The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey franchise based in Edmonton, Alberta. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were founded in 1972 as a member of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and played in the WHA until 1979 when they joined the NHL. During their time in the WHA the Oilers drafted 59 players with the 1977 draft being their fifth and final. The NHL Oilers have drafted 395 players in 41 drafts.
The NHL entry draft is held each June, allowing teams to select players who have turned 18 years old by September 15 in the year the draft is held. The draft order is determined by the previous season's order of finish, with non-playoff teams drafting first, followed by the teams that made the playoffs, with the specific order determined by the number of points earned by each team. Since 2016, the NHL holds a weighted lottery for the 15 non-playoff teams, allowing the winners to move up to the top three selections. From 1995–2012 the winner of the draft lottery was allowed to move up a maximum of four positions in the entry draft. The team with the fewest points has the best chance of winning the lottery, with each successive team given a lower chance of moving up in the draft. The Oilers have won the lottery four times, in 2010–2012, and 2015. Between 1986 and 1994, the NHL also held a Supplemental Draft for players in American colleges.
Edmonton's first draft pick in the WHA was John Rogers, taken sixth overall in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft. Their first pick in the NHL was Kevin Lowe, taken 21st overall in the 1979 NHL entry draft. The highest the Oilers have picked is first overall, which they did on three successive occasions between 2010 and 2012 and, most recently, 2015. They selected Taylor Hall (2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Nail Yakupov (2012), and Connor McDavid (2015). Seventeen picks went on to play over 1,000 NHL games: Kevin Lowe (21st, 1979), Mark Messier (48th, 1979), Glenn Anderson (69th, 1979), Paul Coffey (6th, 1980), Jari Kurri (69th, 1980), Kelly Buchberger (188th, 1985), Kirk Maltby (65th, 1992), Jason Arnott (7th, 1993), Miroslav Satan (111th, 1993), Ryan Smyth (6th, 1994), Jason Chimera (121st, 1997), Shawn Horcoff (99th, 1998), Andrew Cogliano (25th, 2005), Jeff Petry (45th, 2006), Sam Gagner (6th, 2007), Jordan Eberle (22nd, 2008) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1st, 2011). Six of Edmonton's draft picks, Anderson, Coffey, Grant Fuhr (8th, 1981), Kurri, Lowe, and Messier, have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Key
+ StatisticsPosPositionGPGames playedGGoalsA AssistsPtsPointsPIMPenalties in minutesGAAGoals against averageWWinsLLossesTTiesOTOvertime or shootout losses–Does not applySSupplemental draft selection
+ PositionsG GoaltenderDDefencemanLW Left wingCCentreRW Right wingF Forward
Draft picks
WHA Played in at least one WHA game with the OilersPlayed in at least one WHA All-Star Game Statistics show each player's career regular season totals in the WHA. A player listed with a dash under the games played column did not play in the WHA. YearRoundPickPlayerNationalityPosTeam (League)GPGAPtsPIM1973Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)1973Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)1973Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)1973Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)1973Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)1973Hamilton Red Wings (OHA)1973Chatham Maroons (SOJHL)1973University of Wisconsin (WCHA)1973Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)1973Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)1974Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)1974Regina Pats (WCHL)1974St. Paul Vulcans (MidJHL)1974Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)1974University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA)1974Laval National (QMJHL)1974St. Paul Vulcans (MidJHL)1974Niagara Falls Flyers (SOJHL)1974Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)1974Swift Current Broncos (WCHL)1974 SecretRegina Pats (WCHL)1974 SecretCalgary Centennials (WCHL)1975Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)1975Victoria Cougars (WCHL)1975New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)1975Michigan Technological University (WCHA)1975Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA)1975Boston University (ECAC)1975Harvard University (ECAC)1975Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)1975Sudbury Wolves (OHA)1975Shawinigan Dynamos (QMJHL)1975Harvard University (ECAC)1975Hull Festivals (QMJHL)1975Oshawa Generals (OHA)1975New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)1976Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)1976Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)1976New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)1976Regina Pats (WCHL)1976Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL)1976Laval National (QMJHL)1976Victoria Cougars (WCHL)1976Winnipeg Clubs (WCHL)1976Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHA)1976Regina Pats (WCHL)1976Sudbury Wolves (OHA)1977Kingston Canadians (OHA)1977 Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)1977Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)1977Toronto Marlboros (OHA)1977Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)1977Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL)1977Wisconsin Badgers (WCHA)1977Portland Winter Hawks (WCHL)1977New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)1977Winnipeg Monarchs (WCHL)1977Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
NHL Played in at least one NHL game with the OilersSelected for at least one NHL All-Star GameSelected for at least one NHL All-Star Game and NHL All-Star teamInducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame
Statistics are complete as of the 2025–26 NHL season and show each player's career regular season totals in the NHL. Wins, losses, ties, overtime losses and goals against average apply to goaltenders and are used only for players at that position. A player listed with a dash under the games played column has not played in the NHL.