Fort McMurray Oil Barons

History

Born in 1981-82 as an expansion franchise, the Oil Barons have been a dominant force in the AJHL in recent years.

In 2000, the Oil Barons hosted the Royal Bank Cup, capturing the national champions in front of their hometown fans.

In November 2010, the Oil Barons hosted the Northern Classic against the Drayton Valley Thunder. The game was the first known outdoor game in AJHL history and set the league's attendance record.

In August 2011, the Oil Barons traveled to Omsk, Russia to play in the World Junior Club Cup tournament hosted by teams of their top tier junior Minor Hockey League. On August 26, the Oil Barons defeated Mytishchi Atlantes 4-2 in exhibition action. On August 27, the Oil Barons played 2011 Russian Champion Red Army in another exhibition game, this time losing 7-0. The tournament ran from August 30 until September 4. On August 30, Fort McMurray played Belarus's Dinamo-Shinnik and lost 3-0, on August 31 Sweden's Malmö Redhawks and lost 3-2, and September 2 they lost to the Czech Republic's Energie Karlovy Vary 4-1 - finishing last in their division. These teams are all top tier European clubs, while Fort McMurray plays in the second highest level of Canadian junior hockey, behind Major Junior.

In the summer of 2014, after one of the best regular seasons in franchise history, the Oil Barons unexpectedly released head coach and general manager Gord Thibodeau. After a lengthy search, the Barons hired former Ottawa Senators assistant coach Curtis Hunt to replace him. Hunt retained third-year assistant coach Ryan Allen on the staff, but longtime assistant Tom Keca parted ways with the organization. Hunt added former Senators goalie Mike Brodeur to the staff as the team's new goaltending and video coach.

In 2015, the Oil Barons will host the third-ever Western Canada Cup, earning an automatic berth in the tournament that pits them against the champions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with two spots at the Royal Bank Cup up for grabs.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T/OTL = Ties/Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Playoffs

1982 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 4-games-to-2St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1983 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 4-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1Calgary Canucks defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

1984 Lost Quarter-final

Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1985 DNQ

1986 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-1

1987 Lost Quarter-final

St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

1988 Lost Quarter-final

St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

1989 DNQ

1990 Lost Quarter-final

Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1991 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-noneCalgary Royals defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1992 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-3Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Lloydminster Blazers 4-games-to-3Olds Grizzlys defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-1

1993 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Lloydminster Blazers 5-games-to-noneOlds Grizzlys defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1994 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-3Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-2Olds Grizzlys defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

1995 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Calgary Royals 4-games-to-1Calgary Canucks defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

1996 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 4-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-1St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

1997 Won League, Lost Doyle Cup

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Olds Grizzlys 4-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-3 AJHL CHAMPIONSSouth Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-1

1998 Lost Quarter-final

Calgary Canucks defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

1999 DNQ

2000 Won League, Won Doyle Cup, Won 2000 Royal Bank Cup

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Lloydminster Blazers 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4-games-to-none AJHL CHAMPIONSFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) 4-games-to-1 DOYLE CUP CHAMPIONSFirst in 2000 Royal Bank Cup round robin (3-1)Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Battlefords North Stars (SJHL) 5-2 in semi-finalFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 2-1 in final ROYAL BANK CUP CHAMPIONS

2001 Lost Quarter-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Lloydminster Blazers 3-games-to-1Drayton Valley Thunder defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

2002 Lost Preliminary

Grande Prairie Storm defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 3-games-to-none

2003 DNQ

2004 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 3-games-to-2Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4-games-to-2Grande Prairie Storm defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-1

2005 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 4-games-to-2Camrose Kodiaks defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

2006 Won League, Lost Doyle Cup

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 4-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Brooks Bandits 4-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4-games-to-2 AJHL CHAMPIONSBurnaby Express (BCHL) defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

2007 Lost Quarter-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 3-games-to-1Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

2008 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 4-games-to-2Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Spruce Grove Saints 4-games-to-1Camrose Kodiaks defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

2009 Lost Quarter-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 3-games-to-1Spruce Grove Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-1

2010 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Steel 3-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Okotoks Oilers 4-games-to-1Spruce Grove Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

2011 Lost Semi-final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Steel 3-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 4-games-to-2Spruce Grove Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none

2012 Lost Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Grande Prairie Storm 3-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-1Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Spruce Grove Saints 4-games-to-3Brooks Bandits defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2

2013 Lost First Round

Whitecourt Wolverines defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 3-games-to-1

2014 Lost Div. Final

Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 3-games-to-noneFort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Lloydminster Bobcats 4-games-to-3Spruce Grove Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3

2015 Lost First Round

Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 3-games-to-1

2016

Whitecourt Wolverines defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 3-games-to-0

NHL alumni

The following former Oil Barons have gone on to play in the NHL: