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Five Players Who Deserve A Spot on the Oilers Wall of Honour

oilers wall of honour

On Friday, the same day as the Edmonton Oilers raised Kevin Lowe‘s number four to the rafters, the club announced upcoming plans for a wall of honour.

For years now, the Oilers’ official standard for retired numbers has been a high one: in order to qualify, you need to be in the hockey hall of fame. Although this high standard has established a tremendous level of prestige, it has also caused an issue.

With such a high ceiling, it’s been difficult for Oilers’ fans to honour some non-hall of fame fan favourites. The future wall of honour is a great idea, as it will give Oilers fans, and the club, the opportunity to show their appreciation for some truly great Oilers.

In this article, I’ll examine five players who I believe are worthy of this distinction. These are players who are not likely to enter the hockey hall of fame (at least in my opinion) but who have established themselves among the best Oilers of all time.

A couple of quick notes before we begin. This is not an exhaustive list of everyone who should or will receive the honour. If you feel I missed someone, please share in the comments or on Twitter who you think deserves a spot. Second, there will not be any active players on this list. We can debate that when the final chapter of their careers is written.

Let’s begin.

Oilers Wall of Honour Candidates

Lee Fogolin

Lee Fogolin isn’t the flashiest name that will appear on this list, but he is one of the most important. Fogolin was selected in the 1979 expansion draft by the Edmonton Oilers. He would go on to become captain of the team, ahead of Wayne Gretzky, and play 586 games in Edmonton. He was the first captain to lead the team to a Stanley Cup Final (1983’s losing effort) but would eventually win two rings with the Oilers. In 1983, ahead of the 1983-94 season, he graciously gave his captaincy to Gretzky.

Fogolin has been credited as being one of the first real leaders of the dynasty-era Oilers. His impact is easy to see. Gretzky has stated numerous times that Fogolin taught him how to lead. That type of nod, from the greatest of all time, can’t be overstated. Even other players such as Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, and Jari Kurri have always been careful to mention Fogolin’s impact on their early careers.

It is for his leadership and assistance in moulding one of the greatest hockey dynasties of all time, that Fogolin deserves a home on the Oilers’ wall of honour.

Dave Semenko

The man whose job it was to play protector of the 1980’s Oilers’ stars, Dave Semenko, is certainly a worthy candidate for the wall of honour. The enforcer isn’t much of a role in the game now, but back in the days where full-on bench brawls were common, an enforcer was downright necessary. In that role, Semenko was simply one of the best to ever do it.

https://twitter.com/VintageOilers/status/1026141769812115457?s=20

When listening to stories of the 80’s Oilers, regular names pop up. Gretzky, Messier, Grant Fuhr, and Kurri are all commonplace in these tales.  Equally mentioned, however, is Semenko. His ability to put the fear of God into his opponents, while riding shotgun to the best players in the world, was incredibly memorable.

Those who watched Semenko speak of his ability to settle a game down with his mere presence on the ice. They also speak of his aptness to crank things up to 11 when the other team needed tuning in. His value to those excellent Oilers’ teams is testified through his old teammates’ reverence in their words for him.

Sadly, Mr. Semenko isn’t alive to receive the honour, but Oilers’ fans would cherish the opportunity to show his family one more time just what a legend he is.

Doug Weight

When the 1990s struck, and the flash of the Oilers 1980’s dynasty was over, the horizon didn’t look very bright in Edmonton. One player who helped bring light to a franchise that desperately needed it was the great Doug Weight.

Following the likes of Gretzky and co. was never going to be easy, but Weight did an admirable job in his attempt. No, the Weight-era Oilers were never as flashy, skilled, or championship-calibre as the teams who preceded it, but they did form an identity that spoke to this city.

Weight, through his leadership and brilliant play, led the team through some dark years. Rumours of relocation, a complete brand switch (hello copper and blue), four straight seasons without playoffs, and immense budget troubles were just a few of the challenges that Weight faced during his time in Edmonton.

It didn’t matter, as Weight and his team found a way to overcome those hurdles. He eventually helped lead the team back to the postseason in 1996-97 and for four more straight seasons after that. The Weight-era Oilers were under-budget, short on talent, but fought like hell and earned their place in the postseason.

