The Edmonton Oilers have had an up-and-down begin to the twenty first century. They’d a couple of first spherical exits within the early 2000s, a exceptional Stanley Cup run in 2006, and 10 straight seasons of lacking the playoffs from 2007-2017 in what has been known as the last decade of darkness. Nevertheless, Edmonton has made the playoffs yearly for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, culminating in one other journey to the Stanley Cup Closing final season. Regardless of not making the playoffs 14 instances this century, there have nonetheless been some unimaginable forwards play for the Oilers. A few of them had been instrumental throughout their playoff runs, and others made the last decade of darkness considerably bearable. As 2024 winds down, listed below are 12 forwards that must be on the Quarter-Century All-Star crew.
First-Line Left Winger: Ryan Smyth
Ryan Smyth beloved to be an Oiler. He was drafted by the franchise within the first spherical (sixth general) in 1994, and performed components of 14 seasons with the membership. He ranks second all-time in video games performed by an Oiler with 971, and first by a ahead. His 631 factors put him ninth all-time, and three gamers forward of him are presently on the crew. He made his residing contained in the blue paint, the place he scored nearly all of his 255 targets with the group.
In Feb. 2007, the Oilers traded Smyth to the Islanders in what was an emotional, and heart-breaking day for not solely Smyth, however for the collective fan base. He was beloved in Oil Nation and was vital in the neighborhood, so it was devastating to see him go away. Nevertheless, Smyth returned to Edmonton in 2011 to complete his profession, and his retirement sport in 2014 was extremely emotional and tear-jerking. He meant so much to this franchise, and this metropolis.
First-Line Centre: Connor McDavid
What extra must be stated? Connor McDavid is a generational expertise, and is the very best participant the Oilers have had since Wayne Gretzky. At solely 27 years outdated, he’s already eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau, and is the fourth-fasted participant to succeed in that milestone. The Oilers captain is already fourth all-time in franchise factors (1,019), solely behind Mark Messier (1,034), Jari Kurri (1,043), and the aforementioned Gretzky (1,669). By the top of this season, he ought to surpass each Messier and Kurri and sit comfortably in second. He’s a really particular participant, and Oilers followers are fortunate to observe him play when he’s on the ice.
First-Line Proper Winger: Ales Hemsky
Ales Hemsky was a first-round choose of the Oilers (thirteenth general) again in 2001, and performed components of 11 seasons with the membership. His rookie season was in 2002-2003, when the Oilers had been eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs. However, he was an enormous a part of the 2006 Stanley Cup run, recording 77 factors in 81 video games in the course of the common season, which was essentially the most video games he performed in a single season throughout his complete profession. He additionally added 17 factors in 24 playoff video games as a 22-year-old.
Associated: Oilers’ Quarter-Century Group: Defence & Goaltending
The Czechia native had a number of onerous years in Edmonton, as he had some harm troubles, and was on the crew via nearly all of the last decade of darkness. All through his 15-year profession, he solely made the playoffs 3 times, twice with Edmonton, and as soon as with the Dallas Stars on the tail-end of his profession. Regardless of that, he nonetheless had a profitable profession, as he had 477 factors in 652 video games in an Oilers sweater which ranks him eleventh all-time.
Second-Line Left Winger: Doug Weight
Doug Weight was nearly a point-per-game participant in Edmonton, recording 577 factors in 588 video games, placing him tenth on the franchise’s all-time factors checklist. The New York Rangers second-round choose in 1990 was acquired by the Oilers in 1993, the place his profession actually took off. The Michigan native led the crew in scoring seven instances, and was finally named the thirteenth captain in franchise historical past in 1999. He was inducted into the Oilers Corridor of Fame in 2023. Regardless that most of Weight’s Oilers tenure was earlier than 2000, he left his mark on the franchise earlier than in the end being traded to the St. Louis Blues in June 2001.
Sadly for Oilers followers, Weight was on the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes roster that defeated them within the Stanley Cup Closing that season. Regardless of that, he’s nonetheless an Oilers legend and had an important profession, spanning 1,238 video games, whereas being one of many 99 gamers in league historical past to succeed in over 1,000 NHL factors.
Second-Line Centre: Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl is by far the very best German-born participant in NHL historical past. He’s recorded 886 factors in 746 profession video games, all with the Oilers. To place that into perspective, second on Germany’s all-time factors checklist is Marco Sturm with solely 487 factors. In Oilers historical past, he ranks sixth in factors, fifth in targets (366), and first in power-play targets (150). He ought to be part of McDavid within the 1,000-point membership subsequent season. The Oilers are fortunate as a result of they locked him up for eight extra seasons, so he must be an Oiler for his whole profession.
