A deep look at how the Edmonton Oilers got their name

If you're a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, there's some things that you just almost inherently know. For example, that the team has won five Stanley Cups during their existence, and have appeared in eight finals in total.

You know that Wayne Gretzky is the best player in the history of the NHL and the only player to have his number retired by the entire league. Moving forward to today, you're fully aware that Connor McDavid is the top player in the game and has been for a number of years.

However, one thing that Oilers fans may not be aware of, particularly the newer supporters, is how they came up with their team name in the first place. As such, let's take a little trip down memory lane.

Did you hear the one about Wild Bill and the Doctor?

The franchise was originally founded by the duo of W. D. (William Dickenson) "Wild Bill" Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard, as one of 12 founding teams who would play in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The decision to call themselves the Oilers, was made by Hunter.

The reason for Hunter deciding on Oilers as the team nickname, was a straightforward one. More specifically, it was as a result of Edmonton being considered the focal point of Canada's oil industry.

Originally, the Oilers were going to be one of two Alberta teams in the WHA, with the other one based in Calgary. However, prior to the WHA's first season in 1972-73, the Calgary team relocated to Cleveland.

As a result of this, Hunter and Allard decided to call the team the Alberta Oilers. The thinking was, that the team would go back and forth, playing games in both Edmonton and Calgary.

Deciding to commit to just Edmonton

However, after just one season the team decided it would be better to just stick to Edmonton, due to the negative financial implications of travelling back and forth to Calgary. Due to this, they team was renamed the Edmonton Oilers ahead of the 1973-74 WHA season.

Now settled, the team would qualify for the WHA playoffs in five of the six seasons they were solely based in Edmonton. This success included a trip to the last ever Avco Cup Final in 1978-79, where they lost four games to two against the Winnipeg Jets.

Ultimately, the Oilers were successful enough both on and off the ice that, as per NHL.com, they became one of four franchises who moved over to the NHL as part of their merger with the WHA. The other three WHA teams were the aforementioned Jets, as well as the Quebec Nordiques and New England Whalers.

The Oilers began playing in the NHL in the 1979-80 season, with no expectations for the level of success they were going to experience in the coming years. In fact, the five Stanley Cups are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the most championships by an NHL team since 1979-80.

Further, the Oilers also lead the way with the most appearances in the Stanley Cup Final by any team, since their first season in the NHL. As a result, the franchise has become synonymous with success, and it's all thanks to Hunter original decision to co-found the team and call them the Oilers.

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