Nostalgia can be such a great thing. Even with the main attraction Edmonton Oilers in town, the Edmonton Oil Kings have firmly established themselves as true kings of a hockey-crazy city, whom many have great memories of. It’s a privilege to have two high-level hockey teams to watch every winter in the same building no less. The blue, red, and gold jersey has been part of so many childhoods since 2007.
We can’t cover every player in history, but it doesn’t hurt to relish the opportunity to go as far back as the glorious Rexall Place days and relive good memories of great players of this team.
Without further adieu, part three of Blast from the Past is ready to commence. Let’s take a look at the next three former Oil Kings in the batting order:
Mark Pysyk
Every great team needs a smart, sound right-shot defender that can play in all situations and eat up key minutes. Mark Pysyk was that guy for the Oil Kings back in the day.
He was drafted third overall in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft by the Oil Kings and played for the club between 2007 and 2012.
In 243 career WHL games, Pysyk had 125 points.
He served as the Oil Kings team captain from 2010 to 2012.
Pysyk’s best season in the WHL was his final one in 2011-12 when he had 38 points in 57 games. He was named to the WHL East Second All-Star Team. In the playoffs, he scored 11 points in 20 games. The team went on to win the WHL Championship.
Pysyk and the Oil Kings then competed at the 2012 Memorial Cup; however, they ended up losing to the host team and tournament winner, the Shawinigan Cataractes, in the playoff round tiebreaker.
In addition to his incredible final WHL season, Pysyk also took home a bronze medal at the 2012 World Juniors as a member of Team Canada.
Pysyk was a skilled, reliable, two-way rearguard whose work ethic and leadership helped take the Oil Kings over the top during pivotal years of success for the franchise.
Dylan Wruck
Perhaps one of the most underrated Oil Kings was an offensive dynamo, Dylan Wruck. His skill with the puck was unreal. He was a master at making and finishing plays.
Wruck played forward for the Oil Kings between 2008 and 2013.
In 259 WHL games, he scored 256 points.
Wruck had three straight seasons in Edmonton where he finished with 78 points or higher. His best campaign came in 2012-13 when he accumulated 85 points in 68 games. He added another 19 points in 22 playoff games and was awarded the WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player.
In 2011-12 he won a WHL Championship with the Oil Kings.
Wruck was a lethal, high scoring forward who added a great deal of potency to the Oil Kings offense. His skill as a hockey player was truly special and unquestionable. He carved himself a great legacy during his time as an Oil King.
Tomas Vincour
During the early days of the Oil Kings reincarnation, Czech Republic-born forward Tomas Vincour quietly burst on to the WHL scene as a big, strong, skilled player for Edmonton.
He played for the team from 2007-2010. During these years, the Oil Kings were just getting started in the league again and had to focus on rebuilding.
In 147 games with the Oil Kings, Vincour tallied 101 points.
As a 16-year-old rookie in 2007-08, Vincour tied for the team lead in points with 39 in 65 games.
Vincour’s best season as an Oil King came in 2008-09 when he scored 36 points in 49 games. That year also marked the very first time the modern Oil Kings franchise would qualify for a playoff berth. Unfortunately, Vincour was limited to only one game in the postseason, where he mustered an assist.
Although Vincour played before the glory years of the Oil Kings Memorial Cup win and WHL Championships, he still represents an integral period of foundational evolution and transitional growth for the franchise.
He was a highly-skilled forward who made his mark in Edmonton. An old school Oil King.
