6 players who could be inducted into Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame next season
The Edmonton Oilers have an illustrious history filled with iconic players, but only a few can get recognized every year.
Edmonton took last year off in terms of inducting players into the team’s Hall of Fame, and the expectation is that they will get back to it this season. Players inducted into the Hall of Fame are immortalized with a plaque in the team’s media room and have their names added to the upper bowl ring in Rogers Place.
It was initially introduced in 2022 and saw 10 players and two team personnel included in its inaugural class:
- Wayne Gretzky
- Mark Messier
- Jari Kurri
- Glenn Anderson
- Grant Fuhr
- Paul Coffey
- Kevin Lowe
- Al Hamilton
- Glen Sather
- Rod Phillips
- Ryan Smyth
- Lee Fogolin
Since then, a total of four players have joined those ranks, with Charlie Huddy and Doug Weight joining in 2023, while Craig MacTavish and Randy Gregg got the honour in 2024.
The presumed 2026 class will have two more players get their name etched into history, but who could they be? There is no shortage of options for the selection committee to choose from, but these six players should be on the short list…
1. Bill Ranford
Position: G
Seasons with Oilers: 10 (1987-88 to 1995-96, 1999-00)
Stats with Oilers: 167-193-54, .887 SV%
Nobody deserves to get the call to the Oilers Hall of Fame more than Bill Ranford.
Outside of Fuhr, it’s safe to say that Ranford might be the second most iconic goaltender to suit up for Edmonton. He spent a decade with the team throughout the late-1980s into the mid-1990s, winning two Stanley Cups with the team in 1988 and 1990.
The highlight of his career came during the 1990 Stanley Cup run, where he backstopped Edmonton with an incredible 16-5-1 record and a .912 save percentage to secure both the championship and Conn Smythe for playoff MVP.
Ranford remains the only Oilers goaltender to ever win the Conn Smythe.
2. Ales Hemsky
Perry Nelson/Imagn Images
Position: RW
Seasons with Oilers: 11 (2002-03 to 2013-14)
Stats with Oilers: 142 G, 355 A, 477 PTS, 652 GP
There may not have been a more talented Oilers player than Ales Hemsky during the 2000s era of the team.
Edmonton did not experience a lot of success in this decade of existence, outside of a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. Hemsky, however, defined a generation of Oilers hockey for a lot of fans and is certainly deserving of the honour.
The Czech forward ranks 11th in franchise history in points and 10th in assists.
3. Kelly Buchberger
Position: RW
Seasons with Oilers: 12 (1987-88 to 1998-99)
Stats with Oilers: 82 G, 158 A, 240 PTS, 795 GP
Kelly Buchberger may not have the boxcars of a Hall of Fame player, but he meant a lot to the Oilers franchise during one of their worst stretches.
The Saskatchewan native embodied the city’s blue-collar spirit and wore his heart on his sleeve during the bulk of the 1990s. He won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers in 1987 and 1990 and captained the team for parts of four seasons between 1995-96 and 1998-99.
Buchberger would later transition to coaching, having served as an assistant on Edmonton’s staff between 2008-09 and 2013-14.
He’d be an outside-the-box pick, but one that not many would argue against.
4. Tommy Salo
Position: G
Seasons with Oilers: Six (1998-99 to 2003-04)
Stats with Oilers: 147-128-51, .906 SV%
Tommy Salo often gets forgotten about when it comes to Oilers goaltenders, but he deserves some time in the sun.
The period in which he played for the Oilers was a bit forgettable, but the Swedish netminder turned in some impressive results. Salo is actually one of the most successful goalies in franchise history, ranking third in wins and games-played behind Fuhr and Ranford, and is the franchise leader with 23 shutouts, which is nine more than second place.
He may not have the playoff success of Fuhr or Ranford, but Salo deserves some recognition.
5. Jason Smith
Lou Capozzola/Imagn Images
Position: D
Seasons with Oilers: Eight (1998-99 to 2006-07)
Stats with Oilers: 31 G, 82 A, 113 PTS, 542 GP
Jason Smith is another one of those hard-nosed players who became a fan favourite in the Alberta capital.
Similar to Buchberger, Smith never put up the points to consider him an all-star during his playing career. It was what he did away from the puck that garnered him such a good reputation among his coaches and the fan base.
Smith’s work ethic was unmatched, and he captained the team for four seasons from 2001-02 til 2006-07. He very nearly helped the Oilers capture their sixth Stanley Cup in 2006 but fell just short in Game 7 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
6. Dave Semenko
Position: LW
Seasons with Oilers: Eight (1979-80 to 1986-87)
Stats: 59 G, 77 A, 136 PTS, 454 GP
The 1980s Oilers dynasty is well represented in the team’s Hall of Fame, but one obvious name is still missing.
Dave Semenko was far from a star on those Stanley Cup-winning squads, but he played an important role. It was his job to police the ice and protect Edmonton’s brightest stars, and he found ways to be productive at the same time.
He was beloved by both his teammates and fans from that era and received an amazing celebration of life at Rogers Place when he passed away back in 2017.
Semenko feels like the final piece of that dynasty that still needs to get inducted.