After finishing last season second to the last in their division, management made some necessary changes. Firstly, season ticket-holders were happy when “Mac-T” was fired after an eight year stint at the helm and three seasons removed from the NHL Playoffs and the Stanley Cup Finals. He was replaced with Pat Quinn on May 26th. The team then went in a small trading frenzy as Kyle Brodziak and a 6th round pick were traded to the Minnesota Wild for a 4th and a 5th round 2009 pick. They then sent their 2009 7th round pick to the Ottawa Senators for a 2010 6th round pick and finally sent Tim Sestitio to the New Jersey Devils for a conditional draft pick. In free agency, the franchise acquired five players, most notably Nikolai Khabibulin, Mike Comrie and Chris Minard and in the draft, the Oilers used their 10th overall pick to select Swedish player Magnus Pääjarvi-Svennsson who currently plays in the Elitserien League as does the Oilers 40th overall pick, Anton Lander. The team is currently in last place in the NHL Western Conference with a 19-36-6 record.
Edmonton Oilers tickets are on the comeback trail. The league-wide salary cap recently instated by the NHL has benefited the Edmonton Oilers tremendously. As a small-market team, the Oilers have been struggling financially for years, and have been unable to sign high priced talent. The cap allowed the Oilers to acquire two key players for the 2005-2006 season. League MVP Chris Pronger, who is considered one of the best defensive players in the league, promises to be a huge asset to the Oilers. Defensive forward Michael Pena, previously of the New York Islanders, is a two-time Frank J. Selphe Trophy winner. Holders of Edmonton Oilers hockey tickets hope that with these two additions, their team will win their division and reach the 2006 playoffs.
Fans hope to see the Oilers return to their days of glory, when they won the Stanley Cup four out of five years, in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988. This was during the era of hockey prodigy Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky, considered by many to be the greatest hockey player of all time, is the only player to have his jersey retired across the entire NHL. The center has earned the nickname "The Great One" for his amazing abilities on the ice. He was voted league MVP and won the Hart Memorial Trophy in his first season in the NHL and for the seven subsequent seasons. Beginning with his second season, he won the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored in a single season for seven years in a row. He continued to break records as Oilers center, and at one time held or shared 49 NHL records.
After Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, the Oilers suffered a first-round playoff loss to none other than Gretzky and the Kings. In 1990, they lost Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr, who was arrested for cocaine possession. They found a more than suitable replacement in new goalie Bill Ranford, whose outstanding goaltending helped the team to win their sixth Stanley Cup, defeating the Boston Bruins. Edmonton Oilers hockey ticket sales began to rise again.
As player salaries climbed, Edmonton was unable to afford to keep many of its top players. Messier and Fuhr, along with Kurri, Ranford, and Anderson, left the team. The Oilers held on to win playoff berths in 1991 and 1992, but were unable to make it in 1993. They did not return to the playoffs until 1997, when they defeated the Dallas Stars in a thrilling seven-game contest. The team reached the playoffs every year until 2002 and again in 2004.
Edmonton Oilers ticket holders enjoy watching their team play their home games at Rexall Place, which is considered to have the best ice in the NHL. The arena seats 16,839, with 39 luxury suites and 16 skyboxes. A bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky greets visitors to Rexall Place. The Edmonton Oilers joined the NHL in 1979, after playing in the World Hockey Association from 1972-1979. Led by Gretzky and his talented young teammates Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe, the team was able to make the Stanley Cup playoffs in their first season in the NHL. |