Second-Line Proper Winger: Jordan Eberle
Jordan Eberle was the Oilers’ first-round choose in 2008 (twenty second general). He was deemed Mr. Clutch on the World Juniors, scoring some historic targets for Group Canada. Additionally, who can overlook his first NHL purpose towards Miikka Kiprusoff and the Calgary Flames throughout his NHL debut? He introduced a rejuvenated feeling to the franchise, determined to convey playoff hockey again to Edmonton. He did play in a single postseason for the Oilers in 2017, however sadly that’s what a number of Oilers followers will keep in mind him for. He didn’t rating a purpose, and solely recorded two assists in 13 playoff video games.
Regardless of that, he’s nonetheless a really expert winger and is now the captain of the Seattle Kraken. He recorded 382 factors in 507 video games as an Oiler, making him the Fifteenth-highest scorer in franchise historical past. He was traded for Ryan Strome in 2017, in a deal the Oilers most likely remorse. He can be an important winger to play alongside McDavid or Draisaitl to this date, and it’s unlucky that the group moved on from him.
Third-Line Left Winger: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the second of three consecutive first-overall picks by the Oilers. Drafted in 2011, the trio of Nugent-Hopkins, Corridor, and Eberle had been alleged to be the core that helped Edmonton lastly get out of the league’s basement, nevertheless it didn’t work out that manner. Regardless of that, Nugent-Hopkins was the one one not traded, and he grew to become a part of the brand new core consisting of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Darnell Nurse.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native has performed 908 video games in an Oilers sweater, making him third all-time in video games performed, and he’s effectively on his solution to 1,000. He has 713 factors in that point, placing him seventh all-time. Like his teammate Draisaitl, he also needs to be an Oiler for his whole profession, and that in itself could be very particular.
Third-Line Centre: Todd Marchant
Todd Marchant was an Oiler from the mid-Nineties to the early 2000s. He was in Edmonton for components of 10 seasons, recording 343 factors in 678 video games. The Buffalo native was not often out of the lineup, as he performed in over 70 video games each season with the franchise since 1995-96, together with three seasons the place he performed in all 82 video games, and one season the place he performed 81 video games.
Marchant was a seventh-round choose of the Rangers in 1993 (164 general), so it’s exceptional that he was capable of play 1,195 video games in his NHL profession. He was capable of assist the Oilers make the playoffs six instances between 1997-2003, together with 5 straight.
Third-Line Proper Winger: Zach Hyman
Zach Hyman was a free-agent signing in the summertime of 2021, and immediately grew to become a fan-favourite in Edmonton. Since becoming a member of the Oilers, Hyman has 225 factors in 257 video games taking part in alongside McDavid, together with a 54-goal marketing campaign in 2023-24. He’s a tough employee that will get to the entrance of the online and makes life tough for the opposition’s goaltenders.
Fourth-Line Left Winger: Taylor Corridor
Taylor Corridor was the first-overall choose in 2010, and was the primary of three straight first-overall picks awarded to the group between 2010 and 2012. This draft offered optimism for the fan base, and would hopefully flip across the Oilers’ fortunes. Corridor was supposed to steer this crew to the promised land, however that wasn’t the case, largely resulting from mismanagement by the entrance workplace.
Associated: Taylor Corridor for Adam Larsson Commerce Revisited
Corridor spent six seasons in Edmonton, and sadly by no means made the playoffs with the crew. He was traded in a one-for-one swap for Adam Larsson in 2016, which led to the Oilers making the playoffs the next season, and ending the last decade of darkness. Whereas Corridor by no means made the playoffs as an Oiler, he nonetheless registered 328 factors in 381 video games, and offered pleasure via the darkish instances.
Fourth-Line Centre: Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff is sixth on the Oilers’ all-time video games performed checklist with 796. He recorded 447 factors in that point. The British Columbia native was a fourth-round choose (99th general) by the Oilers in 1998, and performed components of 12 seasons with the group. He made the playoffs 3 times with the crew, recording 23 factors in 35 playoff video games. He was named the sixteenth captain in franchise historical past in 2010, and served for 3 seasons, till he was traded in 2013. He was a warrior for this crew all through the great instances, and the dangerous.
Fourth-Line Proper Winger: Sam Gagner
Who can ever overlook Sam Gagner’s historic eight-point sport towards the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 2, 2012? Gagner was drafted within the first spherical by the Oilers (sixth general) in 2007, and had three separate stints with the franchise. He recorded 327 factors in 570 video games in Edmonton, however he was on some brutal groups via the last decade of darkness. He was a standout via nearly all of these years, till he was traded in 2014.
Is there anybody else that must be on this crew? Because the 2024-25 season strikes alongside, make sure you proceed following The Hockey Writers as your supply for information from across the NHL and the hockey world.
