A look at the Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame on a special day
By Paul Taylor
As the Oilers prepare to honour their Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Thursday night, we look back to when it was established just over a year ago.
Thursday night will be a special occasion for Charlie Huddy and Doug Weight, as they will be added to the Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame. They will be honoured as the team’s Hall of Fame Class for 2023, prior to the game versus the New York Rangers.
Both individuals are undoubtedly worthy of the recognition. Huddy was part of the Oilers dynasty which won five Stanley Cups, while Weight was a key component of the team’s success in the late 1990s.
Surprisingly, the Oilers Hall of Fame was only established just over a year, with the official announcement coming on September 7. This was done, to coincide with 50 years since they started playing (in the WHA).
Similar to Huddy and Weight this year, Lee Fogolin and Ryan Smyth were inducted as part of the inaugural 2022 Class after a vote by the Oilers Hall of Fame selection committee. Fogolin was on two Stanley Cup winning sides, while Weight had 631 points in 971 games during two stints in Edmonton.
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Now there may be some people out there, wondering why there are one or two Oilers legends who haven’t been mentioned as part of the team’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Well actually, it’s 10.
More specifically, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Al Hamilton, Glenn Anderson, Rod Phillips, Kevin Lowe and Glen Sather. However, all 10 were automatically inducted as part of the inaugural 2022 Class, due to their previous banner honours.
As of Thursday, Huddy and Weight will see their names on the ring above the PCL Loge Level at Rogers Place, alongside their peers. It is sure to be an emotional moment for them, to know they will be permanently on display as a part of Oilers history.
Further adding to the achievement for both former players, is that the fans were a part of the voting process for this year. Combined with a voting committee which includes members of the media and prominent individuals such as Gretzky, it only enhances how special this is.
Next. Tough decisions ahead for the Oilers coaching staff. dark
Talking of special, what we particularly like about the Oilers Hall of Fame, is it gives the team a chance to honour those not in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This includes Hamilton, Phillips, Sather, Fogolin, Smyth and this year’s two inductees.