The Edmonton Police Service ( EPS ) is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton , Alberta, Canada. The current chief of the EPS is Dale McFee. McFee is the second highest paid police chief in Canada with an annual salary of $ 357,000 (2023), following Vancouver's police chief Adam Palmer, who in 2022 was paid $ 493,932.
171-692: The service has three deputy chiefs – two sworn members and a civilian member. Chad Tawfik is responsible for the Corporate Services Bureau, Kevin Brezinski runs the Intelligence and Investigations Bureau, and Darren Derko heads the community policing bureau. The EPS is divided into six bureaus: The city is divided into divisions for general patrol purposes: Each division is separated into four smaller districts to allow for better deployment of resources. The majority of police officers of
342-650: A metropolitan population of 1,418,118, making it the fifth-largest city and sixth-largest metropolitan area (CMA) in Canada. It is the northernmost city and metropolitan area in North America to have a population of over one million. Residents are called Edmontonians . Known as the "Gateway to the North" outside of Ontario , Edmonton has become a staging point for large-scale oil sands projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operations in
513-504: A 7% retroactive pay increase for officers, at an estimated additional cost of $ 20m to the City of Edmonton for the 2024 budget. A 5th year constable will now make $ 54.53 an hour, the highest rate in Alberta behind Lethbridge Police Services, where the same position would make $ 54.60 as of 2023. Within the specialized community support bureau – criminal investigations division, the major crimes branch
684-587: A board of directors appointed by the city. In 1995, City of Edmonton ownership of its telephone service ended when Ed Tel was sold to the Telus corporation. City Bylaw 11713 created The Ed Tel Endowment Fund whereas the shares owned by Edmonton Telephones Corporation in Ed Tel Inc. were sold by the City of Edmonton to Telus on March 10, 1995, for $ 470,221,872 to be invested for the perpetual benefit of Edmontonians. Unions such as
855-427: A fairly dry climate, receiving 455.7 mm (17.94 in) of precipitation per year, of which 347.8 mm (13.69 in) is rain and 111.2 mm (4.38 in) is the melt from 123.5 cm (48.6 in) from snowfall. Over 75% of the average annual precipitation falls in the late spring, summer, and early autumn, with the wettest month being July, having a mean precipitation of 93.8 mm (3.69 in), and
1026-456: A few days of delay, the encampment sweeps proceeded. As of January 12, all eight high-risk encampments had been evicted, removing roughly 120 tents and other living structures. At the last sweep on January 10 at Rowland Road encampment, as temperatures outside dipped to −30 °C, three people were arrested, including journalist Brandi Morin, camp elder Roy Cardinal, and Dene and Blackfoot drummer, observer, and activist Teyen Bohnsack. Bohnsack
1197-522: A fierce rivalry known as the " Battle of Alberta ". The Oilers were founded in 1971 by W. D. "Wild Bill" Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard and played its first season in 1972–73 as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They were intended to be one of two WHA Alberta teams along with the Calgary Broncos . However, when the Broncos relocated and became
1368-454: A first-round draft pick in 2011 (used to select Oscar Klefbom ) and a conditional third-round pick in 2012 . At the end of the season, the Oilers were at the bottom of the standings and received the right to choose first overall in the upcoming 2011 NHL entry draft . The Oilers selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the first overall selection, along with several other "blue chip" prospects. During
1539-465: A goal by Todd Marchant in overtime . However, the Oilers' surprise playoff run failed to continue, as the Colorado Avalanche defeated them in the next round. In 1997–98 , Joseph led the Oilers to another first-round upset. After Colorado took a 3–1 series lead, the Oilers held them scoreless for eight straight periods en route to winning the series in seven games. Dallas and Edmonton met again in
1710-410: A history of unlawful violence and was charged in 2022 after an ASIRT investigation with assault causing bodily harm for assaulting a man in his custody. The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights initiated a lawsuit against the City of Edmonton that sought to ban encampment sweeps and evictions while the city continued to offer no other housing alternatives. On January 16, Judge Jonathan Martin quashed
1881-724: A less complicated return of the WHA to Calgary, though, the team ultimately played all of its home games in the Edmonton Gardens and changed its name back to the Edmonton Oilers the following year. They won the first game in WHA history 7–4 over the Ottawa Nationals . The Oilers drew fans with players such as defenceman and team captain Al Hamilton , goaltender Dave Dryden and forwards Blair MacDonald and Bill Flett . However,
SECTION 10
#17328758578252052-689: A major base for distributing mail, food, and medicine to Northern Canada ; hence Edmonton's emergence as the "Gateway to the North". World War II saw Edmonton become a major base for the construction of the Alaska Highway and the Northwest Staging Route . The airport was closed in November 2013. On July 31, 1987, an F4 tornado hit the city and killed 27 people. The storm hit the areas of Beaumont, Mill Woods , Bannerman , Fraser , and Evergreen . The day became known as "Black Friday" and earned
2223-987: A major park. The first residents moved into Blatchford in November 2020. Edmonton has four major industrial districts: the Northwest Industrial District, the Northeast Industrial District, the Southeast Industrial District, and the emerging Edmonton Energy and Technology Park, which is part of Alberta's Industrial Heartland. The northwest, northeast and southeast districts each have smaller industrial areas and neighbourhoods within them. The city has established 12 business revitalization zones : 124 Street and Area , Alberta Avenue , Beverly, Downtown, Chinatown and Little Italy , Fort Road and Area, Inglewood, Kingsway, North Edge, Northwest Industrial, Old Strathcona and Stony Plain Road. In
2394-604: A more southerly latitude than Edmonton. Its average daily temperatures range from a low of −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) in January to a summer peak of 17.7 °C (63.9 °F) in July, with average maximum of 23.1 °C (73.6 °F) in July and minimum of −14.8 °C (5.4 °F) in January. Temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for an average of four to five afternoons anytime from late April to mid-September and fall below −20 °C (−4 °F) for an average of 24.6 days in
2565-539: A near-majority in 1929, and a full majority from 1932 to 1934, during the Great Depression. Jan Reimer became the city's first female mayor when she was elected in 1989. In 2021, Amarjeet Sohi became the first person of colour to be elected as mayor of Edmonton. Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 m (2,201 ft). It is North America's northernmost city with
2736-591: A number of awards or medals including: City of Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta . It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region , which is surrounded by Alberta's central region . It anchors the northern end of what Statistics Canada defines as the " Calgary–Edmonton Corridor ",
2907-874: A planned inland port logistics support facility in support of the Port Alberta initiative) in Leduc County, the Acheson Industrial Area in Parkland County , Refinery Row in Strathcona County and Alberta's Industrial Heartland within portions of Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County . Alberta's Industrial Heartland also extends beyond the CMA's northeastern boundary into Lamont County . The individual economic development interests and costs of service delivery in certain municipalities within
3078-513: A playoff year, with 19. However, Gretzky won the Conn Smythe Trophy after setting the record for most points in a playoff year (47). The 1984–85 Oilers were voted as the greatest NHL team of all-time during the league's centennial celebrations in 2017. Despite off-season legal issues, the Oilers were again the top team in the NHL during the 1985–86 season , with 56 wins and 119 points. They won
3249-456: A population of 932,546 living in 360,828 of its 387,950 total private dwellings, a change of 14.8% from its 2011 population of 812,201. With a land area of 685.25 km (264.58 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,360.9/km (3,524.7/sq mi) in 2016. Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton . The Oilers compete in
3420-470: A population over one million. It is south of Alberta's geographic centre, which is near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine . The terrain in and around Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river valleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley. The Canadian Rockies are west of Edmonton and about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest. The North Saskatchewan River originates at
3591-511: A region spanning between it and Calgary , Alberta's largest city, including many smaller municipalities between the two. The area that later became the city of Edmonton was first inhabited by First Nations peoples and was also a historic site for the Métis . By 1795, many trading posts had been established around the area that later became the Edmonton census metropolitan area. "Fort Edmonton", as it
SECTION 20
