Tulsa Oilers

The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tulsa Oilers name was shared with Tulsa's former minor-league baseball team that pre-dated the Tulsa Drillers. To reduce confusion in local news reporting, the hockey team was often called the "Ice Oilers".

For other sports teams using the same name, see Tulsa Oilers (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with the Indoor Football League Tulsa Oilers (IFL)..
Tulsa Oilers
CityTulsa, Oklahoma
LeagueECHL
ConferenceWestern
DivisionMountain
Founded1992 (in the CHL)
Home arenaBOK Center
ColorsNavy blue, maroon, silver, white
       
Owner(s)NL Sports, LLC
(Andy Scurto)
General managerTaylor Hall
Head coachRob Murray
AffiliatesAnaheim Ducks (NHL)
San Diego Gulls (AHL)
Franchise history
1992–presentTulsa Oilers
Championships
Division titles1 (2018–19)
Ray Miron President's Cup1 (1993)
Current season

Formerly a member of the Central Hockey League, the Oilers are one of only two teams which played every one of the CHL's 22 seasons (the other being the Wichita Thunder).[1] The Oilers established a winning tradition, making the playoffs in nine of their first 13 seasons. However, their performance in recent years has been less successful making the playoffs four times since 2005.[2]

Original owner Jeff Lund played an integral part in assembling the 1992–93 team, led by veteran minor league coach and former NHL ironman Garry Unger. The team, anchored by high-scoring forward Sylvain Naud and veteran goalie Tony Martino, finished the regular season in second place, right behind intrastate rival Oklahoma City Blazers. However, in the revived league's first championship series the Oilers handily defeated the Blazers, clinching the title on OKC's home ice. Lund assumed ownership of the franchise in February 1999 after being the team's general manager.[3]

On June 23, 2013, Lund sold the team to the owners of the Wichita Thunder, the Steven brothers. The Steven brothers sold the team to Andy Scurto in 2021.

History

Tulsa has previously had several other hockey teams named the "Oilers."

Tulsa Oilers (1968)

The original Oilers joined the five team American Hockey Association as an expansion team in 1928. Their first home game was January 1, 1929, against the Duluth Hornets, as part of the grand opening of the Tulsa Coliseum. The team won the AHA championship that season, and again in the 1930–31 season. For the 1932–33 season, the Oilers moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and became the St. Paul Greyhounds, but halfway through the season they moved back to Tulsa once again becoming the Tulsa Oilers. At the end of the 1941–42 season, the AHA and the Oilers disbanded due to World War II. Hockey Hall of Fame members Duke Keats and Bill Cowley played for short periods on the Tulsa Oilers during this period.

The AHA was reorganized as the United States Hockey League for the 1945–46 season as a seven team league, once again including the Oilers. That league folded after the 1950–51 season. The team played at Avey's Coliseum during this time. Hockey Hall of Fame member Clint Smith played the 1947–48 season with the Tulsa Oilers after a stellar 11-year career in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks and won the USHL Most Valuable Player Award.

Tulsa Oilers (2006–2013)
Tulsa Oilers (1972–1982)

In 1964, a new Tulsa Oilers team joined the Central Professional Hockey League (later shortened to Central Hockey League) in its second season of operation. The Oilers won the Adams Cup as the CPHL/CHL champions in 1968, 1976, and 1984.The Oilers played in the CHL until 1984 when the league folded.

1992–2014 (CHL)

A new Central Hockey League was created in 1992 as a centrally owned league, owned by Ray Miron and Bill Levins. The league was operated by Ray and Monte Miron and funded by Chicago businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur Horn Chen. With the creation of the new CHL the Tulsa Oilers were a team once again. Ray Miron once coached the Oilers in the old CHL and his son Monte had played for the Oilers in 1973–74. Tulsa claimed the CHL championship in the CHL's inaugural season under general manager Jeff Lund and head coach Garry Unger.[4]

