The Tulsa Oilers were a professional ice hockey team. The Oilers played 20 seasons in the Central Hockey League (CHL), originally called the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL) until 1968, from

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...

, capturing the Adams Cup three times. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the team played their home games at the

Tulsa Assembly Center The Cox Business Convention Center (formerly the Tulsa Assembly Center, Tulsa Convention Center, and Maxwell Convention Center) is a 310,625 square foot convention center located in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Cox Business Convention Center ( ...

until the 1983–84 season when they moved to Expo Square Pavilion. The team was also locally referred to as the "Ice Oilers" to differentiate from the Tulsa Oilers minor league baseball team.

History

The

Central Professional Hockey League The Central Professional Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league that operated in the United States from 1963 to 1984. Named the Central Hockey League for the 1968–69 season and forward, it was owned and operated by the Natio ...

began operations with the 1963–64 season, with the Tulsa Oilers joining that league the following season.

Maple Leaf Gardens Limited Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE) is a professional sports and commercial real estate company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With assets that include franchises in four of the six major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(MLGL) owned the team, and operated it as a developmental team for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the spring of 1973 MLGL announced that they would relocate the team to become the Oklahoma City Blazers, with Tulsa getting a replacement independent team. The team suspended its operations on February 16, 1984, when its owners went bankrupt and the Tulsa Oilers went into receivership. Other teams in the league paid to keep the Oilers in operation so as not to unbalance the schedule, but the Oilers played only road games for final six weeks of 1983–84 season. Despite this difficulty, the team (under coach Tom Webster) went on to win the league championship before the CHL disbanded following the end of the season. The Oilers won the Adams Cup as the CHL champions in

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

, and

Notable players

*Ice hockey commentator Don Cherry best known for his work at '' Hockey Night in Canada'' played one season with the Oilers in 1965–66. *Hockey Hall of Famer

Marcel Pronovost Joseph René Marcel Pronovost (June 15, 1930April 26, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. He played in 1,206 games over 20 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons for the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs bet ...

followed his 20-year NHL career with two seasons of play on the Tulsa Oilers in the 1969–70 and 1970–71 seasons. *Five players from the 1980

Miracle on Ice The "Miracle on Ice" was an ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. It was played between the hosting United States and the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, during the medal round of the men's hockey tourna ...

team played for the Tulsa Oilers in the late-70s and early-80s. These include

Dave Silk David Mark Silk (born January 1, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player. His professional career, which spanned 13 years, included 249 NHL regular season games with the Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Detroit Red Wings and ...

, Bill Baker,

Steve Janaszak Steven James Janaszak (born January 7, 1957) is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played three games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota North Stars and Colorado Rockies between 1980 and 1982. Amateur career Janasz ...

Rob McClanahan Robert Bruce McClanahan (born January 9, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 224 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers between 1980 and 1983. McC ...

, and

Bob Suter Robert Allen Suter (May 16, 1957 – September 9, 2014) was an American professional ice hockey defenseman and member of the Miracle on Ice 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team who won the gold medal. He was the brother of former National Hock ...

. *

John Vanbiesbrouck John Vanbiesbrouck (born September 4, 1963), nicknamed "the Beezer" and "JVB", is an American professional ice hockey executive and former player. As a goaltender, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Vanbiesbrouc ...

, Vezina Trophy winner with the New York Rangers in the 1984-85 season, played goaltender for the 1984 Adams Cup championship team. *

George McPhee George McPhee (born July 2, 1958) is a Canadian ice hockey executive currently serving as the president of hockey operations for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). McPhee served general manager of the Washington Capital ...

, who served as general manager of the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights, played for the Tulsa Oilers in the mid-80s, including the 1983–84 team which won the CHL championship while being in receivership status.1983-84 Tulsa Oilers [CHL]
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulsa Oilers (1964-84) Central Professional Hockey League teams Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States Ice hockey clubs established in 1964 Sports clubs disestablished in 1984 1964 establishments in Oklahoma 1984 disestablishments in Oklahoma Ice hockey teams in Oklahoma Sports in Tulsa, Oklahoma Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Atlanta Flames minor league affiliates Toronto Maple Leafs minor league affiliates Winnipeg Jets minor league affiliates