#17328758578253762-410: A relatively little-noticed move in 1976 had an important impact on the history of the franchise. That year, journeyman forward Glen Sather was acquired by the Oilers. It turned out to be his final season as a player and he was named player-coach late in the season, moving to the bench full-time after the season. Sather was the coach or general manager of the Oilers for the next 23 years. Although
3933-657: A season (with forty exactly). The team scored a total of 446 goals as a team, an NHL record. The Oilers were so determined to win the Stanley Cup that they hired Roger Neilson as a video analyst. They started the playoffs strongly by sweeping the Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division semifinals. They faced a tougher test in the Calgary Flames , but they defeated them in seven games in the division finals. They then swept
4104-619: A shift where half or more of that shift falls between the hours of midnight and 8:00 a.m. receive an extra $ 1.20 an hour, increasing the minimum hourly rate for first year constables to $ 30.47 or about $ 63,621.00 per annum. Special event policing pays $ 93.89 an hour. Sergeants and detectives are paid a minimum $ 120,742.00 per annum, or about $ 57.82 an hour, and staff sergeants are paid a minimum $ 132,816.00 per annum, or about $ 63.60 an hour. Each uniformed officer receives an annual clothing allowance of $ 597, and each plain-clothed officer receives $ 1,285. In July 2023, Edmonton Police Services secured
4275-451: A small glass section of the roof collapsed under the weight of the rainwater, causing water to drain onto the mall's indoor ice rink. As a result, the mall was evacuated as a precautionary measure. Twelve tornadoes had been recorded in Edmonton between 1890 and 1989, and eight since 1990. An F4 tornado that struck Edmonton on July 31, 1987, killing 27, was unusual in many respects, including severity, duration, damage, and casualties. It
4446-538: A trade request for personal reasons. Pronger was subsequently traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Joffrey Lupul , Ladislav Smid , and three draft picks. Several Oilers left via free agency and during the season, long-time Oiler Ryan Smyth was traded to the New York Islanders for Ryan O'Marra , Robert Nilsson and a first-round pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft (used to select Alex Plante ). However,
4617-561: A training facility and divisional station, but also has 70 detainee cells. The city of Edmonton spent an estimated $ 119.7 million on the project, including the over budgeted $ 12 million cost of replacing the roof. On December 15, 2023, the EPS notified social service and homeless support organizations in the Edmonton downtown core of their plan to remove 134 tents and structures at what they deemed to be 'eight high-risk encampments' over 5 days, right before Christmas. The planned operation would be one of
4788-406: Is 972,223, a change of 8.1% from its 2016 municipal census population of 899,447. After factoring in dwellings that did not respond to the municipal census, Edmonton's population is further estimated to be 992,812. Per its municipal census policy, the city's next municipal census is scheduled for 2020. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Edmonton had
4959-446: Is commonly referred to as Black Friday due both to its aberrant characteristics and the emotional shock it generated. Then-mayor Laurence Decore cited the community's response to the tornado as evidence that Edmonton was a "city of champions," which later became an unofficial slogan of the city. Edmonton is at the centre of Canada's sixth-largest census metropolitan area (CMA), which includes Edmonton and 34 other municipalities in
5130-464: Is divided into a town centre community ( Mill Woods Town Centre ) and eight surrounding communities: Burnewood , Knottwood , Lakewood , Millbourne , Millhurst , Ridgewood , Southwood , and Woodvale . Each has between two and four neighbourhoods. Several transit-oriented developments (TOD) have begun to appear along the LRT line at Clareview, with future developments planned at Belvedere (part of
5301-495: Is divided into economic crimes, homicide and robbery. These areas are primarily made up of detectives and staff sergeants. The serious crimes area deals with sexual assault, child protection, and vice. These areas are also made up of detectives and staff sergeants. The Edmonton Police Service is also a member of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams . Policing in Edmonton dates back to 1892, well before
Edmonton Police Service - Misplaced Pages Continue
5472-410: Is no risk of a cost award against them". Since the lawsuit was dismissed, over 49 homeless encampments were dismantled, displacing at least 211 structures and over 175 people. The Edmonton Police Service has been involved in numerous cases of misconduct, corruption, and police brutality in recent years. Almost none of the cases, whether investigated through internal disciplinary committees or through
5643-563: Is now Edmonton, the Hudson's Bay Company trading post of Fort Edmonton (also known as Edmonton House) was named after Edmonton , Middlesex , England. The fort's name was chosen by William Tomison , who was in charge of its construction, taking the fort's namesake from the hometown of the Lake family – at least five of whom were influential members of the Hudson's Bay Company between 1696 and 1807. In turn,
5814-463: Is the only Canadian city other than Toronto and Calgary that possesses more than one armoured police vehicle. The first armoured vehicle obtained by EPS was the vintage 'Grizzly', donated to them in 2007 by the Department of National Defense. The Cambli Black Wolf was purchased in 2017 for an estimated $ 500,000, without notice or approval by the City. EPS Chief Dale McFee claims it was purchased to replace
5985-637: Is within the Canadian Prairies Ecozone . Aspen parkland surrounds the city and is a transitional area from the prairies to the south and boreal forest in the north. The aspen woods and forests in and around Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and residential and commercial developments including oil and natural gas exploration. Edmonton has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb , Trewartha climate classification Dcbc ) with typically cold, dry winters and warm, sunny summers, prone to extremes and large swings at all times of
6156-411: Is within the city's mature area or inner city. It and the surrounding Boyle Street , Central McDougall , Cloverdale , Garneau , McCauley , Oliver , Queen Mary Park , Riverdale , Rossdale, Strathcona and University of Alberta form Edmonton's Central Core. Oliver and Garneau are the city's most populated and most densely populated neighbourhoods respectively. The mature area sector also contains
6327-664: The SCTV sketch comedy TV series to Edmonton. Hunter also owned the Edmonton Oil Kings , a junior hockey franchise, and 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
6498-506: The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals , missing the playoffs for the subsequent ten seasons. The Oilers have made nineteen first-round selections in the NHL entry draft since 2007: ten within the first ten picks overall, six within the first four picks, and four the first overall selections. With those first overall picks, Edmonton selected Taylor Hall , Ryan Nugent-Hopkins , Nail Yakupov and Connor McDavid ; of these, Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid remained with
6669-469: The 2015 NHL entry draft held in Sunrise, Florida, on June 26. On April 24, Craig MacTavish was removed from his position as general manager and was replaced by former Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli , who was also appointed president of hockey operations as part of other related changes. In Chiarelli's first transactions as Oilers general manager, he traded a first and a second-round pick during
6840-417: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the City of Edmonton had a population of 1,010,899 living in 396,404 of its 428,857 total private dwellings, a change of 8.3% from its 2016 population of 933,088. With a land area of 765.61 km (295.60 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,320.4/km (3,419.8/sq mi) in 2021. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in
7011-482: The Alberta Federation of Labour at the time, "If the police had never shown their faces at the picket lines, no one would have tried to run buses through, there would have been no violence or arrest". In 2021 after a two-year delay related to roof collapse and other structural and mechanical failures, a new Northwest Edmonton Police Service Campus was opened at 18440-127 Street NW. The 183,000 compound operates as
Edmonton Police Service - Misplaced Pages Continue
7182-638: The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) led to convictions or firings of allegedly offending officers. ASIRT investigations are lengthy, sometimes taking between five and seven years to complete, and are often granted extensions for many years in a row. Many of the cases between 1993 and 2022 are documented in the Alberta Police Misconduct Database. Some notable examples of EPS police brutality allegations include: Between 2012 and 2023, at least 38 members of
7353-599: The Boston Bruins in four games. The fourth game had to be re-played because of a cancellation. With the score tied 3–3 with 3:23 to play in the second period, a power outage hit the Boston Garden , forcing cancellation of the entire game. The Oilers won the next game (originally scheduled as game five) back in Edmonton 6–3 to complete the series sweep. However, all player statistics for the aborted game four in Boston are counted in
