<P> The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta . They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). </P> <P> The Oilers were founded on November 1, 1971, with the team playing its first season in 1972, as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They were originally intended to be one of two WHA teams in Alberta (the other one being the Calgary Broncos). However, when the Broncos relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, before the WHA's first season began, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers . They returned to using the Edmonton Oilers name for the following year, and have been called that ever since . The Oilers subsequently joined the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises introduced through the NHL merger with the WHA . </P> <P> After joining the NHL, the Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup on five occasions: 1983--84, 1984--85, 1986--87, 1987--88 and 1989--90 . Along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Oilers are tied for the most championships won by any team since the NHL - WHA merger and also the most won by any team that joined the league in or after 1967 . Among all NHL teams, only the Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times since the League's 1967 expansion . For their success in the 1980s, the Oilers team of this era has been honoured with dynasty status by the Hockey Hall of Fame . </P> <P> On November 1, 1971, the Edmonton Oilers became one of the 12 founding WHA franchises . The original team owner was Bill Hunter . Hunter owned the Edmonton Oil Kings, a junior hockey franchise . He also founded the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (now known as the Western Hockey League (WHL)). Hunter's efforts to bring major professional hockey to Edmonton via an expansion NHL franchise had been rebuffed by the NHL . So, he looked to the upstart WHA instead . It was Hunter who chose the "Oilers" name for the new WHA franchise . This was a name that had previously been used as a nickname for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 1950s and 1960s . </P>

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