The Oilers established a winning tradition, making the playoffs in nine of their first 13 seasons. However, with a decline in their performance and not qualifying for the playoffs since 2005 nor winning a playoff series since 1994, Lund hired former player Taylor Hall as the Oilers' general manager on May 3, 2008.[5] After finishing third to last in the CHL with 18 wins in 64 games in the 2008–09 season, Hall hired head coach Bruce Ramsay, fresh off a trip to the IHL's Turner Cup finals with the Muskegon Fury, on May 21, 2009.[6]

In Ramsay's first season as coach in 2009–10 season, the Oilers rebounded with 28 wins in 64 games to post the second highest point total increase in the CHL from the previous season.[7] On September 2, 2010, the Oilers announced their first National Hockey League affiliation since their reformation in 1992 with the Colorado Avalanche, joining the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.[8]

2014–present (ECHL)

On October 7, 2014, soon before the 2014–15 Central Hockey League season was set to begin, it was announced that the league had ceased operations and the Oilers, along with the Allen Americans, Brampton Beast, Quad City Mallards, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush and Wichita Thunder, were all approved the expansion membership application into the ECHL for the 2014–15 season.[9][10]

On July 31, 2015, the Oilers announced a one-year affiliation with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets and the AHL's Manitoba Moose.[11] After the conclusion of the agreement with the Jets/Moose, the Oilers announced a one-year affiliation with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL, which did not have an AHL affiliate, for the 2017–18 season.[12] The affiliation was extended for another season in 2018–19, but also added the San Antonio Rampage, the Blues' new AHL affiliate.[13] The Oilers and Blues continued the affiliation for the 2019–20 season,[14] followed by the Oilers reaching a three-year affiliation agreement with the Anaheim Ducks starting with the 2020–21 season.[15]

In 2021, the Steven brothers sold the team to Andy Scurto and his company NL Sports, LLC, which also had recently purchased the Buffalo Beauts and Minnesota Whitecaps in the Premier Hockey Federation.[16][17]

Season records
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPTSGFGAPIMRegular season finish
(Division/conference)		Playoffs
Central Hockey League
2000–01703626—88025925020305th of 6, Western DivisionLost quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Oklahoma City Blazers
2001–02643030—46420421517012nd of 4, Northwest Divisiondid not qualify
2002–03643722327921819517043rd of 4, Northwest Divisiondid not qualify
2003–04642625496519421011984th of 5, Northwest Divisiondid not qualify
2004–05603225126720621013072nd of 5, Northeast DivisionLost conf. semifinals, 1–4 vs. Colorado Eagles
2005–06642928436520922716874th of 4, Northwest Divisiondid not qualify
2006–07642728636322524620444th of 4, Northeast Divisiondid not qualify
2007–08642535315419424314384th of 5, Northwest Divisiondid not qualify
2008–09641838354417927016684th of 4, Northeast Divisiondid not qualify
2009–10642829436320323015766th of 7, Northern Conferencedid not qualify
2010–11663525517624223410633rd of 9, Berry ConferenceLost conf. semifinals, 2–3 vs. Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
2011–12662929716620722210005th of 7, Berry Conferencedid not qualify
2012–13662239324917725489710th of 10, CHLdid not qualify
2013–14663429037122521511707th of 10, CHLLost quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Denver Cutthroats
ECHL
2014–15723729338024824413504th of 7, Central DivisionLost div. semifinals, 1–4 vs. Allen Americans
2015–16723730327919119110833rd of 4, Central Divisiondid not qualify
2016–17722737626219424112475th of 7, Central Divisiondid not qualify
2017–18723129397421423312305th of 7, Mountain Divisiondid not qualify
2018–1972422442902361989641st of 7, Mountain DivisionLost conf. finals, 3–4 vs. Toledo Walleye
2019–2063292671661991967274th of 7, Mountain DivisionSeason cancelled
2020–21723028113741802038715th of 7, Western Conferencedid not qualify
2021–2272363033782202207534th of 7, Mountain DivisionLost div. semifinals, 3–4 vs. Utah Grizzlies
2022–2372224181532032799617th of 7, Mountain Divisiondid not qualify