7524-516: The Carolina Hurricanes . During Game 1, the Oilers blew a 3–0 lead, lost Dwayne Roloson for the series after he suffered a knee injury, and ultimately lost 5–4 when Carolina's captain Rod Brind'Amour scored the winning goal in the final minute after backup goalie Ty Conklin misplayed the puck. From that game forward, the Oilers used Jussi Markkanen in net. Despite trailing the series 2–0 and 3–1,
7695-651: The Cleveland Crusaders before the WHA's first season began, the team was named the Alberta Oilers . They were renamed the Edmonton Oilers the following year and subsequently joined the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises absorbed through the NHL–WHA merger . 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
7866-762: The Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and bisects the city. It sometimes floods Edmonton's river valley, most notably in the North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 . It empties via the Saskatchewan River , Lake Winnipeg , and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay . It runs from the southwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city, including Mill Creek , Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek ; these creeks have created ravines, some of which are used for urban parkland . Edmonton
8037-465: The Edmonton Oilers and the Gainers meatpacking plant Peter Pocklington provoked a massive strike after threatening to cut wages from $ 13.00 an hour to $ 7.00 an hour, among other attacks on benefits and conditions. 1080 meatpackers picketed the plant with widespread support from community members and other unions. On the second day of the strike, Gainers secured an injunction and Edmonton Police helped break
8208-633: The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), may have been the first European to enter the Edmonton area. His expeditions across the Prairies of Rupert's Land were mainly to seek contact with the Indigenous population for establishing the fur trade , as the competition was fierce between the HBC and the North West Company (NWC). By 1795, Fort Edmonton was established on the river's north bank as a major trading post for
8379-624: The Industrial Workers of the World struggled for progressive social change through the early years, with the first reformer, James East , elected in 1912, followed by the first official Labour alderman, James Kinney , the following year. Many thousands of workers participated in the Edmonton general strike of 1919 and a strong block of Labour representatives were on council after the next election: East, Kinney, Sam McCoppen, Rice Sheppard and Joe Clarke . Labour representation on city council became
8550-762: The Minnesota North Stars in the conference finals to earn a rematch with the Islanders in the Stanley Cup Finals . The Oilers split the first two games in Long Island but then won three in a row in Edmonton to become the first former WHA team to win the Stanley Cup. After the series, Mark Messier was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The following season , the Oilers finished second overall in
8721-660: The National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . They play their home games at Rogers Place , which opened in 2016. Kris Knoblauch is the head coach as of November 12, 2023 , and Stan Bowman was named general manager on July 24, 2024. The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta , the other being the Calgary Flames . Their proximity has led to
SECTION 50
#17328758578258892-478: The Northwest Territories . It is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts festivals year-round, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City". It is home to Canada's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's largest mall from 1981 until 2004); and Fort Edmonton Park , Canada's largest living history museum. Established as the first permanent settlement in the area of what
9063-413: The Pittsburgh Penguins , they are tied for the most championships won by any team since the NHL–WHA merger, as well as 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. The Oilers also won six straight division titles from 1981–82 through 1986–87 . Notably, however,
9234-506: 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. Hunter also served as head coach during 1972–73, 1974–75 and 1975–76 seasons. After the newly founded Calgary Broncos folded before the commencement of the inaugural WHA season, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers as it was planned to split their home games between Edmonton and Calgary . Possibly for financial reasons or to allow for
9405-406: The 2011 off-season, the team again made several moves to bolster the offence and defence, re-acquiring fan favourite Ryan Smyth from Los Angeles for Colin Fraser and a seventh-round draft pick. The team also traded with the Anaheim Ducks to acquire Andy Sutton for Kurtis Foster . Sheldon Souray , who played the entire 2010–11 season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hershey Bears ,
9576-404: The 2021 census, the Edmonton CMA had a population of 1,418,118 living in 548,624 of its 589,554 total private dwellings, a change of 7.3% from its 2016 population of 1,321,441 . With a land area of 9,416.19 km (3,635.61 sq mi), it had a population density of 150.6/km (390.1/sq mi) in 2021. The population of the City of Edmonton according to its 2019 municipal census
9747-458: The C&E Railway helped bring settlers and entrepreneurs from eastern Canada, Europe, the U.S. and other parts of the world. The Edmonton area's fertile soil and cheap land attracted settlers, further establishing Edmonton as a major regional commercial and agricultural centre. Some people participating in the Klondike Gold Rush passed through South Edmonton/Strathcona in 1897. Strathcona was North America's northernmost railway point, but travel to
9918-426: The City Centre Airport, and even warmer in the city proper. A massive cluster of thunderstorms swept through Edmonton on July 11, 2004, with large hail and over 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain reported within an hour in many places. This "1-in-200 year event" flooded major intersections and underpasses and damaged both residential and commercial properties. The storm caused extensive damage to West Edmonton Mall;
10089-484: The City of Beaumont, increasing the city's area to 767.85 km (296.47 sq mi), with discussions of annexing an additional 2,830 ha (28.3 km ; 10.9 sq mi) of Edmonton International Airport land still ongoing. Edmonton is divided into 375 neighbourhoods within seven geographic sectors – a mature area sector, which includes neighbourhoods that were essentially built out before 1970, and six surrounding suburban sectors. Edmonton's Downtown
10260-420: The City of Edmonton and Leduc County came to an agreement on Edmonton's annexation proposal. The City of Edmonton was poised to annex 12,100 ha (121 km ; 47 sq mi) of land from Leduc County and Beaumont, including the Edmonton International Airport, as a result. On January 1, 2019, the City of Edmonton officially annexed 8,260 ha (82.6 km ; 31.9 sq mi) from Leduc County and
10431-417: The Coalition's lawsuit, siding with the City's legal team, and ruled that "The Coalition does not in fact bear any of the hallmarks of a party with a real stake or genuine interest in the outcome." The City also sought $ 25,000 in legal costs from the Coalition, claiming that "to evade costs would encourage parties that do not have a real stake or genuine issue in the outcome to bring litigation knowing that there
SECTION 60
#173287585782510602-406: The EPS at its various historical events. The uniform that is worn is a replica of the EPS uniform worn in the early 1900s. The Edmonton Police Service Pipe Band was formed in 1914, although it was immediately dissolved at the start of the First World War , with its musicians being transferred to the Canadian Expeditionary Force to join Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) and lead
10773-403: The Edmonton Investors Group. The Oilers announced a restructuring of their hockey operations on July 30, 2008, which saw the promotion of Kevin Lowe to the role of president of hockey operations and was replaced by Steve Tambellini . The 2008–09 season saw the Oilers finish with a record of 38–35–9, but that was only good enough for 11th in the West. However, one bright spot during the season
10944-469: The Edmonton Police Service retired or left their positions during internal disciplinary hearings into allegations against them. The EPS Guard of Honour and Historical Unit is a special unit of the EPS composed of dedicated policemen who serve as professional ambassadors of the City of Edmonton to the public. It was introduced to the EPS in 1998, and has provided consistent protocol demonstrations at events such as: The historical unit ceremonially represents
11115-461: The Edmonton Police Service serve within the community policing bureau as patrol constables, sergeants, detectives, or staff sergeants. Officers of the Edmonton Police Service have the highest first year constable salaries in Canada at a minimum of $ 71,195 per annum (or $ 34.09 an hour), EPS officers who work a shift where half or more of that shift falls between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and midnight receive an extra $ 1.10 an hour. EPS officers who work
11286-414: The Grizzly, but this statement was criticized as 'tone deaf' by Edmonton mayor Don Iveson , among many others including Press Progress, the news organization that leaked the purchase. Criticisms largely focused on context of the Cambli Black Wolf's purchase, which was made public during the Black Lives Matter movement, which brought to light issues and criticisms of police brutality across North America and
