5 Things Oilers Fans Might Remember About Brett Callighen

You have to be a bit long in the tooth to remember the Edmonton Oilers transition from the WHA to the NHL. But if you do, you might also remember that Brett Callighen was a big part of that transition. Still, he’s not a name that comes up every day when people talk about the early Oilers, but his story is pretty interesting once you dig into it.

Here are five things that Oilers’ fans might not know about this important older Oilers’ player.

#1: Callighen was Wayne Gretzky’s first regular left winger.

When Gretzky scored his first NHL goal on October 14, 1979, Callighen was right there. He and Blair MacDonald both picked up assists on that historic marker. For a short stretch, Callighen was the guy skating on the left side of the greatest player the game has ever seen.

#2. Callighen was a legitimate producer before the injuries hit.

In the WHA, he put up solid numbers, including a 70-point season in 1978-79. Once the Oilers joined the NHL, he kept it going — 58 and 60 points in his first two NHL seasons. That’s pretty good, especially on a young, still-building team. He was better than a point-a-game player in his first two NHL seasons.

#3. A serious eye injury changed everything for Callighen.

In February 1980, he took a stick to the face from Brad McCrimmon. Multiple surgeries followed, and he ended up legally blind in his left eye. He tried to keep playing, but the vision problems (and later shoulder issues) limited him. By 1982, his NHL career was basically over at age 29.

#4. Callighen had to walk away just before the dynasty.

Callighen left the Oilers right as the core of Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Coffey and Fuhr was about to take over the league. He later said he had no regrets, but the timing is still one of those “what if” footnotes in Oilers history.

#5. Callighen built a second career as an agent.

After a few seasons in Europe and a short AHL return, Callighen moved into the player-agent world. He partnered with former teammate Ron Chipperfield and spent years helping players find opportunities overseas. He also beat prostate cancer along the way and has mostly stayed out of the spotlight since.

Callighen was never one of the real keys to the Oilers’ dynasty, but he had the talent.

Callighen never became a household name, but he was a productive forward who had a front-row seat to the start of the Gretzky era. Injuries cut his time short, yet he still carved out a solid hockey life both on and off the ice. Not a superstar story — just a good, interesting one that a lot of fans have probably forgotten.