History of the Oilers

On June 8, 2004, the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves received the AJHL Board of Governors’ approval to relocate the franchise to Okotoks. The Okotoks Oilers, a community and non-profit organization, were then granted a years leave of absence effective July 15, 2004 in order to get fully prepared for the 2005-2006 season. Their current roster players were distributed throughout the AJHL and BCJHL member teams for the 2004-05 season, while the community also hosted the 2004-05 AJHL All-Star Game.

The team adopted the name ‘Oilers’ after the many junior and senior teams that had represented the region over the years. The first-ever Okotoks Oilers team was fielded in 1928.

After a fifth-place divisional finish in their inaugural season in 2005-06, the Oilers finished either first or second in their division for eight consecutive years, reaching the final four teams in the AJHL playoffs in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2013. In 2007, goaltender Brad Eidsness became the first player from the team to be drafted into the NHL when he was selected in the fifth round by the Buffalo Sabres.

After dropping a seven-game thriller in the 2013 South Final to eventual league champion Brooks, the Oilers did not return to the final four until Tyler Deis’s first season with the team in 2016-17, in which despite a fourth-place divisional finish, the team upset the Calgary Canucks in the second round with a four-game sweep before falling in five games to the rival Bandits.

The following year in 2017-18 was historic for Okotoks, as the team set a then-AJHL record for consecutive wins with 24, finishing 52-6-2 and defeating Brooks in six games for the team’s first-ever South Division Championship, before falling in five games in the AJHL final to the Spruce Grove Saints. At the conclusion of the season, defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker became the team’s first-ever first round NHL draft pick, when he was selected by the Ottawa Senators.

After once again reaching the South Final in 2019, the team was poised for another deep run in 2019-20 with a first-place finish and 47-7-4 record, before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of that year’s playoffs. After a 7-1 record in the abbreviated 2020-21 season, the team fielded one of its youngest-ever rosters in 2021-22, and despite a fourth-place finish, once again pulled off an upset, this time of Drumheller in six games, to advance to another AJHL South Final. At the conclusion of the season, forward Rieger Lorenz became the tenth Oiler drafted into the NHL when he was selected in the second round by the Minnesota Wild.

The team’s record improved in 2022-23 to 34 wins, as the team once again swept the first round of the playoffs. They fell in six games in the second round to eventual champion Brooks.

In January of 2024, games scheduled to be played by the Oilers, as well as four other AJHL teams, were arbitrarily cancelled by the league, while four of the teams, including the Oilers, were suddenly removed from the CJHL’s Top 20 rankings, despite no change in their status or standing as member clubs. In order to ensure that players would not once again be denied a season, the Oilers accepted an offer from the BCHL to immediately be awarded a franchise on February 1, 2024, embarking on a new era alongside the Sherwood Park Crusaders, Spruce Grove Saints, Blackfalds Bulldogs, and Brooks Bandits. All players on the team’s former roster subsequently signed into the BCHL.

For the 2024/2025 season, the BCHL has reorganized into 2 conferences and 4 divisions. The Interior Conference is made up of  1 – 6 team and 1 – 5 team division. The Oilers will play in the 6 team Interior East Division with the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Cranbrook Bucks, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints. The Interior West Division will have 5 teams including the Penticton Vees, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Trail Smoke Eaters, Vernon Vipers, and West Kelowna Warriors. The Coastal Conference East Division will have 5 teams including, Chilliwack Chiefs, Coquitlam Express, Langley Rivermen, Prince George Spruce Kings, and Surrey Eagles. The Coastal Conference West Division will have 5 teams including Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Cowichan Valley Capitals, Nanaimo Clippers, Powell River Kings, and Victoria Grizzlies.

Head Coaches of the Oilers

Garry VanHereweghe 2005 – 2007
Dan McDonald 2007 – 2009
Garry VanHereweghe 2009 – 2010
James Poole 2010 – 2016
Tyler Deis 2016 – Present

Season-by-Season Record

SEASON GP W L T/OTL PTS GF GA FINISH PLAYOFFS
2005–06 60 27 24 9 63 193 202 5th South Lost Preliminary series, 2–3 vs. Brooks Bandits
2006–07 60 33 25 2 68 219 187 2nd South Won Preliminary series, 3–2 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Won Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Brooks Bandits
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
2007–08 62 45 11 6 96 247 168 2nd South Won Preliminary series, 3–1 vs. Calgary Canucks
Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Drumheller Dragons
2008–09 62 39 19 4 82 257 187 2nd South Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Canmore Eagles
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
2009–10 60 38 18 4 80 249 187 1st South Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Canmore Eagles
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2010–11 60 43 12 5 91 254 164 1st South Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Calgary Mustangs
Lost Div. Finals, 3–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2011–12 60 34 21 5 73 210 177 2nd South Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
2012–13 60 38 18 4 80 194 153 2nd South Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Lost Div. Finals, 3–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2013–14 60 36 19 5 77 189 152 2nd South Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Olds Grizzlys
2014–15 60 38 16 6 82 183 156 3rd South Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Canmore Eagles
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2015–16 60 32 25 3 67 197 177 3rd of 8, South
8th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Calgary Canucks
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2016–17 60 36 18 6 78 193 162 4th of 8, South
8th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Calgary Canucks
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2017–18 60 52 6 2 106 270 132 1st of 8, South
1st of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Brooks Bandits
Lost AJHL Finals, 1–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2018–19 60 39 19 2 80 251 160 2nd of 8, South
5th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Calgary Canucks
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Lost Div. Finals, 2–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2019–20 58 47 7 4 98 256 141 1st of 7, South
2nd of 15, AJHL
Postseason cancelled
2020–21 8 7 1 0 14 31 14 Postseason cancelled
2021–22 60 28 28 4 60 195 193 4th of 7, South
10th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Blackfalds Bulldogs
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2022-23 60 34 23 3 71 215 184 4th of 7, South
8th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4-0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2-4 vs. Brooks Bandits