11457-402: The HBC, near the mouth of the Sturgeon River close to present-day Fort Saskatchewan . Fort Edmonton was built within "musket-shot range" of the rival NWC's Fort Augustus. Although both forts were initially successful, declines in beaver pelt hauls and firewood stocks forced both HBC and NWC to move their forts upstream. By 1813, after some changes in location, Fort Edmonton was established in
11628-414: The Jets following a merger agreement between the two leagues. Of these four teams, only Edmonton has avoided relocation and renaming; the Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche in 1995, the Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996 and the Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. The Oilers lost most of the players from 1978–79 when the NHL held a reclamation draft of players who had bolted to
11799-486: The Klondike was still very difficult for the "Klondikers", and a majority of them took a steamship north to the Yukon from Vancouver , British Columbia. Incorporated as a town in 1892 with a population of 700 and then as a city in 1904 with a population of 8,350, Edmonton became the capital of Alberta when the province was formed a year later, on September 1, 1905. In November 1905, the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) arrived in Edmonton, accelerating growth. During
11970-401: The Los Angeles Kings in six games. However, their success did not continue into the conference finals, as they lost in five games to the Minnesota North Stars. The final star players from the Oilers left before the 1991–92 season . Fuhr and Glenn Anderson were traded to Toronto, Steve Smith was traded to Chicago, and Kurri was traded to Philadelphia. Charlie Huddy was claimed by Minnesota in
12141-457: The NHL point-scoring race, while Messier was fourth. Edmonton returned to the Stanley Cup Finals and faced the same opponent as they had in 1985, the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers took a three-games-to-one lead in the series. However, strong goaltending by Flyers' rookie Ron Hextall forced a Game 7, which the Oilers won, 3–1. In the post-game celebration, Gretzky immediately passed the Stanley Cup to Steve Smith, vindicated after his costly miscue
12312-466: The NHL record books. Gretzky won the Conn Smythe Trophy after leading the playoffs in scoring with 43 points. After the Cup-clinching game, Gretzky implored his teammates, coaches, trainers, and others from the Oilers organization to join at centre ice for an impromptu team photo with the Stanley Cup. This started a tradition since continued by every subsequent Stanley Cup champion. After the season, Fuhr
12483-532: The NHL with 49 wins and 109 points. Gretzky led the NHL in goals with 73, and Kurri was close behind with a career-high 71. Gretzky also became the youngest player in NHL history to score one thousand points. In the playoffs, the Oilers swept the Kings in the opening round and Jets in round two. They won the first two games of the conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks but lost the next two before winning
12654-570: The NHL). They won only one playoff series in their first three NHL seasons, though, upsetting the Montreal Canadiens in 1980–81 . Gretzky set new NHL records in 1980–81 for assists (109) and points (164). Also, they still had great draft positions. This allowed the Oilers to put together a young, talented, experienced team quickly. Within three years, Sather and chief scout Barry Fraser had drafted several players who would have an important role in
12825-516: The NHL, the Oilers were placed in the Campbell Conference's Smythe Division. They were mediocre during the regular season in their first two seasons, finishing sixteenth and fourteenth respectively. However, because 16 of the 21 NHL teams made the playoffs at the time, the Oilers were still able to get their young players experience in the playoffs (they made the playoffs for their first 13 years in
12996-408: The NHL. Messier had 45 goals and 84 assists for 129 points, good for second in the NHL scoring race (behind only Gretzky). In the first round, the Oilers faced the Winnipeg Jets. Trailing the series 3–1 and trailing Game 5 by an identical score, the Oilers rallied to win the next three and take the series. In the division final, the Oilers met Los Angeles for the second straight season. Edmonton swept
13167-487: The Nakota Sioux and Tsuutʼina names translate to 'big house'. In Denesuline , the area is known as Kuę́ Nedhé , a metonymic toponym which also generally means 'city'. The earliest known inhabitants arrived in the area that is now Edmonton around 3,000 BC and perhaps as early as 12,000 BC when an ice-free corridor opened as the last glacial period ended and timber, water, and wildlife became available in
13338-486: The Oilers elected to begin the 2015–16 season without a team captain; this marked the first time they had done so since entering the NHL, in 1979. Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Andrew Ference, who had served as team captain the previous two seasons, were all named as alternate captains. On February 27, 2016, mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the Oilers traded defenceman Justin Schultz to
13509-540: The Oilers failed to win their third-straight Stanley Cup, as the Calgary Flames defeated them in seven games in the second round. In the third period of a 2–2 tie during Game 7, Steve Smith , a rookie for the Oilers, accidentally sent the puck into his own net on his birthday. This goal stood as the series-winning goal. The 1986–87 season saw the Oilers capture their second straight Presidents' Trophy with 50 wins and 106 points. Gretzky and Kurri were first and second in
13680-559: The Oilers finish first in the WHA standings, posting a league-best 48–30–2 record. However, Edmonton failed to win the championship, as they fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the Avco World Trophy finals. Dave Semenko of the Oilers scored the last goal in WHA history in the third period of the final game, which they lost 7–3. The Oilers joined the NHL for 1979–80 , along with fellow WHA teams Hartford Whalers , Quebec Nordiques and
13851-409: The Oilers finished first overall in the NHL, winning a franchise record 57 games and earning 119 points (15 points ahead of the second-place Islanders). They were the first team to feature three players with 50 goals (Gretzky, Kurri, and Anderson). Gretzky started strong by scoring at least a point in the first 51 games of the season. Paul Coffey became the second defenceman ever to score forty goals in
14022-444: The Oilers finished third overall in the NHL. They advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals (losing only once in the process) before getting swept by defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders . During this season, Gretzky, Messier, Anderson and Kurri all topped 100 points, with Coffey not far behind at 96. After the season, Lee Fogolin resigned as captain of the Oilers, picking Gretzky as his successor. In 1983–84 ,
14193-514: The Oilers forced a Game 7 with a 2–1 win in Game 3, a Fernando Pisani short-handed overtime winner in Game 5 and a 4–0 shutout for Markkanen in Game 6. However, the Oilers could not complete the comeback as the Hurricanes won Game 7 3–1 to capture their first-ever Stanley Cup. In the 2006 off-season, many Oilers left the team. Four days after their loss to the Hurricanes, Chris Pronger surprisingly issued
14364-448: The Oilers had a 16–21–4 record after the first half of the season. They improved in the second half of the year, however, going 25–14–2 in 41 games for a final record of 41–35–6. Nonetheless, this was not enough to qualify for the playoffs, as the Oilers finished three points out in ninth place. During the season, Daryl Katz , owner of the Rexall pharmaceutical company , purchased the team from
14535-535: The Oilers have not won a division title since 1987, a drought that includes their most recent two Stanley Cup wins and is the longest division title drought in all of the North American major professional sports. For their overall success in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Oilers team of this era has been honoured with dynasty status by the Hockey Hall of Fame . The Oilers began to struggle after coming up short in
14706-537: The Oilers hosted the 2003 Heritage Classic , the first regular season outdoor hockey game in the NHL's history and part of the celebrations of the Oilers' 25th season in the NHL. They were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens 4–3 in front of more than 55,000 fans, an NHL attendance record, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The Oilers failed to make the playoffs in the 2003–04 season . The Oilers struggled with their small-market status for several years, but after
14877-619: The Oilers released a statement that their affiliation with the Barons would cease at the end of the season. Following Edmonton's decision not to renew affiliation with the Barons, the Oilers relocated their AHL franchise from Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , to Bakersfield, California . This move was announced on January 29, 2015, as part of the AHL's new Pacific Division, which included the Oilers' affiliation in Bakersfield. The following month, on February 25,
