By the Numbers: '79—How One Year Redefined NHL History
For hockey fans of the Edmonton Oilers, the number “79” isn't just a digit on a calendar; it’s the coordinate where a local obsession became a global empire. In the frozen rinks of Edmonton and the surrounding communities, 1979 represents the "Big Bang" of professional hockey—the moment the Oilers jumped from the WHA to the NHL and fundamentally changed the sport forever.
Cool Fact: On November 1, 1971, the Edmonton Oilers became one of the 12 founding WHA franchises.
The Great Migration: Leaving the WHA Behind
The significance of '79 is massive. It marks the year that the City of Edmonton stepped onto the world’s biggest hockey stage. While most expansion teams spend their first decade figuring things out, the Oilers used ‘79 as a launchpad. This was the season a teenage Wayne Gretzky made his NHL debut. Having already scorched the WHA, his arrival in the NHL for the '79-80 season signaled a changing of the guard, introducing a finesse-heavy game that—arguably—caught the league completely off guard.
Assembling the Lustrous Crew: The Boys on the Bus
You can’t talk about '79 without looking at the legendary crew that followed. The original NHL Oilers weren't just a team; they were an assembly of icons. Through quality drafting and a "proud” chip on their shoulders, the front office gathered legends like Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, Andy Moog, and Grant Fuhr. The foundation laid in ’79 allowed this delicately-assembled group to develop a "firewagon" style of play—high-octane, fearless, and devastatingly fast—that defined a generation of hockey throughout the ‘80s.
Cool Fact: In 1986–87, the Edmonton Oilers captured their second straight Presidents' Trophy (50 wins; 106 points); Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri finished the season first and second in the NHL point-scoring race, while Mark Messier finished fourth (although he tied Mario Lemieux with 107 points)..
Five Cups in Seven Seasons: The Dynasty
The numbers following ’79 speak for themselves. Between 1984 and 1990, Edmonton achieved the nearly impossible: winning five Stanley Cups in seven seasons. They kicked the door down in '84 by dethroning the New York Islanders, ending one dynasty to start their own. Even after the heartbreaking trade of Gretzky in '88, the team proved their depth and grit by capturing a fifth title in 1990.
’79: A Legacy Forged in the Oil Country
For those who call themselves fans of the Edmonton Oilers, number "79" is shorthand for identity. It represents the transition from WHA-status to becoming the gold standard of pro sports. It’s a reminder that the most exciting hockey on earth (end-to-end) was—arguably—forged in cold Edmonton winters during the Oilers’ Dynasty Years.
As the Edmonton Oilers continue to chase their next Stanley Cup championship, the ghost of ’79 remains the benchmark—the year the City of Edmonton began the process of taking over the hockey world.