Even though the team never made it far in any of those playoffs, they did what they could against overmatched opponents. They developed an identity that was forged in large part by the inspired play of Weight. Their two quarterfinals victories in 1997 and 1998 are still recollected as monumental achievements around these parts.

The city of Edmonton took great pride in those late 90s Oilers and their underdog spirit. A huge part of that pride was forged on the shoulders of Doug Weight. As such, he deserves his name on the Oilers’ wall of honour.

Georges Laraque

Speaking of the late 90s – early 2000s Oilers, let’s turn our attention to another great enforcer, Georges Laraque. For Oilers fans who grew up with the Weight-era Oilers as their first team, Laraque was their Semenko. In playing that role, Laraque became one of the most memorable Oilers of all time.

Laraque played eight seasons for the Oilers, totalling 490 games. Through those 490 games, he managed a whopping 826 penalty minutes. Let’s say that again. Eight hundred and twenty-six. In 490 games. There was no doubting that when Laraque was on the ice, he made a statement.

In that era of hockey, a player like Laraque was needed on a team. They were out there to provide protection and energy-making moments for the more highly-skilled forwards. Laraque, who was one of the most electrifying fighters in the history of the game, played that role perfectly for Edmonton. When the team needed a big fight or a hit to turn the momentum, big Georges could be counted on to step up for his team. The video above shows his impact during the team’s great 2006 playoff run.

Gentle Giant

Beyond his play on the ice, Laraque has also represented the Oilers incredibly well off of it. He is always one to speak kindly of the city and his time here, demonstrating pride in his years as an Oiler. During the decade of darkness, when many ex-players shielded their association with the franchise, Laraque never shied from his Oilers’ pride.

Even more impressive is Laraque’s charity work, a staple of his time in Edmonton and beyond. Laraque has worked with World Vision and the NHLPA to help build a hospital in Haiti, in addition to being a spokesperson for foundations that assist with cancer research and disabilities, among other ventures. Today’s hockey climate shows how important positive leaders can be. Laraque was an ace at that.

Laraque has shown what it means to be an Oiler both on and off the ice, and for that deserves his place among the best Oilers of all time.

Ryan Smyth

Perhaps no other player has ever donned the Oilers’ sweater with as much pride, determination, and respect as Ryan Smyth. Smyth, or Smytty as he is known by Oilers fans, is a legend in this city and for good reason. On a nightly basis, Smyth laid it all on the line for the Oilers, earning him a spot in this city’s heart forever.

Smyth played a style of hockey that mirrored Edmonton and its inhabitants. In Edmonton, life can be tough, especially in the dead of winter. Despite its challenges, Edmontonians wake up each day, grit their teeth, and they go to work. Through the ice and the snow, they get the job done.

It’s this resilience and effort with which Smyth resonated in Edmonton. Smytty had a knack for going to the net, grinding it out in the dirty areas of the ice, and finding a way to produce amid punishment from opponents. Smyth never took a shift off either. It didn’t matter if the Oilers were winning 4-0 or losing 6-2. Smyth was there, on the boards and in front of the net, battling and grinding for the Oilers’ logo on his chest.

In 2006, when the Oilers made their unlikely run to game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, Smyth served as one of the heart and soul leaders of that squad. He scored seven goals and 16 points on that magical run. In the minds of every Oiler fan, he deserved a cup more than almost anyone.

Captain Canada

Beyond his work with the Oilers, Smyth was also a national hero. He rightfully earned his nickname as “Captain Canada” for his willingness to suit up for his nation when asked. In doing so, he won five gold medals with Canada on the national stage. He is the first player in hockey history to win gold at the Olympics, World Cup, World Championships, World Juniors, and Spengler Cup. His efforts garnered him an induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2020. He was also named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2018.

When Smyth’s career was ready to wind down, he requested to be traded back to Edmonton. It was a chance to watch an Oilers’ hero retire in the blue and orange. For all that he has done for the team and this city, Smytty deserves a permanent home on the wall of honour.

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