15048-523: The Oilers were able to re-sign Dwayne Roloson and Fernando Pisani. Having lost so many players, the Oilers posted a 32–43–7 record in 2006–07 , their worst record since the 1995–96 season, and eventually finished in 11th place in the Western Conference. Throughout the season, the Oilers lost various players to injury and illness; at one point, they had 11 players out of the lineup and had to rely on emergency call-ups to fill their roster. In 2007–08 ,
15219-479: The Oilers were only able to finish in third place in their division. Mark Messier was chosen to succeed Gretzky as captain. Coincidentally, the Oilers' first-round playoff opponent was Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings. Edmonton took a commanding 3–1 series lead, but Gretzky and the Kings fought back to win the series, winning Game 7 6–3 in Los Angeles. It was the first time since 1982 that the Oilers had been eliminated from
15390-479: The Oilers won the game 3–2 when Klima—benched for much of the game and thus the only player on either team who was not exhausted—scored at 15:13 of the third overtime. The Oilers defeated the Bruins in five games and won their first Cup without Gretzky. For his superlative goaltending, Bill Ranford won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Oilers lost another important player before the 1990–91 season , as Jari Kurri chose to play
15561-475: The Oilers' longest-serving player by this point. Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson all made their NHL debuts for the team. Despite the influx of their young talent, Edmonton still found themselves at the bottom of the standings. In an attempt to gain valuable prospects and draft picks, Dustin Penner was traded from the Oilers to Los Angeles on February 28, 2011, in exchange for Colten Teubert ,
15732-427: The Oilers' on-ice performance for most of the WHA's history was mediocre, they remained well-supported and financially stable by WHA standards. In 1976, Hunter and Allard sold the franchise to Vancouver real estate tycoon Nelson Skalbania , who later became notorious for flipping property, both real and franchised . Skalbania soon made local businessman Peter Pocklington a full partner, then sold his shares to him
15903-455: The Oilers' unexpected run in the playoffs came to a crashing halt, as the Blackhawks dominated every game and swept the series. The departures of the stars from the 1980s exposed serious deficiencies in the Oilers' development system. They had done a poor job of drafting during the dynasty years, and the younger players had not had enough time to develop before the core of the 1980s dynasty left
16074-636: The Old Town Fort Road Redevelopment Project). Another TOD, Century Park, is being constructed at the site of what was once Heritage Mall, at the southern end of the LRT line. Century Park will eventually house up to 5,000 residents. The Edmonton City Centre Airport is being redeveloped into a sustainable community of 30,000 people called Blatchford , comprising a transit-oriented mixed use town centre, townhouses, low, medium and high rise apartments, neighbourhood retail and service uses, renewable energy, district heating and cooling, and
16245-788: The San Jose Sharks, mutually agreed to part ways on April 20 after the Sharks failed to qualify for the 2015 playoffs . More coaching changes came on June 4 when Keith Acton and Craig Ramsay were relieved of their duties. In addition to these coaching changes, the Oilers also made some changes to their scouting staff on June 22, which saw both head amateur and professional scouts Stu MacGregor and Morey Gare relieved of their duties. Amateur scouts Brad Davis and Kent Hawley, and professional scouts Dave Semenko and Billy Moores , who served as director of coaching and special projects, were also relieved of their duties. Further changes came on October 7, when
16416-631: The Smythe Division with 36 wins and 82 points. In the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers again met the Los Angeles Kings. Again, for the third time since the Gretzky trade, the Oilers defeated the Kings. In the next round, the Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in six games to return to the conference finals for the third straight season, this time facing the Chicago Blackhawks. However,
16587-503: The area around the modern city and which can be easily knapped into tools such as axes , knives , and arrowheads . The city was also a historic site for the Métis , who held many narrow lots along the North Saskatchewan which gave access to resources in the area. By 1882, these lots numbered about 44, after which they were displaced and integrated into the expanding city of Edmonton. In 1754, Anthony Henday , an explorer for
16758-658: The area of what is now Rossdale , beginning Edmonton's start as a permanent population centre. The fort was located on the border of territory that was disputed by the Blackfoot and Cree nations. Furthermore, the fort intersected territory patrolled by the Blackfoot Confederacy to the South, and the Cree, Dene , and Nakoda nations to the north. After the NWC merged with the HBC, Fort Augustus
16929-566: The central area of the current provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to southern Alberta in 1885 helped the Edmonton economy, and the 1891 building of the Calgary and Edmonton (C&E) Railway resulted in the emergence of a railway townsite (South Edmonton/Strathcona) on the river's south side, across from Edmonton. The arrival of the CPR and
17100-501: The changes, the Oilers placed third overall in the NHL. Grant Fuhr started a league-record 75 games (which has now been broken) and posted a team-record 40 wins. In the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers dispatched the third-place Winnipeg Jets in five games. The Oilers then defeated first-overall Calgary in a sweep. In the conference finals against the Detroit Red Wings , the Oilers prevailed in five games. The Oilers then swept
17271-411: The city the moniker "City of Champions". In 1892, Edmonton was incorporated as a town. The first mayor was Matthew McCauley , who established the first school board in Edmonton and Board of Trade (later Chamber of Commerce) and a municipal police service. Due to McCauley's good relationship with the federal Liberals, Edmonton maintained economic and political prominence over Strathcona, a rival town on
17442-564: The city, while others fled to greener pastures in other provinces. Recruitment to the army during the war also contributed to the drop in population. Afterwards, the city slowly recovered in population and economy during the 1920s and 1930s and took off again during and after World War II . The Edmonton City Centre Airport opened in 1929, becoming Canada's first licensed airfield. Originally named Blatchford Field in honour of former mayor Kenny Blatchford , pioneering aviators such as Wilfrid R. "Wop" May and Max Ward used Blatchford Field as
17613-687: The community helped repair much of the backyard, and also that "The law fought the stump and the stump won." Each marked vehicle has the Whelen Legacy lightbar, (excluding the Ford Interceptor Sedans that are equipped with LED X light bars and some Code 3 sirens. The EPS uses the D&;R RDS 16 siren in the majority of their fleet, as well as the howler brand. Each year the Edmonton Police Service honours individuals for their service through
17784-460: The conference semifinals. After trailing the series two games to none, the team won the next four and became the first eighth-seeded team to reach a conference final since the NHL changed the playoff format in 1994 . There, the Oilers beat the sixth-seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in five games, claiming the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl for a seventh time. In the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals , Edmonton met
17955-558: The course. Edmonton Police's pipe band, which had formed in 1914, halted because of the war. It re-emerged in 1959 and became a visible public relations tool still performing today. In the 1960s, the towns of Beverly and Edmonton joined and the Jasper Place Police Department joined forces with the Edmonton Police Department, adding the population of Jasper Place to Edmonton. Sarge, a dog, officially joined
18126-489: The department continued to grow. In 1943, the Neighbourhood Police Force was seen policing Edmonton's streets. An Edmonton police officer was paired up with an American military police officer to patrol because there were many U.S. servicemen in Edmonton at the time. After 18 months, it was discontinued when there was no longer a need for it. The end of the main work on the Alaska Highway , based in Edmonton, and
18297-521: The department in 1963. The dog squad grew, and a kennel and training ground were opened by the municipal airport in 1974. The location is the same, and is named after Sarge's owner, Val Vallevand. In the 1980s, the Edmonton Police Service adopted new, American-style policing practices - most notably the use of a militarized riot squad to suppress the 1986 Gainers Meatpackers Strike. In 1986 after years of stagnant and declining wages and eroded provincial labour conditions and laws, local millionaire and owner of
18468-576: The driest months being February, March, October, November and December. Significant snowfall accumulation typically begins in late October and tapers off by late March. Dry spells are not uncommon and may occur at any time of the year. Extremes do occur, such as the 114 mm (4.49 in) of rainfall that fell on July 31, 1953. Much of the precipitation that Edmonton receives in the summer comes from late-day thunderstorms, which are frequent and occasionally severe enough to produce large hail, damaging winds, funnel clouds, and tornadoes. The summer of 2006
