Edmonton Oil Kings ( WCHL ) " This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978 . For the current team that began play in 2007 , see Edmonton Oil Kings " The Edmonton Oil Kings were a junior team , and founding member of the Western Hockey League . They played at the Edmonton Gardens in Edmonton , Alberta , and later the Northlands Coliseum . In 1976 they moved to Portland , Oregon to become the Portland Winter Hawks . A second incarnation of the team played only one season in 1977 – 78 before moving to Great Falls , Montana . Franchise history . The Edmonton Oil Kings have a history that predates the founding of the Western Hockey League . They started out as an amalgamation of the teams of the Edmonton Junior Hockey League in 1950 - 51 . They then entered the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1951 - 52 and played until the league ' s demise in 1955 - 56 . They won the league title in 1954 . After that they entered the senior Central Alberta Hockey League and competed as an independent team in the Memorial Cup playoffs , The team was required to defeat the Alberta Junior Hockey League champion to earn the right to play for the national junior championship . They were also Memorial Cup finalists nine different years between 1954 and 1971 , including seven straight years from 1960 - 66 . In 1966 , Bill Hunter , the team ' s General Manager , was concerned about the state of junior hockey in western Canada . Each of the west ' s four provinces all had their own junior league , and Hunter felt that this put them at a disadvantage when competing nationally against the powerful leagues in Ontario and Quebec . Hunter hoped to form a unified western league to compete . Hunter ' s hopes became reality in the summer of 1966 , when a revolt within the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League caused several of its top clubs , the Estevan Bruins , Regina Pats , Saskatoon Blades , Moose Jaw Canucks and Weyburn Red Wings , to leave the league and join Hunter ' s Oil Kings in forming a new league . A seventh franchise was also added in Calgary , the Calgary Buffaloes . The Oil Kings captured back to back President ' s Cup titles in 1971 and 1972 . However it would prove to be the final titles in the celebrated franchise ' s history , as the Oil Kings found it difficult to compete for fans against the lure of pro hockey provided by the WHA ' s Edmonton Oilers . The Oil Kings moved to Portland , Oregon in 1976 , to become the Portland Winter Hawks . There was a second Edmonton Oil Kings hockey team in the WHL that played only one season . The Flin Flon Bombers moved to Edmonton for the 1978 – 79 WHL season , but only survived one year and moved on to Great Falls . The team folded as the Great Falls Americans . A new WHL team began play in Edmonton in 2007 – 08 , reviving the Oil Kings name . League membership . The Oil Kings played in the following leagues during its existence : Season - by - season record . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against " Oil Kings ( first : 1957 – 66 ) Central Alberta Hockey League . Note : Other seasons are unavailable . After the league playoffs the Oil Kings entered the Memorial Cup playoffs . References . Oil Kings Heritage