Stavanger Oilers
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2016) |
| Stavanger Oilers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Stavanger,Norway |
| League | EliteHockey Ligaen |
| Founded | 10 November 2000 |
| Home arena | DNB Arena |
| Colors | White, black, yellow |
| Owner(s) | Tore Christiansen |
| General manager | Pål Haukali Higson |
| Head coach | Anders Gjøse[1] |
| Captain | Mathias Trettenes |
| Website | oilers.no |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 7 (2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23) |
| Playoff championships | 9 (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023) |
Stavanger Ishockeyklubb,commonly referred to asStavanger Oilers,is aNorwegianprofessionalice hockeyteam based inStavanger,Norway.They currently play in theFjordkraftligaen,which is the top division in Norwegian ice hockey. As of 2023, it is the only team in the league from western Norway. The Oilers play their home matches inDNB Arena.
History
[edit]Stavanger Oilers were established as a company team byFinnishexpatriate workers in 2000.Viking Hockeyhad traditionally been the dominant hockey club inStavanger.The club's establishment was led by the Finnish businessmanHartti Kristola,who withdrew his economic support fromVikingto focus on Oilers.
The club played their first official game in the autumn of 2001, with players from the higher divisions of Finnish hockey, as well as a number of formerNorwegian national ice hockey teamplayers[who?].These played alongside amateur local players. Stavanger Oilers, starting at the bottom of the league system, went through the 2001/02 season unbeaten, scoring 304 goals. The club top scorer, FinnishforwardJari Kesti,scored or assisted on 226 of them.
In 2002/03 Oilers went through their first 18 games unbeaten. Ahead of the season, the team received more Finnish players, as well as two ofViking Hockey's players,Tommy EdlundandThomas Kristensen.The club's first loss came away againstGjøvik Hockey,was followed by another loss the next day to the same team. Oilers also got beaten by local rivalsBergen IK,who were the first team to defeat Oilers inSiddishallen.The team reached first place at the end of the season, with Bergen finishing second. PlayerJari Kestiscored 150 points from Oilers 296 goals, and countrymenTomi SuoniemiandJarkko Ollikainenboth scored more than 100 points. Promotion to theGET-ligaenwas secured following five victories in the qualification play-offs, with the only defeat coming against Bergen in apenalty shootout.
Ahead of its first season in theGET-ligaen,more Finnish players and some young Norwegian players joined Oilers. At the start of the season the team beatLillehammer5–1 in the opening match, followed by a 10–0 away win atManglerud Starin the second match. The first defeat came at home against fellow promoters Bergen. At the end of the season, Oilers finished sixth in the table. Again,Jari Kestiwas the club top scorer, for the third season in a row. In the playoffs, Oilers beatTrondheimby three games to one in the quarter-finals, winning the final game insudden deathin front of a sell-out crowd of 2600 people inSiddishallen.Teemu Kohvakkascored the deciding goal with only 14 seconds left of the first period of sudden death. In the semifinals, Oilers were beaten byStorhamarin three straight games.
The second elite season saw two players leave the club:Jari Kestisigned forVålerengaandChristian Dahl Andersenwent to Swedish sideArboga.Both came back during the same seasons, after unsuccessful stints in their new clubs. OwnerHartti Kristolawithdrew his financial backing, and a local business executive,Tore Christensen,took over control of the club. Oilers' performances varied throughout the season, and after a loss against bottom side Bergen,Matti Riekkinenresigned as the team coach. He was replaced bySwedeGunnar Johanssonin January 2005. The team finished the season in seventh place, losing againstVålerengain the play-off quarter-finals.
Ahead of the 2005/06 season, Swedish playersBengt Höglund,Martin JohanssonandFredrik Sundinwere brought in, along with the Norwegian national team playerSnorre Hallem.The club had its best season to date, finishing in fourth place in theGET-ligaen.In the playoffs, Oilers beatSparta Warriorsby four games to two in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals against second-placedStjernen,each team won their home games until Oilers decided the series through a 2–1 victory in the seventh and final game of the series, away atStjernehallen.The first-ever play-off final featured a hockey team fromStavangerended in a defeat in four straight games againstVålerenga.
In the 2006/07 season, players joining includedHenric HöglundfromStjernenand Norwegian national team playersMarius TryggandLars Peder Nagel.At the end of the season, they finished in third place, which was still the club's best result to date. This was the third time that a team fromStavangerhad won the bronze medals in the league, withVikingwinning the bronze twice in the past. At the end of the season, past playersJari KestiandTomi Suoniemiwere also honoured, as their respective shirt numbers, #7 and #22, were officially retired by the club. In the playoffsCometwere beaten by four games to two in the quarter-finals, while Oilers lost toStorhamar Dragonsby the same score-line in the semi-finals. The club won the2013–14 IIHF Continental Cup.
Honours
[edit]- Norwegian Champions(9): 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023[2]
- Regular season champions(7): 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23[2]
- IIHF Continental Cup(1): 2013–14
Season-by-season results
[edit]This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Oilers. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Stavanger Oilers seasons.
| Norwegian Champions | Regular Season Champions | Promoted | Relegated |
| Season | League | Regular season[3] | Postseason | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | OTW | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | |||
| 2018–19 | Eliteserien | 48 | 28 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 172 | 109 | 101 | 3rd | Lost in Semi-finals, 2–4 (Storhamar) |
| 2019–20 | Eliteserien | 45 | 34 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 194 | 90 | 113 | 1st | The play-offs were cancelled |
| 2020–21 | Eliteserien | 24 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 97 | 52 | 48 | 3rd | |
| 2021–22 | Eliteserien | 45 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 162 | 89 | 105 | 1st | WonNorwegian Championship, 4–0 (Storhamar) |
| 2022–23 | Eliteserien | 45 | 31 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 192 | 83 | 99 | 1st | WonNorwegian Championship, 4–3 (Storhamar) |
Source:[4]
Retired numbers
[edit]| No. | Player | Position | Career | Number retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Jari Kesti | C | 2001–2004, 2005–2006 | 7 September 2006 |
| 22 | Tomi Suoniemi | C | 2001–2006 | 7 September 2006 |
References
[edit]- ^"Oilers med historisk ansettelse i ny gulljakt".NRK(in Norwegian). 25 April 2023.Retrieved25 April2023.
- ^ab"Stavanger Oilers".Store norske leksikon(in Norwegian).Retrieved20 April2023.
- ^Code explanation;GP—Games Played,W—Wins,L—Losses,OTW—Overtime/Shootout wins,OTL—Overtime/Shootout losses,GF—Goals For,GA—Goals Against,Pts—Points
- ^"Stavanger Oilers".Elite Prospects.Retrieved24 April2023.