The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. The WHL is composed of 22 teams divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 11 teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, while the Western Conference comprises 11 teams from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.
Douglas Daniel Weight is an American professional ice hockey coach, executive, and former player. He is also the former head coach and assistant general manager for the New York Islanders. During his 19-year National Hockey League career, he played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues and the New York Islanders.
Jason Matthew Smith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in over 1,000 regular season games in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1993 to 2009. Smith played for the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators, having been originally selected by New Jersey in the first round, 18th overall, at the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Smith served as team captain of both the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers, the former of which he led for five years and guided to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.
The 1986–87 NHL season was the 70th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup by beating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to three in the Cup finals.
The Sutter family, originally from Viking, Alberta, Canada, are one of the most famous families in the National Hockey League (NHL). Six brothers: Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich and Ron, reached the NHL in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Four brothers, Brent, Brian, Darryl and Duane, have gone on to become coaches and general managers as well, with Brian, Brent and Darryl, each having a stint as head coach of the Calgary Flames. All brothers played for either the Chicago Blackhawks or the St. Louis Blues at one point or another. A seventh brother named Gary is said by his brothers to have been the best hockey player of all seven boys. Rather than making his living as a hockey player, Gary stayed home to work on the family farm, as Rich remarked on an episode of the Canadian sports show Off the Record.
Donald Andrew Moog is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Moog played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens, and also for the Canadian national team. Moog is a three-time Stanley Cup champion: 1984, 1985 and 1987. He earned the William M. Jennings Trophy in the 1989–90 NHL season for fewest total goals against the team during the regular season, sharing the trophy with his goaltending partner, Reggie Lemelin.
Steve Staios is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who currently serves as president of hockey operations and general manager for the Ottawa Senators. Staios played right defence in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Atlanta Thrashers, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders during his career.
Craig Edward Ramsay is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played in the NHL from 1971 to 1985 for the Buffalo Sabres, notably featuring in the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals with the Sabres. After his playing career, he became a coach with the Sabres and later served as the final head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers. Since 2017, he is the head coach of the Slovakia men's national ice hockey team.
Keith Edward Acton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), with the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders between 1980 and 1994. In his NHL coaching career he has been an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs and most recently the Edmonton Oilers, who released Acton and fellow assistant Craig Ramsay on June 4, 2015.
Kelly Guard is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria in Italy's Serie A. He helped lead the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to a Memorial Cup championship in 2004. He is currently the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Bakersfield Condors.
Todd Nelson is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional player. He is currently serving as the head coach of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL). He played 3 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals between 1991 and 1994. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1990 to 2002, was mainly spent in the minor leagues.
Todd R. Reirden is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was most recently the associate coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. He previously held head coaching positions for the Washington Capitals in the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL). Reirden played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, and Edmonton Oilers.
Brad R. Lauer is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. He is a former associate coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lauer previously served as the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. Lauer was drafted 34th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and played in the NHL for the Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh Penguins between 1986 and 1996
James Andrew Hiller is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hiller played 63 games in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers, while spending time in the American Hockey League (AHL) and International Hockey League (IHL). He finished his career playing overseas in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany and Italian Serie A. Upon retiring, Hiller began a coaching career in the junior leagues.
Derek Laxdal is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional right winger. On July 5, 2024, he departed from serving as Head Coach of the Oshawa Generals, where he had served since 2022, and joined the Coachella Valley Firebirds as head coach.
Todd Andrew McLellan is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2019 to 2024. He previously served as head coach of the San Jose Sharks (2008–2015) and Edmonton Oilers (2015–2018), and as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings (2005–2008), with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2008. He was drafted in 1986 by the New York Islanders and played five games with the major league club in the 1987–88 season before retiring in the minors the following season due to recurring injury.
Mark William Lamb is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, and current general manager and head coach of the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Lamb was previously the head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. Lamb was born in Ponteix, Saskatchewan but grew up in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. As an ice hockey player, he played for the Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the NHL's Stanley Cup in 1990 with the Edmonton Oilers, and co-captained the Ottawa Senators in 1993–94. Lamb also won the International Hockey League's Turner Cup with the Houston Aeros in 1999.
The 2010–11 Edmonton Oilers season was the 32nd season of play for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 22, 1979, and 39th season of play including their play in the World Hockey Association.
The history of the Edmonton Oilers dates back to 1972, when the team was established as a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The team originally played in the World Hockey Association (WHA), before joining the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1979. The team played its first season in 1972–73 as one of 12 founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They were originally supposed to be one of two WHA teams in Alberta. However, when the Broncos folded before the WHA's first season began, the Edmonton Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers. They returned to using the Edmonton Oilers name for the 1973–74 season, and have been called that ever since. The Oilers subsequently joined the NHL in 1979; one of four franchises introduced through the NHL merger with the WHA.
Kris Knoblauch is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He had previously been the head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).
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