18639-492: The early 1900s, Edmonton's rapid growth led to speculation in real estate. In 1912, Edmonton amalgamated with the City of Strathcona south of the North Saskatchewan River ; as a result, the city held land on both banks of the North Saskatchewan River for the first time. Just before World War I , the boom ended, and the city's population declined from more than 72,000 in 1914 to less than 54,000 only two years later. Many impoverished families moved to subsistence farms outside
18810-710: The early 21st century, the Province of Alberta formed the Capital Region Board (CRB) on April 15, 2008. The CRB consists of 24 member municipalities – 22 of which are within the Edmonton CMA and two of which are outside the CMA. The City of Edmonton announced in March 2013 its intent to annex 156 square kilometres of land (including the Edmonton International Airport) from Leduc County. On November 30, 2016,
18981-577: The easing of the Japanese invasion threat meant fewer U.S. personnel in Edmonton by 1944. In 1947, formal recruit training was introduced. Prior to the formal training, officers were sent to the streets with minimal instruction. After six months of training in 1949, 15 officers graduated. In 1951, the department recruited in Scotland and Ireland after struggling to meet recruit demands. In 1955, basic training class number one graduated, with 28 members completing
19152-499: The emergence of young centremen Doug Weight and Jason Arnott . In the 1993–94 season , the Oilers were placed into the Western Conference's Pacific Division. In 1996–97 , the Oilers made the playoffs for the first time in five years, thanks to stellar goaltending by Curtis Joseph . In the first round, they upset the Dallas Stars , who had compiled the league's second-best record, in a seven-game series. The Oilers won game seven on
19323-532: The ending of the 2011–12 season , the Oilers announced they would not renew the contract of head coach Tom Renney. The following month, Edmonton selected Nail Yakupov as the first overall pick at the 2012 NHL entry draft . A week later, Ralph Krueger was named as the Oilers' new head coach on June 27, being promoted from his role as associate coach the season previous. Three days later, Edmonton announced they had agreed to terms with sought-after free agent defenceman Justin Schultz . The 2012–13 season start
19494-490: The entire season with Devils Milano . Grant Fuhr was suspended for 60 games for drug abuse. The season itself was not great for the Oilers, who finished with 37 wins and 80 points, in third place in the Smythe Division. In the playoffs, the Oilers met the Flames in the opening round, winning a thrilling series in seven games, led by seven goals by Esa Tikkanen . Despite injuries suffered in the series with Calgary, they next defeated
19665-591: The expansion draft, and Mark Messier was traded to the New York Rangers a day after the season began. The Oilers even lost their head coach, as John Muckler left to become head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Sabres . Ted Green replaced Muckler as head coach, and Kevin Lowe succeeded Messier as captain. Despite the number of changes, the Oilers produced a comparable season to 1990–91, finishing third in
19836-465: The final two and returning to the Stanley Cup Finals. Edmonton lost the first game to Philadelphia but won the next four to win the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row. Paul Coffey had a playoff performance to remember, setting records for most goals (12), assists (25), and points (37) ever by a defenceman in a playoff year. In addition, Jari Kurri tied Reggie Leach 's record for most goals in
20007-591: The first day of the 2015 NHL entry draft to the New York Islanders, in exchange for defenceman Griffin Reinhart . Chiarelli again made trades the following day and traded another second-, a third- and a seventh-round draft pick to the New York Rangers, to acquire goaltender Cam Talbot and the Rangers' seventh-round draft pick. On May 19, Todd McLellan was named the new head coach of the Oilers. He and his former team,
20178-543: The first player in NHL history to score 200 points (with 212). Gretzky's accomplishments helped the Oilers become the first team to score 400 goals in a season, a feat they accomplished for five straight years. However, they were upset by the Los Angeles Kings in five games (Game 3 of this series, the Miracle on Manchester , saw the Oilers take a 5–0 lead into the third period, only to lose 6–5 in overtime). In 1982–83 ,
20349-750: The five former urban municipalities annexed by the city over its history: Beverly, Jasper Place, North Edmonton, Strathcona and West Edmonton (Calder). Larger residential areas within Edmonton's six suburban sectors, each comprising multiple neighbourhoods, include Heritage Valley , Kaskitayo , Riverbend , Terwillegar Heights and Windermere (southwest sector); The Grange , Lewis Farms and West Jasper Place (west sector); Big Lake (northwest sector); Castle Downs , Lake District and The Palisades (north sector); Casselman-Steele Heights , Clareview , Hermitage , Londonderry and Pilot Sound (northeast sector); and Ellerslie , The Meadows , Mill Woods and Southeast Edmonton (southeast sector). Mill Woods
20520-406: The following year. The team's fortunes improved dramatically in 1978 when Pocklington acquired underage player Wayne Gretzky , as well as goaltender Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll , for cash, from Skalbania's recently folded Indianapolis Racers . His first year of WHA experience prevented Gretzky from being an official 1979–80 NHL rookie; his first and only WHA season, 1978–79 , saw
20691-472: The founding of the province. In this year, a town police force took over duties formerly served by the North-West Mounted Police they were unwilling to take responsibility for enforcing law and order in the city following the 1892 Rat Creek Rebellion. On July 27, 1892, P.D. Campbell was the first police officer hired by the town of Edmonton. Aside from dealing with law enforcement issues, Campbell
20862-484: The inaugural Presidents' Trophy , the trophy given to the team with the best regular season record. Gretzky, Kurri, and Anderson each scored 50 goals again. Kurri led the NHL in goals with 68, finishing with 131 points. Paul Coffey set a new record for most goals in a season by a defenceman (48) and just missed setting a new record for points by a defenceman with 138 ( Bobby Orr scored 139 in 1970–71 ). Gretzky also set records for assists (163) and points (215). However,
21033-588: The largest and fastest encampment sweeps in Edmonton's history, and would be carried out by police in conjunction with city employees. An emergency court filing by lawyers working for the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights secured an interim injunction against the sweeps. The temporary injunction said that encampment sweeps could still occur but with certain conditions – most notably, that police and city workers had to first guarantee that enough shelter spaces are open before carrying out sweeps. Following
21204-496: The longest growing seasons on the Canadian Prairies . At the summer solstice , Edmonton receives 17 hours and three minutes of daylight, with an hour and 46 minutes of civil twilight , and on average receives 2,344 hours of bright sunshine per year, making it one of Canada's sunniest cities. The city is known for having cold winters, though its weather is milder than Regina , Saskatoon or Winnipeg , all of which are on
21375-468: The name of Edmonton derives from Adelmetone, meaning 'farmstead/estate of Ēadhelm' (from Ēadhelm, an Old English personal name, and tūn ); this earlier form of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086. Fort Edmonton was also called Fort-des-Prairies by French-Canadians , trappers , and coureurs des bois . Indigenous languages refer to the Edmonton area by multiple names which reference
21546-490: The new arena on December 3, 2013; the new 18,641-seat arena was called Rogers Place . After 41 games into the shortened season and with the Oilers mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for a seventh successive time, Edmonton terminated Steve Tambellini's contract as general manager, where he was replaced with former head coach Craig MacTavish. Following the end of the season, on June 8, MacTavish fired Ralph Krueger after just one season as head coach. Two days later, it
21717-643: The off-season to begin the rebuild of the club around their young talent. Patrick O'Sullivan was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Jim Vandermeer , Robert Nilsson was bought out of his contract and Oilers captain Ethan Moreau was placed on waivers and claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets . Along with these players, several others were allowed to enter free agency, including Mike Comrie , Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Ryan Potulny . Also during
21888-463: The off-season, radio announcer Rod Phillips announced his retirement. Phillips had been the Oilers' play-by-play announcer since 1973–74 . Phillips called ten specific games in 2010–11 before calling it quits. The 2010–11 Edmonton Oilers season is documented in the series Oil Change . The 2010–11 season brought a new look to the Edmonton Oilers line-up, when Shawn Horcoff was selected to succeed Ethan Moreau as team captain. Horcoff had become
22059-551: The other way, but Heatley refused a trade to Edmonton and was later acquired by San Jose. Following the season, Tom Renney replaced Quinn as the Oilers head coach. The one advantage to such a bad season was that the Oilers were able to make the first pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft . The Oilers selected two-time Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy winner Taylor Hall from the Windsor Spitfires with their pick. They used
