 (Ducks)TotalsTotals as of the completion of the 2025–26 season3,6451,7061,4732622043,87812,22611,8873532051481,2921,09028 playoff appearances 1 Season was shortened due to the 1994–95 NHL lockout. 2 Season was cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. 3 As of the 2005–06 NHL season, all games tied after overtime will be decided in a shootout; SOL (Shootout losses) will be recorded as OTL in the standings. 4 Season was shortened due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout. 5 Season was suspended on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 6 Season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All-time NHL records Statistic GP W L T OTRegular season record (1979–present) 3,645 1,706 1,473 262 204Postseason record (1979–present) 353 205 148 — —All-time regular and postseason record 3,998 1,868 1,621 262 204All-time series record: 44–23
References
External links WHA (1972–1973): 1972–73 Alberta Oilers @ hockeydb.com WHA (1973–1979): 1973–79 Edmonton Oilers @ hockeydb.com NHL (1979–present): 1979–present Edmonton Oilers @ hockeydb.com