Players

Current roster
Updated October 22, 2023.[18]
Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
35 Canada Gage Alexander G L 21 2023 Okotoks, Alberta Ducks
84 Canada Tag Bertuzzi C L 22 2023 Vancouver, British Columbia Oilers
16 Canada Karl Boudrias D L 23 2022 Chateauguay, Quebec Oilers
14 United States Andy Carroll D L 26 2023 Northfield, Minnesota Gulls
43 United States Davis Codd RW R 20 2023 Brighton, Michigan Gulls
10 Canada Anthony Costantini D R 21 2023 Hamilton, Ontario Gulls
37 Canada Kyle Crnkovic LW L 21 2023 Calgary, Alberta Gulls
26 Canada Michael Farren C R 23 2022 Richmond, British Columbia Oilers
19 Canada Carson Focht C L 23 2023 Regina, Saskatchewan Oilers
3 Canada Jarod Hilderman (A) D R 26 2021 Calgary, Alberta Oilers
25 Canada Andrew Jarvis D L 26 2022 Morrisburg, Ontario Oilers
5 United States Duggie Lagrone D R 29 2023 Plano, Texas Oilers
21 United States Jimmy Lodge RW R 28 2023 West Chester, Pennsylvania Oilers
15 United States Eddie Matsushima C L 29 2021 Verona, Wisconsin Gulls
24 Canada Mike McKee (C) D L 30 2017 Newmarket, Ontario Oilers
42 United States Reggie Millette (ATO) F R 23 2023 Jacksonville, Florida Oilers
27 Canada Ryan Olsen C R 29 2023 Delta, British Columbia Oilers
11 United States Tyler Poulsen F L 30 2022 Arvada, Colorado Oilers
29 Canada Dante Sheriff RW R 24 2022 Woodbridge, Ontario Oilers
39 Czech Republic Tomas Suchanek G L 20 2023 Přerov, Czech Republic Gulls
31 Canada Rylan Toth G L 27 2023 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Oilers
8 Canada Kylor Wall D L 26 2023 Edmonton, Alberta Oilers
20 Canada Kalvyn Watson RW R 21 2023 Peterborough, Ontario Oilers
86 Kazakhstan Yaroslav Yevdokimov LW L 30 2023 Chelyabinsk, Russia Oilers

Championships
Year League Trophy
1992–93 CHL William “Bill” Levins Memorial Cup

References
  1. Haisten, Bill (July 15, 2009). "Blazers' end might spell trouble for Tulsa Oilers", Tulsa World.
  2. "CHL Playoffs 2011". Central Hockey League. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  3. "Tulsa Oilers owner Jeff Lund wins 2008-09 CHL Rick Kozuback Award". MLN the Raw Feed. March 19, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  4. "Unger in Alumni game". Tulsa Oilers. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  5. "Former player Taylor Hall rejoins the Oilers as General Manager". MLN the Raw Feed. May 3, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  6. "Tulsa Oilers name Bruce Ramsay coach". MLN the Raw Feed. May 21, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  7. "Oilers to play in Berry conference". Tulsa Oilers. August 4, 2010. Archived from the original on March 23, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  8. "Tulsa announces affiliation with Avs". Colorado Avalanche. September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  9. "CHL Clubs Join ECHL for 2014-15 Season". Central Hockey League. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  10. "ECHL Accepts Seven Members". ECHL. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  11. "Winnipeg Jets announce ECHL affiliation with the Tulsa Oilers". Winnipeg Jets. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  12. Pinkert, Chris (August 9, 2017). "Blues to have ECHL affiliate in Tulsa". St. Louis Blues. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  13. "TULSA OILERS AND ST. LOUIS BLUES EXTEND AFFILIATION". Tulsa Oilers. May 31, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  14. "Tulsa Oilers and St. Louis Blues Continue Affiliation". OurSports Central. August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  15. "Oilers announce affiliation agreement with Anaheim, San Diego". ECHL. July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  16. "Tulsa Oilers Announce New Ownership". OurSports Central. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  17. "Board of Governors Approves Tulsa's Transfer of Controlling Interest". OurSports Central. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  18. "Tulsa Oilers - Team". Tulsa Oilers. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
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