22230-428: The playoffs in the first round. The Oilers underwent more changes during the 1989–90 season . John Muckler replaced Sather, who remained general manager and became the Oilers' president, as head coach of the team. During training camp, Grant Fuhr came down with a severe case of appendicitis. He missed the first ten games of the season and when he returned he suffered a shoulder injury that eventually sidelined him for
22401-641: The presence of fur trading posts. In Cree , the area is known as ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwacîwâskahikan , which translates to "Beaver Hills House" and references the location's proximity to the Beaver Hills east of Edmonton. In Blackfoot , the area is known as Omahkoyis ; in Nakota Sioux , the area is known as Titâga ; in Tsuutʼina , the area is known as Nââsʔágháàchú (anglicised as Nasagachoo ). The Blackfoot name translates to 'big lodge', while
22572-558: The previous season. Hextall won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Oilers began losing star players in 1987–88 . Paul Coffey sat out the first 21 games of the season before getting traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins . Andy Moog also failed to report; he was tired of being the backup goalie. Moog played for the Canadian Olympic team in the 1988 Winter Olympics before getting traded to the Boston Bruins for Bill Ranford . Despite
22743-459: The regiment into battle. Members of the pipe band also served as stretcher bearers for the regiment for the duration of the war during the war. The Pipes and Drums of the EPS were re-founded in 1961, and as a result of this historical arrangement, the band has grown closer with the PPCLI unlike other police bands. The band was first invited to play at the PPCLI beating retreat ceremony in 1964 and then at
22914-542: The regimental trooping of the colour in 1967. Today, it is the only non-military civilian band within the Commonwealth to wear the badges of three Canadian regiments: the PPCLI, the Canadian Airborne Regiment and The Loyal Edmonton Regiment . While serving as a public relations tool for the EPS, it still performs alongside the regiments today during public events in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service
23085-553: The region have led to intermunicipal competition, strained intermunicipal relationships and overall fragmentation of the region. Although several attempts have been made by the City of Edmonton to absorb surrounding municipalities or annex portions of its neighbours, the city has not absorbed another municipality since the Town of Jasper Place joined Edmonton on August 17, 1964, and the city has not annexed land from any of its neighbours since January 1, 1982. After years of mounting pressure in
23256-517: The region. The site of present-day Edmonton was home to several First Nations peoples, including the Cree , Nakota Sioux , Blackfoot , Tsuut'ina , Ojibwe , and Denesuline . The valley of the North Saskatchewan River , in particular the area of Edmonton, was settled to varying degrees for thousands of years, and provided many essential resources, including fish, medicine, and materials for tool making, such as chert or quartzite , which are abundant in
23427-488: The remainder of the season. This marked the emergence of Bill Ranford as a starter. Four games into the season, Jimmy Carson decided the pressure of playing in Edmonton was too intense and he was traded to Detroit with Kevin McClelland in exchange for Petr Klima , Adam Graves , Joe Murphy and Jeff Sharples . The Oilers improved on their previous season, finishing with 38 wins and 90 points, good for fifth place overall in
23598-571: The season with 95 points and clinch the final playoff spot in the Western Conference over Vancouver. In the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers played the Detroit Red Wings (winners of the Presidents' Trophy). Despite Detroit's much better regular season record, the Oilers pulled off a six-game upset for their first playoff series win since 1998. Edmonton then met the San Jose Sharks in
23769-450: The second round, but this time, the Stars were the victors. The Oilers made the playoffs in four of the next six years, but they were defeated after the first round every time. Despite their success over the past two seasons, the Oilers were in trouble off the ice. Owner Peter Pocklington had explored moving the Oilers to Minnesota during the 1990s. In 1998, Pocklington almost made a deal to sell
23940-403: The series 4–0, outscoring the Kings 22–10. The Oilers then met the Chicago Blackhawks in the conference finals and fell behind 2–1 in the series. However, the Oilers won the next three games to earn a rematch of the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals with Boston. The series is remembered for Game 1, still the longest Stanley Cup Finals game played in the modern NHL. Despite being soundly outshot by the Bruins,
24111-411: The shortened season a day later, on January 20. On January 23, to ensure the health of the Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton and for the planned revitalization of downtown Edmonton , the City of Edmonton council voted 10–3 to approval a deal that saw a new $ 480 million arena built in Edmonton's downtown core for the start of the 2016–17 season. Rogers Communications announced it had the naming rights to
24282-632: The south side of the North Saskatchewan River. Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 and became Alberta's capital in 1905. In 1904, the City of Edmonton purchased the Edmonton District Telephone Company for $ 17,000 from Alex Taylor , a Canadian entrepreneur, inventor, and politician. Amalgamated into a city department as City of Edmonton Telephone Department, City Telephone System (CTS), 'Edmonton telephones'. In 1989, City Council voted to create Edmonton Telephones Corporation (Ed Tel) to operate as an autonomous organization under
24453-415: The strike by allowing buses carrying scabs through and arresting workers at will - with over 300 arrested on June 3 alone. In the first month of the strike, Edmonton Police deployed 1/3 of their force to the Gainers picket line, including their riot squad for the first time. They also spent their entire annual overtime budget of $ 500,000 in these first few days alone. As described by Dave Werlin, president of
24624-633: The surrounding area. Larger urban communities include Sherwood Park (an urban service area within Strathcona County ), the cities of St. Albert , Beaumont , Leduc , Spruce Grove and Fort Saskatchewan , and the towns of Stony Plain , Morinville , and Devon . Major employment areas outside Edmonton but within the CMA include the Nisku Industrial Business Park and the Edmonton International Airport (including
24795-619: The team to Leslie Alexander , the owner of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), who would have moved the team to Houston, Texas . On March 14, 1998, hours before the deadline to keep the team in Edmonton, the Edmonton Investors Group agreed to pay $ 70 million to buy the club. The EIG were spearheaded by Cal Nichols , who committed to retaining NHL hockey in Edmonton. The deal
24966-479: The team was given its new identity, the Bakersfield Condors . On April 2, the Condors released their new logo. Off-season moves failed to help the Oilers as they finished behind Arizona in the NHL during 2014–15 . It was also easily their worst season as an NHL team. The Oilers won the 2015 draft lottery on April 18, moving them from the third-overall pick to first, marking their fourth lottery win in six seasons. The Oilers selected Connor McDavid first overall in
25137-417: The team's success, including Mark Messier , Glenn Anderson , Jari Kurri , Paul Coffey , Kevin Lowe , Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog . The Oilers improved in 1981–82 , finishing second overall. Grant Fuhr emerged as the starting goaltender and he set a rookie record by going undefeated in 23 straight games. However, Gretzky stole the show by setting the single-season record for goals with 92 and becoming
25308-400: The team, helping them reach the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games. On November 1, 1971, the Edmonton Oilers became 1 of the 12 founding WHA franchises. The original owners were "Wild Bill" Hunter (1920–2002) and partner, Dr. Charles A. "Chuck" Allard (1919–1991) (father of Vancouver lawyer Peter Allard ) who, a decade later, also brought
25479-422: The team. This did not become apparent for a few years; as noted above, the Oilers still had enough heft to make the conference finals two years in a row. However, it was obvious that they were nowhere near being the powerhouse that had dominated the league in the previous half-decade. In 1992–93 , they missed the playoffs for the first time as an NHL team. They did not return to the postseason for four years, despite
25650-438: The trade. None of this was public knowledge at the time. However, the Oilers and their fans were still upset. Nelson Riis , the New Democratic Party leader in Canada's House of Commons , went so far as to ask the government to block the trade. Several of the Oilers considered launching a team-wide strike and even considered demanding that Pocklington sell the team. The loss of Gretzky had an immediate impact in 1988–89 , as
25821-438: The upstart league as they were allowed to protect two goaltenders and two skaters. Originally, Gretzky was not eligible to be protected; under the rules of the time, he normally would have been placed in the entry draft pool. However, Pocklington had signed him to a 21-year personal services contract in 1979 and Pocklington used the contract to force the NHL to admit the Oilers and allow the Oilers to keep Gretzky. Upon joining
