The Edmonton Oil Kings have identified and developed many talented, top-notch hockey players over the years.
Each player, past and present, is woven into the strong fabric of this great organization.
Once an Oil King, always an Oil King.
In this new series, Blast from the Past, we will be choosing three former players, all of whom have played for the Oil Kings between 2007-2020, to look back on during their time in Edmonton.
Here are today’s players:
Griffin Reinhart
There is only one opening statement to describe Griffin Reinhart.
A pillar on the blue line.
An Oil King from 2009 to 2014, he was a stud defender from the moment he arrived in Edmonton.
Drafted third overall in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, Reinhart was pegged to be a go-to guy from day one. And as history unfolded, he more than delivered on his potential with the club.
In his 209-game WHL career with the Oil Kings, he amassed 111 points over the course of five seasons.
Reinhart was a prototypical two-way rearguard who could chip in anywhere on the ice and eat up big minutes.
The pinnacle of Reinhart’s time with the Oil Kings undoubtedly came in 2013-14, when the team not only won the WHL Championship but also went on to win the Memorial Cup.
Reinhart captained the Oil Kings between 2012-2014, which were two highly successful, pivotal years that put the franchise on the map. His admirable leadership qualities came out front and centre during that time.
Michael St. Croix
How’s this for a resume? Michael St. Croix is currently the all-time leader in career goals (128), assists (192), and points (320) for the Oil Kings.
He played for the team from 2008 to 2013 and was chosen fourth overall by Edmonton in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.
St. Croix was a dynamic and highly-skilled offensive player. He would be the player penciled in on a clipboard from an opposing team’s coaching staff, which would simply read, “contain number 18 from Edmonton.”
He was a wizard of a playmaker and an accurate sniper.
St. Croix took the WHL by storm when he entered the league as a 16-year-old in 2009-10.
St. Croix put together an impressive rookie campaign that saw him net 46 points in 66 games for the Oil Kings. From that season on, he grabbed the bull by the horns, quickly becoming a star for the team.
He achieved an impressive feat in 2011-12 when he finished the season with 105 points in 72 games, which is the most points in a single season by an Oil King. The record still stands today.
St. Croix also won a WHL Championship with the Oil Kings in 2012.
Trey Fix-Wolansky
It wasn’t that long ago we all had the privilege of watching talented Trey Fix-Wolansky find himself on the scoresheet on a nightly basis at Rogers Place.
He played for the Oil Kings from 2016 to 2019, wasting no time to make his mark and solidifying an outstanding legacy in Edmonton.
In 206 games, he scored 245 points as an offensive threat for the Oil Kings.
As a smaller player, Fix-Wolansky faced some adversity. He was not drafted in the WHL Bantam Draft.
But his heart and work ethic prevailed. He earned his way into the league, and when he got there, he utterly dominated the WHL with his world-class playmaking skill and sharp hockey IQ.
His best year with the club came in 2018-19. He was named captain of the Oil Kings and went on to score 102 points in 65 games, three points shy of beating Michael St. Croix’s record of 105 points in a single season.
In the playoffs of that year, Fix-Wolansky led the Oil Kings in a solid run for the championship, ultimately falling short in round three against the eventual champions, the Prince Albert Raiders. He scored 14 points in 16 playoff games.
