A memorable player in Edmonton Oilers history is returning to town.
On Thursday, former Oilers captain Jason Smith was named the head coach of the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings, becoming just the sixth head coach in the franchise’s history.
Smith, who played for the Oilers from 1999 to 2007, admitted he’s happy to be back in the place he called home for most of his NHL career.
“I am extremely excited to join one of the elite organizations in the CHL,” Smith said in a release. “Edmonton has been home to me before as a player and I can’t wait to get back and be a part of the city again.”
The Calgary native was traded to the Oilers by the Toronto Maple Leafs in March for the 1998-99 season, becoming a mainstay on the team’s blue line, while becoming a fan favorite. From 2001 until he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in July 2007, Smith was the team’s captain, famously leading the team to an improbable appearance in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.
Across eight seasons with the Oilers, Smith appeared in 542 regular-season games, scoring 31 goals and 82 assists for 113 points. He totaled over 100 penalty minutes three times with Edmonton, amassing 643 PIM in his tenure with the team. The former New Jersey Devils also scored 11 points in 68 postseason contests.
Smith takes over after the Oil Kings elected not to renew the contract of Luke Pierce, who only led the team to one playoff appearance in his three seasons at the helm, getting knocked out by the Prince Albert Raiders in the opening round this past spring. It was the team’s first postseason appearance since winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2022. Edmonton went 74-118-9-3 under Pierce.
Oil Kings general manager Kirt Hill hopes Smith can restore the team’s elite status in one of the toughest leagues in junior hockey.
“Jason is a proven leader and will be a great cultural fit for our staff and players,” Hill said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge as not only a coach but through his years of playing experience, and we’re excited for this next chapter of Oil Kings hockey.”
Before returning to the province’s capital, Smith had been an associate coach with the Prince George Cougars from 2019 to 2021. He had recently been an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, for the past four seasons. He was also an assistant with the Ottawa Senators from 2014-16.
