Cape Breton Oilers
Former American Hockey League team based in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Cape Breton Oilers were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . The team was the top minor league affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers' organization relocated the team from Halifax, Nova Scotia , in 1988 and renamed it for Cape Breton Island . Home games were played at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia , Canada. The Oilers' organization relocated the team to Ontario in 1996 to become the Hamilton Bulldogs .
History
For eight seasons (1988–1996) they were the primary farm team of the Edmonton Oilers which was reflected in their logo and uniform design. While the Oilers never finished the regular season atop either their division or the league, they did capture the Calder Cup during the 1992–93 playoffs. The Cape Breton Oilers played in the rink by the name of Centre 200, now the home of the Cape Breton Eagles .
Demise of the AHL in Atlantic Canada
When the Cape Breton Oilers vacated Nova Scotia for Hamilton in 1996 and became the Hamilton Bulldogs, it marked the beginning of the end for AHL hockey in Atlantic Canada for a time. Shortly thereafter, the Prince Edward Island Senators were suspended and eventually landed in New York as the Binghamton Senators . In 1999, the Fredericton Canadiens also moved west to become the Quebec Citadelles , later swapping its history with the Bulldogs and eventually ending up in Toronto, Edmonton, and Oklahoma . The Saint John Flames suspended operations in 2003 and then departed New Brunswick in 2005, eventually landing in Omaha, Nebraska for two seasons before moving to the Quad Cities and then to Abbotsford, British Columbia . The St. John's Maple Leafs were the last to leave the region in this wave, moving from Newfoundland and Labrador to Toronto in 2005 and being renamed the Marlies . The AHL would not return to Atlantic Canada until 2011 with the St. John's IceCaps . The majority of the former AHL markets in the region were replaced with Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchises.
1992–93 Calder Cup
The Cape Breton Oilers 1992–93 playoffs was one of the most dominant in AHL history. In particular, during the 1993 playoffs, the Oilers posted a record of 14 wins and two losses, and were led by a playoff performance by forward Bill McDougall that remains virtually unparalleled in professional hockey to this date.
During the 16 games, McDougall scored 26 goals, and added 26 assists for 52 points. Fourteen years later, his records for goals, assists and points all stand, and his total of 3.25 points per game, is more than was ever matched in the NHL. Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record with 47 points.
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Season
Games
Won
Lost
Tied
OTL
Points
Goals for
Goals against
Standing
1984–85
80
36
37
7
—
79
292
295
4th, North
1985–86
80
29
43
8
—
66
314
353
6th, North
1986–87
80
38
39
—
3
79
318
315
4th, North
1987–88
80
35
34
9
2
81
323
343
4th, North
1988–89
80
27
47
6
—
60
308
388
7th, North
1989–90
80
39
34
7
—
85
317
306
2nd, North
1990–91
80
41
31
8
—
90
306
301
2nd, North
1991–92
80
36
34
10
—
82
336
330
3rd, Atlantic
1992–93
80
36
32
12
—
84
356
336
3rd, Atlantic
1993–94
80
32
35
13
—
77
316
339
4th, Atlantic
1994–95
80
27
44
9
—
63
298
342
5th, Atlantic
1995–96
80
33
40
3
4
73
290
323
5th, Atlantic
Playoffs
Season
1st round
2nd round
3rd round
Finals
1984–85
L, 2-4, Maine
—
—
—
1985–86
Out of playoffs
1986–87
L, 1-4, Sherbrooke
—
—
—
1987–88
L, 1-4, Maine
—
—
—
1988–89
Out of playoffs
1989–90
L, 2-4, Springfield
—
—
—
1990–91
L, 0-4, Moncton
—
—
—
1991–92
L, 1-4, St. John's
—
—
—
1992–93
W, 4-1, Fredericton
W, 4-0, St. John's
W, 2-0, Springfield
W, 4-1, Rochester
1993–94
L, 1-4, St. John's
—
—
—
1994–95
Out of playoffs
1995–96
Out of playoffs
Team records
Single season
Goals: 57, Dan Currie (1992–93)
Assists: 84, Shaun Van Allen (1991–92)
Points: 113, Shaun Van Allen (1991–92)
Penalty minutes: 422, Dennis Bonvie (1994–95)
GAA: 3.38, Mike Greenlay (1989–90)
SV%: .899, Eldon Reddick (1990–91)
Wins: 20, Wayne Cowley (1993–94)
Shutouts: 3, Jason Fitzsimmons (1995–96)
Career
Career goals: 219, Dan Currie
Career assists: 307, Shaun Van Allen
Career points: 432, Shaun Van Allen
Career penalty minutes: 969, Dennis Bonvie
Career goaltending wins: 35, Norm Foster
Career shutouts: 3, Jason Fitzsimmons
Career games: 366, Dan Currie
Notable NHL alumni
List of Cape Breton Oilers alumni who played more than 100 games in Cape Breton and 100 or more games in the National Hockey League .
See also
External links