The City of Edmonton has a fitting nickname.

Thanks to the Edmonton Oilers winning five Stanley Cups between 1983-84 and 1989-90, the capital of Alberta earned the nickname “The City of Champions.” Those five Stanley Cups, and why the Oilers remain in Edmonton can basically be traced back to one draft, and one decision leading into that draft.

Before joining the National Hockey League for the 1979-80 season, the Oilers spent nearly a decade in the World Hockey Association. When the WHA merged with the NHL, in their final WHA season, the Oilers acquired Wayne Gretzky from the Indianapolis Racers. 

While he was eligible for the 1979 NHL draft, Gretzky was signed to a personal services contract, and due to refusing to waive it, the Oilers were allowed to keep him. In turn, all of their picks in the 1979 draft were last in their respective round.

That didn’t matter, because with the 21st overall pick, the Oilers selected Kevin Lowe. They traded their second-........

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