Sather will become the ninth Oiler to have a banner raised by the team, joining Al Hamilton, Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson and long-time radio broadcaster Rod Phillips in the hallowed rafters of Rexall Place.

Sather, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, was one of the great coaches and managers in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL), winning four Stanley Cups as a Head Coach (1984, 85, 87, 88) and a fifth Stanley cup in 1990 as President and General Manager, all with the Oilers.

“The Oilers organization has been blessed with tremendous leaders, many of them in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Those great teams and players were a part of one of the great dynasties in hockey. But, I can tell you with certainty, none of that success would have happened without Glen Sather,” said Oilers Entertainment Group Vice-Chair Kevin Lowe. “Glen was a mentor, leader, protector and father figure for so many players that wore the Oilers sweater. He showed us what it meant to be champions both on and off the ice.”

Lowe added, “It will be a very special day for our fans and organization when we celebrate Glen’s contribution and have him join our other legends in raising his banner to the rafters at Rexall Place.”

In 10 NHL seasons playing with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars, Sather accumulated 192 points (80G, 112A) and 724 penalty minutes in 658 career games. He also appeared in 72 playoff games, recording six points (1G, 5A) and 86 penalty minutes.

Sather played one season with the Edmonton Oilers in 1976-77 as members of the World Hockey Association (WHA), posting 53 points (19G, 34A) and 77 penalty minutes. He also played in five playoff games, registering two points (1G, 1A) and two penalty minutes.

The High River, Alberta native was named ‘Player-Coach” of the Oilers with 18 games remaining in the 1976-77 WHA season. In Sather’s first game as ‘Player-Coach”, the Oilers defeated the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 5-4, with Sather scoring the game-winning goal. Sather retired from playing after the 1976-77 season but remained as Head Coach of the team. After leading the Oilers to the playoffs in their inaugural NHL season in 1979-80, Sather was promoted to Head Coach and General Manager, serving in that role until the 1984-85 season. From 1985-89, Sather remained as Head Coach but shared the duties with John Muckler, winning the Jack Adams Trophy in 1985-86 as the NHL’s Coach of the Year. Following the 1988-89 season, Sather relinquished his role as Head Coach but remained as the team’s General Manager, guiding the Oilers to their fifth Stanley Cup in the 1989-90 season.

Sather ranks nineteenth in regular season coaching wins all-time in the NHL. Teams under Sather’s direction as Head Coach had winning records eight out of 11 seasons.

Outside the NHL, Sather achieved success and was instrumental in building championship-winning teams for Canada at the 1984 Canada Cup and the 1994 World Hockey Championship, as well as helping Team Canada reach the finals at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Sather was also responsible for creating the Oilers legacy of community and philanthropic involvement by its players and staff. The signature accomplishment being Sather’s efforts with the Edmonton Eskimos in the Carnival of Champions that helped raise money for a new centre of excellence in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal sport and exercise-related injuries. In recognition of his efforts the clinic is named the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic.

EDMONTON OILERS BANNER RAISING GAMES
PLAYER NUMBER DATE
Al Hamilton 3 October 10, 1980 vs. Quebec Nordiques
(Banner raised in 2001)
Wayne Gretzky 99 October 1, 1999 vs. New York Rangers
Jari Kurri 17 October 6, 2001 vs. Phoenix Coyotes
Grant Fuhr 31 October 9, 2003 vs. San Jose Sharks
Paul Coffey 7 October 18, 2005 vs. Phoenix Coyotes
Mark Messier 11 February 27, 2007 vs. Phoenix Coyotes
Glenn Anderson 9 January 18, 2009 vs. Phoenix Coyotes
Rod Phillips 3542 March 29, 2011 vs. Los Angeles Kings