Last offseason, the Edmonton Oilers announced a new initiative to honour and recognize past members of the team. The Oilers Ring of Honour (or Oilers Hall of Fame) is meant to let the organization publicly acknowledge and celebrate important individuals.
But, because the Oilers do not retire numbers of players unless they make it into the Hockey Hall of Fame, many people get passed by.
That is why the Oilers Hall of Fame is so important in celebrating the great history of this franchise.
Oilers Hall of Fame 2023–24 class
For the 2023–24 class, we are ecstatic to congratulate Charlie Huddy and Doug Weight on their induction to the Oilers Hall of Fame!
Charlie Huddy and his contributions to the dynasty years
Huddy was a crucial member of the 1980s dynasty years, helping the team from the back end to all five of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup victories. He spent 11 years as a player for the Oilers, scoring 81 goals and 368 points.
But offence was not where Huddy was most important. It was his defensive mind. He was the stay-at-home guy to Paul Coffey‘s offensive flash. He was the guy who could be relied on to cover while the rest of the high-powered offence did their thing, exciting the fans and filling up the scoresheet.
In 1982–83 and 1983–84, Huddy finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting as the league’s best defenseman.
Huddy was an incredibly intelligent player whose instincts led him to a coaching career after he retired as a player. He quickly found his way back to the Oilers organization and spent eight seasons as an assistant coach from 2000–01 to 2008–09.
Doug Weight leading the offence in the Dead Puck Era
The ’90s were not a great time for offence in the NHL, which is why these years are included in the Dead Puck Era, where obstruction and physicality was the primary defensive strategy and flashy talent was stifled in many cases.
But one player for the Oilers in this era stood out for his incredible offensive talents: Doug Weight.
Despite a weaker team around him, Weight carried the offence of the Oilers during his tenure with the team. Originally acquired for Esa Tikkanen in 1992–93, he spent nine seasons with the team until he was traded away after the 2000–01 season.
In those nine years, Weight played 588 games, recording 577 points. Including a career-high 104 points in 1995–96. Showing just how much he meant to the organization, Weight was named captain after Kelly Buchbuger’s departure and spent his final two and a half seasons in Edmonton as team captain.
Ironically, Weight finally won a Stanley Cup championship with the Carolina Hurricanes when they defeated the Oilers in the finals in 2006. Weight went on to win a King Clancy trophy as a member of the New York Islanders in his final season in 2010–11.
An Oilers honour
Congratulations to both Weight and Huddy for their induction into one of the most incredible team halls of fame in sports. With such a storied and impressive past, it means a lot to be part of such an exclusive club, and both are well deserving of the honour.
They’ll see their names and numbers placed in the ring of honour above the PCL Loge Level at Rogers Place on Thursday, October 26, 2023, when the Oilers host the New York Rangers on Thursday night hockey.
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