25992-437: The winter. The highest temperature recorded in Edmonton was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on June 29, 1937 and on July 2, 2013, a record high humidex of 44 was recorded due to an unusually humid day with a temperature of 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) and a record high dew point of 23 °C (73 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Edmonton was −49.4 °C (−56.9 °F) on January 19 and 21, 1886. Edmonton has
26163-451: The wiped-out 2004–05 season, they were aided by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL owners and players. This included a league-wide salary cap that essentially forced all teams to conform to a budget, as the Oilers had been doing for years. A more reasonable conversion rate of Canadian dollar revenues to US dollar payroll in the new millennium also helped the Oilers to return to profitability. Because of this, Edmonton
26334-399: The world. On November 26, 2021, a police ARV got stuck on a crab tree stump in local author Candas Dorsey 's backyard when responding to a call. The vehicle broke Dorsey's fence, knocked over a tree and multiple bushes, destroyed much of the topsoil, and was leaking transmission fluid onto the lawn - causing between $ 20,000-$ 25,000 in damages. Dorsey stated in an interview that neighbours and
26505-444: The year. It falls into the NRC 4a Plant Hardiness Zone . Summer in Edmonton lasts from June until early September, while winter lasts from November until March and in common with all of Alberta varies greatly in length and severity. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. Edmonton's growing season on average lasts from May 9 to September 22; having an average 135–140 frost-free days each year, resulting in one of
26676-514: Was Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson, as he became the oldest goaltender to play 60 NHL games in one season. After the season, the Oilers fired head coach Craig MacTavish and hired Pat Quinn as his replacement. Roloson left via free agency at the end of the season, and the Oilers replaced him in goal with Nikolai Khabibulin . The Oilers also worked out a trade with the Ottawa Senators for star right wing Dany Heatley , which would have seen Dustin Penner , Ladislav Smid and Andrew Cogliano go
26847-595: Was able to acquire Chris Pronger (former winner of the Hart and Norris Trophies) and Michael Peca (two-time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner) before the 2005–06 season . The team suffered from inconsistency during the first few months of the regular season, especially in goal and offence. Goaltenders Ty Conklin and Jussi Markkanen were unreliable in net and Peca also struggled with offence. However, in-season acquisitions, such as defencemen Jaroslav Spacek and Dick Tarnstrom , goaltender Dwayne Roloson and left winger Sergei Samsonov , helped Edmonton finish
27018-411: Was also Edmonton's health and licence inspector. The Mounties resumed the maintenance of law and order in the City and the Edmonton Police Department was founded to stay in 1894. In 1911, Alex Decoteau was hired by the Edmonton Police Department. He was the first Indigenous person to be hired by a police department in Canada. On October 1, 1912, Annie May Jackson was hired as a police officer. She
27189-566: Was announced Krueger was to be replaced by former Toronto Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins . One of MacTavish's first player moves as Oilers' general manager came at the 2013 NHL entry draft , as Edmonton used their seventh overall selection to draft defenceman Darnell Nurse . More moves came on July 5, during free agency, which saw MacTavish trade captain Shawn Horcoff to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Philip Larsen . MacTavish also signed Andrew Ference, Boyd Gordon , Jason LaBarbera , Will Acton , Ryan Hamilton and Jesse Joensuu . Ference
27360-631: Was awarded the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender. In a surprising and shocking trade, Gretzky, along with enforcer Marty McSorley and centre Mike Krushelnyski , were traded to the Los Angeles Kings on August 9, 1988. In exchange, the Oilers received US$ 15 million, young star Jimmy Carson , 1988 first-round draft choice Martin Gelinas , and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991, and 1993. The trade occurred because Pocklington did not want to risk Gretzky leaving Edmonton without getting anything in return. Gretzky had converted his chance at free agency and refused, which ultimately led to
27531-401: Was bought out of the last year of his contract. These moves, coupled with the signings of Eric Belanger , Cam Barker , Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk , changed the complexion of the team, to add "grit and toughness". However, the Oilers were again unable to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth-straight season, as they finished 14th in the Western Conference. On May 17, 2012, a month after
27702-426: Was ceremoniously named team captain. On December 15, 2014, after 31 games of the 2014–15 season , MacTavish announced Dallas Eakins had been terminated as head coach. MacTavish assumed the role of interim coach while Todd Nelson transitioned into the role for the remainder of the season. Nelson was previously serving as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Barons , the Oilers' then-AHL affiliate. Three days later,
27873-411: Was charged with assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest, though video and eyewitness sources claimed that the officer instigated by pushing Bohnsack's wife Kiya Tailleur to the ground, unprovoked. One of the peace officers claiming obstruction of justice was Amber Maze, a former candidate for the Wildrose Party . The officer who claimed to be assaulted by Bohnsack, Constable Michael Zacharuk, had
28044-402: Was closed in favour of Fort Edmonton. In 1876, Treaty 6 , which includes what is now Edmonton, was signed between First Nations and the Crown , as part of the Numbered Treaties . The agreement includes the Plains and Woods Cree, Assiniboine , and other band governments of First Nations at Fort Carlton , Fort Pitt , and Battle River . The area covered by the treaty represents most of
28215-431: Was delayed from its original date of October 11, 2012, due to a labour lock-out imposed by the NHL franchise owners after the expiration of the NHL's CBA. After a new labour agreement was reached between the owners and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), training camps opened on January 13, 2013, and a 48-game season (reduced from 82 games) commenced on January 19. The Oilers played their first game of
28386-425: Was facilitated through the absorption of five adjacent urban municipalities ( Strathcona , North Edmonton , West Edmonton , Beverly and Jasper Place ) in addition to a series of annexations through 1982, and the annexation of 8,260 ha (82.6 km ; 31.9 sq mi) of land from Leduc County and the City of Beaumont on January 1, 2019. As of 2021 , Edmonton had a city population of 1,010,899 and
28557-405: Was finalized on May 5, and thus prevented them from being the third Canadian team to move in the 1990s and the fourth former WHA team to move in successive years (Quebec had moved in 1995, Winnipeg in 1996 and Hartford in 1997). The Oilers received support from the NHL for this very reason. In the 1998–99 season, the Oilers joined the Western Conference's Northwest Division. On November 22, 2003,
28728-429: Was known, became the main centre for trade in the area after the 1821 merger of the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company . It remained sparsely populated until the Canadian acquisition of Rupert's Land in 1870, followed eventually by the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1891, its inauguration as a city in 1904, and its designation as the capital of the new province of Alberta in 1906. Its growth
28899-503: Was later announced as the 14th captain in Oilers NHL franchise history on September 29. Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth, who after the Horcoff trade became the last remaining members of the Oilers' 2006 Stanley Cup finalists still with the team, departed the Oilers franchise, as Hemsky was traded to the Ottawa Senators on March 5, 2014. Smyth (who had previously left the Oilers in 2007, but had returned in 2011) announced his retirement on April 11, playing his final NHL game on April 13, where he
29070-551: Was particularly warm for Edmonton, as temperatures reached 29 °C (84 °F) or higher more than 20 times from mid-May to early September. Later, the summer of 2021 saw the temperature rise above 29 °C (84 °F) on 23 days between June and August, while nearly breaking the record high temperature on June 30 with a temperature of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F). The winter of 2011–12 was particularly warm: from December 22 through March 20 there were 53 occasions when Edmonton saw temperatures at or above 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) at
29241-431: Was the first woman constable in Canada, serving from 1912 to 1918. Edmonton police officers used an airplane to pursue a criminal in 1919. This was the first time a Canadian police service used this technology in a pursuit. Former WWI ace Wop May flew an airplane to assist the successful pursuit and capture of John Larsen, murderer of Edmonton constable William Nixon. During the sixth decade of policing, from 1942 to 1952,
#824175